Alcohol Free January Starts...

[naneek]

I'm going to give up a sort of behavioral addiction. I seem to be addicted to physical exhaustion, that punch drunk state you get in when your body is starting to give out on you. I got into this habit when I was in high school and college, staying up all night studying for a bunch of advanced classes, or procrastinating all day and working all night with no sleep.

After I finished school I was still stuck like that. It really screws up my health so I am going to try to kick this thing once and for all.

kind of off topic, but I think I can relate because it's a matter of making a decision and sticking to it, even if your body or something in the back of your mind tries to tell you otherwise.

I also used to drink a lot when I partied in college, but already gave that up years ago. In a way that was also tied into the physical exhaustion thing. I would study for finals without sleep for a week, and then after completing my exams, I'd stay up for another three days partying.

I'm getting to a point of having more self awareness and realizing these habits are just making myself miserable and degrading my health.

edit-
I guess you could say I stopped drinking a few years after college, and now I'm going to stop the behavioral habits that were associated with heavy drinking.

 

[3-Chord-Genius]

I never drank daily, but I'd be driven to drink as much as I could before passing out, every weekend, for years. When the powers that be, or whatever, decided to ban certain substances, but be perfectly okay with others (like alcohol), I think they got it backwards. Alcohol is disgusting. Aside from the fact that it's literally a poison, and the drunkenness' that we experience is simply the slow onset of death - halted only when we pass out and can no longer indulge - and the ass-whooping that it does to our livers, there's the behavior. It brings out the worst traits of everyone. I don't miss it.

 

[57joonya]

Been sober for almost a year . It’s the right path for me , for now at least . Really starting to feel good . Took awhile for some reason. Good luck out there everyone

 

[Deathray]

Looking forward to my 20th January without alcohol. I probably wouldn’t be around these days, had I kept going.

 

[Rosewoodtele]

Identifying a problem and working hard to correct it is admirable. Choosing not to drink alcohol is great, like any other diet.

However, it seems many people that don’t drink seem to have to justify it and often times it comes off as a bit self righteous.

Happy new year to those who choose not to drink, and those that choose to enjoy the experience and nuance of finely crafted beer, wine, and spirits.

 

[bettyseldest]

We have enough drink in the house to party every day for a few weeks, but I have not touched a drop for the last twenty months. In the first few weeks of the current pandemic I had a beer or glass of wine most nights, then decided that if I was to survive it was best that I avoid becoming dependent. My wife is mentally suffering really badly, and it would be all so easy to take comfort in a drink, two or even more each night. That's not going to help us cope. Once she feels that things are near enough back to normal I'll get in a couple of nice thick ribeye steaks to go with the wines we bought on our last trip to Beaujolais, until then I'll just put the kettle on. Respect to all those who have been in a much worse situation with drink, and have managed to keep things under control.

 

[Mjark]

34 years since I’ve been drunk. I don’t recall ever having a really good time on NYE.

I guess once in college when I fell into the Christmas tree!

 

[Toto'sDad]

Sobriety is over rated. I like waking up in a dumpster covered in vomit.

Probably an acquired taste.

 

[Duck Herder]

One month sober. I couldn't do it on willpower alone. I asked my doctor for help and he prescribed something to take away the urges. Works great. I also have found a bunch of non-beers that I like: Sober Carpenter, Partake, and Clausthaler. Amazingly, Partake IPA has only ten calories!!!

Niacin is a good one too

http://www.doctoryourself.com/hoffer_niacin.html

*Footnote: I drink, but if I am around someone who doesn't drink and prefers that I don't, it's no problem not to.

 

[olewaylonfan74]

43 years sober!

 

[ChicknPickn]

I'm going to give up a sort of behavioral addiction. I seem to be addicted to physical exhaustion, that punch drunk state you get in when your body is starting to give out on you. I got into this habit when I was in high school and college, staying up all night studying for a bunch of advanced classes, or procrastinating all day and working all night with no sleep.

After I finished school I was still stuck like that. It really screws up my health so I am going to try to kick this thing once and for all.

kind of off topic, but I think I can relate because it's a matter of making a decision and sticking to it, even if your body or something in the back of your mind tries to tell you otherwise.

I also used to drink a lot when I partied in college, but already gave that up years ago. In a way that was also tied into the physical exhaustion thing. I would study for finals without sleep for a week, and then after completing my exams, I'd stay up for another three days partying.

I'm getting to a point of having more self awareness and realizing these habits are just making myself miserable and degrading my health.

edit-
I guess you could say I stopped drinking a few years after college, and now I'm going to stop the behavioral habits that were associated with heavy drinking.

You don’t mention periods of depression. If you had, I’d suggest talking to someone about bipolar disorder.

 

[24 track]

I quit drinking about 35years ago when Ms 24 told me that I was a ***** when i was drunk , it took many years before I could drink again , But I decided I was going to be incharge of my drinking not te other way around now I can go to the local watering hole have 2 pints and a burger and leave 1/2 of the last one walk out and not think about it, I havent bought a beer in or had one in 7 years I dont miss it I might have a glass of champagne at new years , I may not. also maybe , only maybe I might have a glass of red wine with a dinner 2X a year. I wanted to be a role modle for my kid , theres my motivation always

I respect those who have quit out of necessity, lack of control, or health , I remember waking up being sick and tired of being sick and tired

BTW this is my 1 year aniversery of retiring , last year on this day at 09:00 am I finished my last shift , and I am having too much fun doing all the crazy stuff I do, to slow down by getting tanked, out of boredom .

To all my TDPRI Sisters ( you know who you are) and Brothers , enjoy and keep New Years as you do , be safe, be responcable, and make cool memories to carry with you forever.

 

[Rockinvet]

Congratulations, that is an awesome accomplishment!

 

[FenderGyrl]

I haven't had any alcohol for oh...
Closing in on Ten Years.

Gotta be honest...
I really really miss it. However, I can't drink due to medical issues and medications. It's not easy.

Yeah .... it's not easy.
FG

 

[MickM]

6 years and 3 months sober today. I am very grateful to be alive. 6 months nicotine free as well. Happy New Year everyone!

I'm having a tough time kicking the cigarettes. In the past 7 months I smoked about 10 of them. None the first 4 months but then I smoked one over a period of 8-10 hours. another month and maybe 2 cigs and on and on. I need to STOP completely. COPD/emphysema are the main occupants of my medical charts and If I don't totally stop smoking I'm gonna' stop breathing. I know this and yet getting to the stopping point with tobacco is the hardest thing I've tried to do and trust me, I've had some unbelievable habits.

I wish you the best of luck maintaining your sobriety.

 

[telemnemonics]

Not sure exactly how long I've been sober, probably more than 24 years but the last time I stared counting was when I quit all that seemingly fun chemical use. I mean there were so many options and I guess even more now!
Before that I was quitting one or two substances periodically from ages 16-38.
Dammit I never found the perfect cocktail with no consequences or regrets!
Except no cocktails, that got me no consequences or regrets...

 

[telemnemonics]

I'm having a tough time kicking the cigarettes. In the past 7 months I smoked about 10 of them. None the first 4 months but then I smoked one over a period of 8-10 hours. another month and maybe 2 cigs and on and on. I need to STOP completely. COPD/emphysema are the main occupants of my medical charts and If I don't totally stop smoking I'm gonna' stop breathing. I know this and yet getting to the stopping point with tobacco is the hardest thing I've tried to do and trust me, I've had some unbelievable habits.

I wish you the best of luck maintaining your sobriety.

I quit everything else cold turkey but nicotine I abused the patch.
Glad that's behind me...

 

[Timbresmith1]

Congratulations to all that have conquered or are trying to beat back an appetite that troubles them or their family. I’m proud of you.

 

[ping-ping-clicka]

...at 12:01.

I'm currently at 2 years without a drink!

MY GOONESS ! That's an achievement as a personal goal. It's so obvious and yet in that illusive , that it's o.k. not to drink.
When I am socializing going out to a club to hear music, the first place that I go to is to the bar and order Sparkling Water for myself and those I'm with. I always make sure to join in , in the drinking with others, my drink has no alcohol in it and yet we can all enjoy having a drink together. I always keep a drink in my hand.
After a while I changed and not drinking seemed to feel as normal as drinking had before. The trick for me was not to stop drinking for a year, that's a long time not to do something that I am accosted to doing, but to just not drink one day at a time as in today I am not going to drink. Just for today I will not participate in my self destructive behavior, surely one day is possible I didn't drink yesterday , and I'm not drinking today. That's doable for an alcoholic addict like me. And then the days add up and I've been clean and sober for thirty-seven years, one day at a time. Occasionally I think mmmm , a nice glass of brandy would be nice or a three grain injection of morphine would take the edge off and the I think, well, I don't do that any more , that behavior would lead me back to a world of pain that I certainly do not want to return to. That was no fun at all in the long run and the urge, the desire passes and I have a glass of cold apple juice or go for a walk, play some slide guitar and the interest in the drink has past. I remember it so clearly, it was May fifth 1983 when the road that I was on changed and the stones in my pathway were gone . I was no long singing that Robert Johnson song .

I got stones in my passway, and my road seem dark as night
I got stones in my passway, and my road seem dark as night
I have pains in my heart, they have taken my appetite

aint got those blues
aint got those terrible blue
aint singing them blues no more, no more

 

[Phrygian77]

Im going on about 9 months now, which is my longest stretch. At least I've been mostly sober over the last couple of years. It does get easier. I made it through the holidays without really thinking about it. I think I was tested most though buying a house, moving, and selling a house. Thankfully I didn't drink, and I didn't kill anyone, even though I really wanted to do one or the other.

Good job.
We are spending the Eve with Lumpy the drummer. He is about 7 years sober after 45 years completely hammered.

45 years? Wow, I thought my 15-16 year run was fairly bad. I know everyone's body and metabolism is different, but I didn't think anyone's liver could make it for that long.

Not a drop since October 2014

And no soda since December 2020!

Oh yeah!

That's the next step for me. I essentially replaced my daily beer consumption with diet soda. Well, and other things that are even worse, like ice cream.