How did you quit drinking?

[Stagger Lee]

When I first tried to quit booze I couldnt make it past three days. Mostly two days. I was lucky to get a day between getting drunk. I did not have the ability to get a week or month. I currently have over 6 months sobriety.
Did you have a major life event that made you quit? Jail, detox treatment, hospital? How did you get over the hill where the compulsion let up enough you could go to meetings, work, function enough to start getting some clean time?

[Dawnm]

When I first tried to quit booze I couldnt make it past three days. Mostly two days. I was lucky to get a day between getting drunk. I did not have the ability to get a week or month. I currently have over 6 months sobriety.
Did you have a major life event that made you quit? Jail, detox treatment, hospital? How did you get over the hill where the compulsion let up enough you could go to meetings, work, function enough to start getting some clean time?

How did you finally quit? I would love to know how people get past the initial 2-3 weeks. I have support too, but have been tempted since yesterday. I quit on 10/15 of this year (not long at all), but am having a hard time of it right now. I don't know if it is my personality or what, but I am an easily stressed out person with a whole lot of responsibility and my answer before was to always drink, I need new coping mechanisms for stress or to calm down. I would appreciate (GREATLY) any suggestions anyone could give me. When I am calm I have no desire whatsoever to drink. I hate the feeling of stress (obviously) and I know it is a part of life that I have to deal with all of us do, but how come some people can so much easier (or it appears that way) than others?

Needed to express that - maybe that will help as well. Anyone who is listening, thanks.

Dawn

[Rocket2d4]

I was a binge drinker or partier. I'll go out in a run or escape for whatever
life on life's term I couldn't cope or deal with.
Other times I just felt life was totally overrated and retarded in general.
In other words I'd get bored and wanted excitement in my life.

I'd check the F-out or go on a sort of vacation from life from whatever the hell productive
member of society crap people want me to be or a part of ulitmaTE slave to grind machine
and "IF YOU LOVE ME you will do this or that"
Work my ass to the freaken bones and then be told I was never good enough and was
going to freaken HELL...after my work is done on this freaken planet..
ERRR WTF ????....CHECK ME THE F-OUT..lol
At least someone send a god **** thank you note...thank you very much.Tellin me I'm ungrateful.lmao
Oh yeaaaah another carrot on a stick. I ma volunteer to be another pond in someone's else wet dream again.
Omg...I have a title on my bussiness card, a plack on my door, and a window to let day light in...
I'm someone specail now.. Priase me or stroke my ego some more please.
Yeah baby...A bad ass sports car to turn heads and get de chicks to make me feel alright for a while.
I'll feel alright for a little while until it all just gets retarded and boring as F$#@K again.lol
There has to be more to life than this ????
NOpe...
Errr??...Promises..Promises..Please don't read or tell me anymore promises. Empty promises.

That's my drinking pattern...It's actaully very, very dangerous.
Becuase I'll think that I'm not an alki or don't have a drinking problem
becuase I'm able to stop on my own on my will power for a couple of months.

I'll either party till i drop...in the mean time, I'd would take care of my
responsiblities or preform poorly in my work duties or whatever else.
Then I'd stopped drinking and partying for a month or couple of months
to get my **** together...then life gets totally borning again..screaming
and demanding bosses and crap like that...More.more...give more more..
I'd get stress out again...all work and no play sucks ass..
I work hard...I should be able to party hard.

For me the trick was to STAY STOPPED when I feel bored out of my ****
mind and wanting to stab myself in the eyes with a fork for excitement. :P

JUST DON'T PICK UP NO MATTER WHAT...it's about as simple as that.

It's the other crap that I had to work on....that made my recovery freaken complicated...
Issues...whatever the hell isuses I had that I thought I grown out of or never process.
Crap like came up and bit me in the ass. I thought i was going out of my freaken mind...

[alcoholrehabcoach]

...I hate the feeling of stress (obviously) and I know it is a part of life that I have to deal with all of us do, but how come some people can so much easier (or it appears that way) than others?
Dawn


They have different strategies, beliefs and role models that make it easier for them to do so.

[alcoholrehabcoach]

Did you have a major life event that made you quit?

For me there were many straws that finally broke that camel's back, many tragedies and losses, but what stands out the most was when I finally realized what I was actually getting from drinking, and then finding a far more effective way of getting those feelings I was after.

From that point on it was actually pretty easy. What I discovered is you can't just ERASE a habit, you have to REPLACE it with something that meets your needs even more effectively.

[Stagger Lee]

How did you finally quit?
Hi Dawn, After many 'trying to quits', over one year ago, I found myself homeless, friendless, moneyless, but I still had my job and a beat up Dodge. I drove to a city around 30 miles away where my employer was located, and checked into a rescue mission run by the Catholic church or Masons? It was a really nice, clean, safe place to rehab. The hours were kind of strict and I had to pitch in for chores but I was able to go to work and I was reintroduced to AA after around 20 years back out there. Sleep and meals were scheduled and healthy. Tried to hit 30 meetings in 30 days. I spent six weeks there until I came back home to my home and family. I've spent the past year trying to put the pieces of my shattered life back together. Had a couple relapses but just celebrated 6 months continues sobriety.
I'd say what it took me to get sober, longer then 3 days, was removing myself from my environment into a another totally different structured environment where I could still work my job and focus on getting sober.

[zoomie]

Just do it! Don't use any excuses and make yourself go to those meetings. Get a sponcer and get involved. That is how I got sober and it has worked for over 5 years now.

[Keats]

First tried in 2003, went to rehab clinic here in Liverpool UK. Managed 7 months then back on it. Managed periods of sobriety 3,6 months for next 4 years or so. Nov 07 decided enough was enough. Stopped for 3 months then joined AA, never really got the AA message but managed to reach 500 days. April this year took a drink. Counting days and the idea of not drinking ever again was always on my mind. So the inevitable was always going to happen. Few weeks binge drinking then stopped again. Went back to rooms, handed over etc got a sponsor and stopped counting sober days. For me it doesnt matter how long I have got sobriety wise just that for today I haven't drank and god willing won't take a drink. Also very important is the quality of my sobriety. AA, the BB, book called Living Sober etc all help to point me the right way.

Keats

[Stagger Lee]

stopped counting sober days. F
I did that too. I know my last binge was in April. I did take the 6 month chip because I wanted others in my home group to know that I was making it and they helped me.

[sonia n]

I ASKED MYSELF THIS QUESTION, DO I WANT TO LIVE OR DIE? I CHOOSE TO LIVE. I SURRENDERED



:178:

[IndianG]

Pain.....Jails..........hopelessness .........homeless.......jobless......divorce.....S uicidal thoughts and the mighty Vicious cycle.
Finally got sick and tired of being sick and tired........getting on my knees at 3:00am in abandoned parking lot and crying out to God.........Please help me i can't take it anymore.