Quitting Alcohol

[OregonSteeler]

I’ve ate good, and worked out hard just about my entire life which I’m still doing.


Staying asleep is my main issue right now I believe. Lack of sleep is compounding what
would otherwise be minor inconveniences.

I had a sleep study, no sleep apnea.

Caffeine can be an issue here. I know I had to slow down on the soda drinking when I quit alcohol. Has you caffeine intake gone up?

 

[DroptineDC18]

Have you been to a bar when everyone is hammered and you're sober? You quickly realize how stupid and annoying everyone is when they are drunk. I think drinking gets romanticized. Everyone thinks they are more funny or charming. In reality they just act like more of an ass.

18 months now as well. And your observations are spot on. I fully realize and am an embarrassed of how I acted when drinking.

 

[ssgjpd]

18 months now as well. And your observations are spot on. I fully realize and am an embarrassed of how I acted when drinking.

Well done. keep it up.

 

[Tenstrike]

If you are considering sobriety or in the early stages of sobriety, I would highly recommend reading the book "Alcohol Explained" by William Porter. I believe the majority of drinkers will recognize themselves in many of the patterns of behavior and thoughts around the subject of alcohol explained in the book and possibly provide added motivation to leave alcohol behind.

 

[KenLee]

Congrats man. I'm on the same time frame as you. This is the longest I've been sober in 10 years.

My drinking simmered down when my wife gave birth to our son at the end of last year, but I came home far too drunk one night and decided that was enough.

I went into a pretty bad spot with depression, a newborn, work, etc., and had to seek help. I wound up on meds for depression/anxiety. Didn't feel great getting prescribed those, but man they've helped a lot and helped keep me away from the bottle.

I tried SSRI meds once when off the bottle. The joint pain they caused for me was horrendous. Like gout all over my body.

 

[doc holiday13]

Caffeine can be an issue here. I know I had to slow down on the soda drinking when I quit alcohol. Has you caffeine intake gone up?

Caffeine can be a big marker, but it could also be time elapse between last meal and bedtime OR his mattress could be a pile of .

Mattress and pillow makes a huge difference in sleep quality

 

[ben h]

I’ve ate good, and worked out hard just about my entire life which I’m still doing.


Staying asleep is my main issue right now I believe. Lack of sleep is compounding what
would otherwise be minor inconveniences.

I had a sleep study, no sleep apnea.

I also had trouble with sleep. When I was in rehab I got prescribed Trazadone which made a world of difference for me. At first I was reluctant to use "drugs" for a problem which I now find ironic that I thought this considering I was a drug addict (alcohol).

 

[BowBaboon]

Draw the will to exchange and divert energy. The money I saved has me going on a hunt I would have decided was out of reach previously. Decided?, BS i would have excused myself and made up crap to further my habit, pickling into oblivion.

Man, I totally agree. I've been able to save enough money to further my archery habit and have started kicking around getting a rifle (I'm not much of a rifle hunter).

When I think back on the thousands of dollars I've spent in liquor stores, bars, etc., I cringe at what I could've done with that cash.

 

[KenLee]

I also had trouble with sleep. When I was in rehab I got prescribed Trazadone which made a world of difference for me. At first I was reluctant to use "drugs" for a problem which I now find ironic that I thought this considering I was a drug addict (alcohol).

Trazadone lets me sleep 2 hours a night vs none without. After about a week, there is no morning "hangover" like many sleeping pills cause. Apparently decades of basically passing out makes your body forget how to turn off on its own.

 

[renegade0323]

u got this brotha!

 

[Wolf13]

I stopped 9 months ago due to some non alcohol influenced health concerns. Eating better and still not drinking though health per the doctor hasn’t improved. Overall I still don't miss it especially the time/money spent doing it. That was actually one of the bigger drivers for me was sitting back and realizing no matter what I did with friends or the SO drinking was involved. Not necessarily a lot, but it was always there and it bothered me. We used to do things without alcohol or sitting inside all the time, let’s get back to that. I do think the Covid debacle pushed a lot of people to drink more. Maybe 4 months in I stopped even thinking about not drinking, there is no decision to make it’s now just what I do.

I definitely have not seen the benefits many do, but I haven’t had a desire to drink much. No awkward moments and everyone respects the decision without a second thought.

 

[BowBaboon]

I tried SSRI meds once when off the bottle. The joint pain they caused for me was horrendous. Like gout all over my body.

That's interesting. I was diagnosed with chronic pain about 18 years ago, so I may not be able to tell the difference between what's "normal" for me vs. what's possibly being caused by the meds.

Ultimately, I think the chronic pain is what caused me to start drinking in the first place.

 

[BowBaboon]

Maybe 4 months in I stopped even thinking about not drinking, there is no decision to make it’s now just what I do.

I'm glad to hear that this can happen. I've been worried that I'll always have it in the back of my mind.

I quit chewing Copenhagen a few years ago and stuck with the little nicotine pouches. They certainly help, but there's not a day that goes by that I don't consider picking up Copenhagen again.

 

[Wolf13]

I'm glad to hear that this can happen. I've been worried that I'll always have it in the back of my mind.

I quit chewing Copenhagen a few years ago and stuck with the little nicotine pouches. They certainly help, but there's not a day that goes by that I don't consider picking up Copenhagen again.

I do think everyone is different. For me it was habit and enjoying the taste. I switched to a soda stream with bitters and that does it for me. Maybe once a month I am enjoying a meal and for half a second think enjoying some wine would be nice then just move on. I guess it’s also different because I am not worried about having a drink if I really want one. It isn’t forbidden fruit so to speak.

I do not like to lose/quit, so in the beginning it was about winning: just say no. Now it’s a habit to not even think about it. Did the same thing with my diet (reduction in meat/carbs) and that has been significantly harder. Even the diet change though has become my “norm”. What they say about habits being formed in 30-60 days is true. I can pass up a manhattan no problem, but a bacon cheeseburger and fries… harder to hold myself accountable.

 

[robtattoo]

I'm not sure if anyone else does, did, or is doing this; but when i first quit I put all my weekly whiskey money into a tin. I stopped saving after 2 years, but if I'm ever thinking or feeling stressed or aggravated to the point of maybe having a sip, I thought that having something concrete & real as a token of sobriety to look at, would help.
Luckily, that hasn't happened yet, but I'm not about to say "never".....

Here's what not drinking has paid for:
Rifle, stock & scope!


Also: 2 years, 4 months & 2 days today.

 

[BowBaboon]

I do think everyone is different. For me it was habit and enjoying the taste. I switched to a soda stream with bitters and that does it for me. Maybe once a month I am enjoying a meal and for half a second think enjoying some wine would be nice then just move on. I guess it’s also different because I am not worried about having a drink if I really want one. It isn’t forbidden fruit so to speak.

I found that having something to replace the alcohol when I'm in social situations definitely helps. Lots of sparkling water for me!

 

[Yoder]

I'm glad to hear that this can happen. I've been worried that I'll always have it in the back of my mind.

I quit chewing Copenhagen a few years ago and stuck with the little nicotine pouches. They certainly help, but there's not a day that goes by that I don't consider picking up Copenhagen again.

When I first stopped drinking, I thought it was completely impossible to never drink again. I went to AA off and on for a few months. The best thing I learned there was you only have to worry about today. I can suffer through just about anything for a day. Worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. Eventually you won't even care about it anymore.

 

[Amos Keeto]

Stick with it , it'll get better .

Hard to reverse years of abuse in 3 months time!
Don't give up now!

 

[hunt1up]

Have you been to a bar when everyone is hammered and you're sober? You quickly realize how stupid and annoying everyone is when they are drunk. I think drinking gets romanticized. Everyone thinks they are more funny or charming. In reality they just act like more of an ass.

Oh yeah. I’m around heaving drinking all the time. Most everyone I know is a heavy drinker. If I wasn’t around drinking I’d have no friends around here. When I’m around it, it just seems silly. I used to be one of the guys that would stay around drinking til the last man. Now if I’m at an event, but about 8-9PM I’m ready to leave and happily do.

 

[Solowhunter]

I'm 52 and have been a beer only drinker since I was in my teens. I'm also a solo backpack hiker and hunter and have proven to myself that if I'm not at least 2 days sober I am not able to mentally grind out the extended hikes and multi day overnight trips (5 to 12-mile day hikes and 10 days solo is my longest). Just this last year I backpacked my entire camp (+-40 lbs) and a "deboned" buck out 7 miles in 1 trip.......... if not sober that would be a mental and physical challenge.

Seldom do I leave a vehicle at a trailhead; I get dropped off and then when I'm ready to come out I send an InReach message to my ride with a place/time............... there's been many an InReach message that read pick me up here and "BRING COLD BEER"! I can't imagine getting home after an extended trip around home or out of state and not celebrating my kill with a cold beer while I'm boiling its skull in the yard!

There's no doubt that the sober life has positive mental and physical qualities, I have yet to conquer the craving that comes with accomplishments............. If your headed down that path good luck and health to you for you won't regret it.