Alcoholism Recovery - Just stopped drinking

Author

Just stopped drinking

Matt

2005-08-13, 8:46 am

Hi everyone. I'm 22 years old, and for the last two years I've been drinking
about a fifth of 80 proof liquor every night, often times more. There havn't
been any negative physical effects, as far as I don't get hangovers, and I
don't do anything incredibly stupid, and I don't go out and drink, so I
don't have to drive. Its just really gotten out of control how much I've
been drinking.

So I've decided I have to stop for the sake of my body and mind. I know its
gonna cause very serious health issues for me later in life if I keep doing
what I have been. And I'm really a different person when I drink, and I just
don't like it. And I've gained a considerable amount of weight, and I really
want to lose it. So my other addiction being the internet, I decided to look
up a newsgroup.

I drink for a lot of reasons. Because I love the taste, because it passes
the time, because it makes me sleep better, because it makes me forget about
things I should be worrying about....

So I just wanted to introduce myself, and I hope to get to know some of you
who are going through the same sort of thing.

Sam

2005-08-13, 8:46 am

Matt wrote:
> Hi everyone. I'm 22 years old, and for the last two years I've been drinking
> about a fifth of 80 proof liquor every night, often times more. There havn't
> been any negative physical effects, as far as I don't get hangovers, and I
> don't do anything incredibly stupid, and I don't go out and drink, so I
> don't have to drive. Its just really gotten out of control how much I've
> been drinking.
>
> So I've decided I have to stop for the sake of my body and mind. I know its
> gonna cause very serious health issues for me later in life if I keep doing
> what I have been. And I'm really a different person when I drink, and I just
> don't like it. And I've gained a considerable amount of weight, and I really
> want to lose it. So my other addiction being the internet, I decided to look
> up a newsgroup.
>
> I drink for a lot of reasons. Because I love the taste, because it passes
> the time, because it makes me sleep better, because it makes me forget about
> things I should be worrying about....
>
> So I just wanted to introduce myself, and I hope to get to know some of you
> who are going through the same sort of thing.
>
>
>
>
Welcome aboard.
I can relate to allot of your reasons for drinking, and even a couple
of more: anger over others, life's disappointments, expectations never
met.

I'd take a walk today to get away from the computer too.
Staying sober means changing life patterns to a certain degree.

Bobby L

2005-08-13, 11:46 am

"Matt" <nothingisworking@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:AOeLe.3180$rR4.1076@trnddc08...
> Hi everyone. I'm 22 years old, and for the last two years I've been
drinking
> about a fifth of 80 proof liquor every night, often times more. There
havn't
> been any negative physical effects, as far as I don't get hangovers, and I
> don't do anything incredibly stupid, and I don't go out and drink, so I
> don't have to drive. Its just really gotten out of control how much I've
> been drinking.
>
> So I've decided I have to stop for the sake of my body and mind. I know
its
> gonna cause very serious health issues for me later in life if I keep
doing
> what I have been. And I'm really a different person when I drink, and I
just
> don't like it. And I've gained a considerable amount of weight, and I
really
> want to lose it. So my other addiction being the internet, I decided to
look
> up a newsgroup.
>
> I drink for a lot of reasons. Because I love the taste, because it passes
> the time, because it makes me sleep better, because it makes me forget
about
> things I should be worrying about....
>
> So I just wanted to introduce myself, and I hope to get to know some of
you
> who are going through the same sort of thing.
>
>
>
>

It's less about how much and more about how.

Bobby L

Matt

2005-08-13, 11:46 am

"Bobby L" <bobbyl2000@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:45nLe.8511$XL3.5582@bignews3.bellsouth.net...

>
> It's less about how much and more about how.
>
> Bobby L
>

Yeah, I guess it really is. And I would fall into the category of how I
drink being pretty dangerous. I mean when I'm thinking from the time I wake
up in the morning until the time I get off work how much I can't wait to
drink, and then I drink to an incredible excess, every night, that's just
not normal. Just because I go to work every day and my drinking hasn't
affected my personal life yet doesn't mean it won't in the future.

And to Sam, thanks for the encouragement. And I'm not literally addicted to
the internet, its just a wealth of fascinating knowledge that I enjoy. And I
usually watched TV when I drank, so using the internet actually is a bit of
a change in habit. But I do plan on replacing the time I spent drinking with
some other hobby, I just havn't decided exactly what yet. What did you guys
do with the time you used to spend drinking?

Tonight will be 72 hours without drinking, and I really feel quite a bit
better already. I actually managed to get up and go skateboarding this
morning. I've been skating for 16 years, and the last couple of years its
been very rare that I've actually worked up the energy to get up and
actually go maybe once or twice a month. I just feel like I have a lot more
energy, and balance.

stuart

2005-08-13, 11:46 am

Matt <nothingisworking@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:LsnLe.2161$Xw5.1492@trnddc02...
>
> "Bobby L" <bobbyl2000@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
> news:45nLe.8511$XL3.5582@bignews3.bellsouth.net...
>
>
> Yeah, I guess it really is. And I would fall into the category of how I
> drink being pretty dangerous. I mean when I'm thinking from the time I
wake
> up in the morning until the time I get off work how much I can't wait to
> drink, and then I drink to an incredible excess, every night, that's just
> not normal. Just because I go to work every day and my drinking hasn't
> affected my personal life yet doesn't mean it won't in the future.
>
> And to Sam, thanks for the encouragement. And I'm not literally addicted
to
> the internet, its just a wealth of fascinating knowledge that I enjoy. And
I
> usually watched TV when I drank, so using the internet actually is a bit
of
> a change in habit. But I do plan on replacing the time I spent drinking
with
> some other hobby, I just havn't decided exactly what yet. What did you
guys
> do with the time you used to spend drinking?
>
> Tonight will be 72 hours without drinking, and I really feel quite a bit
> better already. I actually managed to get up and go skateboarding this
> morning. I've been skating for 16 years, and the last couple of years its
> been very rare that I've actually worked up the energy to get up and
> actually go maybe once or twice a month. I just feel like I have a lot
more
> energy, and balance.

Tons and tons of stuff to do when you don't drink. You have more money, and
generally, sober people earn more money. You'll be able to afford a nicer
car, a boat, an RV or something like that. Hey go bowling, fishing, bike
riding, skiing, boarding.
Did I mention sports? Games? cards? clubs of all kinds? speaking of clubs,
hows about golf?
Think you might be able to afford flying lessons? Betcha could if you wanted
to one day.
Sky's the limit., man...

Gregg Fowler

2005-08-13, 11:46 am

Matt wrote:
> "Bobby L" <bobbyl2000@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
> news:45nLe.8511$XL3.5582@bignews3.bellsouth.net...
>
>
>
>
> Yeah, I guess it really is. And I would fall into the category of how I
> drink being pretty dangerous. I mean when I'm thinking from the time I wake
> up in the morning until the time I get off work how much I can't wait to
> drink, and then I drink to an incredible excess, every night, that's just
> not normal. Just because I go to work every day and my drinking hasn't
> affected my personal life yet doesn't mean it won't in the future.

Hey Matt,

As far as affecting your personal life, if you were daily drinking the
amount you stated, did you even have a personal life? We tend to see
drinking as being the norm and not having an effect on other things. If
we constantly think about it when not doing it and the only do that when
we have an opportunity, then drinking is in fact everything. It isn't
really affecting our life, because it is our life. Changing this
lifestyle and living is really a tough thing to do. Give it all you've
got, make plans for a real life and follow through. It is worth it.

Gregg

>
> And to Sam, thanks for the encouragement. And I'm not literally addicted to
> the internet, its just a wealth of fascinating knowledge that I enjoy. And I
> usually watched TV when I drank, so using the internet actually is a bit of
> a change in habit. But I do plan on replacing the time I spent drinking with
> some other hobby, I just havn't decided exactly what yet. What did you guys
> do with the time you used to spend drinking?
>
> Tonight will be 72 hours without drinking, and I really feel quite a bit
> better already. I actually managed to get up and go skateboarding this
> morning. I've been skating for 16 years, and the last couple of years its
> been very rare that I've actually worked up the energy to get up and
> actually go maybe once or twice a month. I just feel like I have a lot more
> energy, and balance.
>
>

Darren

2005-08-13, 5:46 pm

"Matt" <nothingisworking@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:AOeLe.3180$rR4.1076@trnddc08...
> Hi everyone. I'm 22 years old, and for the last two years I've been
drinking
> about a fifth of 80 proof liquor every night, often times more. There
havn't
> been any negative physical effects, as far as I don't get hangovers, and I
> don't do anything incredibly stupid, and I don't go out and drink, so I
> don't have to drive. Its just really gotten out of control how much I've
> been drinking.
>
> So I've decided I have to stop for the sake of my body and mind. I know
its
> gonna cause very serious health issues for me later in life if I keep
doing
> what I have been. And I'm really a different person when I drink, and I
just
> don't like it. And I've gained a considerable amount of weight, and I
really
> want to lose it. So my other addiction being the internet, I decided to
look
> up a newsgroup.
>
> I drink for a lot of reasons. Because I love the taste, because it passes
> the time, because it makes me sleep better, because it makes me forget
about
> things I should be worrying about....
>
> So I just wanted to introduce myself, and I hope to get to know some of
you
> who are going through the same sort of thing.
>
>
Eventually it would have been inevitable that you suffer physical effects
but you quit while you are ahead. good for you and welcome

Darren
>
>

Matt

2005-08-13, 5:46 pm

"Gregg Fowler" <totfitNOSPAM@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:pqSdnQmkgdWYhGPfRVn-tg@comcast.com...
> Matt wrote:
> Hey Matt,
>
> As far as affecting your personal life, if you were daily drinking the
> amount you stated, did you even have a personal life? We tend to see
> drinking as being the norm and not having an effect on other things. If
> we constantly think about it when not doing it and the only do that when
> we have an opportunity, then drinking is in fact everything. It isn't
> really affecting our life, because it is our life. Changing this
> lifestyle and living is really a tough thing to do. Give it all you've
> got, make plans for a real life and follow through. It is worth it.
>
> Gregg

That's actually a really great point. I don't have a whole lot of a personal
life, but I have as much of one as I desire. I get along with people very
easily, and I'm a very well liked person, but I really don't want but a few
people to get close to me. So you're right, there isn't very much FOR my
drinking to affect, because my drinking has been practically the only thing
I've been doing. But I am a very happy person, especially when I'm sober. I
tend to drift into an apathetic dysphoria by the time the bottle is empty.
And having been sober the last few nights has really been kinda nice. Its
encouraging. I've had some small cravings, but nothing so powerful that my
naturally pleasant mood couldn't satisfy. I believe I have it in me to
follow through with my desire to never drink again. So far the worst part
has been that Family Guy wasn't quite as funny sober, so if that's the worst
thing to happen to me, I think I'll be alright.