How to stop drinking

[Ruth]

Whoa- this is weird... I just got the urge to exercise...? That never happens! Cross fingers that I can start a new habit. Funny that now I am home and not in a situation where I constantly have to contend with gallons of alcohol all over the place that the addictive voice is whispering to me. It is my son's birthday party tomorrow, and my best friend is coming over to help set up with me. She is a *not* a drinker like I was (and has been questioning my alcohol consumption since our twenties... hmmm) but we would normally be drinking a bottle of champagne together on a day like that. I felt a little tug, but then made a plan for some other festive beverage... peach granitas, I think. Just a reminder to myself not to get complacent.

Connor, I lived in Santa Cruz for a bit in the '80s- I wonder if our paths ever crossed? That would be funny!

[Millie]

Peter,
Glad to hear from you! I hope Irene has not effected you too bad.


Good post Eric, brings back memories/reminders. I got up and did a nine o'clock Zumba class. I can't imagine ever being able to do that on a Saturday morning. It will be 6 weeks on Monday for me, mairianna, and Casey. Ryan and badger are you two still adding days? I haven't heard from you in a while.

I really don't miss the drink. I am really enjoying life without it. I hope that sticks, but know I can't get complacent.

[Millie]

Ruth,
Come join us on exercise challenge. Don't let that urge pass. Just twenty minutes to get started

[casey]

Marianna, it has been weird going through this and not having people I see all the time know. I love having all of you and this forum for that reason.
Peter, are you hanging in there? I hope so.
Getting ready for IRENE here. In the past that would include making sure there was enough wine and whiskey in the house. It feels good not to do that now.
Connor, I ordered some of the tea. Let you know when it comes. Enjoy yourself today and hope your wife had a great birthday.
Good luck to all!

[Millie]

Eric, your comment re: sleep was dead on too. I used to just tell folks that I was a terrible sleeper. I never really put two and two together that the mucho vino may be the reason why. I now generally sleep Great and dream the craziest dreams. Rarely dreamed before either. I still have bouts of insomnia, like last night when I stayed up watching hurricane news, but it is usually triggered by drinking fully leaded coffee too late in the evening. I used to be able to have caffeine at night, but it bothers me now.

[Eric]

Insomnia is probably one of the strongest factors that pushed me to quit (drinking and sleeping were my two great escapes). The age-alcohol factor is important as after 40, anything over two beers past 7pm meant a restless night of sleep - normally waking up between 2-3am with no chance of sleeping again before 4:30-5am. Needless to say, I was almost always irritable, unproductive, fogged, and unengaged with life. The associated lack of energy meant I could no longer 'power' through it and do the bare minimum to keep up appearances. Much better to pop out of bed ready to go, which also helps to deal with all the other problems that had previously been masked by drinking.

[Millie]

I don't know if one or two after seven would have caused an issue because I rarely stopped there. I too would wake up in middle of night and be up for hours, falling back asleep about an hour before I would need to get up. I don't the think the sleep I did have was any quality, either. I am Loving being able to sleep at night. Be forewarned, I don't know what day you are on, but I suffered from extreme exhaustion early on, even though I was sleeping well. Fortunately, that only lasted about three weeks or so.

[Eric]

I rarely stopped at two, but I did know that was the limit for insomnia to kick in. It was a sad realization that my bottom wasn't going to be being discovered in some hotel, drinking 1 half gallon of whiskey a day, as a burned out rock star. It was going to be an age induced intolerance to alcohol and an inability to stop it. Yes, the blaze of glory I went out on was a pawltry 4-6 beers a night. However, that was enough to have a serious negative impact on every aspect of my life including thinking, feeling, physical health, serenity, and general satisfaction and joy with life. Of course, there are many, many underlying issues that contributed, but that was the key to making positive progress.

[Vic]

Hi everybody and thank you for the congrats on 30 days.
Congrats to all of you as well who are now living sober.
Day 31 and feeling a little better overall now. Still somewhat tired now and then and brain fog still hanging around but feeling a little more hopeful/peaceful/clearer with each sober day.
Just returned from a very nice mountain hike with my wife. First time in years I was able to enjoy such a hike with no hangover...very enjoyable.
Like some of you mentioned sleeping is also getting better. The last year of my drinking I would wake up every evening usually around 2am and the only way I could fall back asleep was by downing 2 quick beers with a couple of gravols...It got pretty bad.
However, today is a new day and so far so good. Hang in there gang and lets all continue on our sober path.

[Regina]

You can do it Peter. Look at all the people here who care about you. That means a lot. Most other people just get forgotten and nobody asks about them......

[peterpinot]

Thank you Regina. Thank All of you. The wife just left to visit a friend and usually I would crack open a bottle and take advantage of the situation, but I'm reading past and present posts and drinking club soda.

[Millie]

Regina, it is good to see you posting. How are you doing?

[peterpinot]

Hi Millie. Nice to see you here. I'M GONNA GET WET!

[Regina]

Thank you for asking about me Millie. I have pretty much given up. :-(

[Eric]

Regina, I know how you feel. I wish there was a magic "get it" switch. I hope you stick with it for the rest of the day and if not, then try again tomorrow.

[carol]

Regina, I am glad to see that you posted. Please don't give up!! We want the best for you. I know you are going through hell. Please use us. How can we help? Sending gentle breezes of hope your way. . .

[Connor1a]

So help me figure this one out.. I literally slept 20 hours yesterday. No fever. No outward signs of illness. Just woke up around 0900, ate a little, back to sleep (fell asleep in my Dad chair), woke at 1800, ate a little, back to the chair, slept untill 2300, moved to bed, woke at 0900 today... Frankly, a little freaked out. I've NEVER slpet that much unless I was with a fever. Not even a hangover could put me down for that long. But all day long, all I could seem to do was sleep.. Hoping today is better. Spent some time this AM looking up fatigue combined with liver disease. Ironically, most of the sleep disorders with liver disease are related to insomnia versus what read was called hypersomnia (or - I cant get my fat ass out of bed itus). Very odd... Anyone else experience anything similar around day 28? Oh yeah... Day 28 Wooo... yawn... Whooooo

[peterpinot]

Holy cow we are being pounded with rain. Have been for at least 12 hours. Backyard looks like a pond. It is a miracle we have power and internet. I know that feeling all too well Regina. Every single day. I just feel like I might be closer to getting the strength to quit and that's what I look forward to every morning. Let's both hang in there. Our day is coming.

[Vic]

Good morning all - Day 32.
Connor - I have a relative who has been sober over 15 years and he was a very heavy daily drinker before he quit. When he quit cold turkey he was literally sleeping/bedridden 18 hours a day for a couple of months. His body was so run down by his daily heavy drinking that it took that long for him to come back to life. Everybody is different and age as well as degree of drinking and years spent drinking probably is a factor but that was his experience. The good news is he is now a healthy happy very longterm sober person.
Hope that helps.
I wish everybody a sober day.

[Samantha]

Hi Connor! Congrats on 28 days. Thats fantastic. I had fatigue the first month. I dont know if its something else going on with you. On the otherhand you drank alcohol daily for years so it makes sense that you would be so fatigued off and on now. I am at 4 months and still have bouts of fatigue of which I am in one right now. I worked alot this week and I have found there is no reserve energy for me anymore. So sleep is important. I also have found that when I get tired I think more about drinking and am more vulnerable. I've always looked at the sleep and fatigue on some levels as a good thing. It means my body is healing and I'm getting stronger and the alcoholic in me weaker.

Regina and Peter keep posting. The fact that you are thinking about your disease and quitting is progress. Think how many people arent thinking of quitting now and need to. I found posting daily when I got to this forum and talking about my alcoholism and reading Patrick's articles really helped me not to drink during the withdrawal period. Vic congrats on 30 days and now 32!