How to stop drinking

[Samantha]

Hey Sam, I'm glad to see you here posting again. Was worried about you. How have you been doing since this morning on the withdrawal? Your right its not a choice but a disease first and foremost. Highly addictive for us. I got sober this time because I took the emotion out of it. I finally figured out its a disease and alcoholics process alcohol differently and I'll never beat it. Maybe every time that voice tells you to drink you can do like I did, and put the other voice in that says but I can't physically drink because its addictive for me. Constantly remind yourself its a physical illness first. The other thing is maybe you would benefit from rehab, even if short term, just to physically get you help withdrawing from the alcohol. I recall you were sober for a year or so awhile ago. So I know you can do this. You just need help if you can't on your own, to get the alcohol out of your system. Private message me if you want.

John2012- A few months into sobriety I was at an airport. I was amazed at how overwhelming the physical and mental urges were to drink. It took everything I had to not drink. But it so paid off. Its kind of funny how that works? You have these intense cravings...and then they pass and everything is fine. Kudos to you for not drinking at the airport and with a toddler in tow! You go! congrats on 9 days. Soon it will be 90 and the days matter less. It just becomes a rewarding way to live sober.

[Ruth]

Sam, the only choice part of it is the choice to make some changes, and it sounds like you are making that choice. If you need to taper off, then that is what you should do. The first and most important thing is to recognize the problem, then find the right way to move away from it. YOu will feel like shit for awhile, maybe a longish while, but then you will start to feel better. That is one thing that kept me from facing the music for a long time was just that I felt better when I was drinking. I was super bitchy when I wasn't and had no energy, but couldn't sleep... you know. But after a while, things evened out. I decided that my family (and my students) would just have to deal with me bitchy for a few weeks, because the long term pay-off was worth it. Is there a time when you can get a few days to just hunker down and concentrate on yourself and getting clean? Vitamins are really helpful, and some supplements can help with withdrawals, too. If they are too strong, though, you really must get medical help. Stay strong and keep posting.

[Ruth]

You got nothing to lose, so just white knuckle it until bedtime! You can do this, Sam!

[rosella]

Sam, good on you for struggling through. I know for me, so often I just didn't want to fight those cravings so I'd just give in. So often I couldn't stand the internal battle and it was quickly stopped by a glass of wine. I really don't want to be that person anymore. I hate waking up vowing never to drink again only to start again that evening. I hate hiding my drinking from those closest to me. I hate the hold this substance has on me.
Like you Mel, I've embarked on a diet and exercise program that insists on NO alcohol. I've made it through Day 3. I'm a little proud about that. And I'm feeling surprisingly good. I know I've got a long way to go though.
Hope you all keep positive and keep going. I hope to.

[Kip]

Good morning friends... Hope everyone made it through Monday ok...let's try for today..Ruth, thanks for insight. I think that my boss is too uncomfortable to check on me. Anyway, I de-triggered him.. He doesn't deserve it. Why didn't I see that before...

John2012, right with you on airports..they are triggerville..! Just last week made it thru Atl (which I can't stand, let's drink), Salt Lake (agh..mountains..let's drink), and Ontario Ca (Ca rocks- let's drink!) without a drink. Jeez that was hard. I've dropped into Atl dozens of times on the 13 hr from Japan and let my reverse culture shock trigger send me to the bar. Let's keep mindful on travels.. I am fired up about your running - good on you..! I know it's hard at first, especially after drinking years but you can do it.. I have managed to be a runner for 30 plus years; only slightly longer than my drinking career. Said it in my last post. Without it I would have checked out long ago. Slow and steady does it.. Post-run highs rock don't they? What a serene feeling..love to go into work like that. I feel like a monk in a street fight..! Good luck to you and keep me posted on your progress.. I keep a daily record along my sober score. It's that important. We are proud of you, dude!

Rosella, how about your exercise program? I'm pulling for you..

Sam, it's clear that a lot of folks are here pulling for you..hang in there, drink that tea (I am drinking gallons of seltzer), and lean on us. This is a team and by helping each other we help ourselves...

Good day my friends.. Let it shine.

[carol]

Sylvane, oh wow I'm glad you're ok! My best friend is diabetic, it's not something you can mess around with. Take care of yourself, girl! Test that BG. You've got lots to live for.

[Eric]

I travel a lot with my job and airports are very tricky places, especially the international airports. They are one of those strange places where you can find people drinking at anytime of the day. I can't remember the number of times I drank beer with my breakfast at 7am. Nobody cared and I wasn't the only one. Now if there is going to be any layover, I try to have something to read. Drinking quickly affects my ability to comprehend what I read and I hate that so it provides motivation to stay sober. I hope everyone is doing well!

[rosella]

Sylvane, that is a big thing having diabetes. It gives you an even better reason to look after yourself. I've had a few liver function tests over the last year and they've all come up surprisingly good. I think I wanted someone to say that I had to give up drinking or else and give me a reason. Now I know I have to make that decision myself before my health does fail. It's my mental health that alcohol affects- that stuff really messes with your brain! It's only the morning of Day4 for me (I'm a bit of a counter!) and I feel the fog lifting already. It's absolutely pouring with rain outside after quite a dry spell and it feels very cleansing.
Kip, my exercise regime probably isn't as rigorous as yours. I've been walking and bike riding but I have 2 small children and they are always with me. It's our Summer holidays and they don't go back to school until early Feb. I'm hoping to start running then. My sister is doing a mini triathlon at the end of the year so I'm thinking of training for that. That gives me something else to concentrate on!

[Kip]

Sylvane, please know that we are thinking of you and wishing you good health.. Please take good care and go easy on yourself.. Then we'll all shine with you..!

Eric, you must be reading my mind dude.. Airports are crazy.. I have been fogged over all over the planet and, you are right, you always find a drinking buddy...Maybe we shared a bar somewhere..lol.. Jeez, talk about liquid breakfast.. I sat in applebee's in Ontario, Ca airport last summer and got hammered before my 10 a.m. flight.. Used to love reading and drinking in airports.. Enlightenment after two beers.. Beyond that, I forget what the hell I read.. But good news is a house full of "unread" books..ha ha.. Let's beat those airport triggers..

Rosella, hey, it doesn't matter what exercise you do! And if your starting on the ground floor the benefits are more obvious. Mini tri - go for it, that would be awesome! You are in Australia..? Very cool.. I have been to New Zealand many times for business... Home away from home.. I love that place. But never made it across the ditch! Gotta do that. I'm a huge f1 racing fan and your home boy Mark Webber is one of my favorites.. Now go make us proud on that tri goal..

[John2012]

This site rocks. Thank you everyone.

[Sally]

Just got home from work - big HUGS to all of you. Am keeping all of you in my prayers! Don't drink - just for tonight - tomorrow is another day!!

[Christy]

Sam, it's good to see you back and posting again. Withdrawals are so terrible to go through, I feel for you. Been there done that many times over. It's normal to want to take that drink to get over it, but just keep on doing what you're doing, you sound like you are doing great! Chocolate milkshake sounds much better than alcohol. Cheers on the milkshake!

Sylvane, you sound great too.

Rosella, good for you not giving into those cravings. Keep it up, one day at a time.

John, Kip and all the new guys and gals on the site, you are doing great! Just stick with all of us here and you will finally find the freedom of living life being a non-drinker. It's definetley worth it guys! Over a half year for me and don't want to look back!

[Eric]

I hate this disease. I had 32 days of sobriety in December and then drank during the holidays. I had no reason to as I was feeling great, I was starting to accomplish things efficiently, I was engaged with my family, and I drank. Now I can't get off it again. It's like I went from successfully staying sober right back to being befuddled about how to quit. Why do I keep drinking despite every morning's promise and knowing that I prefer sobreity? I absolutely hate this obsession and compulsion to drink. It's like I have a preference for self-sabotaging everything I want in my life. I just don't know how I ever managed to get that initial toehold for early sobreity. I hope everyone is doing well and staying sober. I will stay sober for today.

[carol]

Eric, there was always the part of me that didn't want to drink, the voice in the middle of the night and the promises in the morning, and the part of me that did, and she always won. I call her my she-devil and I have her in hibernation now. Others call it the alky voice, etc. Freedom starts with just what you are doing - you won't drink today. Whatever you have to do, beat the devil off with a stick, read, exercise, go to bed early, just don't drink. If you haven't already done so, start writing down every bad memory of drinking you can dredge up, in as much detail as possible. When the urge strikes, say NO and read or remember one of these incidents. If you were more of a steady drinker without the horrible embarrassing moments I have, write down how bad you feel about yourself and the failed promises. We ALL have them. Near as I can tell, everyone who posts here is intelligent and high-functioning. If this were a character flaw or something that could be willed away, we wouldn't be enslaved.

Good luck. Don't drink today!

[Kip]

Hey friends...hope you are all having a good and sober Wednesday... I am working from home on a rainy day that would have previously put me in a bar with a good book..not today..day 11..double digits..yahoo! And have a dentist appt in the afternoon so that fits nicely.. I recall going there once with three generous glasses of wine in me. Wtf was I thinking...!

My wife told me last nite she will pass on alcohol during the week..she's looking at me curiously as I laugh at our silly mini dachshunds...they are crazy little dogs..I used to never laugh..then this morning I bumped my garage (more like a shed) door w my beloved toy car. I jumped out, quite upset, and gave the door a good kick. Car is fine.. Her askance look made me laugh and blurt out "don't worry, that's not a trigger! I'll fix that $&@& door tonite". I think my behavior is befuddling her in a good way... Me too.

I recalled a kinda sorta relevant quote from one of my engineer heroes, Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus Cars: "Simplify, then add lightness". Applied to cars it makes for pure driving excitement. To sobriety, it feels lighter and more simple to lighten life without the constant planning around alcohol. It's so much easier to navigate the twists and turns even though that devil alcohol tells us otherwise.. I hear that from many of you and it's encouraging. Hang in there, we're a team!

Thanks my friends for all of your support..read up to pg 86 of this forum...gotta catch up soon...soo very interesting and encouraging..this is an amazing group.. Take good care.

[Catherine]

Happy Wednesday to all! I love this forum so! You all give me strength and insight. Thank you!!

Steve Jobs...now there was an amazing man. Have you viewed his commencement address to the 2005 Stanford class?

All's good here, on day 11. I'm noticing small improvements as time passes. My complexion is improving and I look a tad younger - haha! I wake up most mornings feeling genuinely happy and at peace. Cravings are diminishing. I had a terrible case of the "f--k its" a few days ago but thanks to this forum I knew to expect it and dealt with it - one day at a time.

The smell of the wine my husband drinks no longer tempts me for "just a sip". In fact we discovered in a round about way that my husband has celiac disease. Instead of our usual merlot, he started to have a Foster's ale at night (so I wouldn't be tempted to join in) and he got terribly ill after a few days. We are now following a gluten-free diet and he says he feels better than he has in years! We are thankful for unexpected blessings.

We have a sweet new member in our household - a border terrier puppy. Looking forward to many long walks with her as soon as she has the full dose of puppy vaccinations.

Love you all!
c.

[AlisonUK]

Hi everybody. My name is Alison and I live about 25 minutes east of London (hense my log in!) I have been reading these posts for ages and finally took the courage to join the family. I sit here in my kitchen reading these posts and it's like I have something in common with nearly everyone. Its really comforting. I'm 45 and my drinking has got worse the older I was getting. I believe its the getting older stuff and realising now that the drinking isn't the same as the good old days I guess we all still grave for. I'm 11 days sober and I feel great. The days that I have been tempted, I have logged on and listened to all of you - then put the kettle on for some good old English tea! LOL. I did go to AA some time back but was fed up with one bloke still harpening on about when he used to drink back in 1972! Get over yourself you idiot. (purely my opinion). I won't go on too much on my first post. Good luck everyone and as we say here - cheerio for now.

[kevin2]

Thanks for joining and posting Alison,..welcome! I'm glad we have been of help to you,...hopefully we can be of help to each other now that you've officially jumped in.

[AlisonUK]

Cheers Kevin2
I used to hate computers but if it wasn't for them and the www, the world would be a loney place. Not that I'm lonely, just in this alcohol stuff. My drinking got well out of control in Oct, Nov and dec. My friend died and I just was dumbstruck with pain. She couldn't eat and after having an endoscopy they diagnosed cancer and she was dead within 4 weeks. I have known her for 25 years. She would have celebrated her 50th a week later. I have since come to realise (at last) that the grief was excellerated by the alcohol and the 'It's me next!' syndrome kicked in. I am due another liver function test at the end of the month so keeping sober is even more paramount. My doctor is superb and he has never judged me or told me off. I think that he has many collegues in the same boat! Anyway, I have just finished a milky drink and off to bed. It's bed time for me here. I will tell you all more about myself in later posts. From across the Atlantic. Alison.

[rosella]

This really is a great site and a great group of people.
Welcome Alison. There are so many inspirational people here to give us strength.
Congrats Christy on making it to nearly half a year. That's amazing! I hope to make it there this time- one day at a time.
Eric, I know where you're coming from with the frustration of this disease. I made it to 30 days back in September and felt great. Then one champagne at a party and that was it. It's so hard to jump back on the wagon again eventhough you know how much better you feel. It's amazing how you can hate something so much yet still crave it. I've managed to get to 5 days now which is my longest stretch since. I've made some other changes for the better in my life so hopefully that all helps. I'm feeling quite positive yet I must stay vigilant. Have a wonderful day everyone.