Great job, keep it up! Just passed 16 months here and have never felt better. I don't even think about alcohol anymore. You are changing your life in the best possible way.
I just stumbled on this thread today and I am glad it is here. I struggled with alchol for about 2 years after college and during the covid lockdown. Though I never became a full blown alcoholic, I started drinking every night and sometimes would have a shot in the morning before work. I could do an entire 6 beers a night or an entire wine bottle. I knew it was horrible for me. I was fighting some pretty terrible internal demons. Eventually I started having panic attacks (which alcohol can induce) and ended up in the ER. One of the things I never expected was just how much fear I had when thinking about scaling back on drinking or stopping completely. Some of the withdrawal symptoms really scared me. Well in the end I got sober for a month and took a hard look at myself and my relationship with booze. I now limit myself to having 2 beers on Friday night and 1 beer on Saturday (or something similar like wine) and having the remainder of the week be sober. I've been doing this for the better part of a year now. I am glad I can still drink without the heavy urge to binge. But boy it was a close call. Everything in moderation. No one in my life even knew how close it nearly destroyed me and most still don't. I looked completely normal on the outside which was the scary part. One of the best things you can do is start talking about it to either family or join AA. Getting it off your chest and admitting you need help is the first step to overcoming it. People have a hard time admitting when they need help.
In my opinion, stopping drinking is both easy and worth it.
I stopped two years ago, no AA or rehab… just don’t drink, it’s so simple.
If you want to “cut loose” try psilocybin mushrooms or other psychedelics. You won’t act like a jerk; you won’t do something dumb like drive a car; and you won’t have terrible hangovers.
Thanks! 38 today but hard one, first challenging day in 2+ weeks but got though it. Realised what a stress release (but obviously not really) alcohol had become for me.
Thanks! 38 today but hard one, first challenging day in 2+ weeks but got though it. Realised what a stress release (but obviously not really) alcohol had become for me.
Good work. You showed yourself some kindness today. Keep it up!
About to finish off 21 days (3 weeks today). Even went to the liquor stores for the lolz and felt nothing. No cravings. No desire to buy anything. I think it was just an ingrained habit, it wasn't even about the beer. Such a great feeling knowing I'll sleep well tonight and wake up without a headache tomorrow.
I stopped two years ago, no AA or rehab… just don’t drink, it’s so simple.
Simple doesn't necessarily mean easy. Addiction is an unpredictable thing, and quitting can be easy for some and hell for others. Different biologies, mostly.
I stopped two years ago, no AA or rehab… just don’t drink, it’s so simple.
Simple doesn't necessarily mean easy. Addiction is an unpredictable thing, and quitting can be easy for some and hell for others. Different biologies, mostly.
Simple doesn't necessarily mean easy. Addiction is an unpredictable thing, and quitting can be easy for some and hell for others. Different biologies, mostly.
Oh, and 72 years sober this month.
Wow. Were you ever not sober? Congrats.
I was lucky. At a very early age I realized that a) a lot of drunks are asshoIes, and b) I could be an asshoIe without drinking, so I could save time and money by skipping that step.
Only later did I realize that I was prone to addictive behaviors myself, and that I had a close family member who was an alcoholic and whose drinking destroyed her family. I was just lucky not to do the same.
And, yeah: My next drink will be my first. Serious congrats to any alcoholic who has one day sober. For some, getting there can be terribly hard.
42. Six weeks. Thanks for the support, advice and accountability.
Congrats! I think I’m at 8 weeks now and had some tough days recently. Went to a music festival and turned down a joint for the first time in my life. Had to leave in the middle of the set I went to see but I’m happy with how it turned out.
Next up is quitting nicotine. I’m gonna try John Mulaney’s hypnotherapist’s program after next weekend’s cigar day with the boys. I’ve tried quitting a few times and its been really hard.