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I want to quit drinking

Hi,

I am sick of feeling badly and sick of the extra weight.  I was not a drinker but started since my husband is a big drinker, so is him family, and my family of teetotalers is clear across the country.  

Yesterday, I did not drink.  Wow!  I am proud that I made it through one whole day.

Does anybody have any suggestions for me to stay on track?  Has anybody else out there succeeded at this?

Thanks,
La Vida Real
13 Responses
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1475202 tn?1536270977
Kick them all out! ha ha Well I guess you cant do that. It might help to keep a drink in your hand, one that doesn't have alcohol. everyone will have the illusion your drinking and not bring pressure for you to do so.  Also remember everything you have acomplished so far. Though a drink might sound good today how will you feel about your choice tomorrow? There is always going to be times when were tempted but remember your reasons for quitting and prove to yourself you can do this! Stay strong and eat lots! I hope this helps. Happy Thanksgiving!

Randy
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Today has been HARD!  I can't believe how badly I wanted to drink!   But so far...not a drop.  I can finish tonight.  Tomorrow's gonna be hard with a house full of drinkers.  I have so much free time to THINK now that I'm not drinking and my thoughts are a jumbled mess.  I feel anxious and edgy as hell.  How do I avoid the temptation tomorrow when everyone will be drinking...?
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1475202 tn?1536270977
That is awesome!  Stay determined and keep up the great work! It's just one day at a time okay :)

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Day 3 of no drinking begins...

Thanks for the Lexapro tip...I'll look into it.
Helpful - 0
1475202 tn?1536270977
I also deal with anxiety. At one point I was unable to drive because of it. I couldn't go to a movie or take notes during important deparment head meetings. After seeing my doctor I was put on Lexapro. Its and antianxiety medication. It may be something worth discussing with your doctor. It is very effective.

Stay commited to cutting back by atleast on drink per night and eventually you'll reach you goal :)



Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Anxiety is a HUGE problem for me and it always has been.  Drinking too much merely made that worse.  I know what you mean Jillian when you said "we always feed off each others drinking".  It is SO true for me; the more my hubby drinks, the more I want to drink, etc.  And like you are saying Randy, the most difficult times are going to be when I'm around others who are drinking...unfortunately, for me that is every day.  I have started up on some of my hobbies again and this helps to keep my hands busy when others are cracking open beers.  I wish us all a sober and pleasant Thanksgiving!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I hope that your start was a good one! I was able to cut back last night and I actually didn't get drunk, or even feel like I was buzzed. I know that I cannot stop my fiance from drinking and would never even try (I've had experience with trying to get addicts to stop, and they really want to have to do it themselves) but I feel like we always feed off each others drinking. It seems like the more I drink, he drinks and vice versa.
Last night was a little tough but I am proud of myself. I couldn't really sleep well and had a little anxiety. But I got some good sleep this early am; now just wishing I had some energy. I hope you are doing well and keep it up!
Helpful - 0
1475202 tn?1536270977
I think you will find the most temptation is going to be when you are around others that are drinking. This seems to be the case for many alcoholics. Myself I mostly drank at home alone I had one friend that would come by quite often and drink with me. I found that even after I quit it was easy to maintain my sobriety and I think it was because my wife and I have never chose to allow many people in our lives. So even though I was a bad alcoholic I was still home and everything revolved around us.
When I did quit I had 3 1/2 thirty packs of beer sitting in the garage and a bottle of rum in the cupboard. I was scared to quit because it was all I did for the last 20 plus years so by having this alcohol around felt more like a security net for me though I never touched it. Eventually I gave away all the beer, just didn't want it in my house anymore and the rum sits in the cupboard for my wife if on the rare occasion she would like a drink.
Being around others drinking does seem to bother me at all as long as I have a 7-up or coke in a glass that makes me feel like I’m fitting in. It's actually fun to pick on the drunk people and convince them to do goofy stuff they wouldn't normally do he he! That’s just my darker side!
I guess the point I’m trying to make is that in many cases avoid putting yourself in circumstances where you might be more tempted to drink. People that love you will support your goal and be very happy for you not critical of you. Control what type people you allow in your life. it makes it all easier on you. Eventually you will reach a point that there is just no way you are going to be willing to give up the wonderful new life you have made for yourself that drinking would destroy.
People that are not alcoholics have no problems having a few drinks and a good time during the holidays. The holidays are not all about turning it into a party like us alcoholics seem to like to do with everything. It's a celebration of family coming together and spending time with your loved ones. Make your loved ones proud and happy for you!
The longer you remain sober you will begin to feel much more energetic, smarter, look healthier and most important much more confident. Now when I speak to someone it is no problem to look them in the eye and tell them what i think, I am ready for any challenge. I don’t question my thoughts or behavior anymore. Well some days are difficult with the health stuff.

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Avatar universal
Wow! Randy that REALLY is a fire under your a**!  You are ten years younger than me, and that is a serious consequence from heavy drinking for such a young person.  Congratulations for taking that seriously and getting sober.  Perhaps you can give some good "getting through the holidays" tips for that....?  

A Moment of Truth: "Oh no! If I quit drinking what will I do when I take Sue (an employee) to dinner?  I really don't relate to her at all, and drinking with dinner makes her easier for me to hang out with..."! I'm afraid I will be having a lot more uncomfortable "moments of truth" the longer I am sober...Did you find that to be the case Randy?

Jillian, I really feel for you.  My husband is a BIG drinker and the temptation is going to be really hard for me.  Also, if I come right out and say "I'm gonna quit drinking"  he will ignore the statement, and order me a drink at dinner!  I have actually had the willpower at times to let it sit, and he usually drinks it...but that is getting harder.  Today I am going to make dinner so when he comes home we will have no reason to go out.  Our kids are grown so this has become a bad habit for us.  Wish me luck - FOR TODAY!

La Vida Real
Helpful - 0
1475202 tn?1536270977
Many people have been successful doing it this way but of corse I would never want anything to happen to anyone so that is why I must put emphasis on the correct way of doing it. Personally I chose to taper back and stop once i know I had this under control. I went from 23 beers a day to zero and the only withdrawals I ever had was a fever at night while sleeping. I think I was really lucky since do to some health issues it was critical for me to stop as quickly as i could. At the age of 38 I was diagnosed with end stage cirrhosis, that lit a fire under my a**! lmao Gave me just the motivation I needed! Now I love being sober. I say this a lot but "there really is good in every bad, you just have to find it".

Jillian you should know that if your fiance is ready to quit drinking don't expect he will because you showed him you did. It has got to be something you want for yourself also.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for the words of support!  

I'm not a heavy drinker but I am a daily drinker, and always feel like crap the next day.  For me cold turkey should be ok as I recently had a full physical and am healthy.  I do not want to drink today.  I prefer this method to a face-to-face meeting with strangers.  For me...it will be difficult to say "no thank you" to my husband, and I am looking for the strength to do that every day.  Also, I love my husband and don't want to share this problem face-to-face with strangers, or with our close friends or family.  I want to respect his and our privacy.  This is why I chose an internet forum.  But I REALLY want to quit.  I know I can stay sober today.  Just reading other folks posts about their ability to overcome this problem is going to give me great strength.

La Vida Real ;)
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Avatar universal
Hi,

I am in the same position. I have decided I want to quit drinking but am scared about the symptoms of withdrawing. Randy, I find your answer helpful; I have read other posts from people saying to taper down. I hope I am successful at this and I hope you are too La Vida Real. My fiance won't stop, so maybe if I can, he will too.

Jillian
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1475202 tn?1536270977
Congratulations on your new found sobriety and welcome to MedHelp!

One thing many people do to stay on track is keep coming here to talk about how your progress is going and to find support. There are many people here that have already been through the same thing you’re going through myself included. It's been a little more than 600 days for me.

Many people use AA as a tool since there you will find the same sort of thing as you do here (I think, I've never been) except it's more personal since you get to meet the people that are striving towards the same goal as you.

Since you didn't mention how much you normally drink I should warn you that it can be dangerous to you to stop drinking without medical supervision. It's possible that for some individuals (extremely heavy drinkers) seizures may occur and in rare cases even death. Few people will advise any other method. However I will advise to taper back before quitting cold turkey can be much safer.

I drank for 20 years and now that I’m sober I wouldn't trade it for anything! Life looks a lot better through sober eyes and if it don't, then it's time to change what you don't like. Otherwise life will pass you by and you'll spend every day in that drunken haze where everything is just barely tolerable. Keep being strong and enjoy your new life! I'll be hoping the best for you and looking forward to your next post!

Randy
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