Quiting Alcohol

[WVUforREDSKINS]

My advice is New playgrounds and new playmates

when i stopped i gve up my friends and places i drank. I replaced it with AA and service work. After 2 years i rejoined a softball team with my old buddies. Although i still continued AA and volunteer work.

I had reached a point where i could handle being around other drinkers again

I understand that, but my firiends aren't just drinking friends. I've known most of them over half my life. Its not them, its me. They would probably respect my decision to stop.

However, I probably wouldn't be as close with them...hmmm

And congrats to you sir! 2 years is a long time. Also, seems like you have lost the desire. Must feel good.

[Enter Apotheosis]

Good luck man but remember, drinking is OK in moderation. If you can get that down you'll have the best of both worlds.

:secret: Alcoholism basically means that you can't control yourself well enough to drink in moderation. Particularly for someone suffering from physical withdrawal, social drinking is a pipe dream.

[Burgold]

It's a good and brave thing to do. Lean on your friends and possibly make new ones who won't reinforce or tempt bad habits.

One other thought. I find that for a lot of people their willpower is a lot stronger than their won't power. In other words, it's a lot easier to not buy a drink than to refuse them when they are offered or made available. Try not to put yourselves in a situation where it's to easy too fall down.

[AsburySkinsFan]

WVU I applaud you for admitting what you see in your life, now is the time to take action. Get home as soon as possible, please find a good in patient rehab program, hit your 90 days of AA, get your family involved in your recovery, bring them to the rehab information sessions, teach them how they can hold you accountable, and fine one person who you trust and who loves you who has the balls to be mean to you about this, who will simply be on your case all the time about what you're doing and who you're with. Many in your circle of friends will want to be nice to you and will want to trust you faster, you need one person who will break through those voice and is willing to ask the questions that others won't.

Oh, and work the program.

Every day is your first day of sobriety, remember that.

I'll be praying for you, and you can remember that too if you wish.

[PleaseBlitz]

Good luck WVU.

[Southtown]

This might not be appropriate for your situation, but is will power out of the question? You seem to display it here:

I find that when I drink a beer, I want more and more. Social drinking is fun, I like the buzz and let down in inahibtions, but I don't like stopping after that feeling. Its ****ed up, but I have really never seen the point of drinking if you aren't going to get wasted. That said, I can go out and have just one or two drinks. I have done it many times, mostly when I take girls out to dinner.

Can you apply whatever causes you to drink in moderation around girls to when you go out drinking with the guys? Or stop drinking with the guys and only go out with girls? (or only go out to pick up girls, since that may motivate you to stay in control?)

Regardless, I wish you luck and good health.

[turtle]

It will be a long struggle, but I wish you well and hope your recovery goes as smooth as it can.

[Burgold]

Can you apply whatever causes you to drink in moderation around girls to when you go out drinking with the guys? Or stop drinking with the guys and only go out with girls? (or only go out to pick up girls, since that may motivate you to stay in control?)

Regardless, I wish you luck and good health.

What does alcohol really gain someone? If he recognizes a problem with it then he is doing the right thing in trying to stop. He'll be better off. I'm sure he's tried modifying his behavior before.

[DeanCollins]

What does alcohol really gain someone? If he recognizes a problem with it then he is doing the right thing in trying to stop. He'll be better off. I'm sure he's tried modifying his behavior before.

Exactly! There is no good reason to drink, and the idea that someone must learn how to moderate their drinking (vs. not drinking at all) is implying that everyone should drink when in fact most people don't drink or don't drink more than a couple times a year at functions.

[SkinsFTW]

http://www.tlctx.com/ar_pages/paw_part1.htm

Helpful info that I had no idea about before. Kind of explains the cycle of going back to drinking.

[Mr. S]

Couple things Mr S.

I find that when I drink a beer, I want more and more. Social drinking is fun, I like the buzz and let down in inahibtions, but I don't like stopping after that feeling. Its ****ed up, but I have really never seen the point of drinking if you aren't going to get wasted. That said, I can go out and have just one or two drinks. I have done it many times, mostly when I take girls out to dinner.

I just hope that I can lose the desire to drink...that will probably be the hardest part for me. I understand it takes a while, too.

Hmm, yeah, I fluctuate in all honesty. Though overall I think I have limited my instances of drinking to positive situations, it still doesn't help when I'm drinking that much, even when I'm around a lot of friends in a social situation.

Losing the desire to drink is exactly what is needed. I kind of think I've been doing for years what d0ublestr0ker0ll had been doing, buying craft brews and stuff to limit intake.

SkinsFTW, I definitely like your link. Overall, this past year has been very interesting for me, and from a cursory look at that link, I realized a lot of it has to deal with self-improvement, which is what I've done a lot of in this past year to have better encounters and experiences with people.

WVU, I definitely hope you figure out how to limit and maybe cut out alcohol. I like your thread only because I have also been toying with the idea for the past year and I get the feeling I may cut back everything aside from craft beers in the near future (like within the next year or two).

[WVUforREDSKINS]

WVU, I definitely hope you figure out how to limit and maybe cut out alcohol. I like your thread only because I have also been toying with the idea for the past year and I get the feeling I may cut back everything aside from craft beers in the near future (like within the next year or two).

I am, and have always been one of those all or nothing types of people. If I like something, I put 100% in it and learn it top to bottom. For example, poker has been good to me, and with my win rate over 100,000 hands, I have been told I should go pro. However, the life of a poker player isn't that great. It is isolating & frustrating at times. Poker, to me, is just a fun thing to do. I like the mental battle of it. Its like a game of chess, which Corcaigh will tell you that I suck at.

Maybe one day I can have a glass of wine with dinner or a beer during the game, but right now I think the best thing to do is cut it all out. Its a mental thing, for those who don't know, its pretty much a constant battle and if I gave into having one (which i've never been a fan of) that would turn into two, then 5.

[Sticksboi05]

:secret: Alcoholism basically means that you can't control yourself well enough to drink in moderation. Particularly for someone suffering from physical withdrawal, social drinking is a pipe dream.

I know. I'm just saying some people are able to overcome the temptation to drink more than you need. But yes, unlikely it certainly is so sobriety is the best bet. He can do it, as long as he believes he can and wants to.

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

Another thing I can recommend from experience...

Whenever you feel frustrated and anxious, because those emotions will naturally hit you, pick up some weights and start lifting with a purpose. Grunt as you're lifting, curse, throw the weights when you're done. Take short jogs while listening to music, even if it's just an 8th of a mile, get your heart rate up. Find some monkey bars and do very intense pullups. Doesn't matter if you just do 2 or 3 pullups, give it your all and make it hurt.

Don't count reps, just beat yourself up. Beating yourself up physically will take away most, if not all of the emotional pain you're experiencing. You might get so anxious and tense at times that you can't even imagine lifting weights...but trust me, it's one of the best replacements for alcohol. It doesn't make you see double, but it will definitely give you a buzz that kills emotional pain.

Remember, work out with a serious purpose, don't worry too much about reps and sets as much as lifting until you feel a really good burn. Get the blood flowing through your veins and toughen yourself up. You can beat alcohol, but it will be a fight, and what happens during a fight? You don't sit there and let a guy pound on you, you fight back, kick HIS ass. Work hard, get motivated and attack your problem. Don't just wait for it to go away.

[WVUforREDSKINS]

WVU, I was right were your out at age 27. My son was just born and I'd had enough. I went to AA and felt similarly to the way you do. I thought that most of those people were far sicker than I was and I surely didn't need to work all 12 steps to beat this addiction. I did it my way for 2 years and never got to 90 days sober. A series of unfortunate incidents occurred that got my attention, humbled me, and led me to the conclusion that I was at least as sick (as those people in the meetings) if not sicker. I've been continuously clean and sober for over two decades now. I quit smoking cigs at the same time. I'm about as goal oriented a person as you'll every find, and I needed help getting sober. With or without help, less than 1 in 20 alcoholics, that Want to get sober ever do. Do you feel lucky? With that said, I wouldn't turn your back on help. Your perception of AA is a bit stereotypical and truly antiquated, as most (if not all) meetings are non smoking. I'm neither addicted to meetings, nor do I drink coffee and haven't smoked for 21 years, but I do maintain my long time friendships with the people that I got sober with. I've been all around the world with several of them, most of us are self employed and do very well. I still get to about a dozen or so meetings a year and participate on an AA message board. Not many people (outside of those that have recovered from Alcoholism) truly understand the depth and breadth of this disease. It's the only disease that tells the sufferer that they don't have a disease. I wish you the best of luck and will help you any way that I can. Here's a few links for you. You can read the "Big Book" of AA here for free (highly recommended).

The whole 1 in 20 thing kinda puzzles me. Where did those stats come from? States will order people into AA while AAA is dropping them. I suppose it all gets down to that it works if you work it.

[Corcaigh]

I know. I'm just saying some people are able to overcome the temptation to drink more than you need. But yes, unlikely it certainly is so sobriety is the best bet. He can do it, as long as he believes he can and wants to.

You misunderstand the nature of addiction I think, as many people don't experience it.

You see social drinkers, social smokers, for example who have no cravings when they don't drink or smoke and can take it or leave it. Likewise with other substances that some find addictive such as coffee.

[Sticksboi05]

You misunderstand the nature addiction I think as many people don't experience it.

You see social drinkers, social smokers, for example who have no cravings when they don't drink or smoke and can take it or leave it. Likewise with other substances that some find addictive such as coffee.

I actually had to read about a boy addicted to meth (true story) for college. The father whose son has now been clean for a year came in and spoke to us about it. It was eye opening. Plus my Uncle is an alcoholic. I know how it can be.

[Sticksboi05]

Another thing I can recommend from experience...

Whenever you feel frustrated and anxious, because those emotions will naturally hit you, pick up some weights and start lifting with a purpose.

Yup. Exercise relieves stress. It releases endorphins.

[Mr. S]

I am, and have always been one of those all or nothing types of people. If I like something, I put 100% in it and learn it top to bottom. For example, poker has been good to me, and with my win rate over 100,000 hands, I have been told I should go pro. However, the life of a poker player isn't that great. It is isolating & frustrating at times. Poker, to me, is just a fun thing to do. I like the mental battle of it. Its like a game of chess, which Corcaigh will tell you that I suck at.

I think I am the same way, all or nothing type.

All of the other posts have mentioned exercise, that is something I want to be more committed to, I wanna get in shape running and biking. I'm also pretty much deciding to busy myself with activities including exercise, religion, reading, and other things. THere are faar more important things. I fully support you wanting to cut it out completely.

[NattyLight]

WVUforREDSKINS, I am scared too.

[WVUforREDSKINS]

WVUforREDSKINS, I am scared too.

Switch to Yeungling

[Skin'Em84]

Switch to Yeungling

Lol...or at least Sam Adams...

And you, WVU, can switch to Sierra Mist. :-p

[WVUforREDSKINS]

Yup. Exercise relieves stress. It releases endorphins.

Exercise is great. For me, I love to lift and work. Every week I look to lift mor than I did the week before.

At the same time, I feel good, and want to go down to 3rd edition/Old Glory.

Then...well its never [pleaseant (even if I do get some)

[DeanCollins]

The whole 1 in 20 thing kinda puzzles me. Where did those stats come from? States will order people into AA while AAA is dropping them. I suppose it all gets down to that it works if you work it.

Don't be puzzled, just ask yourself what are you doing for your recovery, that's better, and more complete, than the 19 others that didn't make it, so that you could.

[WVUforREDSKINS]

Going to a 28 day rehab in 6 days.

I hope I can get clean and stay clean. My parents (who have been nothing but wonderful my whole life) deserve a sober son. Plus, I have diabetes and alcohol will only bring me to an early grave. Its gonna be a helleva battle though.

I have been thinking about things to occupy my time when I get out, sort of prepping myself. I think I want to get a PS3 and play tons of poker. I also think I wanna get a job at a restaurant full time and go back to school to study investing. I'll probably also get a dog, since mine died a few years ago. Life seems a bit empty. I think I want a Husky.