Gitpicker60

I keep reading how sobriety is a gradual process and I get that. But the articles I’ve read don’t seem to mention, “oh, yea, but it’s still cold turkey”. I’ve tried the “cutting back” thing and it never works. So I’m assuming I just need to stop and then deal with the fallout and the cravings using whatever methods seem best for me.

I think I’m writing this just as an confirmation to myself that this is it. This is the day that I stop drinking - again.
(sigh) really? I could really use some help.

Thanks,
GP60

fishkiller

Welcome to SR!

You have found a great place for advice and support.

Cutting back never worked for me either so I quit all together 21 months ago and never looked back.
Life Without alcohol is Sooo much better.

Do it. You will Not regret it.

I promise

nez

Wrong, this is the day you stop drinking - period. You can do this. This is the day you start living. How great is that!!!

biminiblue

Don't believe everything you read in blogs on the internet.


I'm in Camp All-In. Don't drink today and figure out all the rest of it afterwards. It may be an uncomfortable few days or week, but don't drink. The next year will be a year of Firsts, but don't drink.

ScottFromWI

Welcome to SR GP60. Yes, at some point we do simply need to own up to the reality of addicition. I played the start/stop/taper/cut back/moderate game for years and years, but it really just kicks the can down the road as they say. Having said that, you don't need to do it alone - and I'm glad you've come here to SR for help. You'll find many who have gone through what you are going through, and many who are in the process. It's a lot easier to do it together, congrats on day 1.

Anna

Welcome! And, yes, essentially, you need to stop completely and have a plan in place for how you will stay sober. Of course, if you have concerns about withdrawals, do talk to your doctor.

You will always find lots of support here.

Hevyn

Great to meet you, GP60. You found a friendly, encouraging community. We all understand how you're feeling.
I drank 30 yrs. & could never imagine my life without it. So for years I tried to control what I drank with disastrous results. Always thought my willpower would kick in and save me - but no. As Ann mentioned, just to be safe you could talk this over with your dr.
We are with you!

wan2bsober

I'm new as well and have problems accepting the gradual process. But there are so many stories here about endless relapses and gradual worsening, is that the "gradual" we would want instead? I personally am not afraid of withdrawal and can see quitting as a one-time event, but I already know maintenance is a much bigger challenge and will likely be for a while, otherwise we could just stop anytime and would not talk about addiction and need websites like this, right?

Dee74

Hi and welcome to SR gitpicker - glad to have you join us

Yeah - if you are a drinker like me you have to stop.

Some people can taper down to nothing, others - like me - can’t do that.

If you’re worried about withdrawal best thing to do is to see a Doctor.

D

Alpine

I recently stopped, going on day 20. I tried to tapper my drinking and it did not work for me so I just got it in my head I was going to stop. Some days are easier then others. I am trying to keep myself busy and I carry a water bottle around with me. I feel far better sober, get a lot more done around the house and am getting back into my hobbies. I agree with what Fishkiller said. You will not regret it. Stay strong and focused. It is sooooooo worth it.

tursiops999

Welcome, GP. In the end for me it was much easier to stop completely, than to try to control it. The clarity only came with closing the door on drinking. I wouldn't trade my life now for the life I had then.

Gitpicker60

Thanks everyone for your helpful comments.
I started getting high and drunk back in 1973 at 13 years old and quit everything but drinking at 24, as a musician it wasn't easy. Then about 8 years ago I got totally addicted to prescription pain meds I was taking for a sever back injury. At that time my pain "manager" would give me so much that it nearly ruined my life. Three years later I Did a 28 day stay in rehab just so I had a place to go through withdrawals. It was hell on earth, I was on multiple opiates at one time, I was saturated. It was so bad there I think I have some PTSD from it. But it's my memory of it and what it did to my family that's stops me from even thinking about them any longer.

Drinking has always be "excepted" as normal, I'm just such an addictive person I know that even though I don't have blackouts, you could say I'm a heavy, very regular drinker. I'm so addicted to it. Honestly it's hard to imagine my life without it. But I want to be free from it. I hate the thought of being so controlled by it.

I'm also starting to notice how much of a tolerance I building up and I'm wanting to start drinking earlier in the day. I know my body can't keep being a filter for booze much longer.

Thanks again for your encouragement.

GP60

Hevyn

Yes, the tolerance I built up was terrifying. I'm a small woman - I could drink unbelievable amounts & barely feel it in the end. You're right - it's a progressive disease & it means to kill us. I went from weekend drinking to every day drinking - to getting up in the middle of the night for a little sip so I wouldn't shake. A terrible way to live. Thankfully, we don't have to. I'm so glad you joined us.

tursiops999

hi GP -- yeah, that drinking earlier in the day leads to a very bad place. Why not get out now? Save yourself the inevitable suffering. I know it's hard to believe that life can be comfortable or even joyous without alcohol ... to my great surprise, it turned out to be far, far, better than I thought it would be. The story that we can't live without alcohol is the lie that alcohol tells us, to keep us drinking. The early days may be rough, but if you give it time you might be surprised.

saoutchik

This to me reads like you intend to stop drinking and try to tough it out using your willpower- again.

That is what I tried to do, seriously on about 8 to 10 occasions and half-heartedly more times than I can remember and I failed every time.

In the end failure and desperation drove me to really analyse what I could do differently and it became apparent that since I couldn't out muscle my booze cravings and I do not have the personality to try new-age/mindfulness stuff (I don't dismiss it- it's just not for me) then the only other thing to do was to run away from them for a couple of months until the physical and chemical 'pull' of the addiction weakened enough to not to need avoiding.

That basically just meant doing 'stuff' - anything, any activity that occupied my mind in the evening when the cravings struck. In my case walking in all weather's and restoring and old car. It was hard work but productive and of course not as hard work as trying to function with a hangover every day. It was an analogue way of dealing with my booze addiction, which was truly terrible, but it did work.

It sounds like you are ready to go the extra mile too Gitpicker. You can do this

Ringside

Welcome! In my opinion, "sobriety" isn't gradual (legitimate medical issues concerning withdrawal aside). Stop drinking, and you are sober. Recovery - learning a new way of life - is not just gradual, it is a life-long journey, and it requires patience, willingness, and tolerance for discomfort - but the rewards are extraordinary. I couldn't do the second part before doing the first.

Zebra1275

I've been sober over 11 years.

If I had tried to gradually taper off, I would probably still be working on that.

I tried for years to gradually reduce my drinking, it never worked long term.

Patcha

Welcome Gitpicker. Why not try rehab or detox again just to start you off? There are also books like How To Quit Drinking by Allan Carr that might be helpful. A lot of people find AA meetings helpful to. here are many resources. Grab onto them and start enjoying the sober life. It's not easy to get sober and it took me many, many, many attempts with different sobriety methods for over more than 10 years but here I am. You can do this Gitpicker.

DriGuy

Being controlled by a mindless substance that caused me to be stupid was a big factor in my resolve to quit. I have wondered before if that alone was the single worst thing about my alcoholism. I had become the puppet of a mindless chemical. The very idea is repugnant, and gives me the creeps. My life was being taken away from me. And what's the point in life if you can't even make good choices on your own?

Free2bme888

Welcome GP60

This site is wonderful to navigate in the ‘desktop’ mode, there is an October 2021 class you can join, secular recovery threads, AA threads, gratitude threads, personal threads, dog lovers threads, word and though games (in a good way, not to be confused with MIND games&#129315.

We have found amongst us as many different ways to succeed as there are members. We can’t tell you your recipe, except to say yes, we all agree on this —


—first stop drinking and stay stopped, however you do that.