Quitting Alcohol

[LuvsFixedBlades]

I read every post of these 30+ pages last week, which inspired me to give it a try, cold turkey. Not saying I quit drinking but I haven't had any alcohol for over a week now. I wanted to give it at least a week to post this something because i couldn't believe i would make it this long. It was nothing for me to go drink 6-8 beers an evening and be fully functioning the next day...I guess you would say I am a functioning alcoholic. I would like to be able to have a beer or two at a concert, ballgame, wedding, etc... but like many have said before me, once I start I can't stop.

I listened to the Andrew Huberman podcast on alcohol and also downloaded Alcohol Explained and about a quarter through the 36 chapter audio book.

My mom abused prescription drugs and died at 54 (I'm 55, so I made it past that milestone). My dad smoked pot and drank, I would guess a 12+ pack of beer daily and died of throat cancer at 71.

I think of drinking in the evenings, while cooking dinner or after i mow the grass. It would be nice to have a cold one and have found a way not to drink for the past week. I have hard liquor in the house but not really tempted by that but I love the taste of beer. I did get a 12'er of Heineken 0.0 and drank a few of those when the urge hit me but don't really care for the taste. I have tried the Athletic brews in the past and the Coors Edge and like those better.

My goal at this point is to take it day by day. I think of elk hunting every hour, so you could say I'm obsessed with that and that is what drives me to get healthier. I want to be here for my family and hunting friends as long as possible and still hunting/hitting the mountains in my 60's and hopefully into my 70's.

I will check in here periodically and read everyone's post and glad to say I've joined the party.

Congratulations!

Everything you just said might as well have been me, too.

I stopped cold turkey on 2/10/20.

There have been times I really wanted a drink. Like you say, after working outside all day in the summer, or on vacation, it's harder.

I guess one thing that helps me is looking at it in the mindset of a competition. Every day, month, year I get to beat the "me" of yesterday and "brag" to people about it when they ask why I'm not drinking. If I screw up, that's over, and a thousand days lost in the fight. It could just be I'm a stubborn bastard, who knows.

Drinking lots of water and leaning into working out hard will do you wonders. Especially in the beginning. You might get a little pissy as well, so its not a bad idea to let those around you know what you are doing.

It sounds like there are plenty of people on here to talk to about it. If you need one more, feel free to PM me. Welcome to the club.

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

I did the same thing brother. Saw this thread and went 8 months last year. Felt amazing. Had a couple beers after shooting a buck and next thing I know I’m back to smashing em nightly. Swore it off for good the beginning of the year. This time I knew it was for good. Stay strong man, it’s worth it waking up with a clear mind everyday.

I did this for years.

I never really fully committed to it until a little before I started this thread.

One thing I like that I've heard from others in recovery. You don't lose the lessons you learned. You just choose to step back on that better path.

Once I saw how much better this trail is. It was a pretty easy choice to keep walking it.

 

[Rob5589]

I'm still one beer a week on pizza night maybe half the time. Bought a 6 pk last week and my son asked me why I was buying it because it just takes up room in the fridge and that I don't even drink it. Figured that was a good sign

 

[Billogna]

I'm still one beer a week on pizza night maybe half the time. Bought a 6 pk last week and my son asked me why I was buying it because it just takes up room in the fridge and that I don't even drink it. Figured that was a good sign

I've got some I'm gonna have to blow the dust off of too if I ever drink em. They used to be the FIRST thing I looked for.....I don't even notice them anymore.

 

[.222Savage]

Appreciate these thoughts. Know I'd be better without it, but enjoy the "relax" button.

 

[lak2004]

I've been sober for 6 weeks, longest I haven't drank in a long time. I'm 37 and have high blood pressure and didn't want to go on meds. My 3 yr old son constantly wanted to stop at the LQ store so he could get a lollipop while dad got beer. I don't need my kids growing up watching their dad being an idiot and drinking daily like I did. Good on all of you for quitting for any amount of time. It hasn't been easy but my body has been feeling better everyday for it (though I have been feeling like I can't kick a cold the whole time, wondering if my body is in shock).

I'm not sure I'll quit forever but I won't have a drink again until I drop my beer belly (I've lost 8 lbs in 6 weeks just from cutting the calories) and can control myself (ie have 1 beer instead a 6 pack).

Thanks for the motivation!

 

[Duh]

Appreciate these thoughts. Know I'd be better without it, but enjoy the "relax" button.

I found it relaxing that I spend a considerable
amount less money on booze and divert that money into stuff I love, like reloading and shooting.

Would rather spend the night and early mornings reloading ammo, shooting the bow, and getting out of the house. Find that I’m so much more relaxed and don’t feel like I’ve waisted my coveted down time anymore.

I recently switched from a job where I was on call for months on end, working 60-70 hours a week, and when I finally did get a couple down days to relax, I drank it away. I really regret that lost time in my life.

I by no means am a seasoned sober person at this time but the times I have been sober have been the most relaxed I’ve been since
I was 18 years old.

 

[Billogna]

Appreciate these thoughts. Know I'd be better without it, but enjoy the "relax" button.

Funny thing about that "relax button". In my case, what I learned was that the cure was causing the disease. Most times I "needed" that first beer to take the edge off. But the edge was actually caused by the beers the night before. Fogginess, stress, and worry all caused by alcohol and chasing that "fix" once I got home. Once my body adjusted I had NO problem at all being relaxed as soon as I hit my front door r pouring myself into activities I'd normally be too buzzed to attempt.. Not saying this pertains to you at all. Your post just kind of made me remember this! So thank you!!

 

[Z71&Gun]

One thing I'll add... take note of any prior activities where you drank and if you find that old feeling creeping in, find a positive substitute. An example: I cook like crazy, and back in the day, I would always have an old fashioned or something while I cooked. Having a drink became part of cooking. I didn't realize how tied the two were until I realized one day when I was cooking I was like "I could use a drink." It suddenly hit me that drinking had become a part of cooking and cooking became a trigger to want a drink. I found a suitable substitute (soda water and lime) and now when I cook, the first thing I do is make a big old glass of soda water and lime and off I go. I would bet there are certain triggers that start the dopamine drip and make you crave a drink.

One unexpected benefit to me of quitting I found is that my digestion is much better. As I got older, any booze would practically halt digestion and all that great food I cooked just sat like a rock in my gut. Nowadays, not so much.

Oh man. Grilling, golf, yard work, sitting by a fire, the list goes on. Arnold palmers on ice is a good sub. The Arizona ones are cheap, the caffein triggers some dopamine, and they're fkn delicious. Also cigars.

 

[ODB]

Have a good (and sober) Independence Day tomorrow fellas.

 

[Customweld]

Have a good (and sober) Independence Day tomorrow fellas.

Looking forward to it! Best of luck to all!

 

[Duckhunter14]

Happy 4th men! Planning on burning a cigar nice and slow with a bubble water. My guts and my head thanks me without the booze.

 

[ChrisA]

Turning 50 tomorrow, and will be down 21 lbs after 53 days booze free. No usual birthday hangover for me on the 5th!

 

[bojangles808]

If you don;t want to drink beer this summer those spindrift bubble waters are damn refreshing try the raspberry and lime.

 

[Kilboars]

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[Kilboars]

Happy Independence Day America


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[LFC911]

Still on the wagon, ran 4 miles this morning, knee doesn't hurt like it usually does. I'm guessing part of the pain was inflammation from drinking alcohol?!? I also drink my share of bubbly waters...just curious if anyone has tried the soda stream or other ways to "brew" your own carbonated waters?

 

[CRJR45]

Still on the wagon, ran 4 miles this morning, knee doesn't hurt like it usually does. I'm guessing part of the pain was inflammation from drinking alcohol?!? I also drink my share of bubbly waters...just curious if anyone has tried the soda stream or other ways to "brew" your own carbonated waters?

Never tried the soda stream , but I was a big diet coke drinker for awhile . It was messing me up in ways I didn't realize until I quit drinking it , the Aspartame . Aches and joint pain .
Now it is just coffee and Iced Tea for me , no sugar .
Glad you are still on the wagon .

 

[khart_6882]

Hadn’t drank since March 7th, and I usually bring some Busch NA’s to softball games. For whatever reason last night I decided to crack open a coors light during a softball game. 1 beer and I had a slight buzz going! Standing there in left field hoping the ball doesn’t get hit to me.
Of course that wasn’t enough, I had to have another one throughout the game then 3 more in the parking lot after the game for a grand total of 5 light beers.
Im sitting here drinking my morning coffee with a minor headache, minor cotton mouth and I feel as bloated as a dead horse in a summer field. It’s hard to believe this is how I used to feel EVERY SINGLE MORNING. And I never thought twice about it I guess.
In a way I’m glad I had a few cold ones last night because it was enough to remind me that I don’t need to nor do I want to drink anymore.
From age 18-34 I put in a pretty good shift of drinking 2-6 beers every night and then getting completely obliterated Friday and Saturday night, so I guess I’m due for a break.
I do have a question for you guys tho, does anyone else feel guilty about their years spent in a booze filled cloud? Im not talking about the dumb things done while drunk because that’s an entirely different tangent. I’ve been working out hard, eating great, and more focused on hunting than I’ve ever been since I stopped drinking, but all I can think of is that I wasted the prime of my life (age 18-34) being drunk or hungover. Maybe it’s just me, makes me feel like I completely wasted half my life.


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[schmalzy]

Hadn’t drank since March 7th, and I usually bring some Busch NA’s to softball games. For whatever reason last night I decided to crack open a coors light during a softball game. 1 beer and I had a slight buzz going! Standing there in left field hoping the ball doesn’t get hit to me.
Of course that wasn’t enough, I had to have another one throughout the game then 3 more in the parking lot after the game for a grand total of 5 light beers.
Im sitting here drinking my morning coffee with a minor headache, minor cotton mouth and I feel as bloated as a dead horse in a summer field. It’s hard to believe this is how I used to feel EVERY SINGLE MORNING. And I never thought twice about it I guess.
In a way I’m glad I had a few cold ones last night because it was enough to remind me that I don’t need to nor do I want to drink anymore.
From age 18-34 I put in a pretty good shift of drinking 2-6 beers every night and then getting completely obliterated Friday and Saturday night, so I guess I’m due for a break.
I do have a question for you guys tho, does anyone else feel guilty about their years spent in a booze filled cloud? Im not talking about the dumb things done while drunk because that’s an entirely different tangent. I’ve been working out hard, eating great, and more focused on hunting than I’ve ever been since I stopped drinking, but all I can think of is that I wasted the prime of my life (age 18-34) being drunk or hungover. Maybe it’s just me, makes me feel like I completely wasted half my life.


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Yes, I definitely experienced the guilt/regret and occasionally still do. I’m roughly same age and put it down when I was 33. I use it as motivation to go all in and not take for granted the second (more like 11th) chance I’ve gotten.

I guess I’m trying to say, don’t live looking in the rear view but if you ever start feeling sorry for yourself or want to wuss out on something remember it and max it out today.


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