Quitting Alcohol

[ChrisD]

Hanging out with drunks can show ya what not to be like. But, being a little more careful and hanging out with people that want the best for you, and that model good behavior could be helpful too. Misery loves company, and I had friends that were “bothered” by me quitting. Not all of them, but a few. Gradually, those friendships faded. The ones that weren’t bothered have remained great friends. I got selective with who I hung out with.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Hanging out with drunks can show ya what not to be like. But, being a little more careful and hanging out with people that want the best for you, and that model good behavior could be helpful too. Misery loves company, and I had friends that were “bothered” by me quitting. Not all of them, but a few. Gradually, those friendships faded. The ones that weren’t bothered have remained great friends. I got selective with who I hung out with.

I haven't had any friends pressure me but at the same time, I haven't inspired any friends to the point that they are changing. One of my good buddies talks about it but there’s always some excuse why he didn’t quit like he said. I don’t want to nag him or act better than him so I just let it rest. He’s a good dude but I can see the booze chipping away at him.

 

[Cantshoot]

Hanging out with drunks can show ya what not to be like. But, being a little more careful and hanging out with people that want the best for you, and that model good behavior could be helpful too. Misery loves company, and I had friends that were “bothered” by me quitting. Not all of them, but a few. Gradually, those friendships faded. The ones that weren’t bothered have remained great friends. I got selective with who I hung out with.

A lot of those guys no matter how good of friends, inside they want to see you fail and not be able to stop. For some people it’s very intimidating and brings pressure on them from their families to look at themselves. I don’t miss any of it or the “friends” I lost.

 

[Snowwolfe]

I sincerely hope that many of you that quit turn your energy back into your family. Alcohol robbed me from having a father and grandfather in my life growing up. He was there, but the most important thing he could do every day was to spend time at a bar getting loaded with his friends.
Your kids will never ever forgot how they were raised or the time you spent with them.

 

[whaack]

Thought I’d add to the thread. Gave up alcohol as part of a fast last year. Turned into a basically permanent fast. I’ll very occasionally have a bourbon, but I now feel better, sleep better and think better. The sleep thing was huge for me. I haven’t slept well in 20 years and I’m now convinced it’s been due to alcohol consumption this whole time.

 

[Kroach]

Posted on this a while ago but thought I'd check back in. Coming up on 14 years sober and couldn't imagine life any other way at this point. Some of the recent posts about friends from drinking reminds me of a lot of friends I used to have. When I quit I completely had to change people, places, and things. Through the early years I would meet up sometimes with my drinking buddies but never at a bar to catch up. As the years progressed there was just less and less that were commonalities between us and communication has faded to nothing pretty much.

Now it seems that I don't have as many "friends" as I did when I was drinking, but the ones I do have share common life goals. Family, career, hobbies, etc. These friends have helped build me up and push me to be better in about every aspect of life. When I happen to see old friends it seems that they are stuck in time. Rocky relationships, dead end jobs, absent families.

I don't push my lifestyle on anyone but sometimes wish it would influence them. I do believe though that my choices had has an affect on other people, some of who have stayed sober for several years.


It just makes me thankful I "sacrificed" at the beginning of sobriety and learned enough to be able to maintain it and grow into it and the man I am today.

 

[Amos Keeto]

Spent a good portion of my young adult (18-28) life at the trough of alcoholic ignorance and poor judgement.
Sad part? I dislike* the taste of alcoholic beverages. I drank because everybody else did.
If I had a nickel back out of every dollar $ I spent on/because of alcohol, I may not be rich, but I'd be a helluva lot better off! LOL!

* - don't "savor"? I "can" drink, it's just a flavor I can easily turn down. Alcohol isn't a desire.

 

[LFC911]

Spent a good portion of my young adult (18-28) life at the trough of alcoholic ignorance and poor judgement.
Sad part? I dislike* the taste of alcoholic beverages. I drank because everybody else did.
If I had a nickel back out of every dollar $ I spent on/because of alcohol, I may not be rich, but I'd be a helluva lot better off! LOL!

* - don't "savor"? I "can" drink, it's just a flavor I can easily turn down. Alcohol isn't a desire.

you realized it sooner than most...try 18-56 lol