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[Vyse1800]

I used to see bumper stickers growing up "one day at a time" and always wondered what that was supposed to mean. It's good advice.

 

[Mossybrew]

Depending on how severe your dependency on alcohol is, you should NOT do it outside of a setting where you are medically supervised. You can literally die from alcohol withdrawal. I spent a week in the hospital the first time i tried to quite drinking...and another the second time a month later. 5 years sober!

My advice to you is this: After you quit, DO NOT blow it off when people tell you you can't have one drink ever again for the rest of your life. All it takes is one freaking sip of beer and you'll be hooked again. I learned this the hard way,

I hesitate to even post in this thread, because this topic is very personal, but it should be pointed out that there is no one true "way" that works for everyone. What is true or works for one person may not for another. So, in general beware blanket statements and find what works for you personally.

For ME, after years as a heavy daily drinker (average 6-7 units of alcohol weeknights, double that or more on weekends) , I quit cold turkey in early February. Pretty much no withdrawal symptoms. Yes going cold turkey can be dangerous but the chances are actually very small that you'll have life threatening complications. When you google this stuff you'll see a lot of the scaremongering comes from treatment centers that of course want you to pay them to detox under care. Again - not denying that it's possible, but it's a small risk that shouldn't make you think that you can't do this yourself.

For ME, my goal is not to never drink again, but to be able to have a healthy relationship with alcohol and drink moderate amounts once in a while. You'll find plenty of people that say this isn't possible, but again, blanket statements. So after four months with zero alcohol, I had one beer socializing with friends. It didn't suddenly turn me into a raging fiend. A couple weeks later I had two shots of a very nice local vodka and that was it. This is my goal, and I feel I can remain motivated long term. If you're properly motivated you can do just about anything.

 

[Nester99]

Keep it up dude! You can do it!

 

[epicnemesis]

Keep it up and much respect!

I don't drink so the closest thing I have is a sugar addiction and I don't know if I have your willpower should it ever be necessary for me to quit.

 

[Chaplain]

I used to see bumper stickers growing up "one day at a time" and always wondered what that was supposed to mean. It's good advice.

It is really is good advice.

The origins of this idea go back almost 2000-years: "Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Jesus).

 

[TrainedRage]

I hope to god you are still smoking, with a name like that.

 

[Blade2.0]

Good luck OP. You'll feel much better once you're off of it. I don't stay completely sober, but the last drop i had was like in March on my birthday and before that was one night in January and before that was at my brother's wedding in September.

Gets easier and easier to go without the longer you do it. just stay strong and next time you do drink (try to at least get a good 6 months in before you even try to have some). try to only have only one drink. You'll find you actually don't really want it that bad right after.

EDIT: i'd rather smoke weed from now on, myself, and i barely do that nowadays either.

 

[ScarletSpider]

.

 

[chixdiggit]

this posts hits on a HUGE component in anyone's sober journey (whether they stop for a week, a year, or for life), which is making excuses to have a drink and creating reasons for why you deserve a drink

when i was trying to get clean (took a million tries) i always gave in bc i told myself that i could have one drink, and that i deserved it, or i had a bad day, or its my dads 50th birthday (a lot like what you were mentionaing in your psts). and sometimes thatd work... but only for a short while... it wouldnt be long before i was back to a bottle of vodka a day. same thing with cigarettes. the addict in me will do anything to negotiate just one drink. but if i have that one drink or that one smoke or that one hit, pill, line, etc.. then its all over.

hey man congrats to you! stay strong and push through to your goal. you can do it!

Thanks Kev. Appreciate the support.

 

[Fbh]

Stay strong man.
I had to take steps to cut back my drinking a couple of years ago when I felt it was slowly starting to get out of hand. I still managed not to drink on most work days but I'd spend every weekend (or any day with no work) drunk, even when alone.

What nush said worked well for me. I got used to having a drink on me when doing pretty much anything at home so I started always having juice/iced tea/water around to keep up with the "drinking while doing stuff" habit but with no alcohol.

Also maybe it's just me being a cheap bastard but I started to keep track of how much money I was "saving" by not buying alcohol and then putting it towards other things. It was like "ok a bottle of vodka and a six pack would have been $15" and then since I wasn't buying that I'd put it towards a nice cut of meat or some other pricier food item, or I'd get some takeout on my way home, or I'd buy a game, book or rent some movies, or just put that money aside for some bigger purchase I was planning. Maybe not the best thing as it basically just amounted to more "consumerism", but at least it helped keeping me off alcohol.

 

[teezzy]

Do you enjoy coffee?

It's my only vice. <3

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

For me a bit of the problem is that in my social circle, you simply cannot meet a couple of people if you are not willing to drink with them.

so stupid.

Thats why im.gonna fake sobriety when I get a full time career going.

 

[God Enel]

Also maybe it's just me being a cheap bastard but I started to keep track of how much money I was "saving" by not buying alcohol and then putting it towards other things. It was like "ok a bottle of vodka and a six pack would have been $15" and then since I wasn't buying that I'd put it towards a nice cut of meat or some other pricier food item, or I'd get some takeout on my way home, or I'd buy a game, book or rent some movies, or just put that money aside for some bigger purchase I was planning. Maybe not the best thing as it basically just amounted to more "consumerism", but at least it helped keeping me off alcohol.

Still a good trade bruh. You’re not fucking up your health. That’s worth a lot.
To op stay strong and good luck. You can do it.

I never was addicted - to drugs or anything.

my biggest addiction is/was eating sweets and drinking energy.
But I’ve started this challenge (until august 1st) with a friend to not eat/drink any sugar and I’m “clean“ now for one month. Hope to have a little snack here and there afterwards, but not to be craving a Red Bull every other day. Once every two weeks would be okay.

 

[Slings and Arrows]

Hey Guys!

So I'm 31 years old and I started drinking heavily in the last 3 years. Before that I was mostly a social drinker. Then I started to go to the pub more regularly, and then every day, getting drunk. Then gradually over the last 2 years I slid into alcoholism, or at least I think what is was.

I started drinking at home, and in the last few months, sometimes I felt so shit physically and depressed in the mornings that I found if I drink in the mornings I feel better and function enough to do some work (I work from home).

Obviously I couldn't work the same amount, so my pay got lower and lower. And because now I drank the whole day (not every day of the week, but most) I felt even shittier. I couldn't even fuck a girl properly since I was so drunk I couldn't feel anything the girl was doing to me, so that got me feel even more shitty and drank even more.

I couldn't make any plans in life, I had no vision. My only thoughts were when is the next time I can drink.

My mother wanted me to get help, she is the only one who could totally see trough me, she always did. Basicly every other person I could trick, lie or hide my problems. I refused help or going to rehab. This week I decided to do it on my own. I said this has to stop!

My first day was very bad indeed. The second day I already feel better. I had a good night sleep in like I don't know... years? I already have energy, feel better about everything around me, the depression seems to be ease up.

I know two days is not a lot of time and this journey will be hard. But I'm very determined, and I feel that this will lead to good things in life. Well, the alternative leads to nowhere anyway, I guess.

I know I shouldn't ever drink anymore. The problem is, there is no "I just drink one beer" with me, never was. If I drink a beer, I have to drink one more, and then more. This has to completely stop.

Thanks for listening! What do you guys think? Do you have stories, personal experiences?

I was a heavy, heavy drinker for almost 4 years and then i stopped cold turkey.

I always felt shit when not drinking and always felt amazing when drunk. Unfortunately, it was a lie; the drink made me feel 'good'. It makes you feel upside down in your feelings

so, all you need to tell yourself/your brain, is that when you feel shit, that's good and when you feel good (because of booze) that's shit.

Sounds simple, but it got me through 18 months before i even touched another drink, which was one can of cider in the summer. Now i drink maybe 2 times a year, at most.

Keep up the good work and keep us updated with your progress. There are some really good dudes on Gaf, if you need help, we're here.