How do I quit drinking

[jonesg]

Re: How do I quit drinking

As hard as it can be to do so, telling someone to go to hell can sometimes be the very thing that saves them.

true, the reason AA works is it does the opposite of what people tend to want to do, the police, wives, courts etc all say don't drink.

AA says go ahead , drink til you're ready, then if you WANT help.....

the worst thing anyone can do is to soften the blow for a drunk, it only causes them to slip further down the scale by cushioning the consequences of their actions, enablers are crazier than the drunks themselves.

 

[jonesg]

Re: How do I quit drinking

When you don't admit you have a problem I'd definitely agree with this. Once you admit to the problem, in my mind anyways, you are accepting responsibility for that problem. The OP did that and it's definitely the first step to getting better.

BTW, mars bar... how goes the battle????? Have you had day one of no drinks yet?

The first step is surrender, complete and utter admittance of defeat.

The drunk who first admits they have a problem is typically up to 10 yrs away from surrender, its merely stage 1 of the contuing saga of self deceit....and deceit of others.
Thats been my experience and I deal with a lot of alkies.

WHat I have found to be almost 100% reliable is what Jay Merril said.

Especially "the behaviors of addicts, and the impact of those behaviors on others, tends to be remarkably consistent. "

The malady is 100% predictable, every alkie mouths identical words because they have the same illness and think the same way, therefore the words are extremely ...identical.

I have yet to meet one, myself included, who hasn't said " I hurt myself the most", no wonder its called a disease of selfishness.

As far as quittin, anyone can quit, thats the ez part.
The trouble is in the nature of the illness, characterized by a body that can't take it and a mind that can't leave it alone.

The degree of my own insanity was brought home 2 days into the steps, I started to get free, sanity crept in and I realized how simple the solution was yet how many yrs I;d fought it.

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: How do I quit drinking

Are you a veteran, You can go to the VA for assistance.

 

[wca_tim]

Re: How do I quit drinking

Go to an AA meeting... Chances are you'll know the answer to your questions in your gut and you'll see it and the solution in the eyes of some of the people in the room. If you're ready, you'll do whatever it takes and it will change your life in ways you could never have dreamed of.

Reality is this: The majority of heavy drinkers are or will become alcoholics. Even if they sober up by self will, most will eventually drink again. Most alcoholics die drunk, miserable and alone. By the end, they come to know all too well the "pitiful incomprehensible demoralization" of feeling utterly alone and empty - even in a room full of people. Many die a slow and demoralizing deaths, others wrapped around trees in a car or by some other form of preventable "accident", and far to many die by self-inflicted gunshot wounds or some other form of suicide leave a wake of destruction for those they say they love to deal with. Make no mistake, it is serious business and not to be taken lightly if you want to live.

Have a cold? go see the doc; toothache? go to the dentist; issues with your inner self or just plain nuts? see a shrink; find water in your oil or need a new prop? ask Bond-O or John on iboats; think you might have a problem with alcohol? go to AA.

We can talk all day about why or how it works, but the fact of the matter is that knowing how or why it works is not nearly so importand as knowing that for it to work, you don't need to know very much.

 

[slasmith1]

Re: How do I quit drinking

It is a 2 step program:
1) put down the bottle
2)don't pick it back up
usually the simplest solution is the best solution.

for me it was smoking, on my daughters 3rd birthday I asked her what she wanted she said "I want you to stop smoking daddy" how do you argue with that I haven't had one since and that has been a year and a half.

 

[skargo]

Re: How do I quit drinking

It is a 2 step program:
1) put down the bottle
2)don't pick it back up
usually the simplest solution is the best solution.

for me it was smoking, on my daughters 3rd birthday I asked her what she wanted she said "I want you to stop smoking daddy" how do you argue with that I haven't had one since and that has been a year and a half.

Yep.

I have a very addictive personality, but it's really that simple. Don't do it anymore. Period.

 

[jonesg]

Re: How do I quit drinking

Yep.

I have a very addictive personality, but it's really that simple. Don't do it anymore. Period.

Just don't do it?
If anyone can do that they don't need AA.
Its for those of us who couldn't leave it alone no matter what.

Unfortunately, the way the cards of fortune seem to play out, its the dummies like me who get it quicker, the clever clogs can't seem to get out of their own way long enough.

I read a california study which concluded most alkies(60%+) die of some sort of suicide, they are usually dry....haven't touched booze in a long while.

Thats what differentiates the real alkie from the trouble drinkers,
when problem drinkers quit the problem goes away.
When I quit drinking the problem just got started.!

I once quit on my own for 5 yrs, at the end of those 5 yrs I was more insane than I had ever been when drinking. Alcohol was my form of sedation, i had eliminated booze but the underlying problem presisted and progressed regardless.

If I do today what I did yesterday I will still die an alcoholic,
I will not die of alcoholism though.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: How do I quit drinking

... any suggestions on how to quit?

Go see your doctor. McGuinty is paying.

Then completely disconnect from all your drinking buddies and anyone else who supports you in being a drunk.

 

[jonesg]

Re: How do I quit drinking

The geographic solution never works, neither did I retreat into a life of isolation of fear of my drinking freinds.
I now like to pour them drinks and watch them get silly.
Some I have helped also, can't help others if I'm running in fear.!

As the big book of AA aptly puts it, we now can visit places people think we should have to avoid , we don't avoid alcohol , any alcoholic living in fear of the next drink and avoiding wet places still has an alcoholic mind and will soon be drunk again.
Page 100, big book of AA, copyright 1938 ,accept no imitation.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: How do I quit drinking

I've seen people quit in a variety of ways, including "cold turkey" with no help from AA or any other group.

I think success rates with the various methods are related to alot of things - personality, individual levels of addiction, etc, etc.

One thing I have arrived at as a constant, however, is that a person quits when he/she is ready to quit and not a second before.

 

[jonesg]

Re: How do I quit drinking

Yeh I've seen them too, if they can stay quit they don't need AA.

I stopped drinking because I hit bottom, I got sick of being me more than anything else.

 

[skargo]

Re: How do I quit drinking

Just don't do it?
If anyone can do that they don't need AA.
Its for those of us who couldn't leave it alone no matter what.

Unfortunately, the way the cards of fortune seem to play out, its the dummies like me who get it quicker, the clever clogs can't seem to get out of their own way long enough.

I read a california study which concluded most alkies(60%+) die of some sort of suicide, they are usually dry....haven't touched booze in a long while.

Thats what differentiates the real alkie from the trouble drinkers,
when problem drinkers quit the problem goes away.
When I quit drinking the problem just got started.!

I once quit on my own for 5 yrs, at the end of those 5 yrs I was more insane than I had ever been when drinking. Alcohol was my form of sedation, i had eliminated booze but the underlying problem presisted and progressed regardless.

If I do today what I did yesterday I will still die an alcoholic,
I will not die of alcoholism though.

It's all in your head. I drank EVERY day for many years, getting hammered and having blackouts. When my doc said to stop or die, the choice was easy, I stopped, yes, just stopped and never had another drink.

Guess I'm just strong willed.

 

[jonesg]

Re: How do I quit drinking

You're not an alcoholic, alcoholics can't stop no matter what, doctors threats just give reason to drink MORE.

You're right about it being in the head, for alkies its an obsession which drives the compulsion to drink.

I didn't become an alcoholic because I drank too much.
I drank too much because I'm alcoholic.

 

[slasmith1]

Re: How do I quit drinking

I didn't become an alcoholic because I drank too much.
I drank too much because I'm alcoholic.

Talk about making excuses for poor choices.
all addictions have the same thing in common the conscious decision to start participating in the behavior. I didn't start smoking because of an addiction, I became addicted to cigarettes because I made the poor decision to start smoking.

 

[skargo]

Re: How do I quit drinking

You're not an alcoholic, alcoholics can't stop no matter what, doctors threats just give reason to drink MORE.

You're right about it being in the head, for alkies its an obsession which drives the compulsion to drink.

I didn't become an alcoholic because I drank too much.
I drank too much because I'm alcoholic.

I see it different, I LIVED to drink, and drank every day to excess. I even caught some DWI's back in the early 90's, and did a court ordered stint in a 28 day rehab, where I was diagnosed as an alcoholic.
Didn't care, until the doc told me what was up. Then I quit. No biggy. I'm no more special than anyone else, don't pick up and you won't drink.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: How do I quit drinking

Talk about making excuses for poor choices.
all addictions have the same thing in common the conscious decision to start participating in the behavior. I didn't start smoking because of an addiction, I became addicted to cigarettes because I made the poor decision to start smoking.

You might want to do some reading on addiction and addictive behaviors. While I don't excuse the personal responsibility aspect of the issue, there is a great deal more to it than a "weak" person who just decides to start doing something.

For example, it is well established that many people are genetically predisposed towards being addicts. They have a craving and obsession that is abnormal and drives them towards addictive behavior. This type of addiction isn't just lack of personal discipline - it is a physical illness.

All of this said, addicts have to fight the illness, just like anyone else fights for their health in any number of ways. Addicts must take responsibility for themselves and those around them must not enable to behavior.

 

[jonesg]

Re: How do I quit drinking

Talk about making excuses for poor choices.
all addictions have the same thing in common the conscious decision to start participating in the behavior. I didn't start smoking because of an addiction, I became addicted to cigarettes because I made the poor decision to start smoking.

would you say theres no difference in having a beer at 19 compared to jacking up with heroin?

One is a normal social decision.

I had a drink, but the drink had a drink , and then the drink had me.
No-one could see that coming.

All addictions do have something in common, but few know what it is.
The thing they have in common is made known by the common solution.

Not doing it isn't the solution, thats the result of the solution.
Merely not doing it, without a real solution, only transfers it to an alternative outlet, thats like swapping deck chairs on the titanic.

How many times do you see quit smoking then start over-eating.
Abstinence isn't a real solution. Because the underlying problem persists.

 

[marine4003]

Re: How do I quit drinking

Threads like these crack me up , well intentioned folks giving advice without prior knowledge or research,and when there advice gets scorned,they lash out and attack someones "will power" or lack of strong backbone. Even worse the drinking addiction is equated to smoking......hilarious...

First off ; Alcoholism is a disease , recognized by the AMA
Alcohol consumption is but a symptom of this disease , the manifestation of the obsession to drink, is a complete and total obsession.
its the only disease who's withdraw symptoms WILL KILL YOU.

The only long term reprieve from this disease is AA.
There is no cure...
it will only get worse, until you surrender and are willing to go to any length to get sober ...
And guess what...if you know everything AA tells you...why have they stopped and your still drinking......

 

[delbert111]

Re: How do I quit drinking

I was an alcoholic for about 20 years and I quit over night. I quit smoking and drinking overnight. I would enjoy talking with you about it. This is my first time using this iboats thing, so I don't know if having a conversation with someone is acceptable according to the rules. I don't think this topic can be answered without constant feedback from the person with the question. If you are interested in my answers; let me know, so we can talk.

 

[marine4003]

Re: How do I quit drinking

Wrong, AA is NOT the only long term reprieve from this "disease"

AA is but ONE form of treatment.

Statistically...Alcoholics Anonymous if followed correctly,(12 steps) has the highest success rate over a period of years. Higher than any "other" treatment.
there are a lot of people who can quit "cold turkey" and by other means, but being that there is no true "litmus test" for alcoholism,who's to say there methods work as well.The True Alcoholic ,statistically...has the highest proven success rate over ANYTHING short of death. Fact.

http://hindsfoot.org/recout01.pdf

That being only one of dozens of papers published showing real time data,sources are not affiliated with AA,but outside medical individuals.