Anyone completely stop drinking?

salazaro44

salazaro44

731
313
Joined
Aug 12, 2012
Hey NT,

This will probably be a long rant. I'll post cliffs at the bottom.

I'm going through my 5th week of completely quitting alcohol. Alcohol was getting out of control in my personal life but never affected my job so I never thought it was a big deal.

To keep it short, a switch just flipped in my brain and I felt I needed to give my body and liver a break after years of almost daily drinking and inebriation.

I'm at the point where I want to keep this up for as long as I can but I'm also thinking of that social stigma. Saint Patrick's day is coming up and my friend suggested getting top shelf Irish whiskey like Middleton Very Rare and just drinking it on Birthdays or other special occasions. I'm afraid I would just revert back to my old ways and a part of me wants to pursue life long sobriety.

Any one have a similar experience?


Cliff Notes:
Quit drinking.
Haven't had a sip in 5 weeks after getting drunk almost daily.
Debating sticking to life long sobriety but afraid of the social stigma that comes with it.
Anyone with a similar situation and what was the outcome?
 
If you getting drunk daily it's definitely a problem.
I had to give it up because I was having health problems. I did drink once in January and another time now in February. The hardest part is just saying no.
 
If you feel you have a problem with alcohol, please don't worry about what other people will think.  I know doing so is probably easier said than done, but do you man.  This is your life, so live it how YOU see fit.

edit:  Also, if you can just up and quit like that and not really feel the need to drink, maybe you don't have an addiction problem.  I drank heavily during and after college because it was sort of what I was around.  Once I got older and got a real job, all that ended.  Now I drink once or twice a year when I see friends from back home and I go EXTRA hard lol.  But the next day, next week and next however many months it is until I drink again, I have zero urge to get faded.  

Moral of the story is I think a lot of people just grow out of it, which differs from having an addiction problem.  Maybe that's you?  
 
Last edited:
salazaro44 said:
Hey NT,

This will probably be a long rant. I'll post cliffs at the bottom.

I'm going through my 5th week of completely quitting alcohol. Alcohol was getting out of control in my personal life but never affected my job so I never thought it was a big deal.

To keep it short, a switch just flipped in my brain and I felt I needed to give my body and liver a break after years of almost daily drinking and inebriation.

I'm at the point where I want to keep this up for as long as I can but I'm also thinking of that social stigma. Saint Patrick's day is coming up and my friend suggested getting top shelf Irish whiskey like Middleton Very Rare and just drinking it on Birthdays or other special occasions. I'm afraid I would just revert back to my old ways and a part of me wants to pursue life long sobriety.

Any one have a similar experience?


Cliff Notes:
Quit drinking.
Haven't had a sip in 5 weeks after getting drunk almost daily.
Debating sticking to life long sobriety but afraid of the social stigma that comes with it.
Anyone with a similar situation and what was the outcome?
Click to expand...
Yes, and you'll slip.

​But don't let that stop your drive for sobriety.

We've had many threads on this but they always seem to disappear.

Been practicing sobriety for about 3 years now.

That doesnt mean i haven't drunk, just means i'm conscious about my drinking habits. 

Wish you the best.

PM stays open OP
 
Last edited:
i rarely drink. like once a month its not fun unless im partying wtih a bunch of ppl

makes me sleepy and feelweird 
 
superblyTRIFE said:
If you feel you have a problem with alcohol, please don't worry about what other people will think.  I know doing so is probably easier said than done, but do you man.  This is your life, so live it how YOU see fit.

edit:  Also, if you can just up and quit like that and not really feel the need to drink, maybe you don't have an addiction problem.  I drank heavily during and after college because it was sort of what I was around.  Once I got older and got a real job, all that ended.  Now I drink once or twice a year when I see friends from back home and I go EXTRA hard lol.  But the next day, next week and next however many months it is until I drink again, I have zero urge to get faded.  

Moral of the story is I think a lot of people just grow out of it, which differs from having an addiction problem.  Maybe that's you?  
Click to expand...
This makes sense. I feel AA skewed my thoughts on sobriety. I feel like I have to be that guy that has to be +5, +10 years sober or else it's been a failed attempt and the "disease" is still there.
Becoming a regular in the local craft beer scene didn't help either. Almost every brewery would give me free drinks whenever I would stop by.

I've been to breweries with friends and coworkers in the past month and I just stick to water or coffee.

I'm volunteering at a local breweries anniversary party next week for the 3rd year in a row but I don't have the urge to drink during the event. I've met a tons of great people in the industry and the hardest part is kind of feeling like I'm turning my back on them.

I have to sort out all these thoughts running through my mind.

Thanks Koopa for offering open pm's.
 
I never started, never saw the appeal of getting drunk.
 
Used to drink like 2-3 times a week..piss drunk too. Cut waayyyy back on that tho. Now I do it maybe once every couple weeks. And when I do I don't get piss drunk unless it's a special occasion or something..just a lil buzz.
 
Last edited:
Was a drinker for almost 2 decades. Stopped cold turkey when my grandmother had cancer and I had to take care of her. But honestly it is amazing once you get over the cravings. I used to drink 5 to 6 days a week since I was a teenager and now I can't even imagine living like that and the wear and tear it must have done. Good for you OP. The key is to find constructive replacements for the time you would have spent drinking and until you have a good grasp on sobriety limit the amount of time you spend in social settings that can trigger relapse.. Good luck and salute.
 
Yeah I quit cold turkey after going hard for years. It sucked but it was worth it. I couldn't give a damn what anyone thinks, anyone that knows me knew if needed to be done.

You don't gotta be the weird sober dude to quit drinking. Just don't drink and don't act all high and mighty and no one will even think twice.
 
Dude, never ever take a drink again, trust me.

Quitting drinking was the hardest thing I ever did in my life, ever.

But, it was also the best thing I've ever done. Maybe talk to your friends about it so they can support you more. I cut off friends who only hit me up to chat and have a beer.

The best thing to do is quit 100% or else its easy to get back into the habit imo.

Also, you're already rationalizing the need to drink again.. I know, cause it happened with me. St Pattys day, birthdays, new years, whatever.

You gotta enjoy life, so if you can control it, enjoy it in moderation once in a while. But, if you get back into your old ways, you gotta cut it off 100%, 24/7, 365. Everyone different. Some people can drink and it has no affect on their life. For other people, it just get the best of them
 
Gave it up October of last year. Made it through thanksgiving. Christmas. New Years. My birthday. And much more. Not gonna lie. I do miss it. But I don't miss the mornings after. And what's hardest for me is many of my friends can not drink but still be the life of the party. But put me in a club sober.....nawwwww.

Also when I'm hanging with a girl. It used to be easy to say let's go grab a drink. Was also fun. Losing that sucks too.

Overall I can't say it substantially changed my life. Or even my mental health. Helped me as far as gym gains go though.

Oh yeah also. I guess on the bright side. I used to **** up a lot during drinking days. So no more of that regret. lol.
 
salazaro44 said:
superblyTRIFE said:
If you feel you have a problem with alcohol, please don't worry about what other people will think.  I know doing so is probably easier said than done, but do you man.  This is your life, so live it how YOU see fit.

edit:  Also, if you can just up and quit like that and not really feel the need to drink, maybe you don't have an addiction problem.  I drank heavily during and after college because it was sort of what I was around.  Once I got older and got a real job, all that ended.  Now I drink once or twice a year when I see friends from back home and I go EXTRA hard lol.  But the next day, next week and next however many months it is until I drink again, I have zero urge to get faded.  

Moral of the story is I think a lot of people just grow out of it, which differs from having an addiction problem.  Maybe that's you?  
Click to expand...
This makes sense. I feel AA skewed my thoughts on sobriety. I feel like I have to be that guy that has to be +5, +10 years sober or else it's been a failed attempt and the "disease" is still there.
Becoming a regular in the local craft beer scene didn't help either. Almost every brewery would give me free drinks whenever I would stop by.

I've been to breweries with friends and coworkers in the past month and I just stick to water or coffee.

I'm volunteering at a local breweries anniversary party next week for the 3rd year in a row but I don't have the urge to drink during the event. I've met a tons of great people in the industry and the hardest part is kind of feeling like I'm turning my back on them.

I have to sort out all these thoughts running through my mind.

Thanks Koopa for offering open pm's.
Click to expand...

Well, if you've gone so far as AA, my guess is that there is a problem there, right? Not trying to judge at all, btw. I dated an alcoholic for years who actually got sober during that period, so I got an up close and personal view of that "drink here and there" struggle. It didn't work.

And yeah, folks slip up all the time. But if you're serious about sobriety the only way to approach it is cold turkey. You're not going to wean yourself off alcohol.
 
superblyTRIFE said:
Well, if you've gone so far as AA, my guess is that there is a problem there, right? Not trying to judge at all, btw. I dated an alcoholic for years who actually got sober during that period, so I got an up close and personal view of that "drink here and there" struggle. It didn't work.

And yeah, folks slip up all the time. But if you're serious about sobriety the only way to approach it is cold turkey. You're not going to wean yourself off alcohol.
Click to expand...

No I haven't been to AA. I meant just in what little I know and the way AA is portrayed. It's not the urge to drink I'm struggling with, it's more of the social aspect like others have mentioned of just going out and grabbing a drink.
 
i shared this with S&T while i was going through it in the fall. i was never at a point of no return with alcohol or anything. but up until 6 months ago, i would go out a couple nights a week. 6 or 8 beers and 2-3 shots. nothing insane or anything. but also for the last 4-5 years i've been dealing with failing kidneys that were progressively getting worst. i lucked and found a donor and received a new kidney in october. i haven't had a drink since then. stopped completely as alcohol can mess with my anti-rejection meds. i'll never go back to multiple beers and shots types of nights...but eventually i will have a beer or two now and then.

i will say, not wasting half or most a day nursing hangovers is nice. way more productive for sure and accomplish a lot more on my weekends. better on the wallet and i'm in the best shape of my life :lol:

my main point is, you do what you need to take care of yourself. eff the rest. focus on you. don't touch it if that what's best. cut off anyone who doesn't support you in that.
 
Last edited:
That much alcohol caused kidney failure?

Or was it another issue?

What were your symptoms?

Curious
 
Im at battle with this vice. Haven't drank in a month. In 2015 went 10 months. Smoke a lot of bud tho. Working on going sober.
 
sckid20 said:
That much alcohol caused kidney failure?

Or was it another issue?

What were your symptoms?

Curious
Click to expand...

nah it was completely genetic. hereditary kidney disease. while alcohol didn't cause it, it definitely accelerated the issues that the disease causes. my mom has the disease and had a transplant 3 years ago (at age 64). i had to have one at age 32 because of my lifestyle. heavy drinking, eating meat, contact sports, etc etc. my mom is a vegetarian and doesn't drink. so she didn't need it until way later.

symptoms for me weren't terrible. the last two years, i noticed a slight drop in energy. i had high blood pressure and occasional headaches. swelling in my feet and ankles. and of course my blood test results were way out of whack because my body wasn't filtering a lot of stuff out of my blood.
 
DeadsetAce said:
but up until 6 months ago, i would go out a couple nights a week. 6 or 8 beers and 2-3 shots. nothing insane or anything.
Click to expand...

You were consuming 6-8 beers and shots every time you went out?

That is something insane. I don't even consume 8 beverages a day.

Congratulations on the donor though.
 
Aze201 said:
DeadsetAce said:
but up until 6 months ago, i would go out a couple nights a week. 6 or 8 beers and 2-3 shots. nothing insane or anything.
Click to expand...

You were consuming 6-8 beers and shots every time you went out?

That is something insane. I don't even consume 8 beverages a day.

Congratulations on the donor though.
Click to expand...

sorry. you're right. it's definitely a lot. i meant more along the lines of that i wasn't drinking every day and i wasn't at a point where i HAD to drink. i could go without it if i needed.

and thanks man. def feel blessed at a second chance at life
 
Last edited:
I've been sober for a little over a year now. One of the best things I've ever done. Got to do whats best for you bruh!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

feeninlikejodeci
Have You Ever Seen A Dermatologist?
Replies
13
Views
1K
Donky
D
fdub
Anyone here have Sciatica nerve pain?
Replies
24
Views
1K
Nujavez
Nujavez
numbah1
Curbing cell phone addiction
2 3
Replies
56
Views
5K
jpzx
jpzx
tr1ll
I propose a new SPOILER rule for media in NT's Terms and Rules.
Replies
20
Views
728
TSCQ
TSCQ
Mokorider
Relocation opportunities worth the shot or not? vol. share your experience(s)
2
Replies
47
Views
7K
datznasty
datznasty

The ultimate sneaker enthusiast community.

NikeTalk was created as a way of giving back to both the sneaker enthusiast community and to the greater global community of which we are all a part.

NikeTalk is NOT affiliated with Nike Inc. in any way, shape, or form. All opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Nike, Inc.

© 1999-2024 NikeTalk.com

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom