What did alcohol take from you?
Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 27
It took away my Mum and alot of my childhood. I had to grow up early and learn to survive with a whole bunch of issues but im getting there and I am fortunately not an alcoholic myself!
To those of you that are sober you are amazing ,one to admit you have a problem with alcohol and two to actually do something about it.
To those of you that are sober you are amazing ,one to admit you have a problem with alcohol and two to actually do something about it.
It took the career I had. It took my finances. It played a part in taking my children, I haven't had any contact with them in a couple of years. It took my self respect and dignity. And it may have now taken the love of my life, an absolutely amazing woman who always tries to do the next right thing. I am convinced God put her into my life to get me sober. I wish I would have woken up and started fixing myself well before I did, and I would still have her. She told me this morning we might, someday, have a chance at a future together, but that she is not going to wait and is starting to date other men. That, my friends, was very much a knife in the gut. It convinced me, more than all the legal troubles and everything else, that the path I am on in my recovery is the only possible path for me to take. I want to be with her. But I want for her to be happy and have that partner she wants that loves, honors and protects her even more. She deserves that, and so much more for just being the person she is. My reaction a few weeks ago would be to go on a bender. My reaction today was to find a meeting, maybe more than one, to go to today. And to be grateful that she is at least still speaking to me, and at least I have the opportunity to remain friends with her. Alcohol took a lot from me, but my sobriety has given me the ability to want the best for her, whether it's with me or not. And today I am thankful for that.
That was the biggie for me. I got it back, although the confidence was no longer about how great I was. It was more just knowledge that I could be happy. It is a clearer perspective of who I really am. I'm not the king of the hill, but I'm not a bad person, either.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 3
Took away my stability, my spirituality, my social life (after convincing myself that it was helping my social life) and my looks. It's shallow as hell, but weight gain, premature wrinkles and dehydrated skin and hair are actually a big motivation for me to stop.
It took away my reasoning, my belief in anything good, my trust in God, my ability to love myself, my joy, my hope, my health, to name a few.
Sobriety has given me back all of this and so much more.
It truly is the gift that never stops giving.
Sobriety has given me back all of this and so much more.
It truly is the gift that never stops giving.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 17
It took 20 years of my life which I should have been building a career and raising a family. Instead I was partying and wallowing in self pity. I'm extremely lucky to still have excellent physical health, so onwards to the next 40years
Member
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 13
It took:
- my self-esteem (I hate myself almost all the time)
- my friends and family (no one wants me around -- and I don't blame them!)
- my mental and physical health
- several jobs
- lots of money
- my moral compass
- my self-esteem (I hate myself almost all the time)
- my friends and family (no one wants me around -- and I don't blame them!)
- my mental and physical health
- several jobs
- lots of money
- my moral compass
Alcohol took away my Mother. I have one photo of her that reminds me of the real her, and a bottle of perfume that is the brand she used to wear. If I open the cap, and breath in that scent, my Mother is there, it's the 1970's and she's young, loving and full of hugs and affection for me.
Alcohol then went on to take away my 30's and drive away the person who probably loved me more than anyone else had since my Mother.
So, alcohol has taken a lot.
Sobriety gave me back a different life. But it is a good life. One I never thought possible.
Alcohol then went on to take away my 30's and drive away the person who probably loved me more than anyone else had since my Mother.
So, alcohol has taken a lot.
Sobriety gave me back a different life. But it is a good life. One I never thought possible.
It took away—
My love of self
Empathy toward others
My patience
My nice complexion
My nice figure
The ability to establish healthy relationships
The space in my mind That not think about alcohol
A good portion of my income
My moral compass
My sense that I would never die from liver problems
The ability to see that life should be lived up to its fullest
Wow!!! Too much of a high price.
D O N E
My love of self
Empathy toward others
My patience
My nice complexion
My nice figure
The ability to establish healthy relationships
The space in my mind That not think about alcohol
A good portion of my income
My moral compass
My sense that I would never die from liver problems
The ability to see that life should be lived up to its fullest
Wow!!! Too much of a high price.
D O N E
I've thought about this question a lot since my initial response.
The biggest thing alcohol did was it took me from me. I don't like the painful experiences I'm going through as a result of my drinking, but I will say that it is incredibly refreshing and rewarding to be finding myself again now that I am on the path to recovery.
The biggest thing alcohol did was it took me from me. I don't like the painful experiences I'm going through as a result of my drinking, but I will say that it is incredibly refreshing and rewarding to be finding myself again now that I am on the path to recovery.
It took my personhood (yes, that's a word) and my soul.
It stole the essence of my being - who I am as a human and spiritual being.
It left me an empty shell of addiction and misery.
Sobriety and recovery have retrieved and returned to me these very God-given gifts that alcohol took from me many years ago.
I'm not willing to give them back.
I know who I am today. I think that there are a good many people who love and respect me and, amazingly, seek my advice (sometimes on things other than alcoholism I might add).
I feel pretty good about who I am today, although I know there is still plenty of work that I need to do to get to where I want to be as a person.
I know no shame and I accept no shame if someone slings any of it my way.
My parents died 6 or 7 years ago, so that really doesn't occur today.
I grew up in an alcoholic, shaming environment.
As I grew to be a young adult, I didn't know who I was and I had terribly low self-esteem, but drinking alcohol seemed to make me feel much better about myself.
So I constructed this fabricated image of myself as a happy, go-lucky kind of guy who was always quick with a joke and a beer, but not much more.
When I would awake in the morning and realize what kind of disaster I had let my life become, I would, of course, again be filled with shame and low self-esteem.
But then the alcohol and drugs would come out and I would, once again, be at peace.
This happened for ~10 or so years until they stopped working.
But I kept drinking for 3 or so years beyond the time that alcohol quit working.
I was addicted and I kept hoping to get back the feeling alcohol previously gave me - all to no avail, of course.
All I was left with was a completely addicted drunk who was empty inside.
I don't want the misery and emptiness refunded, so I continue to ask for help and not drink.
It stole the essence of my being - who I am as a human and spiritual being.
It left me an empty shell of addiction and misery.
Sobriety and recovery have retrieved and returned to me these very God-given gifts that alcohol took from me many years ago.
I'm not willing to give them back.
I know who I am today. I think that there are a good many people who love and respect me and, amazingly, seek my advice (sometimes on things other than alcoholism I might add).
I feel pretty good about who I am today, although I know there is still plenty of work that I need to do to get to where I want to be as a person.
I know no shame and I accept no shame if someone slings any of it my way.
My parents died 6 or 7 years ago, so that really doesn't occur today.
I grew up in an alcoholic, shaming environment.
As I grew to be a young adult, I didn't know who I was and I had terribly low self-esteem, but drinking alcohol seemed to make me feel much better about myself.
So I constructed this fabricated image of myself as a happy, go-lucky kind of guy who was always quick with a joke and a beer, but not much more.
When I would awake in the morning and realize what kind of disaster I had let my life become, I would, of course, again be filled with shame and low self-esteem.
But then the alcohol and drugs would come out and I would, once again, be at peace.
This happened for ~10 or so years until they stopped working.
But I kept drinking for 3 or so years beyond the time that alcohol quit working.
I was addicted and I kept hoping to get back the feeling alcohol previously gave me - all to no avail, of course.
All I was left with was a completely addicted drunk who was empty inside.
I don't want the misery and emptiness refunded, so I continue to ask for help and not drink.
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