DRINKING - ITS TIME TO QUIT.

J

jfanatic

Pre-locks please
Life Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2020
Messages
2,533
Location
NC
Rating - 100%
114   0   0
I've been drafting this in my head most of the early morning as sleep escaped me once again:

About 90 seconds ago, I poured about a half a bottle of bourbon down the drain - its time to quit. I've Googled the formal definition of "alcoholism" and don't know that I am full-blown, but I expect I check more than a few boxes. I am able to not drink, I'm just not able to stop when I start - well, I think I'm "able" to, but once I do I have no motivation to stop. Simply put, I cannot continue to come home from work, start pouring drinks until its time to eat a late dinner, go to bed and repeat until the weekend which sees (saw?) me start early and finish late. Thank God this has not impacted my career/job and/or family. Again, I expect I'm stopping before I allow it to get to that point. There are times when I have been a jerk to my forum friends - had a mod tell me to "stop being a jackass in the bst section" As I was fully infused with bourbon (not an excuse - just is what it is), they were right. So yesterday was my last drink. Instead of drinking I'll spend time in the gym and drink seltzer when I'm not. I'll make efforts to add more value to my content here. This should translate to much better sleep, better health and all but eliminate the heartburn I experience every night while I attempt feebly to sleep. Of course there are other benefits. So, if any of you have embarked on this journey, feel free to respond here or toss me a PM. What types of things did you do to stay quit? Thanks for letting me "put this out there". Onward!
 
Read the book “Easy way to quit drinking” by Allen Carr.

Corny title but interesting perspective on problem drinking/alcoholism/alcohol abuse/whatever you want to call it.

Proven method that has helped tons of people quit smoking,drinking, other vices.
 
I don't drink that much, but when I do I turn into someone else and that guy drinks ALOT.

Hope it works out for. I myself am down from a 30 pack of beer plus another dozen at the bar to maybe 2 or 3 a night. Still can't sleep worth a crap. Bit hopefully 1 day. Weekends I may put down 6 or 7
 
I quit for about 8 months last year for nearly identical reasons. I kept fizzy waters in the fridge. Gave me something to sip on and not load up on caffeine and carbs.

I tended to go to bed MUCH earlier, and sleep MUCH better, although I would wake up earlier than I like. Side bonus, no morning headaches.
 
I've come to the conclusion I, at the very least, have an addictive personality. - I quit drinking a couple weeks ago as it was negatively effecting a lot of things in my life, most specifically time with my kids, sleep quality and my relationship with my wife (not due to behavior or treatment towards her, but I turn into kind of a lazy, sloppy mess).

I have a very busy mind, it's always moving, and I used it as a way to just shut my brain off. It wasn't good.

My problem now is I traded the alcohol for dip...again. I'm okay with it for now, but I'll have to get rid of that again pretty soon.

Anyways, good on you for recognizing it as an issue and fixing it. I wasn't a "problem drinker" in the sense I never struggled with doing it on the job or whatever, but I certainly treated it as a reward pretty much every day. "You've worked hard, worked out, did your stuff around the house...now it's time to relax." Except that just meant slamming whiskey and Guinness until my kids couldn't understand me. Not good.

Sent from my moto g fast using Tapatalk
 
Good luck. I can tell you that nearly everyone that says that their drinking is NOT a problem should allow their family and friends to answer the same question on your behalf. Their answers might tell a slightly different story. We tell ourselves that because we haven’t lost our jobs and family members that it isn’t effecting anyone …
I rarely drink anymore and when I do, I stop after 1 or two.
 
My wonderful wife reached a point where she was more or less drinking wine from the buckets HF was giving away last weekend. Our doctor ignored all the fully evident symptoms and accepted her “I don’t drink much” responses. She ended up in the hospital in serious condition.

Once they patched her back together, she decided she didn’t want to die. As we discussed her next move, I suggested AA. She was embarrassed and afraid. I told her, just guessing, that she’d be shocked to discover who else faced the same monster. I told her she was likely to find some of our neighbors, local celebrities, maybe even our CPA, attorney or even our doctor. I supposed, and she discovered, it’s a very big “club”. A big part of those NOT in the club belong there but haven’t faced it yet.

She gathered her courage and started the voyage. That was 16 1/2 years ago and she still fights it ONE DAY AT A TIME. It works if you work it.
 
I did the same almost 2 years ago. My pattern was similar to yours. I'd quit for 6mo, have a couple with my wife or when we'd have a party, then it would slowly ramp up over time.
I thank God was able to just put it down this time. I looked at my wife at the time & told her I'm finished, I'm done being a slave to a damned bottle.
She says I'm much nicer, I sleep great, the heartburn's gone, along with the 20 extra pounds, I'm also happier overall. This sentiment took a while to feel.
 
I quit in 2005 when the Dr told me I had cirrhosis. It was either quit or die. Honestly at the time I was trying to die. At that point I was at stage 4 cirrhosis, there is no stage 5. I’m now between stage 1-2 fibrosis. The liver is our only organ than will rejuvenate.
The only way to quit alcohol is to not drink. AA will screw up your drinking career but AA can’t make you stop drinking, only you can do that. I hope you succeed but just know it’s a job to not drink.
 
Last edited:
I came to a similar place a while ago. Lucky for me, my superpower is stubbornness, so once I decided to quit, nothing life threw at me after changed my mind. Decide you want to do this. Remember why you made that decision. Double down, dig in, be a stubborn SOB. Life will continue to eff with you, but will a drink make it better?

occasionally, that will be a ‘yes’, oddly enough. Social situations that call for moderation can become awkward if you decline. these were my toughest moments.

and here you can talk all you want, but out there? don’t talk about it unless asked. Teetotalers are right up there with CrossFit and vegans on the annoying scale.
 
Last edited:
Catfish said:
I came to a similar place a while ago. Lucky for me, my superpower is stubbornness, so once I decided to quit, nothing life threw at me after changed my mind. Decide you want to do this. Remember why you made that decision. Double down, dig in, be a stubborn SOB. Life will continue to eff with you, but will a drink make it better?
Click to expand...

Same here. I'm supremely stubborn.
For me, I was a bartender for too many years in nightclubs. Every night/week, there was always "that guy" - drank too much, thought they were funny, too loud, life of the party, liquid courage, etc. One night it hit me that I was "that guy" in various forms when I drank. I decided right there I didn't ever want to be that guy again. Thankfully, my stubbornness prevailed. I don't look down on those who drink. To each his own. But for me it was not a choice I wanted to continue. Bottled waters helped considerably in social situations to keep my hands occupied.

Good luck with your abstinence. I hope it's an easy(-ish) journey for you.
 
March 2 will be 9 years since I had a drink. Thanks to a 12 step program, some very good people, and a new willingness to do whatever it takes I was able to get sober. I’m grateful that I finally got sick and tired of bowing sick and tired and there was a plan for living available, if I was willing to honestly try. I hope you are successful. There’s a whole new world out there sober, and it’s so good. God bless!
 
I've been exposed to the negative outcomes of alcohol consumption more than I ever expected with some family and friends. I'm encouraged you have the self awareness to identify the problem and attempt to correct it before it gets ahead of you. Best of luck moving forward.
 
I have the same problem, when I drink it’s no man left behind. If I open a 1/5th of whiskey I’m drinking it all, 18 beers bought will be 18 down that night. Over the last year and 3 months or so I’ve maybe drunk 4 times and didn’t start back up. I quit more as a test to myself, no fan fare no announcements just quit. It was funny my wife didn’t notice but my kids did. About a month in my wife was running to the ABC store asked me if wanted anything. One of the boys pipes up and says Dad quit drinking. My wife started racking her brain trying to remember the last time I had anything and she was coming up blank. I don’t have an addictive personality so I’ve never been able to understand why people just don’t quit doing drugs/alcohol.
 
I've never had a "problem" with drinking. I can buy a 12 pack and it will last weeks, if not months. But it has certainly caused problems.
Have so many cringe memories of all the really bad things I have said/done/regretted when drinking. Like most, I am an epic dick when I get drunk and no good has ever come of it. I'm a big enough loud mouth without it.

I am thankful I can take it or leave it, seen alcohol destroy so many lives in my 1/2 century on earth. It's the most dangerous drug I have ever seen. And, truly a gateway drug. Just my opinion.
 
It’s been over three years for me. My son was seven at the time and he asked me about all the beer I was drinking. I stopped immediately. I was a semi-pro hardcore weekend drinker since before I joined the Army in ‘96. Stopping wasn’t too difficult for me.

I lost a few friends that were every-weekend drinking buddies. My grilling out hobby pretty much died. Lol. But I have two and a half extra days each week to spend doing stuff with my son and wife, projects around the property, in the shop, etc…. Hobbies help with the extra time that you’ll end up having. Something to keep your kind occupied.

Good luck. Set little goals and reach them. Get busy with something if you are feeling the urge.

CHRIS
 
Last edited:
In the process of quitting right now. The covid had me with no energy or desire so it's been pretty easy. Keeping the course is another story. I drank bc i was bored and as stupid as it sounds, made me feel like i had something to do. Substituting drinking with something else helps. What that is is different for each person i guess. Hang in there, better days are ahead.
 
Last edited:
Congratulations. Your health will improve, your attitude will improve, and you will begin to see life differently.
I quit many years ago. Not so sure when and it was not a pour down the sink event. After I started a regular meditation program, I kinda just got tired of being fuzzie headed and began to think more clearly. I tapered off kinda unknowingly until it was one bottle of High-quality scotch a year. It was more an unconscious event. The wife ran out of wine and the scotch disappeared. I never bought another. She even gave up wine about two years ago. Saves on the pocketbook too.
 
Just a thought, but taking up reloading may help with alcohol (not just for OP, but for everyone going through it).

- You do not want to reload while drunk.
- Reloading gives you something to keep your hands busy.
- It benefits your shooting.

Let reloading be your anti-drug.
 
B00ger said:
If you are ever in a crowd that makes you uncomfortable about not drinking, you are in the wrong crowd.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Probably those will be the wisest words that you all will read today. And, you can remove "drinking" and insert most anything else.

People that drink or use drugs try to quit but still hang around with the same old crowd. In order to save yourself, you need to get a new set of friends.
 
This thread just made me think of the song "When I drink" by the Avett Bros; I am not obsessed with them, but one of them, IDK if it's Seth or Scott Avett has talked about his struggle with alcoholism in quite a few songs.

Phenomenal song, makes me tear up sometimes.

Sent from my moto g fast using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
I drank heavily from age 17 until I was 32. At that point, I decided I had been lucky enough, and if I didn't stop I wasn't going to see 33. Many drugs were also involved in those years.

I was medicating myself. The 2 constants were alcohol and weed, and more often than not, something else was in the mix. I didn't have any bad physical or mental effects from stopping. I just stopped, and tossed everything down the drain.

Quitting was great. No more waking up feeling crappy every damn day. No more risking lives driving drunk and drugged up. No more disastrous decisions. I was extremely lucky I didn't end up in jail or dead.

I rarely drink any more, because I know I might keep on going. Mom used to say, "Have a drink, Lou." I would tell her, "What's the point in A drink? The point of drinking is to get drunk!!" As if she didn't know that, being an alcoholic herself! LoL.

The big thing was figuring out why I was doing all the substances. Which I have done. Even more so the last year in therapy. I've worked out a LOT of stuff.
 
DCGallim said:
I have the same problem, when I drink it’s no man left behind. If I open a 1/5th of whiskey I’m drinking it all, 18 beers bought will be 18 down that night. Over the last year and 3 months or so I’ve maybe drunk 4 times and didn’t start back up. I quit more as a test to myself, no fan fare no announcements just quit. It was funny my wife didn’t notice but my kids did. About a month in my wife was running to the ABC store asked me if wanted anything. One of the boys pipes up and says Dad quit drinking. My wife started racking her brain trying to remember the last time I had anything and she was coming up blank. I don’t have an addictive personality so I’ve never been able to understand why people just don’t quit doing drugs/alcohol.
Click to expand...
As the daughter and ex-wife of alcoholics, I'm so glad for your family, and for you. Growing up with my mother drinking was bad.
People do substances for many reasons.
 
Geezer said:
Probably those will be the wisest words that you all will read today. And, you can remove "drinking" and insert most anything else.

People that drink or use drugs try to quit but still hang around with the same old crowd. In order to save yourself, you need to get a new set of friends.
Click to expand...
Exactly this!
 
TRaGiK said:
He quit drinking, then got banned!

Interesting.
Click to expand...

Awful suspicious this poped up after the events of yesterday.

If the dude has a legit drinking problem, I hope he finds help and recovers.

If this was done in an attempt to gain some sort of sympathy from the community to cover from whatever happened between him and lonewolf, well... good riddance.
 
Last edited:
hp468 said:
Awful suspicious this poped up after the events of yesterday.

If the dude has a legit drinking problem, I hope he finds help and recovers.

If this was done in an attempt to gain some sort of sympathy from the community to cover from whatever happened between him and lonewolf, well... good riddance.
Click to expand...
I guess I missed some stuff.
 
STAFF NOTE:

Before y'all start going all 'conspiracy theorist' and over the edge...Jfan's ban is temporary and is not the result of a single infraction.


Enough said, and let's all move on.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom