Quitting Alcohol

[*zap*]

Good work fellas!

 

[ChrisA]

Not to get too technical here but it's pretty clear based on the data that no amount of alcohol is good for you. It can be very difficult to abstain sometimes.... If you do choose to have a drink now and then it probably wont affect you long term when used in moderation and can provide some social utility.

This is probably true for many people but a lot of us don't half-ass anything; if it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing.

 

[Hjswal]

This is probably true for many people but a lot of us don't half-ass anything; if it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing.

Agreed

 

[*zap*]

KISS
OD@AT

 

[strousek]

Little late in getting back to this thread. Two weeks ago I celebrated 5 years of sobriety after a pretty good run of being a drunk. I have shared my story on here before and talked about all the benefits of not drinking.

Ironically enough the weekend of my sober anniversary we were out camping with friends. All of these friends still drink like fish and I am the only sober one in the bunch. On Sunday morning we drove our side by sides up to 14,000 feet above sea level to watch the sun come up. There at 6 am two of my friends decided it was a good time to crack open a couple tall boys and start their day with beer. At that moment I couldn't have been happier with my cup of coffee and decision to get sober. As normal they didn't just stop drinking after that and continued to embarrass themselves throughout the day. With my two young children and wife by my side it sure was a great reassurance that I have zero need to ever have a drink again.

Happy hunting to all and if anyone needs anything to help them quit or stay sober please let me know!

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Sort of off topic but I was looking at some stuff the other day and saw that some of the IPAs I used to chug were like 280 calories each. So a 6 pack is like 1680 calories. Seems insane. I was at a buddies house last night and he drank 8 of those IPAs while we were hanging out.

He was complaining about being out of shape and saying that he can’t sleep without alcohol. I just sort of kept my mouth shut because people need to quit on their own, not when buddies are nagging them.

I did try to tell him that his sleep would probably improve in a week or 2 if he tried it. His solution was that he was going to switch to a nightly whiskey instead of several beers.

I really felt bad/sad for him. He’s a good guy but he’s deep in the trap. Why do some people struggle while others can just walk away??? I pretty much realized that booze wasn’t helping me achieve any of my goals so I just pretty much stopped, I went from drinking Fridays and saturdays to a point where I’ve had one drink in 2025 and that was back in January.

I guess when I decided to leave it behind it wasn’t such a big deal, my workouts improved, I dropped a few lbs, slept better, walked my dogs more, got more done on the weekends etc. my buddy knows it’s hurting him, he knows it’s making him fat and slow and he knows that he’s basically mildly hungover every day, but he keeps thinking of excuses even though he says he wants to quit.

At first it was quitting on June 1, then July 1, then August 1 but that was a weekend so he couldn’t quit then, he just keeps pushing the goal posts back. I just see the excuses again and again. I guess it effects everybody differently.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Little late in getting back to this thread. Two weeks ago I celebrated 5 years of sobriety after a pretty good run of being a drunk. I have shared my story on here before and talked about all the benefits of not drinking.

Ironically enough the weekend of my sober anniversary we were out camping with friends. All of these friends still drink like fish and I am the only sober one in the bunch. On Sunday morning we drove our side by sides up to 14,000 feet above sea level to watch the sun come up. There at 6 am two of my friends decided it was a good time to crack open a couple tall boys and start their day with beer. At that moment I couldn't have been happier with my cup of coffee and decision to get sober. As normal they didn't just stop drinking after that and continued to embarrass themselves throughout the day. With my two young children and wife by my side it sure was a great reassurance that I have zero need to ever have a drink again.

Happy hunting to all and if anyone needs anything to help them quit or stay sober please let me know! View attachment 917225

I’ve had a lot of moments like that since I stopped drinking. I was at a bonfire a few months back with my wife, at the bonfire there were a lot of people I knew well, they were all stumbling around, acting stupid, saying stuff they probably shouldn’t be saying outside of their homes etc. I saw one of the guys a few days later and it was the typical “that was awesome man, I can’t believe how wasted we all were”. I hadn’t drank at all and I felt embarrassed for the guy. Bragging about how wasted you are when you’re a 43 year old man is sort of a bad look.

Earlier in the summer we got all of our salmon, and decided together eat right to cutting, it was around 9am on a rainy day, my buddy who had showed up hungover kicked off the day with a whiskey and a few 4 locos and by noon needed a nap.

I also have a buddy who lives a few houses away, we walk our dogs together usually on Fridays. This buddy has a ritual where he buys a bottle of scotch or bourbon or something after work on Fridays, fills a flask, drinks it while we’re walking the dogs (2-3 miles) the. Goes home, pours a tall glass so when his wife gets home he looks like he just started and pours the rest into the flask to sort of “sneak” through the evening. He was just telling me all that like it was normal.

All that to say, I’m glad I quit and I’m glad I never got to the level some of my friends are at. All of those fiends talk about needing to quit yet they keep turning up the dial, these aren’t super young guys either 39-45 years old. They are all functional but those 3 specifically seem to be right on the edge of “functional” risking marital, family, health and legal problems because their behavior.

 

[hunt1up]

Great job everyone! I will say that stopping can be contagious. I never really talk about it unless people ask me about it. My dad isn’t a heavy drinker but he has his nightly routine that includes a few cocktails. I see him every day at work and we don’t really talk about after work dealings. He mentioned the other day he hasn’t drank since April. And that he’s sleeping like a baby and feels like he’s 30(he’s 63). Now that I think about it he’s less grumpy, lol.

One of my lifelong best friends and drinking partners has dabbled in slowing down. He too said the other day he hasn’t had a beer since April. I’m was blown away by that one.

My dad’s lifelong friend called me the other day. He’s also early 60s. “Did I tell you I quit drinking? Man I sleep like a rock. I think I was allergic to alcohol.” He’s at about 3 weeks.

And another of my best friends is on day 11. I don’t know that he’s quitting but he started with only weekends but he’s almost to two weeks. He said he’s noticed his quality of conversations with his customers is far better. Just less alcohol induced anxiety and a sharper mind.

I’m not taking credit for any of their journeys, as they’re all their own. But I do think if people see that the guy(me) that drank virtually every day for 15 years can stop then anyone can.

3 years on 8/26. First day of the Dall Sheep hunt.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Great job everyone! I will say that stopping can be contagious. I never really talk about it unless people ask me about it. My dad isn’t a heavy drinker but he has his nightly routine that includes a few cocktails. I see him every day at work and we don’t really talk about after work dealings. He mentioned the other day he hasn’t drank since April. And that he’s sleeping like a baby and feels like he’s 30(he’s 63). Now that I think about it he’s less grumpy, lol.

One of my lifelong best friends and drinking partners has dabbled in slowing down. He too said the other day he hasn’t had a beer since April. I’m was blown away by that one.

My dad’s lifelong friend called me the other day. He’s also early 60s. “Did I tell you I quit drinking? Man I sleep like a rock. I think I was allergic to alcohol.” He’s at about 3 weeks.

And another of my best friends is on day 11. I don’t know that he’s quitting but he started with only weekends but he’s almost to two weeks. He said he’s noticed his quality of conversations with his customers is far better. Just less alcohol induced anxiety and a sharper mind.

I’m not taking credit for any of their journeys, as they’re all their own. But I do think if people see that the guy(me) that drank virtually every day for 15 years can stop then anyone can.

3 years on 8/26. First day of the Dall Sheep hunt.

Mine of my friends are quitting, some of them talk about it while slowly getting worse and worse. Ot sucks watching them do it too, I try hard to keep my mouth shut unless they bring it up. One of the guys I mentioned a few posts earlier constantly talks about wanting to get in shape but claims he dosent have time….well you have time to drink a 6 pack and a whiskey every night…..

I think it just comes down to the difference between wanting something, and saying you want something. Like that old saying: if you want something you’ll find a way, if you don’t really want it, you’ll find an excuse.

I get it, he has a few young kids and a busy job but the kids are in bed by 7, why not skip the beer at dinner, when you put your kids to bed, do some kettlebell and pull-ups, pushups, then hydrate and get to bed fresh? I mean if you have 3-4 hours to drink every night then you should be able to fit in 30-45 minutes of exercise.

I just get Exhausted hearing the whole “I’d do anything for my family”……except stop boozing, start exercising and getting your health under control…

 

[OregonSteeler]

I LOVE seeing this thread pop back up to the top of the page! I get to read new stories and read other people's perspectives on recently quitting. It gives me a renewed sense of pride for some reason? Since I quit drinking, I've experienced a couple of my buddies and bro-in-law really slow down. The funny thing is, they seem embarrassed to get drunk or even have a couple of drinks in front of me. I keep telling them that I could care less if they drink and that I have zero temptation to have another one at this point in my life. Maybe I'm helping them see the positive effects of being sober? I still go to those parties where the majority of people are wasted, but it does seem to happen much less than when we were younger.

This might be a taboo topic to bring up, but I've also noticed (at least in my group of friends) that the men have started to slow down on the boozing, but the wives continue to really tear it up (including my wife). It's pretty commonplace to see a couple of the women so wasted they have a hard time forming a coherent sentence and stumbling around. I swear I see more wine bottled empty than beer cans....

 

[esorekim05]

So proud of all the folks in this thread. Keep it up!

I’ve had to switch to NA due to fatty liver disease. My favorite IPAs have been Sam Adam’s Just the Haze and Deschuttes (sp) Fresh Squeezed. Atheltics IPAs aren’t great IMO but their others are solid.

 

[Customweld]

I LOVE seeing this thread pop back up to the top of the page! I get to read new stories and read other people's perspectives on recently quitting. It gives me a renewed sense of pride for some reason? Since I quit drinking, I've experienced a couple of my buddies and bro-in-law really slow down. The funny thing is, they seem embarrassed to get drunk or even have a couple of drinks in front of me. I keep telling them that I could care less if they drink and that I have zero temptation to have another one at this point in my life. Maybe I'm helping them see the positive effects of being sober? I still go to those parties where the majority of people are wasted, but it does seem to happen much less than when we were younger.

This might be a taboo topic to bring up, but I've also noticed (at least in my group of friends) that the men have started to slow down on the boozing, but the wives continue to really tear it up (including my wife). It's pretty commonplace to see a couple of the women so wasted they have a hard time forming a coherent sentence and stumbling around. I swear I see more wine bottled empty than beer cans....

My wife and I have a couple friends in our group that the wives can flat put it down. They start first thing in the morning with mimosas, switch to bloody Mary’s by 10 or eleven and drink Modelo’s until 1 or 2 in the morning. Wake up, rinse and repeat.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

My wife and I have a couple friends in our group that the wives can flat put it down. They start first thing in the morning with mimosas, switch to bloody Mary’s by 10 or eleven and drink Modelo’s until 1 or 2 in the morning. Wake up, rinse and repeat.

I feel hungover just thinking about that. Just thinking about how I’d feel from doing that is why I stopped. I hate that feeling when you’ve already ruined your day by drinking and it’s still early and you havnt done anything.

Bloated, tired, slow, workout isn’t happening, yard work isn’t happening, nothing is happening, can’t drive anywhere. Nothing to do but drink more.

Horrible.

 

[Customweld]

I feel hungover just thinking about that.

You and I both!

 

[Customweld]

I feel hungover just thinking about that.

You and I both!

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

Hit 4 years sober July 15th. Got married May 1st.

Life's been throwing some heavy curve balls though. Wife had a major cancer scare that needed surgery in June right after my 30th birthday and my dog died a couple weeks ago.

No urges to drink or runaway from the emotions. Just facing life down as it comes.
The bad stuff is part of the journey too.

Didn't draw any tags this year, but hoping to get some time for bear by the end of the month.

"One must imagine Sisyphus happy." - Albert Camus

 

[Yoder]

Sort of off topic but I was looking at some stuff the other day and saw that some of the IPAs I used to chug were like 280 calories each. So a 6 pack is like 1680 calories. Seems insane. I was at a buddies house last night and he drank 8 of those IPAs while we were hanging out.

He was complaining about being out of shape and saying that he can’t sleep without alcohol. I just sort of kept my mouth shut because people need to quit on their own, not when buddies are nagging them.

I did try to tell him that his sleep would probably improve in a week or 2 if he tried it. His solution was that he was going to switch to a nightly whiskey instead of several beers.

I really felt bad/sad for him. He’s a good guy but he’s deep in the trap. Why do some people struggle while others can just walk away??? I pretty much realized that booze wasn’t helping me achieve any of my goals so I just pretty much stopped, I went from drinking Fridays and saturdays to a point where I’ve had one drink in 2025 and that was back in January.

I guess when I decided to leave it behind it wasn’t such a big deal, my workouts improved, I dropped a few lbs, slept better, walked my dogs more, got more done on the weekends etc. my buddy knows it’s hurting him, he knows it’s making him fat and slow and he knows that he’s basically mildly hungover every day, but he keeps thinking of excuses even though he says he wants to quit.

At first it was quitting on June 1, then July 1, then August 1 but that was a weekend so he couldn’t quit then, he just keeps pushing the goal posts back. I just see the excuses again and again. I guess it effects everybody differently.

Some people like to drink. Some people have a drinking problem. Some are full blown alcoholics. I was like your friend. I'm going to say drinking problem. It might be a tough conversation, but maybe you should tell him he really has a problem, if you haven't already. Nobody except for my ex and current wife ever said anything to me and I wish a close friend would have talked to me. I was always encouraged. "You're fine", "You never miss work, you aren't an alcoholic", "I drink as much as you do". After I finally quit, I still had friends arguing with me that I never had a real problem. But I DID!. My one close friend was having a pretty tough time, and he drank even more than I used to. I told him my story, and I told him, I thought he had a problem. Within about six months he finally quit for good. He thanked me later and I was so glad that I said something. If he's a good friend, he will know you are coming from a place of love, not criticism. Just something to consider.

 

[JLH3]

So proud of all the folks in this thread. Keep it up!

I’ve had to switch to NA due to fatty liver disease. My favorite IPAs have been Sam Adam’s Just the Haze and Deschuttes (sp) Fresh Squeezed. Atheltics IPAs aren’t great IMO but their others are solid.

Gave up booze recently. The N/A IPA’s have been a godsend. I do like to drink beer so it’s great to be able to do both. The standard Athletic IPA is pretty good, but they have one called the Tucker on their site that’s really good. And their dark is awesome. I’ll have to try the Fresh Squeezed. Didn’t really like the Sam Adams and the Lauganitus (sp) is awful.

 

[ozyclint]

Hit 4 years sober July 15th. Got married May 1st.

Life's been throwing some heavy curve balls though. Wife had a major cancer scare that needed surgery in June right after my 30th birthday and my dog died a couple weeks ago.

No urges to drink or runaway from the emotions. Just facing life down as it comes.
The bad stuff is part of the journey too. View attachment 918097

Didn't draw any tags this year, but hoping to get some time for bear by the end of the month.

"One must imagine Sisyphus happy." - Albert Camus

DUDE, amazing photo!

 

[(NOP)]

Last week marked my first year alcohol free. I started drinking when I was 13, I'll be 42 here next month. A couple years ago I came to the realization that I hadn't gone more then a week without a drink since high school. I was starting to drink more and more on my own, hangovers were lasting days and I lost all ambition to do the things I enjoyed. What really got to me was the kids starting to say things like "Why are you always drinking beer Dad."

I started by cutting back. First it was a few less drinks during the week, then 2 weeks and then I made it 3 weeks, a month, then 3 months. I just kept trying. Now I barely think about it. I do miss the social aspect of having drinks with friends or co-workers on a Friday night. I guess really don't know how to socialize when not drinking. But everything else is better, sleep, health, work, relationships with my wife and kids, and God.

I still drink NA like alot of people here my two favorites are Blue Moon and Mango Cart.