JustJohn

I'm John. I was here many years ago trying to get sober again. Got drunk the first time at 14, and began daily drinking at 18 in the U.S. military. I've quit drinking and started back more times than I recall. The longest time sober was 3 years and 7 months. I've had some consecutive days, weeks and months here and there before I repeat my pattern. I've never returned to 365 days per year drinking, but recently, I have been drinking 2-4 days consecutively, with a day or 2 off and then starting again. Not good...

Everyone has their bottom. Mine is my health - I know drinking is going to eventually result in a health crisis if I don't stop forever. Moderation is not an option for me because I'll just repeat the pattern again and again. I'm retired now in my mid-50's, and have all day to do as I wish - which too often involves drinking alcohol and enhancing it with THC.

So here I am, New Years Day 2020. I stayed sober last night. Ready to see what 2021 brings. I want it to bring sobriety for the rest of my life, and fill my days with productive and healthful activity.

Happy New Year!

RAL

Welcome back John

SunnyCoastK

Welcome back John! Thank you for your service!!!!!!!!!!

You can do this, just need to find some new activities that you enjoy doing so you aren’t tempted by the excess time to drink.

Have you seen the YouTube channel “The Quilting Marine”? Maybe you can start your own YouTube channel with a new hobby
Look forward to seeing you around xx

AAPJ

John - Glad you are back. Welcome home.

Steely

Welcome back John.

You can actually achieve those goals. Acceptance, and one step at a time.

Hope 2021 becomes the productive year you seek John.

aasharon90

Thank you for being here and we hope you keep
coming back listening, learning, absorbing and
applying helpful and effective recovery tools to
achieve long lasting sobriety in a healthy, happy,
honest way.

advbike

Welcome. I've had a similar drinking pattern, have the same name too, haha. My longest quit was 3+ years also, in 2013 with the help of this site. Last few years since I picked up again I haven't drank much but it still messes me up with bad sleep and heavy guilt and shame. Hard to get more than a couple months sobriety at a time. I'm committed this time though - have been reading the Rational Recovery book and it's spot on, imho. No more excuses, I drink because I like the buzz and will simply accept responsibility for my sobriety now. My last drink was on Thanksgiving day and I will not ever drink again.

Wishing you the best John.

JustJohn

Thanks John! RR was how I got sober those 43 months. If you're interested, here's my story the first time I came here:

My Story (Another Newbie Here!)

Anna

Welcome back, JustJohn

I'm glad you're here and determined to live a sober life. Moderation was never an option for me either, though I tried for a long time to make it work. You will find lots of support here.

Steely

I had a boss say to me, "just drink more slowly." 😂

advbike

Great thread, sounds about right, haha.. I was at my worst in the early years, then got married and cut back in my 30's and had a successful career, but started drinking more heavily in my 40's as I had clients to entertain and the pressure increased. Finally bailed out of the corporate world. Been all over the world and it was always hard for me to resist "a few" when in the middle of a completely different landscape, language and culture. Ah well, I had my time. I've proven to myself in the past 7-8 years I can do it without the booze, just need to accept responsibility for my sobriety again.

You can totally do it again too John, as we both know. Just stay on SR and make it happen.

Hevyn

It's so good to see you back, JustJohn - you sound ready to get free.

Delilah1

Welcome back John!

Dee74

welcome back John

D

least

Glad you're back and ready to work on sobriety.

Zebra1275

Welcome back!

Moderation is not an option for me because I'll just repeat the pattern again and again.

I'm retired now in my mid-50's, and have all day to do as I wish - which too often involves drinking alcohol . . .

With years of drinking under your belt, and now being retired with no external structure (like a boss) in your life, you are in dangerous territory. Trying to get sober by yourself, as you know, is damn hard. If it was easy, many of us would have done it years ago.

This website is great, and available 24/7 but I would recommend that you get some face to face help to get sober for good. For me that was AA, and knowing that there were multiple meetings everyday in several locations in my area was very helpful. This website and AA where the two main factors that helped me get sober, and I'm coming up on 11 years in early 2021. And for me, AA was not a lifelong commitment, I haven't been to a meeting in a few years. But I know here to go if I start to think about picking up again.

Surrendered19

Hi John. Welcome back to SR and I hope you can stop for good. You can have 30 or 40 good retirement years in front of you. Living healthy and quiet and mobile and being able to do the things you want to do. Post here often and let us know how it is going.

advbike

Hi John, how are you doing?

JustJohn

I'm good, thanks! Today is Day 7. Been resting and concentrating on nutrition and sleep. Think I might exercise in the morning. Thanks for thinking of me.

advbike

Great to hear!

Keep it up the good work my friend.