I decided I don’t want to die (I was on my way there) and didn’t drink that night …didn’t drink the next … didn’t drink the next. I managed to make it a week and a half and realized how much better i was feeling and sleeping… then I drank … that was for a week … then I quit … eventually I managed to string enough groups of sober days together that I realized I was better without alcohol and that it is the root of the problem and hasn’t solved anything - ever..
For only a week? I'm going on 6 months, and have regular Drs. One of which was so nasty in the hospital, and kept mentioning my insurance wouldnt cover it. I even had a bad fall in the hospital, and they did not help me. I got heart and liver failure.
I told my wife and closest friends everything, which kind of forced the issue. After looking into public detox options (4-5 weeks waitlist, and not great conditions) I decided to spring for a private centre.. It was money I didn't really have, but honestly I'll probably save that money in a few Mo ths of not drinking.
THIS. It is your life on the line. You cannot afford not to go. Safely detoxing is important. Strokes and death from cold turkey detoxing are way more common than you think.
Sometimes in the beginning I had to not drink just for right now, then for the next hour. Now I don’t drink just for today. One day at a time. My life kicks ass now. Congratulations on your 12 days. It gets better my friend!
I simply got fed up and wanted to stop. Then I got a cold and after a few days while recovering when I started to feel better I realized it had been days since I drank and I took the momentum and ran with it. I'm over 70 days now. Take every opportunity you can to not drink and keep the days going.
I also quit after an illness. I just completed day 21, but my day one was when I was sick from a severe cold and didn’t drink. And I decided it was a good time to quit bc I knew drinking would slow my recovery (and I had been desperately wanting to quit for a long time). Started spending tons of time on this subreddit again and it’s help tremendously 🙌🏼
Write down all the things that make it your worst. My worst ran for a while, but I wrote down everything (and later realised I forgot some of them too, so wrote them down after the fact).
The one exercise that stuck with me from rehab was "I never" or something like that. You would list all the things you can think of that COULD happen if you keep drinking, or things that easily could have happened while drinking. It really put into perspective (for me at least) that I still had a lot to lose and if I continue to drink, those were very likely to occur.
I woke up in mid August with the worst headache I've ever had, pains all over, head spinning, horrific anxiety, begging God to let me stop finally and...I kept drinking for another month while all those things kept getting worse, until one day in late September I just couldn't take it anymore.
I went with my Mom to her Dr appt and we found out she had a medical condition that will effect her for the rest of her life, require a complicated surgery and was likely cancerous. It was 4 days before my 50th bday. We then went out to dinner, split a bottle of wine and I went home, drank a lot more and got in bed and prayed my brains out. She didn’t understand the gravity of what she was about to face (I think) but she was brave and positive and reminded me to enjoy all of life’s daily things-sunny day, chirping birds, etc. and I thought if she could face what she has to face then I could stop drinking and face what I had to face.
When I was really struggling to put some dry days together, even just a handful of days ... well, I kept failing. I was in outpatient rehab, and kept slipping between sessions. What I did isn't something I necessarily recommend, but it worked for me. I put myself on Antabuse (aka Disulfiram). That drug makes it impossible to imbibe without becoming violently ill.
When I was still drinking I asked myself constantly, what’s wrong with me? I was pretty relieved to find out that I wasn’t alone and that I had a disease. Thanks for your share and keep coming back. AA saved my life too.
Still working on it. Had a good thought today to help with my cravings. I always am strong during the day and once the sun sets I get full cravings, over years of drinking it is a bad habit that my unconscious brain tells me to drink, today I told myself that “it’s my choice” and for some reason it has helped kill the cravings. Best of luck! I will not drink with you today!
I quit everything. I had enough. I left my entire life and went to rehab for 30 days. Oddly enough, everyone really respected that and basically no one was mad that I dropped the ball on literally everything I was doing. Then, I just used science.
I had to almost die before I quit. With therapy, I wonder if I would have gotten so bad… I’ll never know because I didn’t want to do the work on myself to free myself before it got dangerous. You are addicted to an addictive drug. That’s what they do, and they do their job better than our will to want to control ingesting it. Don’t feel bad, just please get help, okay?
Sorry, friend. It is tough to quit. Everyone has a different bottom. The point where the road forks. It sounds like you are getting close to that point.
I’ve always been good at shedding toxic people from life. Once I started to view my drinking as a toxic relationship that was just like a toxic relationship with a person, I applied the same process that I used to free myself from people. I was fortunate in that despite my prolific drinking history I didn’t have any apparent withdrawal symptoms, so I could deal with it mostly from a psychological perspective
I stopped cold turkey and its been 2 years... How... I choose my family over my selfishness. I was drinking to the point of blackout forgetting? Yelling at my dogs for no reason and not even realizing my daughter had come home to visit. So that was that and yes sometimes I miss it.
Yeah, it's so difficult. I have been drinking beer heavily for a little less than a year. I'm trying my best to stop. I don't want to die young - I'm only 23 yrs old. What helps is thinking that if I continue drinking, I will lose my money and I'll have only 1 year to live. (I probably wouldn't die, but this mindset kinda helps)
Speak to someone about what you are going through and then look into an outpatient rehab. It's just group therapy, it's not scary, but it is hard to make the first step. You have to do more than just telling yourself you won't drink IMO.
Weed helped me..until it didn't. Weed isn't some miracle drug that fixes everything.. Been off the sauce and pot for however long my badge number says.
I woke up after a blackout and had to ask friends why my forehead was so bruised. I tried to bash my own brains out on the floor and no one could get me to stop. I think i caused more brain damage that day than all the other ones combined. On the plus side i dont wanna drink anymore.
I just finally figured out that if I didn't stop it was going to kill me. I felt like shit all the time and knew it was keeping me from being a better parent and person. If nothing changed then nothing was going to change.
Went to rehab. I was dangerously close to the edge. I was taking Xanax to get me through the first couple days and nights but I understand ow how fucking dangerously stupid that shit was and I’m grateful I only had less than 10 because I met plenty of Xanax addicts in rehab and they were not going home anytime soon. Once I got to rehab I was taken care of and monitored so I could rest and recover and not fucking die. My brain and body were too dependent on booze to function any other way and I nearly crashed the whole system. If I had a seizure I wouldn’t be here. And I sure as fuck should’ve had one. It was only on day 2 or 3 did they let me know how bad it was for me. I thought I could just rough it out, stay in bed, drink water and take showers. It’s not to be fucked with. Detox, rehab, medical help. Seek it.
Changed my routine to give myself less of an excuse, and then distracted myself whenever the urge hit. If you have a habit, like stopping by a certain store after work and picking up your favorite drink? Start there.
I checked myself into the hospital to detox, then the next day I went to an appointment with a substance abuse counselor who recommended I checked into an intensive outpatient program. That program saved my life. I understand not everyone has the access to insurance tho.
Went to IOP in 2019. Acute alcohol poisoning a few months later. Went to a sober house for a year, remained sober during my stay. Relapsed in 2020, a few months after leaving. IOP again in 2021. DUI in 2022. Quit for a month, resumed drinking harder and heavier. The patterns were all there and I was just so exhausted from it all. Finally went to rehab for the first time this summer. Been sober since.
I got a prescription for naltrexone and started taking them. Hung over every morning. Drinking every night after working out like it was Gatorade. So sick. So tired. Cloudy thinking. Headaches. Nauseous. Every day. Sober going on 100 days.
You're right. I just feel like answers like this negate the implication of the question. It's simple but it's an overwhelming concept for a lot of people. If all it took to get many people sober was to tell them to stop drinking this group probably wouldn't exist in the first place.
There's a lot of people, myself included, who aren't capable of stopping when they want. Though this is the basic logic, it took 6 years and 4 trips through rehab facilities and detoxes in order for me to finally stop. Simplifying it to that level is counterproductive to people like me, who once it's in my system, won't stop drinking until I physically can't drink anymore.
Yeah, this is completely unhelpful and downright insulting. Addiction is a little more complex than some guy saying why don't you just stop? Geez why didn't I think of that, I'm cured.
For me unfortunately it took rock bottom; but probably my biggest help was outpatient rehab. I wasn't court ordered or in legal trouble but I did not know how to stop so that is where I went. Mental health services or crisis center may be a viable options as well depending on circumstances and which state/country you are in. Often times they even have financial assistance or payment plans for those without insurance if cost/money is of concern. (USA here)
At first I fucked it up a bunch, but i got better with practice. Finally after a bunch of short stretches I was finally just sick of myself and it finally stuck. Then I messed up with like 75 days, drank for a weekend then started my current day streak.
I finally had enough. Physically I just couldn’t go on. I think I would’ve been dead in another number of weeks if I kept going. I went to the hospital where I detoxed, which turned into some other complications due to my insanely high usage. I went to a rehab from there. But man, I tell you, it was ALL worth it. It’s the old saying: if I can do it. YOU can do it.
I had DT's. I'm 22 and my doctor told me she never seen anyone my age have DT's, and she was going to do everything to help me. She prescribed valium, and I safely detoxed at home. The hallucinations I was having were absolutely horrifying, and the dreams were just as bad. I felt like I was going crazy and wanted to just die.
I think one of the most important aspects is changing your environment if you can. Not necessarily rehab, but don’t do the same things you’ve been doing if you can. That could be a living situation, a relationship, a workplace, a friend group, etc. Whatever it is that drives or triggers your drinking, separate yourself from that.
I tapered and then stopped numerous times for months at a time…. Would pick it back up with “rules” which would hold up a week or two, then I’d be right back to my old ways. Ultimately I had to stop for good. The “aha” for me was an AA quote: “When I controlled my drinking, I didn’t enjoy it. When I enjoyed my drinking, I couldn’t control it.” Making peace with not being able to drink (at all) was a huge step.
I realized that drinking was the reason why I was at my worst. It took me a very very long time for me to come to that realization, as I thought drinking was what helped me feel better at my worst.
I had to somehow find some accountability. I was living alone and just kept drinking every night. I checked out a local out patient program and found some people who I knew would rather know I was sober the next day and then the next day and then the next day until I could find some some sober time and do it for myself.
I got a script for Antabuse. I never even used it. Just knowing I had it and good pop a pill if I felt tempted was enough for me. If you really want to stop, and you are ready, you can do it!
Went to Intensive Inpatient Treatment and got my ass safely medically detoxed with a 7 day course of Librium (Chlordiazepoxide) and 2 different anti-convulsant medications. I felt like I was drowning, stuck under water vibrating for about 14 days. DO NOT quit cold turkey and/or even try a taper down with alcohol itself. None of those would work. Quitting cold turkey after severe alcoholism can lead to Panic attacks, delirium tremors, seizures, and possible death may occurs from stopping cold turkey. If you can not afford Rehabilitation, see your Primary Care Provider, tell him the truth about what’s been going on, tell him what you’ve been drinking, how much, and how often, and he should either prescribe Valium, or Librium to help you out with alcohol withdrawal. If the doctor tries to prescribe you Xanax for alcohol detox, be warned, it will help, but you might end up addicted to that as well
There is nothing wrong with you - most people on this sub Reddit are simply addicted to alcohol - it’s our cross to bear in life. I had to go to rehab to stop when I was at my worst. Some of us are not strong enough to just put it down without first gaining some insight into alcoholism and the different options available to recover. AA works great for many so you may want to try it. But, addiction also has a a biochemical effect on your brain and understanding the science may also help you. You can stop - be easy on yourself and just start exploring all of the recovery options - you got this - good luck!
I blacked out on Amtrak and came to bleeding and in the company of law enforcement. Seemed like that was probably good enough of a sign. Would avoid something like that if possible but it's worked for the past 837 days.
Literally just used all my will to not drink for one day. And then another. Then 13 more of those and that's where I'm at today. It sounds silly but it's really just getting through that one day. A drink is non negotiable for that day.
I had been feeling more scared and trapped and hopeless and suicidal for a while. Then while blackout drunk I tried to kill myself. I didn’t succeed, and at the urging of my therapist who said I’d be putting my life at risk if I drank, I didn’t drink for a week (white knuckled) and then “rewarded” myself for good behavior with drinking and lo and behold as soon as I got drunk, I desperately wanted to kill myself and was ready to act on it. After that night I realized that I needed (and wanted!) to stop drinking and doing drugs daily (or at all), but I wasn’t able to. I would wake up and so clearly believe with all my heart that I wouldn’t drink that day, but then I would.
I have a partner and told him I was quitting and we got rid of all alcohol in house. Step 1. Then without alcohol I stopped buying it to put in house. Step 2 Then I stopped going out w friends for a while because I was like a blind baby kitten and couldnt survive in public. Step 3. Then I read this sub thread religiously for hours and hours the first days before quitting and then religiously checked in every day. I learned so much and realised (a) I was not alone and (b) I wasn’t so special - many others just like me out there struggling and (c) despite having a family I decided to do it for myself. That was Step 4. Then I took it one minute and day at a time. Learned panic attack breathing exercises as I had bone crushing anxiety and couldn’t sleep. Just focused on one breath and taking it literally one minute day or night at a time That was Step 5. Then I chose to say ‘I’m not a drinker. I don’t drink anymore.’ and actively reframed my future life in a new way. That was step 6. Then I listened to ALL the podcasts (Huberman on Alcohol, so good) and realised all the lies I told myself. I listened to it twice and rewound the tape several times bc it was so good. Alcohol=Ethanol is a powerful reframe for me. That was Step 7. I wrote down inspirational quotes from this sub and wrote down all my wrongs to myself in a password protected notebook on my phone that no one can find. Just let that stuff go. Sometimes I get flashbacks of bad stuff and it goes in the journal and keep letting it go as it’s not me anymore. That was step 8. Then I started to walk A LOT and try to go on nature walks and even started jogging slowly a bit. Realised I love jogging and feel really GOOD when I jog and my heart is pumping and started to notice things my body actually loves that are actually good for it. That was Step 9. Then I named my Alcoholic personality Alcoholic Amanda and learned she is always waiting and she is a stone cold liar. She will say anything to get me to drink and I have to refuse. There is no in between for me. That was step 10.
I spent a few months going over all the reasons drinking was bad for me. The money. The calories. The liver damage. Being a drunk instead of an active participant in life really. When I fully accepted those things as fact, not drinking alcohol became a decision like not touching it he got stove.
This is a disease. It can be almost impossible to stop on our own sometimes. Look into inpatient. If you can't then look for an IOP-intensive out patient. I tried for years to stop on my own. Wanted to quit everyday but this disease made me drink when I didn't want to and I hated it and myself for it. I couldn't have done it without reaching for help. Good luck.
I also joined group therapy for substance abuse, in addition to individual. Developing new habits such as gym or even going for a walk. & not going anywhere near the liquor store.
I had symptoms of elevated liver enzymes. It was awful and I knew I never wanted to experience it again. The body is an amazing thing that I wanted to take care of
Everyone needs somewhere to put themselves. You need something (or several somethings) that engage your mind and body, so that you're not just sitting there alone in your thought and following the cravings of your body.
A close friend once told me while i was at my worst, if you want to quit drinking, don't drink. I know it's not that easy but after the initial detox, it really is that simple.
I coincidentally got a horrible bug while trying to quit drinking. I couldn't eat /drink anything other than water for a few days. I just didn't start drinking again after the illness. I was free!
My final straw was a POS roommate that was as bad of an alcoholic as me, but would do dirtbag stuff while drunk. I just couldn't associate being drunk with the happy hypersocial times of my early 20's anymore. I associated drinking with bringing out the worst in us after that. Then it was easy to decide to just never drink again.
Going to the doctor and telling them about my problem helped a lot. They prescribed me Antabuse and set me up with a counselor, and just talking about it with someone felt like a big step. I also told my parents. I think taking this very private problem and airing it out - telling people in the real world - helped solidify my decision to stop drinking. It made it feel more "real."
I went into a rehabilitation center because I knew that I needed a controlled environment to help me get sober because I knew I couldn’t do it by myself no matter how hard I tried. I went into treatment with a certain mentality and did not realize the choices I made when I was drinking and when I was sober were completely opposite of who I am. Anyways, controlled environment worked for me. It was voluntary but I seen it as if i left that place then I was going to get worse from drinking or die. I chose to stay and one year sober today.
I had to have distractions. I would get a milkshake or a bunch of candy I like and eat that. It was borderline binge eating some nights but I’d rather have a milkshake than a whiskey any day of the week.
Went to the ER because I was feeling a sudden out of body experience you feel when you're on psychedelics and it was a super uncomfortable feeling. If you want the change OP, please go check in detox and remember that you're cared and loved for.
Yeh definitely (without being captain obvious) health. I’d had a few nasty cases of gout in my feet but the last one was the deal breaker. I couldn’t put pressure on my foot to walk anywhere so I decided to stop the beers to avoid being in that situation again. I drank 15-20 beers a night for about 5years. I’m now over 2 months sober. The slap in the face is coming in the form of a severe hip injury which the beers did an excellent job of masking pain wise. So now I’m off for a double hip replacement. I’m so glad I stopped when I did, before the injury got worse. Avascular nercrosis for those wondering
I didn't buy beer that night. My drinking wasn't at the point of getting serious withdrawals but it was consistent for years. It took at least 2 weeks to be comfortable in the evenings without it but the "I'd love a drink tonight" still happens every day when I think back to my old rituals and routines.
After getting black out drunk 2 nights in a row following a traumatic event, I woke up & said, I'm not dealing with my emotions with alcohol anymore. That was 29 days ago.
TBH, I just realized my wife would leave me unless I changed. Sounds simple but a huge part of this struggle is realizing that there’s other things in your life that are better, and way more important, than a drink.
I had an embarrassing weekend of bad behavior and decided a change needed to happen. I then went away to New Hampshire for a hike and camped by myself for to nights. I never looked back.
I knew I was dying. I lost my Mum to Alcoholism and I didn't want to go through Multiple organ failure. When you take a step back and look at yr life (a moment of clarity) there's death, madness, or jail OR you stop and put the work in. It's easy to drink yrself to oblivion, takes courage to stop and face the world again.
I was having trouble getting over an ex and drinking to forget and then one day I decided I didn't want to feel sorry for myself anymore. I was hosting my own personal pity party and it was sad. Been sober almost sixty days now.
Something that I don't see here very often. Be kind to yourself. Practice self care. Even something as simple as brushing your teeth can set you down your path. Personally, I like to go for a walk and take in as much existence as I can. Aside from my own for a change
Unfortunately that’s just usually when it finally works. Alcoholics don’t tend to quit when things are going swimmingly. I was having nightly panic attacks at 4am every morning as the booz was wearing off, and I’d lay there crying until I had to get up for work. I knew I was going to lose my job and my pregnant fiancée. One Saturday morning I went to the emergency room and got a three day supply of benzos to prevent a seizure and that was it.
Nothing is wrong with you! Your brain has (falsely) learned that you need alcohol and now you want your brain to learn that you do not need it. Finding out the science behind how to do that online or with books by Annie Grace, Allen Carr, etc. helped me. I’m on day 40 of The Alcohol Experiment and have had only one “data point” (drinking incident). It’s so much easier for me when I learn and deal with what is happening to me and how I got here - instead of beating myself up and thinking I’m weak or something is “wrong” with me.
I knew I was on the path to really fucking up my health permanently. I didn’t quit the first time I tried, strung together a few days, sometimes a month, would go back to drinking just as heavy. I was drinking so much I was waking up with numbness and tingling in my forearms, hands and feet. I didn’t want it to become permanent. My mental health was in shambles too. I still have issues but I haven’t been struggling with ideations and I have started feeling genuine random joy again. I don’t wake up with panic attacks.
I just knew I needed to cause my life was going to shit. My family was disappointed and I wanted to stop couldn’t handle the emotional toll I was putting myself through, angry, isolated, a shell of myself. I was being in a loop to find a solution without me having to stop drinking. I also just remembered when the shame came by trying kicking the door down I told myself no matter what I’m thinking or feeling I ain’t going to drink all that will fade away in time. I cleaned up my yard on my days off like a mad man haha. I also go on drives and just listen to music with some energy drinks.
Was really helpful for me to read a bunch of different books, articles, and forums to figure out how and why we keep coming back to alcohol. Also helpful to keep a journal or a log for your thoughts and symptoms, since it's easy to change moods from day to day. You might be able to pinpoint triggers better that way. Treat yourself as kindly as you can ... and also decide what's 'rock bottom' for you. If whatever happening to you now isn't bad enough, next time it will always be worse, because you'll trick yourself into thinking it's okay to keep on going until it isn't okay anymore.
I had to gamify it by setting goals of what I wanted to buy but couldn’t afford if I was spending on alcohol. I alternated pre-buying and buying at intervals as I went.
For me it happened after a multitude of failures. I didn't stop after my 3rd DUI and also didn't stop after I nearly killed myself in a car wreck where I went head on w/ a concrete cylinder sticking up from the ground, came out unscathed. It was going out to lunch w/ a co-worker and having that guy (he got blackout drunk) confront another colleague when we got back to the office so I got canned because I was guilty by association. That day I got sick of my shit. The negotiations with myself stopped. I just stopped. I hope that your end to drinking is like mine and you don't sacrifice your health / mobility. Have a faith that you'll quit - despite your failures. You quit on yourself then you're fucked.
I didn't have a choice, I had to stop. Out Patient rehab was exactly what I needed. I could maintain my life(Job,Kids, Wife) and still get help/therapy. If you're self medicating, don't put on a bandaid (AA), get stitches (Professional help/therapy.)
Realizing it is a problem because alcohol is an addictive drug - that my urges to drink and all my anxiety were rooted in this addictive drug. And realizing the voice in my head telling me to drink, wasn't really me but the voice of the drug itself.
I feel like I don’t want to pay $8000 for 3 days of Ativan fluids and watching hospital TV. When I got out I immediately got a shot. And that was it. I don’t wanna hurt myself anymore. Don’t wanna die or go to rehab. Just doing it I suppose works for me.
I know it sounds cliche but I woke up with a terrible hangover and spent an entire day in bed and just said that’s it. I’m not drinking today. And then didn’t drink the next day. I didn’t quit drinking. I just have a long series of days where I decided I don’t want to drink that day. Some of them were very hard and for awhile very very dark. I didn’t use AA or any other system. Even sober I sometimes just spent days in the house or on the couch. My wife doesn’t drink and is extremely supportive but it’s not something she would understand so I didn’t really talk to her about it. She supported me as best she could be on all honesty it was a day, an hour, sometimes a minute at a time. Im finally in a place where I don’t thin lol about it every minute and when I do think about it I remember how bad it got and how horrible I felt. Still have a lot of friends and family who drink. Usually being around them is hard for about an hour and then it’s just an overwhelming sense of relief and almost pity as I see them change. They Get obnoxious and think they are funny. Before long people are slurring and falling down and making stupid decisions and my only real regret at that point is knowing how many times that was me.
Long story short? I went through 12 liters of wine in one night and the next day I couldn't even drink a glass of water without cupping it is with both hands because I was shaking so bad. Head, hands, legs, just about everywhere. I decided I really didn't want to die. As sad as it is to say it has to get that far sometimes for people to realize the type of damage it actually does to you. I couldn't drive my car for 3 days afterwards because I literally couldn't figure out how to do it. It was scary. I really wish I would've quit before my fiance left me but ya know. We can't have it all. Gotta suffer a little bit. Lol
Realised I was powerless over alcohol, and by doing that I regained my power. By surrendering fully to the fact that I cannot drink without destructive consequences, I was able start achieving victories. Took a long time for it all to settle down though, probably 9 months. The first 3/4 months were hell but as the saying goes if you’re going through hell keep going. Addiction is tricky but also a gift and I think the paradoxical nature of relinquishing your power in order to attain it again kinda sums it up. It’s possible to recover though, and it is within the recovery where the magic of the adaptable human being really shines through.
For me I just got sick of feeling like crap from binging 2-3 times a week and the lack of productivity it created in me. My husband was upset with me. I went a week without drinking and I got so much done. I feel so much better about myself and motivated. The sober sleep is the best. I also keep in mind “no one ever regrets not drinking” when I feel the itch when I’m cooking dinner. Once I hit 6 Pm I’m past the point where I would drink during the week so I just stay REALLY BUSY during that 4-6 pm happy hour time. This is early for me but it’s been working.
I just decided it is not worth it anymore, I am still early in my recovery but already feel better my dr gave me some naltrexone to stop the cravings which has helped
I drank 1 and 3/4 gallons of beer, and thought I was gonna die. The hangover lasted 2 days, and when it was lifting I thought to myself I’ve come this far, and I’d better keep going or else I’m gonna die
I went from drinking 4-5 drinks every single night to one morning waking up in agony with my stomach. For four days I couldn’t leave the house. I was in so much pain and nauseous, vomiting, diarrhea, the works… I never fully found out what happened. But after I recovered I never wanted to be in that agony again. Alcohol just didn’t sound good to me. Ever. It’s been a long time since that day, but I’m honestly thankful I had to go through it. Every time I look at alcohol now I think of that agony and it works for me to never want it.
I went on accutane for acne and was still drinking alcohol. I was warned by my doctor not to drink while on accutane . My liver enzymes went through the roof so my accutane treatment was terminated. I really wanted this treatment for acne so it took 2 years to convince my doctor I was serious about getting back on accutane. I had tried to stop drinking many times before for a couple decades ( I knew I had a problem) but never stuck for more than a month, then I would go back to alcohol. So I was finally ready to quit alcohol for good and I was really scared to quit too. Nearly 30 years later my liver enzymes are still higher than normal. So with that in mind the idea of going back to alcohol is very unappealing. Why tempt fate , I had a grandparent that died of cirrhosis, alcoholism is rampant in my family.
I couldn’t specify what my worst was (is it the worst thing I did to myself, or the worst thing I did to another person?) but I can say I hit an interesting low several months before I stopped where I kind of gave up on life altogether. It was end it or try something else. In a weird way, I had nothing to lose by suffering in a different way, and I hated myself enough to not feel like I deserved respite (drink).
I decided to get my life back and not die,man up and tell my family I needed professional help and checked into rehab. Everyone has been very supportive. Praise God i go my life back everyday.
Well, I wound up in inpatient for 5 days over Christmas in 2020. Instead of trying to unalive yourself like I did, go to the hospital and tell them you're struggling to quit drinking. They may very well admit you. If not, they will at least be able to refer you to a treatment program or mental health providers.
I wasn't so dependent on alcohol that I needed a medical intervention, so if you're in the same boat... I forced myself to exercise big first thing in the morning. Long hike on the weekend days. 3-5 mile run on work days. For me, that made me think the night before that "I don't want to do that hungover" and the endorphins I got from exercising made me want to do it. It was the only positive I had going for me. In the evenings, I read through this sub and then journaled a bit. All three things combined helped me. Oh, and it wasn't easy at all, but I just trudged through it.
I had to find something that was worth quitting for, something that meant more to me than alcohol. That thing was my girlfriend. I would have lost my relationship with her had I not. Now I have many more reasons to stay sober but she was the number one.
I had to get professional help. Treatment and then full commitment in a 12 step recovery program of my choice. I also stayed in a sober living facility. It worked. Almost 5 years sober and very convicted in my sobriety. I don’t attend 12 step meetings but my life is set up to maintain my sobriety and I have a great support system in my wife.
Take it one day at time. Get professional help to get you started if you need to. Try and build a close healthy support group. Meetings help a lot of people. Healthy hobbies are cool too.
I decided I don’t want to die (I was on my way there) and didn’t drink that night …didn’t drink the next … didn’t drink the next. I managed to make it a week and a half and realized how much better i was feeling and sleeping… then I drank … that was for a week … then I quit … eventually I managed to string enough groups of sober days together that I realized I was better without alcohol and that it is the root of the problem and hasn’t solved anything - ever..
Thank you for the hope. I’m currently going through this now.
me too, then naltrexone and "the easy way to quit", helped get through the first 2 weeks.
this...
Thank you for this. After quitting like 4 times it's hard to trust myself this time. But I really feel like this is it. It has to be.
5 surgeries and 6 weeks in the icu, burnt my home down with my self inside passed out.
Literally lost everything I owned in one night
Daaaaaaamn. I’m happy you survived!
Stayed in bed for a week, unable to walk, with liver failure. Then hospital
For only a week? I'm going on 6 months, and have regular Drs. One of which was so nasty in the hospital, and kept mentioning my insurance wouldnt cover it. I even had a bad fall in the hospital, and they did not help me. I got heart and liver failure.
oh my, how’s your liver now?
The terrible shame I feel hungover the next day. Especially if I have no idea what went on the day before or if I hurt someone’s feelings.
I told my wife and closest friends everything, which kind of forced the issue. After looking into public detox options (4-5 weeks waitlist, and not great conditions) I decided to spring for a private centre.. It was money I didn't really have, but honestly I'll probably save that money in a few Mo ths of not drinking.
THIS. It is your life on the line. You cannot afford not to go. Safely detoxing is important. Strokes and death from cold turkey detoxing are way more common than you think.
Just don’t drink today. Just today.
Sometimes in the beginning I had to not drink just for right now, then for the next hour. Now I don’t drink just for today. One day at a time. My life kicks ass now. Congratulations on your 12 days. It gets better my friend!
This is the mindset i find also really helps. Just think about today.
I will not drink with you today. It's a promise
I simply got fed up and wanted to stop. Then I got a cold and after a few days while recovering when I started to feel better I realized it had been days since I drank and I took the momentum and ran with it. I'm over 70 days now. Take every opportunity you can to not drink and keep the days going.
I also quit after an illness. I just completed day 21, but my day one was when I was sick from a severe cold and didn’t drink. And I decided it was a good time to quit bc I knew drinking would slow my recovery (and I had been desperately wanting to quit for a long time). Started spending tons of time on this subreddit again and it’s help tremendously 🙌🏼
Checked myself into a mental ward and went to rehab.
Write down all the things that make it your worst. My worst ran for a while, but I wrote down everything (and later realised I forgot some of them too, so wrote them down after the fact).
The one exercise that stuck with me from rehab was "I never" or something like that. You would list all the things you can think of that COULD happen if you keep drinking, or things that easily could have happened while drinking. It really put into perspective (for me at least) that I still had a lot to lose and if I continue to drink, those were very likely to occur.
I woke up in mid August with the worst headache I've ever had, pains all over, head spinning, horrific anxiety, begging God to let me stop finally and...I kept drinking for another month while all those things kept getting worse, until one day in late September I just couldn't take it anymore.
I went with my Mom to her Dr appt and we found out she had a medical condition that will effect her for the rest of her life, require a complicated surgery and was likely cancerous. It was 4 days before my 50th bday. We then went out to dinner, split a bottle of wine and I went home, drank a lot more and got in bed and prayed my brains out. She didn’t understand the gravity of what she was about to face (I think) but she was brave and positive and reminded me to enjoy all of life’s daily things-sunny day, chirping birds, etc. and I thought if she could face what she has to face then I could stop drinking and face what I had to face.
Thanks for sharing your story. And I’m so glad your mom is going to be okay!!!
Keep up the good work! It’s so worth it! I believe in you! IWNDWYT
I’m glad your mom is doing ok, and I’m proud of you for every one of those 169 days! Sending love to you both
When I was really struggling to put some dry days together, even just a handful of days ... well, I kept failing. I was in outpatient rehab, and kept slipping between sessions. What I did isn't something I necessarily recommend, but it worked for me. I put myself on Antabuse (aka Disulfiram). That drug makes it impossible to imbibe without becoming violently ill.
When I was still drinking I asked myself constantly, what’s wrong with me? I was pretty relieved to find out that I wasn’t alone and that I had a disease. Thanks for your share and keep coming back. AA saved my life too.
Still working on it. Had a good thought today to help with my cravings. I always am strong during the day and once the sun sets I get full cravings, over years of drinking it is a bad habit that my unconscious brain tells me to drink, today I told myself that “it’s my choice” and for some reason it has helped kill the cravings. Best of luck! I will not drink with you today!
123 days! I love a nice number sequence - Great work!
Rehab. Lots of things keeping me sober right now, one of those is remembering the DTs. Good news is once you detox, you never have to do it again.
Bad things happened and sort of forced my hand
I quit everything. I had enough. I left my entire life and went to rehab for 30 days. Oddly enough, everyone really respected that and basically no one was mad that I dropped the ball on literally everything I was doing. Then, I just used science.
This is a beautiful metaphor.
I had to almost die before I quit. With therapy, I wonder if I would have gotten so bad… I’ll never know because I didn’t want to do the work on myself to free myself before it got dangerous. You are addicted to an addictive drug. That’s what they do, and they do their job better than our will to want to control ingesting it. Don’t feel bad, just please get help, okay?
Sorry, friend. It is tough to quit. Everyone has a different bottom. The point where the road forks. It sounds like you are getting close to that point.
I’ve always been good at shedding toxic people from life. Once I started to view my drinking as a toxic relationship that was just like a toxic relationship with a person, I applied the same process that I used to free myself from people. I was fortunate in that despite my prolific drinking history I didn’t have any apparent withdrawal symptoms, so I could deal with it mostly from a psychological perspective
Thats a good way to look at it.
Seizures followed by hospital. After that I remembered the fear I had that day.
I stopped cold turkey and its been 2 years... How... I choose my family over my selfishness. I was drinking to the point of blackout forgetting? Yelling at my dogs for no reason and not even realizing my daughter had come home to visit. So that was that and yes sometimes I miss it.
The last night before quitting, I had been shit faced as all hell. Walking around alone pounding them back in the rain.
Yeah, it's so difficult. I have been drinking beer heavily for a little less than a year. I'm trying my best to stop. I don't want to die young - I'm only 23 yrs old. What helps is thinking that if I continue drinking, I will lose my money and I'll have only 1 year to live. (I probably wouldn't die, but this mindset kinda helps)
I couldn't stop on my own. I had to go and ask for help. Then I went to rehab.
Speak to someone about what you are going through and then look into an outpatient rehab. It's just group therapy, it's not scary, but it is hard to make the first step. You have to do more than just telling yourself you won't drink IMO.
I know this is risky advice, so I won't offer it as such. This is just the story of how I quit.
It is risky advice to trade one drug for another. I did the same but am a chronic now.
Weed helped me..until it didn't. Weed isn't some miracle drug that fixes everything.. Been off the sauce and pot for however long my badge number says.
I went to a rehab after the hospital with a .578 BAC. 88 days later here I am without one ounce of a desire to drink.
Holy smokes. Amazing job!
Can you pinpoint what in rehab was key for you to remain sober?
I used to carry a gallon jug and drink water whenever I thought about drinking alcohol. Went through the whole thing every day.
I woke up after a blackout and had to ask friends why my forehead was so bruised. I tried to bash my own brains out on the floor and no one could get me to stop. I think i caused more brain damage that day than all the other ones combined. On the plus side i dont wanna drink anymore.
I stopped hanging out with people who like to party and drink. I got busy with more hobbies and exercise. I see a psychologist and psychiatrist.
I just finally figured out that if I didn't stop it was going to kill me. I felt like shit all the time and knew it was keeping me from being a better parent and person. If nothing changed then nothing was going to change.
Went to rehab. I was dangerously close to the edge. I was taking Xanax to get me through the first couple days and nights but I understand ow how fucking dangerously stupid that shit was and I’m grateful I only had less than 10 because I met plenty of Xanax addicts in rehab and they were not going home anytime soon. Once I got to rehab I was taken care of and monitored so I could rest and recover and not fucking die. My brain and body were too dependent on booze to function any other way and I nearly crashed the whole system. If I had a seizure I wouldn’t be here. And I sure as fuck should’ve had one. It was only on day 2 or 3 did they let me know how bad it was for me. I thought I could just rough it out, stay in bed, drink water and take showers. It’s not to be fucked with. Detox, rehab, medical help. Seek it.
Changed my routine to give myself less of an excuse, and then distracted myself whenever the urge hit. If you have a habit, like stopping by a certain store after work and picking up your favorite drink? Start there.
I checked myself into the hospital to detox, then the next day I went to an appointment with a substance abuse counselor who recommended I checked into an intensive outpatient program. That program saved my life. I understand not everyone has the access to insurance tho.
Went to IOP in 2019. Acute alcohol poisoning a few months later. Went to a sober house for a year, remained sober during my stay. Relapsed in 2020, a few months after leaving. IOP again in 2021. DUI in 2022. Quit for a month, resumed drinking harder and heavier. The patterns were all there and I was just so exhausted from it all. Finally went to rehab for the first time this summer. Been sober since.
I got a prescription for naltrexone and started taking them. Hung over every morning. Drinking every night after working out like it was Gatorade. So sick. So tired. Cloudy thinking. Headaches. Nauseous. Every day. Sober going on 100 days.
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I don’t think this is the most helpful advice in this context or actually true.
You're right. I just feel like answers like this negate the implication of the question. It's simple but it's an overwhelming concept for a lot of people. If all it took to get many people sober was to tell them to stop drinking this group probably wouldn't exist in the first place.
There's a lot of people, myself included, who aren't capable of stopping when they want. Though this is the basic logic, it took 6 years and 4 trips through rehab facilities and detoxes in order for me to finally stop. Simplifying it to that level is counterproductive to people like me, who once it's in my system, won't stop drinking until I physically can't drink anymore.
this is so hurtful i'm killing myself with drink and my kid is so sad and you make it seem like abc
Yeah, this is completely unhelpful and downright insulting. Addiction is a little more complex than some guy saying why don't you just stop? Geez why didn't I think of that, I'm cured.
This is the answer IMO. If it's hurtful for some people, well sometimes the truth hurts.
For me unfortunately it took rock bottom; but probably my biggest help was outpatient rehab. I wasn't court ordered or in legal trouble but I did not know how to stop so that is where I went. Mental health services or crisis center may be a viable options as well depending on circumstances and which state/country you are in. Often times they even have financial assistance or payment plans for those without insurance if cost/money is of concern. (USA here)
At first I fucked it up a bunch, but i got better with practice. Finally after a bunch of short stretches I was finally just sick of myself and it finally stuck. Then I messed up with like 75 days, drank for a weekend then started my current day streak.
This is exactly the case with me. Just keep trying. Gets easier.
I finally had enough. Physically I just couldn’t go on. I think I would’ve been dead in another number of weeks if I kept going. I went to the hospital where I detoxed, which turned into some other complications due to my insanely high usage. I went to a rehab from there. But man, I tell you, it was ALL worth it. It’s the old saying: if I can do it. YOU can do it.
I had DT's. I'm 22 and my doctor told me she never seen anyone my age have DT's, and she was going to do everything to help me. She prescribed valium, and I safely detoxed at home. The hallucinations I was having were absolutely horrifying, and the dreams were just as bad. I felt like I was going crazy and wanted to just die.
Honestly, it’s a cycle… you feel shitty and want to stop drinking… then you drink and feel less shitty… until you wake up and feel shitty again…
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/ketamine-and-psychological-therapy-may-help-people-with-severe-alcohol-use-disorder
Went to rehab for 3 weeks (max paid for by my health insurance) and from there, into a regular program of group and individual therapy.
I couldn't stop so I did medically supervised detox and rehab.
Rehab. 2.5 months. Then went straight to another one for 6 months in another state. Never drinking again
I think one of the most important aspects is changing your environment if you can. Not necessarily rehab, but don’t do the same things you’ve been doing if you can. That could be a living situation, a relationship, a workplace, a friend group, etc. Whatever it is that drives or triggers your drinking, separate yourself from that.
I tapered and then stopped numerous times for months at a time…. Would pick it back up with “rules” which would hold up a week or two, then I’d be right back to my old ways. Ultimately I had to stop for good. The “aha” for me was an AA quote: “When I controlled my drinking, I didn’t enjoy it. When I enjoyed my drinking, I couldn’t control it.” Making peace with not being able to drink (at all) was a huge step.
I realized that drinking was the reason why I was at my worst. It took me a very very long time for me to come to that realization, as I thought drinking was what helped me feel better at my worst.
I dontthink there is a rockbottom. Apparently no matter how low we go…there is always further….
I went to detox at a private facility in California. They paid for my flight there and home, and insurance covered my treatment.
What was that like? If you don’t mind me asking?
Stopped by never starting again. If I never have drink one again, I can’t have drink ten or twenty.
I never wanted one drink anyway. I wanted all the drinks, so much easier to just not have the first.
I had to somehow find some accountability. I was living alone and just kept drinking every night. I checked out a local out patient program and found some people who I knew would rather know I was sober the next day and then the next day and then the next day until I could find some some sober time and do it for myself.
I got a script for Antabuse. I never even used it. Just knowing I had it and good pop a pill if I felt tempted was enough for me. If you really want to stop, and you are ready, you can do it!
The old adage of “one day at a time” comes to mind.
Picture yourself losing everything you have and care for.
Went to Intensive Inpatient Treatment and got my ass safely medically detoxed with a 7 day course of Librium (Chlordiazepoxide) and 2 different anti-convulsant medications. I felt like I was drowning, stuck under water vibrating for about 14 days. DO NOT quit cold turkey and/or even try a taper down with alcohol itself. None of those would work. Quitting cold turkey after severe alcoholism can lead to Panic attacks, delirium tremors, seizures, and possible death may occurs from stopping cold turkey. If you can not afford Rehabilitation, see your Primary Care Provider, tell him the truth about what’s been going on, tell him what you’ve been drinking, how much, and how often, and he should either prescribe Valium, or Librium to help you out with alcohol withdrawal. If the doctor tries to prescribe you Xanax for alcohol detox, be warned, it will help, but you might end up addicted to that as well
I went to the er and it finally stuck. Seek outside help, I suggest going to an AA meeting. It helped me in my early sobriety quite a bit
There is nothing wrong with you - most people on this sub Reddit are simply addicted to alcohol - it’s our cross to bear in life. I had to go to rehab to stop when I was at my worst. Some of us are not strong enough to just put it down without first gaining some insight into alcoholism and the different options available to recover. AA works great for many so you may want to try it. But, addiction also has a a biochemical effect on your brain and understanding the science may also help you. You can stop - be easy on yourself and just start exploring all of the recovery options - you got this - good luck!
I blacked out on Amtrak and came to bleeding and in the company of law enforcement. Seemed like that was probably good enough of a sign. Would avoid something like that if possible but it's worked for the past 837 days.
Literally just used all my will to not drink for one day. And then another. Then 13 more of those and that's where I'm at today. It sounds silly but it's really just getting through that one day. A drink is non negotiable for that day.
I had been feeling more scared and trapped and hopeless and suicidal for a while. Then while blackout drunk I tried to kill myself. I didn’t succeed, and at the urging of my therapist who said I’d be putting my life at risk if I drank, I didn’t drink for a week (white knuckled) and then “rewarded” myself for good behavior with drinking and lo and behold as soon as I got drunk, I desperately wanted to kill myself and was ready to act on it. After that night I realized that I needed (and wanted!) to stop drinking and doing drugs daily (or at all), but I wasn’t able to. I would wake up and so clearly believe with all my heart that I wouldn’t drink that day, but then I would.
Naltrexone
I had quit my job, because it was getting in the way of my drinking! 1.5 litres of whiskey per day minimum.
Allen Carr’s book “Stop Drinking Now”
Start by occupying yourself with hobbies.
I have a partner and told him I was quitting and we got rid of all alcohol in house. Step 1. Then without alcohol I stopped buying it to put in house. Step 2 Then I stopped going out w friends for a while because I was like a blind baby kitten and couldnt survive in public. Step 3. Then I read this sub thread religiously for hours and hours the first days before quitting and then religiously checked in every day. I learned so much and realised (a) I was not alone and (b) I wasn’t so special - many others just like me out there struggling and (c) despite having a family I decided to do it for myself. That was Step 4. Then I took it one minute and day at a time. Learned panic attack breathing exercises as I had bone crushing anxiety and couldn’t sleep. Just focused on one breath and taking it literally one minute day or night at a time That was Step 5. Then I chose to say ‘I’m not a drinker. I don’t drink anymore.’ and actively reframed my future life in a new way. That was step 6. Then I listened to ALL the podcasts (Huberman on Alcohol, so good) and realised all the lies I told myself. I listened to it twice and rewound the tape several times bc it was so good. Alcohol=Ethanol is a powerful reframe for me. That was Step 7. I wrote down inspirational quotes from this sub and wrote down all my wrongs to myself in a password protected notebook on my phone that no one can find. Just let that stuff go. Sometimes I get flashbacks of bad stuff and it goes in the journal and keep letting it go as it’s not me anymore. That was step 8. Then I started to walk A LOT and try to go on nature walks and even started jogging slowly a bit. Realised I love jogging and feel really GOOD when I jog and my heart is pumping and started to notice things my body actually loves that are actually good for it. That was Step 9. Then I named my Alcoholic personality Alcoholic Amanda and learned she is always waiting and she is a stone cold liar. She will say anything to get me to drink and I have to refuse. There is no in between for me. That was step 10.
I spent a few months going over all the reasons drinking was bad for me. The money. The calories. The liver damage. Being a drunk instead of an active participant in life really. When I fully accepted those things as fact, not drinking alcohol became a decision like not touching it he got stove.
You can do it. One hour at a time, if that’s what it takes.
That's It!
I am 34 and been struggling with this since i was 16.
This is a disease. It can be almost impossible to stop on our own sometimes. Look into inpatient. If you can't then look for an IOP-intensive out patient. I tried for years to stop on my own. Wanted to quit everyday but this disease made me drink when I didn't want to and I hated it and myself for it. I couldn't have done it without reaching for help. Good luck.
Things will get better, ignore your thoughts and cravings. You’ll get better at quitting. You got this. IWNDWYT
In order to stop drinking I had to stop drinking
Sending you wishes of strenght & determination. I had to almost die 2x from vehicle accidents. My sister told me to not look for the 3rd time.
I also joined group therapy for substance abuse, in addition to individual. Developing new habits such as gym or even going for a walk. & not going anywhere near the liquor store.
I had symptoms of elevated liver enzymes. It was awful and I knew I never wanted to experience it again. The body is an amazing thing that I wanted to take care of
Everyone needs somewhere to put themselves. You need something (or several somethings) that engage your mind and body, so that you're not just sitting there alone in your thought and following the cravings of your body.
5 day detox.
There were 20+ times I went either to detox or the ER. I tapered successfully once with a friend's help but failed other times on my own.
A close friend once told me while i was at my worst, if you want to quit drinking, don't drink. I know it's not that easy but after the initial detox, it really is that simple.
Watch things like this when you feel weak.
Maybe better watch this.
I coincidentally got a horrible bug while trying to quit drinking. I couldn't eat /drink anything other than water for a few days. I just didn't start drinking again after the illness. I was free!
I wish I had an answer but I’m just at my worst and not quitting. I want to stop so bad but my god I don’t know how
My final straw was a POS roommate that was as bad of an alcoholic as me, but would do dirtbag stuff while drunk. I just couldn't associate being drunk with the happy hypersocial times of my early 20's anymore. I associated drinking with bringing out the worst in us after that. Then it was easy to decide to just never drink again.
I internalized the spoken word section from Dosh's "Gare de Lyon" :
Sometimes it just clicks as "the right time", for others it is life or death.
Going to the doctor and telling them about my problem helped a lot. They prescribed me Antabuse and set me up with a counselor, and just talking about it with someone felt like a big step. I also told my parents. I think taking this very private problem and airing it out - telling people in the real world - helped solidify my decision to stop drinking. It made it feel more "real."
Annie Grace sealed the deal for me. It’s like that pill that makes you hate alcohol, but it’s not a pill. It’s a book and a community.
Wanting to stop is the start, talk to your doctor about it and be honest.
I just made the choice, was trying to stop or at keast slow way down.
I went into a rehabilitation center because I knew that I needed a controlled environment to help me get sober because I knew I couldn’t do it by myself no matter how hard I tried. I went into treatment with a certain mentality and did not realize the choices I made when I was drinking and when I was sober were completely opposite of who I am. Anyways, controlled environment worked for me. It was voluntary but I seen it as if i left that place then I was going to get worse from drinking or die. I chose to stay and one year sober today.
I had to have distractions. I would get a milkshake or a bunch of candy I like and eat that. It was borderline binge eating some nights but I’d rather have a milkshake than a whiskey any day of the week.
Went to the ER because I was feeling a sudden out of body experience you feel when you're on psychedelics and it was a super uncomfortable feeling. If you want the change OP, please go check in detox and remember that you're cared and loved for.
There is no rock bottom, only a bottomless hole until all that was you is completely gone.
Could feel my life ending like a wolf chasing me, seemed to be lurking there every time I turned around
Had to go into treatment, otherwise I never would have been able to, no willpower and temptation was everything
Yeh definitely (without being captain obvious) health. I’d had a few nasty cases of gout in my feet but the last one was the deal breaker. I couldn’t put pressure on my foot to walk anywhere so I decided to stop the beers to avoid being in that situation again. I drank 15-20 beers a night for about 5years. I’m now over 2 months sober. The slap in the face is coming in the form of a severe hip injury which the beers did an excellent job of masking pain wise. So now I’m off for a double hip replacement. I’m so glad I stopped when I did, before the injury got worse. Avascular nercrosis for those wondering
I didn't buy beer that night. My drinking wasn't at the point of getting serious withdrawals but it was consistent for years. It took at least 2 weeks to be comfortable in the evenings without it but the "I'd love a drink tonight" still happens every day when I think back to my old rituals and routines.
Librium. Speak to your doc
Everytime you pick up a drink, think about drinking, reaching for that 8 pack at the store imagine this big old fat rich dude just laughing at you.
After getting black out drunk 2 nights in a row following a traumatic event, I woke up & said, I'm not dealing with my emotions with alcohol anymore. That was 29 days ago.
TBH, I just realized my wife would leave me unless I changed. Sounds simple but a huge part of this struggle is realizing that there’s other things in your life that are better, and way more important, than a drink.
I had an embarrassing weekend of bad behavior and decided a change needed to happen. I then went away to New Hampshire for a hike and camped by myself for to nights. I never looked back.
I knew I was dying. I lost my Mum to Alcoholism and I didn't want to go through Multiple organ failure. When you take a step back and look at yr life (a moment of clarity) there's death, madness, or jail OR you stop and put the work in. It's easy to drink yrself to oblivion, takes courage to stop and face the world again.
Read and changing my view on alcoholisme. I just finished the naked mind and it helped me a lot, 15 days sober now. You got this!
I was having trouble getting over an ex and drinking to forget and then one day I decided I didn't want to feel sorry for myself anymore. I was hosting my own personal pity party and it was sad. Been sober almost sixty days now.
Something that I don't see here very often. Be kind to yourself. Practice self care. Even something as simple as brushing your teeth can set you down your path. Personally, I like to go for a walk and take in as much existence as I can. Aside from my own for a change
Unfortunately that’s just usually when it finally works. Alcoholics don’t tend to quit when things are going swimmingly. I was having nightly panic attacks at 4am every morning as the booz was wearing off, and I’d lay there crying until I had to get up for work. I knew I was going to lose my job and my pregnant fiancée. One Saturday morning I went to the emergency room and got a three day supply of benzos to prevent a seizure and that was it.
It gets easier, but it never easy. Get through today without booze. That is your only goal.....get through today.
Nothing is wrong with you! Your brain has (falsely) learned that you need alcohol and now you want your brain to learn that you do not need it. Finding out the science behind how to do that online or with books by Annie Grace, Allen Carr, etc. helped me. I’m on day 40 of The Alcohol Experiment and have had only one “data point” (drinking incident). It’s so much easier for me when I learn and deal with what is happening to me and how I got here - instead of beating myself up and thinking I’m weak or something is “wrong” with me.
Which books specifically helped?
I knew I was on the path to really fucking up my health permanently. I didn’t quit the first time I tried, strung together a few days, sometimes a month, would go back to drinking just as heavy. I was drinking so much I was waking up with numbness and tingling in my forearms, hands and feet. I didn’t want it to become permanent. My mental health was in shambles too. I still have issues but I haven’t been struggling with ideations and I have started feeling genuine random joy again. I don’t wake up with panic attacks.
I just knew I needed to cause my life was going to shit. My family was disappointed and I wanted to stop couldn’t handle the emotional toll I was putting myself through, angry, isolated, a shell of myself. I was being in a loop to find a solution without me having to stop drinking. I also just remembered when the shame came by trying kicking the door down I told myself no matter what I’m thinking or feeling I ain’t going to drink all that will fade away in time. I cleaned up my yard on my days off like a mad man haha. I also go on drives and just listen to music with some energy drinks.
getting a hobby/something to do/picking up responsibilities.
Was really helpful for me to read a bunch of different books, articles, and forums to figure out how and why we keep coming back to alcohol. Also helpful to keep a journal or a log for your thoughts and symptoms, since it's easy to change moods from day to day. You might be able to pinpoint triggers better that way. Treat yourself as kindly as you can ... and also decide what's 'rock bottom' for you. If whatever happening to you now isn't bad enough, next time it will always be worse, because you'll trick yourself into thinking it's okay to keep on going until it isn't okay anymore.
I had to gamify it by setting goals of what I wanted to buy but couldn’t afford if I was spending on alcohol. I alternated pre-buying and buying at intervals as I went.
For me it happened after a multitude of failures. I didn't stop after my 3rd DUI and also didn't stop after I nearly killed myself in a car wreck where I went head on w/ a concrete cylinder sticking up from the ground, came out unscathed. It was going out to lunch w/ a co-worker and having that guy (he got blackout drunk) confront another colleague when we got back to the office so I got canned because I was guilty by association. That day I got sick of my shit. The negotiations with myself stopped. I just stopped. I hope that your end to drinking is like mine and you don't sacrifice your health / mobility. Have a faith that you'll quit - despite your failures. You quit on yourself then you're fucked.
Naltrexone and Therapy
never give up. Think of failure as a step closer to your goal. remember it's not your fault you got caught in the alcohol trap. we can do this.
I got massive blood clot in my leg from over drinking. The doc said it would happen again if I didn't stop. Don't wait for it to get that bad.
I didn't have a choice, I had to stop. Out Patient rehab was exactly what I needed. I could maintain my life(Job,Kids, Wife) and still get help/therapy. If you're self medicating, don't put on a bandaid (AA), get stitches (Professional help/therapy.)
I’m trying to get to my first day, I need help I feel like I keep digging myself deeper and deeper and it’s not good for me or my family
Realizing it is a problem because alcohol is an addictive drug - that my urges to drink and all my anxiety were rooted in this addictive drug. And realizing the voice in my head telling me to drink, wasn't really me but the voice of the drug itself.
Someone decided for me and called me and ambulance to go to the hospital and dry out in detox.
I went to aahomegroup.org
former functioning habit driven heavy drinker here.
I feel like I don’t want to pay $8000 for 3 days of Ativan fluids and watching hospital TV. When I got out I immediately got a shot. And that was it. I don’t wanna hurt myself anymore. Don’t wanna die or go to rehab. Just doing it I suppose works for me.
I know it sounds cliche but I woke up with a terrible hangover and spent an entire day in bed and just said that’s it. I’m not drinking today. And then didn’t drink the next day. I didn’t quit drinking. I just have a long series of days where I decided I don’t want to drink that day. Some of them were very hard and for awhile very very dark. I didn’t use AA or any other system. Even sober I sometimes just spent days in the house or on the couch. My wife doesn’t drink and is extremely supportive but it’s not something she would understand so I didn’t really talk to her about it. She supported me as best she could be on all honesty it was a day, an hour, sometimes a minute at a time. Im finally in a place where I don’t thin lol about it every minute and when I do think about it I remember how bad it got and how horrible I felt. Still have a lot of friends and family who drink. Usually being around them is hard for about an hour and then it’s just an overwhelming sense of relief and almost pity as I see them change. They Get obnoxious and think they are funny. Before long people are slurring and falling down and making stupid decisions and my only real regret at that point is knowing how many times that was me.
I got really ill, then kept drinking for a few more years just to be sure.
I chose a weekend, my birthday weekend, to just go absolutely crazy and get absolutely shitfaced.
December 18th, 2021.....
I thought it was time for a change.
Long story short? I went through 12 liters of wine in one night and the next day I couldn't even drink a glass of water without cupping it is with both hands because I was shaking so bad. Head, hands, legs, just about everywhere. I decided I really didn't want to die. As sad as it is to say it has to get that far sometimes for people to realize the type of damage it actually does to you. I couldn't drive my car for 3 days afterwards because I literally couldn't figure out how to do it. It was scary. I really wish I would've quit before my fiance left me but ya know. We can't have it all. Gotta suffer a little bit. Lol
Realised I was powerless over alcohol, and by doing that I regained my power. By surrendering fully to the fact that I cannot drink without destructive consequences, I was able start achieving victories. Took a long time for it all to settle down though, probably 9 months. The first 3/4 months were hell but as the saying goes if you’re going through hell keep going. Addiction is tricky but also a gift and I think the paradoxical nature of relinquishing your power in order to attain it again kinda sums it up. It’s possible to recover though, and it is within the recovery where the magic of the adaptable human being really shines through.
For me I just got sick of feeling like crap from binging 2-3 times a week and the lack of productivity it created in me. My husband was upset with me. I went a week without drinking and I got so much done. I feel so much better about myself and motivated. The sober sleep is the best. I also keep in mind “no one ever regrets not drinking” when I feel the itch when I’m cooking dinner. Once I hit 6 Pm I’m past the point where I would drink during the week so I just stay REALLY BUSY during that 4-6 pm happy hour time. This is early for me but it’s been working.
I just decided it is not worth it anymore, I am still early in my recovery but already feel better my dr gave me some naltrexone to stop the cravings which has helped
I drank 1 and 3/4 gallons of beer, and thought I was gonna die. The hangover lasted 2 days, and when it was lifting I thought to myself I’ve come this far, and I’d better keep going or else I’m gonna die
By lowering what the does
I found a group of non judgemental people who listened to me and I heard their experiences.
I went from drinking 4-5 drinks every single night to one morning waking up in agony with my stomach. For four days I couldn’t leave the house. I was in so much pain and nauseous, vomiting, diarrhea, the works… I never fully found out what happened. But after I recovered I never wanted to be in that agony again. Alcohol just didn’t sound good to me. Ever. It’s been a long time since that day, but I’m honestly thankful I had to go through it. Every time I look at alcohol now I think of that agony and it works for me to never want it.
I went on accutane for acne and was still drinking alcohol. I was warned by my doctor not to drink while on accutane . My liver enzymes went through the roof so my accutane treatment was terminated. I really wanted this treatment for acne so it took 2 years to convince my doctor I was serious about getting back on accutane. I had tried to stop drinking many times before for a couple decades ( I knew I had a problem) but never stuck for more than a month, then I would go back to alcohol. So I was finally ready to quit alcohol for good and I was really scared to quit too. Nearly 30 years later my liver enzymes are still higher than normal. So with that in mind the idea of going back to alcohol is very unappealing. Why tempt fate , I had a grandparent that died of cirrhosis, alcoholism is rampant in my family.
I’m going through it right now
Checked into rehab
The short answer is yes.
You have the 2 most important things you need: acceptance of the problem and motivation.
Just got bored with the same old shit. You realise you don't need it, want it, and nothing good comes from it.
I couldn’t specify what my worst was (is it the worst thing I did to myself, or the worst thing I did to another person?) but I can say I hit an interesting low several months before I stopped where I kind of gave up on life altogether. It was end it or try something else. In a weird way, I had nothing to lose by suffering in a different way, and I hated myself enough to not feel like I deserved respite (drink).
I decided to get my life back and not die,man up and tell my family I needed professional help and checked into rehab. Everyone has been very supportive. Praise God i go my life back everyday.
Well, I wound up in inpatient for 5 days over Christmas in 2020. Instead of trying to unalive yourself like I did, go to the hospital and tell them you're struggling to quit drinking. They may very well admit you. If not, they will at least be able to refer you to a treatment program or mental health providers.
I wasn't so dependent on alcohol that I needed a medical intervention, so if you're in the same boat... I forced myself to exercise big first thing in the morning. Long hike on the weekend days. 3-5 mile run on work days. For me, that made me think the night before that "I don't want to do that hungover" and the endorphins I got from exercising made me want to do it. It was the only positive I had going for me. In the evenings, I read through this sub and then journaled a bit. All three things combined helped me. Oh, and it wasn't easy at all, but I just trudged through it.
I had to find something that was worth quitting for, something that meant more to me than alcohol. That thing was my girlfriend. I would have lost my relationship with her had I not. Now I have many more reasons to stay sober but she was the number one.
I needed this. Thank you. I’m trying to find ways to create a defense.
I had to get professional help. Treatment and then full commitment in a 12 step recovery program of my choice. I also stayed in a sober living facility. It worked. Almost 5 years sober and very convicted in my sobriety. I don’t attend 12 step meetings but my life is set up to maintain my sobriety and I have a great support system in my wife.
Take it one day at time. Get professional help to get you started if you need to. Try and build a close healthy support group. Meetings help a lot of people. Healthy hobbies are cool too.