How to stop drinking alcohol

[IamThatGuy73]

I'm well into my 40's and love to drink beer, wine and liquor. It seems pretty much everything I do involves alcohol. Even some of the adventure races reward you with a beer at the end. Friday is usually happy hour at the house with my wife. We'll cook a nice meal and have a few drinks. Saturday we'll go out to dinner or a friends house and that always involves alcohol. Sunday is usually a lazy day at home maybe taking care of the yard but always beer is needed. During the week I still want to drink. I need a way to kill the urge. Working out doesn't affect my desire. I can probably work out while drinking. Is there any supplement that would reduce the cravings?

[DuracellBunny]

Is there any supplement that would reduce the cravings?

That mindset is the problem right there. "Is there anything I can take to stop the cravings for something else that I take?". You have to find something internally to make you stop, instead of looking for something external.

[Robfitx]

What can you take? Take a look in the mirror. Try a 30 day challenge of no drinking. If you can't do it, check out AA. Seriously.....

[BankWalker]

Read This Naked Mind by Annie Grace. Seriously... it will rewire your brain to not want to drink. I was in the same boat as you for 9 years. I tried many times and failed to cut back on drinking. I read the book in October of last year and no longer desire the stuff. Good luck.

[Hammerhagen]

Here is an idea. Set an ambitious goal and understand that drinking will get in the way of reaching your goal. If the goal is more important than the drinking you will quit drinking. Good luck

[mirroroferised]

I've been sober now for 2.5 years. Up until then my life was a lot like you described. I had quit many, many times over and always went back. I won't go into a massive story here but I've posted many times in the AA thread in the misc here which sounds like it might be a good read for you. There are all sorts of amazing stories from members here and that thread and some of the guys there were a bit part of me cleaning up.

I will say that when I finally made the decision to stop once in for all and that I was in fact done I haven't looked back. There were some tough days in the beginning but here I am, sober and a couple of years later and feeling better than I ever have and I'm in way better shape now than I've ever been. Now I can go out with the guys to a game and not be phased by a drink. Family bbq's and meals aren't an issue because this is just who I am now. I'm proud to be a non-drinker and can't imagine going back to the way I was when I let alcohol control my life. I'm in a different place now. A completely different mindset.

It took time and a lot of hard work but it can be done if you really want it! Best of luck man.

[Xscoot]

About 15 years ago I was hungover in bed. My daughter was standing beside my bed and when I opened my eyes her 3 year old old eyes were locked on mine with an eerie blank stare. Without her saying a word I felt an unbearable crushing wave of depression and sadness. Never want that feeling again. I haven't touched a drop since. Actually enjoy life so much more without the drink, its fun being around drunk people and waking up sober.

[JimmyJonny]

About 15 years ago I was hungover in bed. My daughter was standing beside my bed and when I opened my eyes her 3 year old old eyes were locked on mine with an eerie blank stare. Without her saying a word I felt an unbearable crushing wave of depression and sadness. Never want that feeling again. I haven't touched a drop since. Actually enjoy life so much more without the drink, its fun being around drunk people and waking up sober.

I can't be around my buddies when they're drunk for very long. I get to annoyed when they repeat themselves over and over, lol.

[rimduglep]

I'm well into my 40's and love to drink beer, wine and liquor. It seems pretty much everything I do involves alcohol. Even some of the adventure races reward you with a beer at the end. Friday is usually happy hour at the house with my wife. We'll cook a nice meal and have a few drinks. Saturday we'll go out to dinner or a friends house and that always involves alcohol. Sunday is usually a lazy day at home maybe taking care of the yard but always beer is needed. During the week I still want to drink. I need a way to kill the urge. Working out doesn't affect my desire. I can probably work out while drinking. Is there any supplement that would reduce the cravings?

I recommend just not drinking. Problem solved.

Seriously, though.

There are so many things that we don't really have direct control over. This is not one of those things. If you don't control the things that you can control in this life, you really have no chance of having the reserves to deal with the things that you can't... If for some reason you truly feel that alcohol is stronger than you, well... It's time to get treatment. If it's not at that level, then just stop.

[1andreguerra]

Alcohol negatively affects my workout, my routine, my gains... One of the main reasons I rarely drink. I never heard of anyone serious about working out (bodybuilding, fitness, whatever) drinking a lot.

[waco]

Good thread.
Its tuff once you have that habit. When ever I have a few beers I feel totally lethargic the next day, all motivations I had the day prior gone out the window from just a few drinks the night before. Everyone's different I suppose. I just think of the days I felt like doing nothing because of the drinks the night before, that helps me to stay on track and not drink. I had an urge to go get a six pack a few days ago, on the drive to the store, I turned around and went back home by just thinking of the repercussions. I have hobbies I love to do, drinking interferes with those, especially the next day.

[Old-Time-Lifter]

Alcohol negatively affects my workout, my routine, my gains... One of the main reasons I rarely drink. I never heard of anyone serious about working out (bodybuilding, fitness, whatever) drinking a lot.

A glass of wine before bed is no problem. Six glasses of wine/beer/liquor everyday means you've got a serious problem.

Start small, say today I'm not going to drink and mean it. Then tomorrow say the same and mean it as well.

[PiperBill]

Doesn't sound like OP wants to stop drinking. If he really wanted it enough then he would stop. I've been sober for 18 months now. I can have the occasional glass of wine or a beer with dinner but that's all. I used to love the feeling of being drunk but now I hate even the light buzz you get from a beer or 2.

Hell I even kidded myself that a couple of shots of vodka after a heavy workout was the secret formular to recovery and gains. I could down half a bottle of Smirnof and nobody even noticed.

Woke up one day and just didn't want it anymore. I could see where it was going and it scared me a bit.

OP.. You have to not want it anymore.

[bodyhard]

First step is admitting you are an alcoholic.....

[dazlittle]

serious question,

Where does one draw that line, between being an alcoholic and just liking to have a drink?

in my minds eye an alcoholic is someone who is at rock bottom, drinking daily, drinking at breakfast just to get them through the day. Perhaps even losing contact with family, losing their jobs etc..

People who drink at the weekend, every weekend, are they considered alcoholics?

For what its worth, I don't drink that often, maybe once or twice a month.

[Richie71]

Just decide what matters to you. For me, music festivals, craft beer, and dinners out are more important than training, so they get priority. Yes I would look better without the extra empty calories those events lead to, but life wouldn't be as much fun. If appearance or strength is your #1 priority, then live accordingly.

A couple of things that might help though:
Find lower calorie drinks - spirit and sugar free mixer rather then beer perhaps.
Drink lots of water or any drink without calories. You won't want a load of beer then.

[Richie71]

serious question,

Where does one draw that line, between being an alcoholic and just liking to have a drink?

in my minds eye an alcoholic is someone who is at rock bottom, drinking daily, drinking at breakfast just to get them through the day. Perhaps even losing contact with family, losing their jobs etc..

People who drink at the weekend, every weekend, are they considered alcoholics?

For what its worth, I don't drink that often, maybe once or twice a month.

For me, that would be things like:
Drinking for the sake of drinking rather than any event.
Drinking when you know you don't want to, feeling a need to have to.
Drinking repeatedly negatively impacting on your life (I'm allowing myself the occasional hangover morning impact!)

[vakrka]

I'm the same way about food. I can't say no.

I'll do perfect for 2 or 3 days then I eat a whole box of cereal, 6 donuts and some cupcakes in a 30 min window.

[bodyhard]

serious question,

Where does one draw that line, between being an alcoholic and just liking to have a drink?

in my minds eye an alcoholic is someone who is at rock bottom, drinking daily, drinking at breakfast just to get them through the day. Perhaps even losing contact with family, losing their jobs etc..

People who drink at the weekend, every weekend, are they considered alcoholics?

For what its worth, I don't drink that often, maybe once or twice a month.

There are functional alcoholics that maintain their jobs, their family etc etc, but they require a drink to function.

[Kewbrah]

I have several drinks every night and sometimes feel like I should do something about it. But the thing holding me back from doing anything is that there are zero apparent negative consequences. It doesn't make me antisocial or unproductive. I've never felt hungover in my life. I'm lean and fit. Most mornings I'm up at 5am to run or lift, feeling fresh and ready to go. It would be so much easier to be motivated to take action if I was embarrassing myself each night, or feeling terrible each morning.

[wave_length]

There is most probably an underlying depression which causes the drinking. There is something in your life that keeps you unhappy. You will have to find out what it is and radically change it.

[MissHolly]

There are functional alcoholics that maintain their jobs, their family etc etc, but they require a drink to function.

This

I would tell myself I wasn't going to drink that night, I'd feel steadfast and great about it, but that evening guess what I was doing. I hated myself every day that I woke up and realized I'd done it again. This went on for years, just about daily.

I quit drinking 5 years ago for the sake of my kids. Was just thinking yesterday how grateful I am to have them.

[dazlittle]

For me, that would be things like:
Drinking for the sake of drinking rather than any event.
Drinking when you know you don't want to, feeling a need to have to.
Drinking repeatedly negatively impacting on your life (I'm allowing myself the occasional hangover morning impact!)

Good points thanks.

There are functional alcoholics that maintain their jobs, their family etc etc, but they require a drink to function.

I've heard that term before, but are they not just people who like a drink, or do it out of habit rather than addiction. addiction or the term alcoholic seems to be a very severe description to me.

This

I would tell myself I wasn't going to drink that night, I'd feel steadfast and great about it, but that evening guess what I was doing. I hated myself every day that I woke up and realized I'd done it again. This went on for years, just about daily.

I quit drinking 5 years ago for the sake of my kids. Was just thinking yesterday how grateful I am to have them.

Congrats. I had periods like that in the past. Now I can take it or leave it, thankfully.

[mirroroferised]

serious question,

Where does one draw that line, between being an alcoholic and just liking to have a drink?

in my minds eye an alcoholic is someone who is at rock bottom, drinking daily, drinking at breakfast just to get them through the day. Perhaps even losing contact with family, losing their jobs etc..

People who drink at the weekend, every weekend, are they considered alcoholics?

For what its worth, I don't drink that often, maybe once or twice a month.

I fit into the category that BH mentioned below. I didn't need to wake up and grab a bottle first thing like Cage in Leaving Las Vegas and I could easily go until the evening if I needed to without a drink but no matter what I wasn't making it to the end of the day without one and those odd days where I would quit and not drink usually lasted a day or 2 at the most and then I'd make up for it and then some.

Drinking never affected my work but it really started taking its toll on my family life and I didn't full appreciate how much until a few months after I stopped and my wife and I had a good talk about it. To me I was always just a fun guy to hang out with and have a few drinks. My wife doesn't drink at all but comes from a family of fairly heavy drinkers. I just figured it was the norm and she was laughing with me. It was tearing her up inside watching me get sh!t faced at every single family event or random Tuesday and probably making a big ass out of myself in the process but I had no clue.

To me I couldn't watch a baseball or hockey game without a 6 pack. Or wanting a couple of cold beers to cut the lawn, shovel the driveway in the winter or do any sort of work on the house. That part is fine but once I started, I wasn't making it to the end of the day with only 2.

I would wake up in the morning and look at the empties I left lying around the house from the night before and feel ashamed. I was setting a terrible example for my young kids. It came to a point for me where I knew the direction I was heading and it was like you described in your question. I lived like that nearly 20 years. To me, that is an alcoholic.

This series of questions below isn't the end all be all of determining if somebody is an alcoholic but it's a pretty good start to take a good look if you have some questions or concerns about your drinking...

https://ncadd.org/get-help/take-the-...olic-self-test


eta - this link was just meant in general and not directed at any specific person. I need more coffee this morning I think

There are functional alcoholics that maintain their jobs, their family etc etc, but they require a drink to function.

[thor93]

To Post #11,waco. That was a waste of vehicle fuel. I would've continued onwards to the store,and then got myself a few things other than beer. Snack type stuff at least.

[Old-Time-Lifter]

There are functional alcoholics that maintain their jobs, their family etc etc, but they require a drink to function.

This ^^^ but I've seen functional alcoholics suddenly fall off the deep end and all he!! breaks loose.

[Giant_Killer]

To answer your question directly Kratom or Phenibut

[Djith]

I dropped regular alcohol consumption all together, unfortunatly i had to drop some friends too, cause they influenced me badly. They also are close to or are alcoholics. I didnt see myself going down that path so i had to take things in my own hands and go my way.
At the end it is about yourself.

[scullin]

I quit from January 2007 until Summer of 2013. Basically quit as a New Years resolution mostly to spend more time with my kids.

After I got separated from my ex at the end of 2012 it kind of became a non-issue since I didn't have my kids anymore too often. But I kept it to a minimum for the most part. Only drank at concerts and once a week during football season I'd have about 4 beers socially while watching a game. This pretty much went on for a couple of years.

These days it's a little more often and a little more volume sometimes (sounds like a workout lol). I usually drink once a week at home with GF. Sometimes a couple of nights but depends on what's going on. Sometimes maybe 1 -3 glasses of wine is all. Other times a six pack of beer. Rarely anything more than that though, some weeks I don't drink at all if I'm too busy or just not in the mood for it.

Cutting was way easier when not drinking but otherwise not that much of a difference.

[Mark1T]

This

I would tell myself I wasn't going to drink that night, I'd feel steadfast and great about it, but that evening guess what I was doing. I hated myself every day that I woke up and realized I'd done it again. This went on for years, just about daily.

I quit drinking 5 years ago for the sake of my kids. Was just thinking yesterday how grateful I am to have them.

<3


.