Sober - For the long haul.

hinault

I decided to cut out alcohol because I found that my tolerance levels began to diminish in my late 30's.
I found that even a moderate amount of drink left me feeling drunk/tired and depressed.
Until then I consumed relatively moderate amounts of alcohol twice/three times per week.

How did I stop?
I just took the decision and adjusted my lifestyle accordingly.
My wife agreed to take the same decision which was a great help.
I started to fill the weekends by reading/listening to music initially.
When I felt strong enough to go out for a night on the town and to maintain my abstenance, I found that being the designated helped take the pressure off as well.

Do I feel like having a drink?
No.
My physical health has really improved - even giving up the small amount of pints I used to consume, seriously helped my fitness levels.
My emotional/psycholohical well being is such that I never get the "down" I used get after a few pints.

Hope this helps

derealbadger

hinault wrote: »

I decided to cut out alcohol because I found that my tolerance levels began to diminish in my late 30's.
I found that even a moderate amount of drink left me feeling drunk/tired and depressed.
Until then I consumed relatively moderate amounts of alcohol twice/three times per week.

How did I stop?
I just took the decision and adjusted my lifestyle accordingly.
My wife agreed to take the same decision which was a great help.
I started to fill the weekends by reading/listening to music initially.
When I felt strong enough to go out for a night on the town and to maintain my abstenance, I found that being the designated helped take the pressure off as well.

Do I feel like having a drink?
No.
My physical health has really improved - even giving up the small amount of pints I used to consume, seriously helped my fitness levels.
My emotional/psycholohical well being is such that I never get the "down" I used get after a few pints.

Hope this helps

I am glad that your life is improved but the difference between an alcoholic and a heavy drinker is that when it is affecting your life in a bad way you can stop still not easy but has to be done unfortunately for one that has lost control this is not an option they may stop for a period but the inevitable happens and with us we go right back where we left of or worse and another thing in parting I am sober since 20 may 09 but i don't think about being of drink for the rest of life as that would totally overwhelm me its one day at a time i couldn't do it any other way and if it weren't for A,A i would be dead

A.A does slowly what alcohol did quickly

seanio23

Im only 21 but because of my drinking i now have stomach ulcers! Needless to say- im far too young for this carryin on but its been a blessing. Diagnosed with ulcers last spetember and had to boycott drink, ciggs, choclate, spicy foods, caffiene, fast/ greasy foods, fun and my sanity!! 1st month of college woz horrible to say the least.. ||From going to the life of the party to being the sober guy who left his own party to read his book!! Itz good though- makes you realise how heavily the irish rely on drink for socializing.. Itl be a good experience for ya!

sobervillage

Hi Guys

I see that last you you were all trying to give up alcohol and some of you didnt want to go to AA meetings and others wanted details onhow to stop drinking.

How are you all getting on

Clare

Sober Village Spain

sobervillage

How it going Tom?

Have you some sobriety behind you now?

Have you quit drinking

Clare

Sober Village Spain

tunguska

sobervillage wrote: »

How it going Tom?

Have you some sobriety behind you now?

Have you quit drinking

Clare

Sober Village Spain

+1. Would be interested to know how you're getting on. Hope you're still off the sauce Tom.

I gave up the drink in 2002 myself. Just had enough of the same old bull****, weekend after weekend. Its an empty, desperate existence, the drinking culture. You dont realise how desperate it is until you actually stop though, thats when the blinkers come off.
Not saying its easy, its not. Not drinking results in a lot of social awkwardness........well at least what happens is the alcohol no longer protects you from the social awkwardness that already exists. Loneliness and feeling isolated is a big one too. Its like everybody is in on a joke except you. Maybe it wouldnt be so hard if you were married or had a girlfriend, somebody who you could talk to, or who you could go to social events with and not feel like such a leper. But thats an ideal world scenario and you cant wait around until you're in the perfect situation to take action.
After a while though there comes a point where you have a choice: Go back on the booze or be done with it for good. I know very few who stayed off it, most crack and start drinking again. And thats not down to the substance itself, thats down to not being able to handle the feelings I described above. Once you make that decision though it gets easier. It becomes automatic, you dont even consider drinking an option any longer. Personally I think its a great thing to give up drinking because by not drinking you're forced to confront yourself. You're forced to remove a buffer between you and reality, and when you do this you learn so much about yourself, thats the reward, and that reward is worth every bit of effort.

tunguska

tunguska wrote: »

+1. Would be interested to know how you're getting on. Hope you're still off the sauce Tom.

I gave up the drink in 2002 myself. Just had enough of the same old bull****, weekend after weekend. Its an empty, desperate existence, the drinking culture. You dont realise how desperate it is until you actually stop though, thats when the blinkers come off.
Not saying its easy, its not. Not drinking results in a lot of social awkwardness........well at least what happens is the alcohol no longer protects you from the social awkwardness that already exists. Loneliness and feeling isolated is a big one too. Its like everybody is in on a joke except you. Maybe it wouldnt be so hard if you were married or had a girlfriend, somebody who you could talk to, or who you could go to social events with and not feel like such a leper. But thats an ideal world scenario and you cant wait around until you're in the perfect situation to take action.
After a while though there comes a point where you have a choice: Go back on the booze or be done with it for good. I know very few who stayed off it, most crack and start drinking again. And thats not down to the substance itself, thats down to not being able to handle the feelings I described above. Once you make that decision though it gets easier. It becomes automatic, you dont even consider drinking an option any longer. Personally I think its a great thing to give up drinking because by not drinking you're forced to confront yourself. You're forced to remove a buffer between you and reality, and when you do this you learn so much about yourself, thats the reward, and that reward is worth every bit of effort.

That's extremely well put. I was off it for 6 months and as you described I ended up going back on it in a moment of madness. Back off it for a month now. The blinkers do indeed come off after a few months and that's why I'm back off it now, because I've seen how good life can be without booze.

Sunnyisland

IMO People get in trouble when they let their guard down after their early-abstinence success. It is important that you not take your sobriety for granted and that your recognize the power of your addiction. Maintaining a recovery-oriented attitude is critical.
It is also important your participation in support groups and that you remain honest with yourself and others about your feelings and thoughts. Changes in attitudes, feelings and behaviors can quickly lead you to a relapse.
A relapse does not begin when you pick up a drink . It's a gradual process marked by negative changes in your attitude, feelings and behaviors. If you find yourself in the downward relapse spiral, do something different! Go to more support group meetings, spend time with others who support your recovery, maintain a healthy structure in your life, make sure you are in a drink-free environment and avoid external triggers. Take positive action to resolve any relationship, personal or work-related problems that are causing you stress.:)