I quit drinking, for ever!

[dillingerescp]

Oh and by the way, I never really got hangovers, but near the end of my drinking, the following 2 days after a night of binge drinking, I would have HORRIBLE panic attacks all day. I'd have terribly anxiety, depression and a general uneasiness.

Has anyone else suffered from this?

[daplaymaka48]

Hey folks, long time no talk.. I just wanted to chime in from my perspective today so others relise to listen when others offer you help! I was at a great place in January when I decided I had to make a change... I was really active in helping my buddies & everyone else I could help in the gym and in all aspects of life. It really felt amazing. I signed up for BB.com, saw this blog, focused on my diet, vegies & protein baby!! One of my buddies even asked me to be his best man.. I had so many ppl giving me props.. saying.. "how do u do it?" I'd always say just stay focused and dedicated. ITS THAT EASY! That was me around day 20... HERE COMES DAY 30.. I start thinking,'why not moderation?' So I bring it up to the guys in here.. they all say best of luck but really not a good Idea(in deffernt word of course). So.. I didnt listen and ended up full blown drinking again.... long story short bcuz I thought moderation was an option and didnt try AA when my mind right I'm traped again.. please listen to these guys!

[TNetz]

Hey folks, long time no talk.. I just wanted to chime in from my perspective today so others relise to listen when others offer you help! I was at a great place in January when I decided I had to make a change... I was really active in helping my buddies & everyone else I could help in the gym and in all aspects of life. It really felt amazing. I signed up for BB.com, saw this blog, focused on my diet, vegies & protein baby!! One of my buddies even asked me to be his best man.. I had so many ppl giving me props.. saying.. "how do u do it?" I'd always say just stay focused and dedicated. ITS THAT EASY! That was me around day 20... HERE COMES DAY 30.. I start thinking,'why not moderation?' So I bring it up to the guys in here.. they all say best of luck but really not a good Idea(in deffernt word of course). So.. I didnt listen and ended up full blown drinking again.... long story short bcuz I thought moderation was an option and didnt try AA when my mind right I'm traped again.. please listen to these guys!

Good for you for recognizing that and thanks for the input. The question is, what are you going to do about it?

You only really have two options the way I see it. Drink, or don't drink. If you're smart you'll pick an option that's going to benefit you in some way. I'll tell you, it's sad to see some of these guys spend their whole lives trapped. They spend their whole lives in chains and never realize that they have the key. All the drama and all the "poor me" moments could have been avoided a long time ago if they would have just took that first step and asked for help.

[supaturk]

nice thread.

[burlyman619]

how do you guys deal with peer presure? Do you just not put yourself in those situations?

[gottalift78]

how do you guys deal with peer presure? Do you just not put yourself in those situations?

I'd have to say this is the hardest part. It gets easier as time goes on. If you express your feelings to your friends, they should be considerate enough to back off. When I go out with new people, I order water and lime or cranberry juice, just so I can have the effect of having a drink in my hand. Also, offer to drive. If you are the DD it will really stop your friends from shoving shots in your face.

[burlyman619]

I'd have to say this is the hardest part. It gets easier as time goes on. If you express your feelings to your friends, they should be considerate enough to back off. When I go out with new people, I order water and lime or cranberry juice, just so I can have the effect of having a drink in my hand. Also, offer to drive. If you are the DD it will really stop your friends from shoving shots in your face.

Yeah im on deployment right now and its been so damn hard. feelsbadman

[TNetz]

how do you guys deal with peer presure? Do you just not put yourself in those situations?

Are you able to drink on your deployment? If so...I don't have any advice for ya. If not, I can say it's a heck of a lot easier to quit when it's you making the decision. When you're told to quit, it never really ends well. That's my experience anyway.

As far as peer pressure, I just don't put myself in those situations. I could easily go to the local bar and hang with the same crowd that was there when I left but I choose not to. It get's a lot easier after you've said "No" a few hundred times.

I've decided that there's always going to be the urge to drink and there's always going to be those situations. The key is to get used to resisting them. Just like anything else (and you being a military man should know this) we adapt to everything. Even not drinking.

[mab23]

Nobody likes a quitter! just playing - if you want it bad enough you'll make it happen, Best of Luck

[TNetz]

Oh and by the way, I never really got hangovers, but near the end of my drinking, the following 2 days after a night of binge drinking, I would have HORRIBLE panic attacks all day. I'd have terribly anxiety, depression and a general uneasiness.

Has anyone else suffered from this?

I don't know that the extent of my anxiety equals yours but I've definitely delt with it my whole life. I'm currently still taking meds for it.

I never had hangovers either. Mostly I felt cool, calm, and collect. Afer a night of heavy drinking I felt like I could think straight. After talking to a shrink about this, he said that I basically had the "makup" to be the perfect alcoholic. He said it was like having a wooden leg. Looks great on the outside and funtions good enough but eventually that SOB is going to fall out from under me.

What I was doing was classic self medication. I drank to feel better. The reality is that this did absolutley nothing for my "condition" or other aspects of my life and actually made them worse. Drinking is a depressant. That's a fact and not open for debate.

The best thing you can do is quit the drinking and talk to somebody that know's their meds. After that, look into other more natural remedies to help you deal.

Good luck!

[burlyman619]

Are you able to drink on your deployment? If so...I don't have any advice for ya. If not, I can say it's a heck of a lot easier to quit when it's you making the decision. When you're told to quit, it never really ends well. That's my experience anyway.

As far as peer pressure, I just don't put myself in those situations. I could easily go to the local bar and hang with the same crowd that was there when I left but I choose not to. It get's a lot easier after you've said "No" a few hundred times.

I've decided that there's always going to be the urge to drink and there's always going to be those situations. The key is to get used to resisting them. Just like anything else (and you being a military man should know this) we adapt to everything. Even not drinking.

Thats true. Im deff changing the guys that i hang out with in port. I mean, i want to do the whole "Sailor in foreign port" then, but i guess i can do that without drinking.

[TNetz]

Thats true. Im deff changing the guys that i hang out with in port. I mean, i want to do the whole "Sailor in foreign port" then, but i guess i can do that without drinking.

When I was in tha Army I went to Korea and drank more than I ever did in my life. I got into fights with friends, got put on "probation", slept with some really nastly looking girls, and generally made and ass out of my self in the mornings when I had to show up for formation. I thought I had a lot of fun but looking back now, I wish I could remember more. Enjoy your time away because one day you really will miss it and all you'll have are your memories.


When I said enjoy, I mean with a clear head Everybody always thinks we need alcohol to have a good time but the truth is, you're already a "Sailor in foreign port". A bottle doesn't change that.

[RebaV]

This is a great thread, thanks for starting it, TNetz! I have struggled with my drinking for a few years. I go through phases where I am totally into running and strength training and don't drink at all, then I'll "fall" and drink. I found that people in AA meetings made me feel like I wasn't doing sobriety right. Like I was never attending enough meetings, even when I was going 4-5 times/week. And when I was "working the steps," I had people tell me I wasn't doing it "right." I like the community and the support and the opportunity to help others with their path to clean and sober living, but for me creating the life I want and filling my life with healthy rewarding activities (like running, yoga, lifting, writing, WORK) is the best way I have found to stay sober.

That said, I had a one-day binge last week. I am on my 5th day since of not drinking. I sleep better, have better workouts, and am able to do the things I love.

THanks for all the stories, advice and inspiration!

[topsy05]

161 days and counting. I feel so much better.

[TNetz]

This is a great thread, thanks for starting it, TNetz! I have struggled with my drinking for a few years. I go through phases where I am totally into running and strength training and don't drink at all, then I'll "fall" and drink. I found that people in AA meetings made me feel like I wasn't doing sobriety right. Like I was never attending enough meetings, even when I was going 4-5 times/week. And when I was "working the steps," I had people tell me I wasn't doing it "right." I like the community and the support and the opportunity to help others with their path to clean and sober living, but for me creating the life I want and filling my life with healthy rewarding activities (like running, yoga, lifting, writing, WORK) is the best way I have found to stay sober.

That said, I had a one-day binge last week. I am on my 5th day since of not drinking. I sleep better, have better workouts, and am able to do the things I love.

THanks for all the stories, advice and inspiration!

I'm no expert at all so take my input for what you will. It's sounds to me like you're substituting drinking for working out. I did this for the first couple of months until my lazy butt stopped going to the gym for a while. What you may not be doing is learning about your addiction and learning how to live sober. Living sober is the tricky part. Anybody can quit drinking.

For me, I learned a lot in AA about living sober and also from just talking to others that have done it. I also used a bit of common sense in the way I thought about this. I didn't want to believe that something other than my self was in control of me. I also had to realize that it wasn't the bottle's fault that I got drunk. It was mine. Whether it be because of my personality or because of genetics, didn't matter. I have something inside of my wiring that says I can not drink in moderation. Mostly I just had to be honest with myself and obviously I had plenty of negative experiences to remind me of why I quit. That's important.

I can definitely see where you're coming from about AA and doing it the "right" way. What I've learned is that every meeting is different and that they are only made up of people just like you and me. What I've also gathered is that there is no "right" way to do anything in AA regardless of what we're told. The majority of the "old timers" in AA will say the same thing. The problem you had is very common and one that is even talked about within AA. The truth is AA is there to teach, to learn, and to support. I always went into AA knowing that there would be something I'd never quite get but I also knew that there was an unlimited wealth of information and insight that I couldn't have gained anywhere else. Most of all I never expected AA to fix me. I knew that even in AA I was the one that had to use what I learned. I think a lot of people really expect AA to fix them but the truth is it's not. We are always 100% responsible.

I never did the steps but I know a lot of people do because it makes sense to them. I sort of did mine before I ever knew what the written steps were. Those were the ones that made sense to me.

Thanks for the complements and Keep up the good work!

161 days and counting. I feel so much better.

Good for you!

[UncleMixer]

161 days and counting. I feel so much better.

Way to go!

[canadiancoops]

4th day clean for me...the weekend is gonna be the hardest, might lock myself up for the 1st weekend and not go anywhere

[iliketojuggle]

I haven't drank 1 drop of alcohol in about 5 months now.. It is nice honestly. All of 2008 and 2009 I was drinking thu, fri, and sat every weekend, normally about a fifth of 80 proof+ liquor to myself each night. It is so nice to never be hungover at all. My brain seems like it is functioning way better. I also used to smoke weed everyday, many days all day long. I also quit that starting a little after new years. It feels really weird to just be completely sober after living a life of drinking and smoking for about 7 years straight. My views and perception of almost everything are starting to really change it is crazy. I have so much more motivation and energy to do things now that I don't have those bad habits. I also smoked cigarettes for 7 years and haven't smoked a cigarette in about 5 months either. Quitting alcohol and weed surely helped make that easier too. I don't even think about pot, alcohol, or cigarettes anymore, ever.

[Mr_Kinney]

I'll be 4 months sober on the 15th. Feels good.

[JMath]

I have not checked in in quite a while, but was just looking over some of my pre-court paperwork and it made me think of this thread and TNetz, who really helped me a lot throughout the first 7 or 8 months of my not drinking. I am still not drinking at all though, feels great. Glad to see the thread is still gathering support. I went on a trip to Vegas and didn't really think much about the fact that it was a party city. Wasn't much of a problem to not drink at all. Really stressed about court (supposed to have a trial on July 21) and not knowing what is going to happen. I guess it's out of my hands though.

how do you guys deal with peer presure? Do you just not put yourself in those situations?

As far as peer pressure, I don't avoid situations at all. I've been offered drinks, and in one occasion a chick attempted to force feed me a shot. I just tell everyone "Nah, I don't drink". I liken drinking (or the lack thereof) to any other kind of thing that requires discipline. It would be easier to just say "F it" and skip the gym, but we have a goal so we decide to go. Same for drinking, it just comes down to deciding what you want.

[honda954racer03]

I dont know how you guys still have the same friends who still drink. That could easily drag you down. When I stopped I went out and made new friends that coincided with my new interests. I hate being around drunk people now its just obnoxious.

[UncleMixer]

I kept a lot of the same friends, but some of us just don't have much in common anymore or their "past-time" is still drinking which I have since moved on from onto healther activities. I spend my evenings after work at the gym, playing video games, hanging out with the girlfriend, playing soccer, doing side projects like video production and just relaxing. I don't need or feel compelled to drink anymore and I see so many of them still in that 'place.'

However, I never turned my back on those friends and some of us still grab lunch or hang out from time to time. I also work security at a night club on the weekends so I get my "dose" of drunkards and it only reminds me how happy I am that I quit lol

[TNetz]

I have not checked in in quite a while, but was just looking over some of my pre-court paperwork and it made me think of this thread and TNetz, who really helped me a lot throughout the first 7 or 8 months of my not drinking. I am still not drinking at all though, feels great. Glad to see the thread is still gathering support. I went on a trip to Vegas and didn't really think much about the fact that it was a party city. Wasn't much of a problem to not drink at all. Really stressed about court (supposed to have a trial on July 21) and not knowing what is going to happen. I guess it's out of my hands though.




As far as peer pressure, I don't avoid situations at all. I've been offered drinks, and in one occasion a chick attempted to force feed me a shot. I just tell everyone "Nah, I don't drink". I liken drinking (or the lack thereof) to any other kind of thing that requires discipline. It would be easier to just say "F it" and skip the gym, but we have a goal so we decide to go. Same for drinking, it just comes down to deciding what you want.

I'm glad to hear that you're still in the majority. Good for you!! It means a lot that I was able to help out in some way. I'll keep you in my thoughts for sure. Good luck because I think that's about all it comes down to now. You've already walked the walk.


As far as friends go, mine are still here and I know where to find them when I want to but I don't put forth so much effort anymore. They have their lives and I have mine. Every now and then we'll get together and it'll be like old times except I won't be drinking. Those are my drinking buddies though. My "other" friends never left.

When I say I avoid the temptation, that just means I don't go to the bars or clubs anymore. But then again, I lost that interest even before I quit drinking. There's really no point for me. I'm not single and I'm not intrested in bumping shoulders with people I don't know. That's just me though. I guess if that was my scene than I'd go and drink something else and still have a good time knowing I can drive home and not worry about anything. One thing about being sober, it's a lot easier to avoid unecessary BS.


This is a good topic. If anybody else has anything to add, please do so.

[TNetz]

Also, just to add, I think it's VERY important in the early days of sobriety to avoid anything that's going to even make you think about drinking. I made that mistake a while back because I thought I was strong enough to handle anything. That, and I didn't want to alienate my friends that still drank.

You can go back and read about that somewhere in this thread. I was having friends come over to watch UFC just like we always did. It never occured to me that this could be a problem until I found myself thinking more and more about drinking and even opening my mind up to the possiblity of drining again in the future. It was somebody here in this thread that told me I was dumb for doing that and that really sunk in. I never relapsed but I felt the possiblity. The next day I told my buddy that he couldn't bring beer over anymore. I just explained the issue and he understood for the most part. We missed a few UFC's after that but now, a few months later, I'll get a call asking if I want to order one. He's still around but not as much. Honestly that works for me.

I never let myself walk into the local bar anymore. I know everybody in there and it would be like some grand old reuniun if I did. I can't do it though. Been there done that. No point in returning. I know I'd start flirting with the idea again and I don't want that to happen.

Keep your self out of the crap for a while until you think you can honestly handle it again without drinking. Once your pride builds up enough, nothing will make you drink again. The general rule is one year. Stay away for the first year. At least that's what they told me.

[mjf200]

I've now been clean for 7 months. I drank everyday for nearly 6 years. That wasn't the worst of my problems, I was also addicted to opiates(prescription pain meds). I'm currently in treatment and probably will be for a while. I've found working out has really helped me and looking forward to doing it when I get home from work is a heck of a lot better than getting high and drunk every night at home!

I've got a great girl that helps me stay healthy. It is such a good feeling doing something good for my body instead of destroying it everyday. I've been working out since feburary of this year and I've never been as strong as I am now.

I also never got hangovers, I was so used to being drunk every night that I just adapted to it being normal. When I woke up the next day, I was ready to do it all over again!

[TNetz]

I hear that. Right on brother!

Reps sent

[boogie102786]

I posted in this thread sometime last year after I totaled my truck from drinking and driving. Last night I drank for the 3rd or 4th time this year and ran my car in a ditch. Bent something in the suspension, car isn't drivable at all. Suppose to be at work in 5 minutes.



Great.

[UncleMixer]

I posted in this thread sometime last year after I totaled my truck from drinking and driving. Last night I drank for the 3rd or 4th time this year and ran my car in a ditch. Bent something in the suspension, car isn't drivable at all. Suppose to be at work in 5 minutes.



Great.

It takes what it takes to learn what you need to learn. I hope these lessons are all it takes for you. Best wishes.

[UncleMixer]

22 month sober today

It's my dads birthday today so I'm on my way out the door in a min to go get him a card. My new girlfriend is in a pageant tonight competing to be Ms. Alaska! I couldn't even hold down a relationship back when I drank and now I'm dating a gorgeous incredible gal. Keep up the great work everyone!

[mworrel1989]

22 month sober today

It's my dads birthday today so I'm on my way out the door in a min to go get him a card. My new girlfriend is in a pageant tonight competing to be Ms. Alaska! I couldn't even hold down a relationship back when I drank and now I'm dating a gorgeous incredible gal. Keep up the great work everyone!

congrats bro!