Quitting Alcohol

[Finch]

2 months today for me and counting...I have been around others drinking and have no urges to regress. @Finch there are some 0.0 beers out there like Heineken but i can understand your reservation and reasoning. Keep up the great work! Thanks again to the OP for starting this thread and getting us all on the straight and narrow.

Congrats on your progress as well!

 

[DroptineDC18]

A little over 11 months. No way I thought I could do this 1 year ago.

 

[Christopher.Reed]

4 months in and feeling great. I met a friend today to catch up and, it was at a bar because I’m still not sure where normal people go to do those things.

I had a sprite while my friend had a cocktail and I’m beginning to wonder if it’s possible to have negative desire, even the smell was repulsing and, I had zero craving.

It’s a small win but worth celebrating for me.

 

[Kilboars]

Huberman's podcasts on alcohol and mary jane are very eye opening.

Agreed, he seem to even take it easier on smoking weed than drinking alcohol.

And I’m not sure if it was him or another doctor on Joe Rogan talk about benefits from psychedelics and I was like. WTF! Really?


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[Kilboars]

I just tried some Old Milwaukee N/A and it surprisingly wasn't too bad and it is less than $10/12 pack...also drink a hefty amount of Bubly as i also quit drinking diet coke.

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I’m noticing a lot of guys drinking carbonated water when they’re out normally drinking beer. They may have a beer later on in the day but Every drink is no longer a beer it’s a can of carbonated water something


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[Kilboars]

We got one of those drinkmate carbonaters. When we do the trade in on the canisters the cost is 1/3 of the cheapest soda water we can get. My wife just got some of the bubly flavor and it tastes great. Usually I just use plain water though.

I was weened on Coke because my grandfather was a VP there - we never had to buy it. Turns out it was just the fizz I liked so don’t drink soda anymore either.

I went through a phase I was drinking, carbonated water rather than plain water, it seems like it doesn’t hydrate your body as well. Anyone else noticed that or is that true or false?


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[Kilboars]

That podcast is what pushed me into action. I've revisited it a few times in the last couple of months. I've said it before, but alcohol is pushed so hard to us. A guy doesn't even realize it until you stop.

Have you listened to or read the book Alcohol Explained? Also very good.


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[strousek]

I went through a phase I was drinking, carbonated water rather than plain water, it seems like it doesn’t hydrate your body as well. Anyone else noticed that or is that true or false?


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I am with you 100% on the carbonated water not hydrating. When I first quit alcohol I would drink a couple near beers a night. Well that got pricey fast so I switched to flavored carbonated waters. I noticed that on some of the harder days when I would drink 4 or 5 carbonated waters to supplement my want for a beer I would get a terrible headache. At the time I chalked this up to the stress and withdrawal symptoms.

Now that I am far past those days I can still feel however that drinking multiple carbonated waters almost makes me feel dehydrated worse.

 

[LFC911]

 

[ODB]

I went through a phase I was drinking, carbonated water rather than plain water, it seems like it doesn’t hydrate your body as well. Anyone else noticed that or is that true or false?


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Never heard or experienced that.

 

[Customweld]

Have you listened to or read the book Alcohol Explained? Also very good.


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I have not, but I will give it a read. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[OregonSteeler]

I have a Las Vegas trip planned in 2 weeks with some great old friends from elementary school! I haven't seen some of these guys in over 25 years and I'm very excited, nervous, and anxious. All of them drink and are looking to let loose, which I don't blame them at all. They are all very responsible adults with good jobs and families.

I have let them know that I no longer drink and they're fine with that. But it's still going to be VERY hard not to break down and have a drink. One drink is NOT an option because that will absolutely lead to old habits.

Posting this to help with the accountability to myself. This will be my biggest "test" yet and really hope I will have a great time with them, even though I won't be on their level.

I will post back on my experiences and how the weekend went. I've only been to Vegas about 3-4 times, and this will be my first staying sober.

 

[ODB]

I have a Las Vegas trip planned in 2 weeks with some great old friends from elementary school! I haven't seen some of these guys in over 25 years and I'm very excited, nervous, and anxious. All of them drink and are looking to let loose, which I don't blame them at all. They are all very responsible adults with good jobs and families.

I have let them know that I no longer drink and they're fine with that. But it's still going to be VERY hard not to break down and have a drink. One drink is NOT an option because that will absolutely lead to old habits.

Posting this to help with the accountability to myself. This will be my biggest "test" yet and really hope I will have a great time with them, even though I won't be on their level.

I will post back on my experiences and how the weekend went. I've only been to Vegas about 3-4 times, and this will be my first staying sober.

Embrace your inner contrarian. You’ll be glad you did at about 1am.

Good luck - you can do it.

 

[lak2004]

I have a Las Vegas trip planned in 2 weeks with some great old friends from elementary school! I haven't seen some of these guys in over 25 years and I'm very excited, nervous, and anxious. All of them drink and are looking to let loose, which I don't blame them at all. They are all very responsible adults with good jobs and families.

I have let them know that I no longer drink and they're fine with that. But it's still going to be VERY hard not to break down and have a drink. One drink is NOT an option because that will absolutely lead to old habits.

Posting this to help with the accountability to myself. This will be my biggest "test" yet and really hope I will have a great time with them, even though I won't be on their level.

I will post back on my experiences and how the weekend went. I've only been to Vegas about 3-4 times, and this will be my first staying sober.

That would be tough, I think setting some goals or boundaries might be helpful. Also, damn near every bar has a NA beer available or "mock tail". That would be my option just to feel better about no alcohol.

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[schmalzy]

I have a Las Vegas trip planned in 2 weeks with some great old friends from elementary school! I haven't seen some of these guys in over 25 years and I'm very excited, nervous, and anxious. All of them drink and are looking to let loose, which I don't blame them at all. They are all very responsible adults with good jobs and families.

I have let them know that I no longer drink and they're fine with that. But it's still going to be VERY hard not to break down and have a drink. One drink is NOT an option because that will absolutely lead to old habits.

Posting this to help with the accountability to myself. This will be my biggest "test" yet and really hope I will have a great time with them, even though I won't be on their level.

I will post back on my experiences and how the weekend went. I've only been to Vegas about 3-4 times, and this will be my first staying sober.

Had a similar experience last October. First trip to Vegas sober, old friends, etc. Trip went great; make the decision firmly before you go that nothing changes. You’ve made your decision to positively change your life; nothing else matters. Your buddies will understand and support it. I ran with a crowd that I thought surely would abandon me but was the opposite; overly supportive and celebratory outside of some well deserved jokes.

Smart move to identify this could be a tough weekend for you, though I think you’re in a better spot then you realize and will have a great time.


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[Johnny Tyndall]

I have a Las Vegas trip planned in 2 weeks with some great old friends from elementary school! I haven't seen some of these guys in over 25 years and I'm very excited, nervous, and anxious. All of them drink and are looking to let loose, which I don't blame them at all. They are all very responsible adults with good jobs and families.

I have let them know that I no longer drink and they're fine with that. But it's still going to be VERY hard not to break down and have a drink. One drink is NOT an option because that will absolutely lead to old habits.

Posting this to help with the accountability to myself. This will be my biggest "test" yet and really hope I will have a great time with them, even though I won't be on their level.

I will post back on my experiences and how the weekend went. I've only been to Vegas about 3-4 times, and this will be my first staying sober.

You'll feel like a genius in the mornings.

 

[Duh]

Wish I was sober the last time I went to Vegas. Came home with 34 cents to my name haha.

 

[OregonSteeler]

Had a similar experience last October. First trip to Vegas sober, old friends, etc. Trip went great; make the decision firmly before you go that nothing changes. You’ve made your decision to positively change your life; nothing else matters. Your buddies will understand and support it. I ran with a crowd that I thought surely would abandon me but was the opposite; overly supportive and celebratory outside of some well deserved jokes.

Smart move to identify this could be a tough weekend for you, though I think you’re in a better spot then you realize and will have a great time.


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Appreciate the words of encouragement and that it can be done. 100% agree not to go into the weekend wavering. I'm firmly in the no drinking mindset.

 

[PlumberED]

Good work guys. It has been 30 some years for me. When I first quit drinking I had to stop going to bars or parties where alcohol was served, just couldn’t handle the temptation. Now I can handle the temptation better but, it is still a temptation. Especially when I am stressed.

I really enjoy a near beer now and again, never tried carbonated water.

PlumberEd

 

[FluffFire]

I'm in the same boat... need to quit for sure.