Khorhey

I knew I had a problem at your age. Then spent 30 years trying to be a “normal” drinker. From what you’re saying you’re not ever going to be a social drinker. Get help. Stop now. Whatever it takes. If it means you can’t go to bars for a few years so be it. You don’t want to be like me and have fatty liver etc when your in your 40’s.

brighterday1234

Getting sober (as you’ve found) is the easy part relatively speaking. It’s the staying stopped that’s the really hard part. For this one requires a solid recovery program to work which will essentially give your life a whole new direction and focus as well as working on many of the issues/reasons why you drink as well as ultimately solving the drinking problem. I recommend reading the book Alcoholics Anonymous particularly the chapters ‘the Dr’s opinion’ and ‘More about alcoholism’. This as well as any other AA literature is freely available on line.

As you have already alluded to staying stopped will be challenging for you that’s why a recovery program is essential in my experience. Seize this current window of opportunity to kick start your recovery.

Noam19

Hi Icing, and welcome. Like many have already said, you're ahead of the game if you're realizing this and addressing in your 20's. That's the good news. The other news is that it's tough. Quitting is difficult. But you've spoken to your doctor, you've spoken to your family, and you're here on SR. That's a great foundation of support. Keeping talking to people, whether in person or on this site. In my own experience, pride has been one of my major obstacles. Being to prideful to admit a shortcoming, worried about what others thought, thinking I was strong enough to control it. All these things led me to going way too long on my own. I still battle everyday, but it's become part of my daily routine to come here, check in, and sometimes post if there is something I need off my chest.

We're all here for you. It only gets better! 4 days in you're probably feeling some physical benefits. Just wait till you hit 4 weeks and beyond! KEEP CHECKING IN!

Obladi

A word of advice - watch your tense!

It's going to be really hard giving up alcohol. You've done it, there's no more quitting to be done. Staying sober will be a challenge, maybe? In my case it is really "dealing with life without drinking to blot it all out" is a challenge. It really doesn't have anything to do with drinking, when I think about it that way. It has to do with learning better skills, which is difficult, for sure - but so rewarding.

...and yet I never take my own advice. Well, you are now. You have made a decision to do what's best for you and your health.

I believe a really fundamental part of getting beyond addiction is reframing our self-talk. Words do make a difference, particularly when they make up the story we tell ourselves about ourselves.

O

MissPerfumado

Nice to see you back Icing!

It's time to start thinking about some tools, as brighterday suggested.

I prepared a recovery plan with lists of: all my resources (like SR, recovery literature, my counsellor etc.); people I could call and rely on; my triggers; things I could do to deal with my triggers; healthy things I would incorporate in my life; my daily and weekly schedules ... and so on. Any list that seemed like it would help, I added to my plan. For me, it was comforting to do that as it made me feel like I was covering as many bases as possible and taking this whole thing seriously.

That's my suggestion ...

Day 4 is most excellent! Keep posting.

MaximusD

I agree with you. Other than anxiety, I have no other issues really that I am aware of. I do believe in the addictive personalities thing. There are people who think more long term and there are people that want it now short term. The short term people probably are much more likely to get addicted to stuff. It really is all interesting stuff the way the brain works.

DriGuy

It is a big step. Of course it's still just one step of many to follow, and each of us here has had to deal with that problem in our recovery, because denial is so deeply entwined with the problem. Few other problems we face have so much denial involved. Congratulations on this.

I loved college. It helped me in so many ways, in the understanding of the world, in advancing my career, and my financial well being, but I often remember that it was the environment I learned to drink in. I don't want to blame college for it, because I'm guessing I would have learned to drink without it, but of all the good that came of college, it is the one bad thing I picked up than had a crippling effect on my life.

Recognition of the problem is always vital. Now the work starts. It was hard at first, like putting all of your concentration into a difficult course in college, but probably more concentration than that. It is hard at first, but eventually becomes second nature, and it will remain forever a work in progress, because you will always have to choose not to take that drink. You can never stop making that choice and you will have to remain vigilant about it, at least to some degree. That too gets easier. But the joy in sobriety is the reward for the work.

Zebra1275

Welcome to SR!

As you have realized, alcoholism is progressive. I'm glad you joined this website at 27, instead of 47 which is about when I finally admitted out loud that I had a problem.

icingsugar

Hi all,
it's been a week now since I last had a drink and other than having the urge on maybe Tuesday or so, I have been fine. I am still waiting for the blood test results to come back (or to hear from the GP) which is frustrating and making me very paranoid as the nurse said when she took the blood that I would hear back by the end of the week. I feel I am going to be really tense all weekend.

Some goodish news is I did jump on the scales for the first time in 2 years, and while I am definitely huge, I do not weigh as much as I thought which gives me hope with me having stopped drinking I will hopefully get down to my goal weight quicker than I thought. I have been taking walks every day since Tuesday for at least 1 mile (on Wednesday I walked 5 miles!) and so hope by the time I go back to work in late August, I might have lost my lockdown weight.

Dee74

congrats on your week icingsugar

D

MissPerfumado

I know it will be hard to keep the test results out of your mind, but do take time this weekend to feel good about yourself and build on your plans to lose the excess weight. The walking will improve your health and make you feel better. So many of us began regular exercise in sobriety and benefited enormously. You sound really good. I'm extremely happy for you.

brighterday1234

Congratulations on 1 week sober. Remember it is the staying stopped which is the crux of recovery and will most likely require some form
of recovery program.

Acheleus

I once thought that alcohol made literature and music more vibrant. After I was sober I realized I was damaging my brain with alcohol. If you continue to work hard you can avoid blackouts and arrests and other consequences related to alcoholism.