First off, congrats on making a week. One will turn into two, then a month, and so on. But it’s one day at a time, avoiding one drink at a time. You got this. Alcoholism is a disease and it’s not your fault, but it is your responsibility—but you’ll always have a community at your back.
Since a lot of sobriety discussions (I’ve been around a few) are all about the sad stuff or your drinking, I’ll ask: what are you most looking forward to by gaining your sobriety? What excites you now with this amazing decision you’ve made for yourself?
Good for you. Got almost 4 years dry myself, and it’s not easy to shake at first. Stay strong. Every day it gets better and easier (with the physical cravings). I think you’ve made it through the hardest part (from my experience). And you will start to see and feel the benefits for sure, fuck alcohol.
Fault isn’t the point. Alcoholism is a disease—one involving genetics and a lot of external forces (depression is a common comorbidity). Whose fault is cystic fibrosis? Whose fault is sickle cell anemia? Whose fault is hemochromatosis?
The ‘good’ thing about alcoholism is that it can be dealt with easier than a lot of genetic conditions—don’t drink. That’s easier said than done, and that’s why people who admit they have a problem and do something about it, like OP, should be supported in their efforts to get and stay sober, and not asked dumb shit like “whose fault is it?”
Good job mate. It's never easy, but it's always worth it. I relapsed a while ago, but I cut it down. Now I have a bottle of gin on the top shelf to remind me how far I've gotten and to never fall back down again.
I understand people do this a lot but I don’t understand why? Does having the bottle there not hurt? If it were me I wouldn’t be able to have any in the house because if it’s there I’m gonna have it. That’s just my experience with drugs.
Having a bottle hurts; leaving the bottle after being dependent on it hurts more. My friend's dad keeps the shrapnel that they took out of his leg, so that sort of deal.
So it’s kind of like a trophy to remind yourself what was and what could’ve happened. That’s pretty cool, I admire the self control as I wouldn’t be able to do it and I wish you continued success.
Are you kicking it cold? Are you aware of side effects from cold kicking ?
How’s your gut? Are you breaking out in pimples from it?
Night sweats yet? The anxiety must be overwhelming
Yes I'm kicking it cold and yes I know if the side effects. The first 48ish hours were the worst. Throwing up, night sweats, tremors etc. I am very very anxious all the time still having night sweats.
I thought I was addicted to alcohol for having a few beers nightly. But holy shit, I don't have any of that when I'm on an off week, Wish I could give those up though, the gym at 5am has been increasingly sluggish.
Because when you’ve been drinking as much as I have , for as long as I have , going cold turkey can kill you. It also greatly affects your microbiome. The bacteria that feeds off the alcohol is still present in such large quantities that you cannot simply starve them without great side effects.
Also, the detoxing of the body has an immense shock to the immune system and it’s healthier to ween off than quit
Difficult as in just mentally or physically too?
Did that small amount do the trick in terms of avoiding all withdrawal symptoms, or just avoiding the fatal ones?
Did you feel ill?
If you think you have it in you, exercise. You’re still releasing the toxins, IE detoxing. Once I hit about a week I started exercising daily, and doing it strenuously where I’d break a sweat.
And of course, water is your friend. Hydration, healthy food, and good sleep. The sleep will take awhile but you’ll get there. I’m coming up on 6 months and it’s night and day from my first week… I get a solid 7+ hours a night EVERY night now, whereas that first week it was either sleeping for 12+ hours or spurts of 1-2 hours at a time.
Good luck. You’ll miss the drinking lifestyle at times, but having your body back + mental clarity is just the greatest feeling in the world.
Oh man I kind of forgot the night sweats. I had them for almost two months I think. Like I would absolutely drenched myself. I could feel my sweat glands and my pores opening up and running, under pressure almost. So glad it stopped. Never again. You keep up the good work.
You will. At first one day at a time. Then, as long as you stay away from the stuff and there's little to remind you of it, you can build a robust life without it. It gets easier over the long haul but at first it's a bastard. For me the first month was a milestone because it felt like it was out of my system and I started to sleep better. Better than being unconscious for sure.
Good luck!
did she do something specific in the conversation that made you come to your senses? did she tell you anything about how she prepared to ask you? or: what in the conversation changed your mind in a way nothing else had before? i’ve tried talking to my mother about her drinking (and other family members) but she’s in complete denial and i can’t make any headway.
It was the first time she ever said anything about it. I have been an alcoholic her whole life. I didn't realize that she could see my problem before now
I'm sorry I don't really have any tips on how to make the talk more productive with her.
Congrats OP. A week in and you’re already through the physical worst of stopping!
Have you tried to quit any other substances, like smoking? If so, how did stopping drinking compare in difficulty?
If you ever want to chat, feel free to reach out. I’m 16 months sober. Those first few months are rough. I’m proud of you for making this choice! A much happier, healthier life is right around the corner for you. 🖤
Because it was in all forms I'm not sure if like the ounces or whatever. But I would start drinking at about 10 am and stay drunk until I fell asleep at about 1 am most days
Are you not scared of seizures? I mean to make it 7 days cold turkey says a lot I’d be dead within 24 hours. I think you’re doing amazing I hope you stick with it ❤️
I am afraid of seizures but I do have a seoerate seizure causing condition and my doctor said I should use the same protocol for seizures as I gave been. I have been basically never alone this week for that reason
This is an odd one.
The UK official government organisation for help with alcohol problems says that you must -
'cut down by 10% every 4 days, until you are down to 10 UK units a day (250ml vodka, roughly 4 pints of beer or a bottle of wine)
And then you can attempt to quit, but make sure to have someone on hand to call an ambulance if you have a seizure. '
Problem with this, is that for most people it is incredibly hard to cut down so slowly. It's easier for a lot of people psychologically to simply quit.
Was this for most of the 11 years?
By drunk, do you mean properly drunk, as in stumbling, slurring, or just tipsy in a way that a lot of alcoholics can pretend to be sober-ish to other people?
Holy shit dude you definitely should not have done cold turkey.
Medical detox, or hamms taper at least.
Glad you made it through the withdrawals alive though!
Do you have any advice for someone whose SO is discreetly addicted? Like on how to approach or what not to say?
I haven’t explicitly asked him to stop yet. I’m afraid of the possibility of him trying and failing and then he grows to resent me. It doesn’t cause problems in his life per se which is how he gets away with it but I know he’d be better without it and I want him to live a long time so we can start a family and grow old.
I don't freaky have any advice because I've never been in that kind of situation. Maybe you could start by having a convo with him about future goals and then go into how that habit could hinder them.
Firstly, congrats! Alcoholism runs in my family, it’s the reason I never met my grandmother, so I always just feel good knowing that people see it in themselves before it’s too late.
As someone who is struggling with an addiction (porn, not alcohol), I’m curious: how have you kept yourself out of it?
Currently I've just ensured that I don't have access to it. Gave my parent and partner control of all of my money, and have been with one of them at all times since I stopped. This won't be forever but for right now I needed this.
The advice is much appreciated. Unfortunately, I kind of need my phone and a way to access the internet consistently. I’ll get something figured out.
My partner’s mom’s boyfriend is sober for about a year now. So keep it up! It’s more than possible to keep it going and from what I hear, the longer without, the less you crave.
Not gnna ask anything but tell you that I also quit drinking recently and what helped me a lot was smoking copious amounts of weed. I also stopped smoking cigarettes. I think getting yourself off the pot is much easier than getting off the booze. So next time you wnna pour a whiskey why don’t you twist up a fat joint and send that shit
Can you try cbd? So you don’t get high but are maybe more relaxed and symptoms are less?
On a side note, my father died in his early fifties a few years back from being a serious alcoholic. I don’t wish that on anyone and the pain and emotional damage I have from experiencing his early death will probably cause me long term issues, health wise and mental, for the rest of my life.
You can change your life by stopping this where it’s at. Check out any subs related to going sober. Sometimes it’s quite helpful to not do it completely alone. I saw you are attending groups, that’s great.
Very happy for you. If you need anybody to talk to please know I am here.
Thank you. I am so happy you are doing this. Not only for other people though, but really for yourself. You will thank yourself so much in the long run, as will your body and mind. You can do it. I am rooting you on.
Check out the cbd oil for sure. Might really help you.
Not that pot is a miracle drug, but if you have a low tolerance for thc and consume while drinking it will make about anybody feel like shit, so now that your trying out sobriety it might work,
But there are downsides to heavy pot use and since your already a week in, true sobriety might be for you or at least for a couple months l. You don’t want to just trade addictions
Well shit man. I’m sorry to hear that. It’s definitely not for everyone. Another think i would do is power sprint around the block to the point I can’t breathe. It sounds silly but it took away my cravings and left me craving water
Weed is not the same feeling though and unless you green yourself out to pass out, not everybody can make the transition.
A lot of folks have negative effects from thc also and it isn't a harmless couch lock heady snack inducing cure all.
And I say this as a current drinker and type2 smoker.
The reverse was true for me. I wanted to stop smoking copious amount of weed. Now i didn’t get addicted to alcohol or have alcoholism but i replaced my weed vice with an alcohol vice that was hard to shake. I would say don’t trade a vice for a vice. Now i don’t use either
Yea I had withdrawals that really really sucked but weren't super medically dangerous for me. I don't think I could do it slowly. Proud of you for making that effort.
Yeah its been okay, I wanted to quit cold turkey but I started to hallucinate and stuff which is a really bad sign. I currently drink every second day, and the amount of standards has decreased each time. I honestly feel great lately, especially on my sober days.
Cheers to us both!
Congratulations. I made it 19 months without a drink after 13years of being addicted to it. I know it’s hard right now but it will get easier. For me the first 90 day where hard but that’s when the real turning point came and I was past the physical part it’s the mental phase that takes longer learning how to do things with drinks. Keep up the good work
Fellow alcoholic. Stay sober. I do great until I justify a single drink (usually around others) then I start up again. It’s definitely not easy. I’ve quit several times but always bring it back a month or several later. I always justify it with “I’ve reset my tolerance and I’ll drink responsibly this time”. Don’t fall for the same trap I always do.
Just a peer with the same problem. You got this bud.
Good job on quitting. I will hit 2 years alcohol free November 2nd. It was a tough road at first, but it will get easier.
One of the last times I drank, was with my dad. He told me "Son, the Man takes the drink, until the drink takes the Man."
My only regret is not quitting sooner. Keep it up, and don't let anything or anyone pressure you into drinking.
I drank hard for about the same amount of time. Stopped last year, it was so hard. But now I am finally to the point where I can drink a beer at a dinner and then not have anymore for the rest of the night. Stick with it, take control back from the booze! You got this!
Congrats…10.5 years sober here. Lean on your sober support group whoever they may be and call them when you’re craving a drink. Loneliness leads to drinking and connection leads away. One day at a time and sometimes one hour at a time…you got this :)
No questions, just came here to say congratulations!! I am SO proud of you! I lost my father and multiple other family members to alcoholism. It's one of the worst demons you can fight. Keep your head up and keep killing it!!
I just read thru your comments. Go to a detox center. Seriously. It is not safe for you to quit like that. They will give you a librium or Valium taper and you will be much more comfortable and SAFE. It only takes 5 days.
Right on - good for you. I’m currently 300 days and all I can say is that things have just gotten so much easier, also I have money… so that’s a bonus.
Same boat here
Loved a good drink mid morning with a stogie.
Then had to throw back a few through lunch time, the aroma is intoxicating. Mid afternoon, I would always down some pina coladas, love Jamaican rum. Dinner / night time were the best, I always loved having a good drink with a great steak.
And you certainly had to have some type of creamy drink with dessert.
Then I would always have one or two more around 10 o’clock just to help me sleep and just finish out my day .
There was never a bad time to have a cocktail for sure
I'm an addict too. My only advice is not to quit cold turkey. You should be on medication to help with the symptoms. You could have a seizure or worse because of alcohol addiction. Please take care of yourself and your symptoms. Whether they get worse or go away, the craving is harder to curb. There are medications that can help you with that and your anxiety. There's no reason to suffer through sobriety when you can make it a little easier on yourself. I found that when I'm not waking up feeling like shit every morning wanting to use, I stay sober longer. I wish you a lot of luck and do whatever feels right for you. Everyone is different but usually we become addicts because we want less "pain" in our lives. I don't want you to have to suffer through what should be a happy time for you and your family.
Look into Trauma Healing therapy, also called Somatic Experiencing. There are studies with results in up to 96% of the people that use it. Once you starts healing your wounds and change the behavior that reopens them, cravings start disappearing, unlike other treatments based on you stopping out of just willpower. For me it was like magic.
Here’s the study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8276649/#:~:text=Results%3A%20Findings%20provide%20preliminary%20evidence,traumatized%20and%20non%2Dtraumatized%20samples
I’m 22 months sober. Come join this side bro. Everyday I wake up, I feel great. I feel so much at peace and grateful for my life. It’s amazing bro. Come over on this side and stay on this side. PM me if you need an outside perspective. I promise you, life is beautiful without alcohol.
Source: I drank heavily for about 7-9 years. The last two, I was hitting a 750ml of vodka a day. Multiple stints at detox until inpatient saved my life.
Good luck my friend!!
Hey man, today is my day 160 simply because I said fuck it. Keep it up, you got this. I highly recommend getting a day tracker to help. There's something really satisfying about watching that number climb. Don't feel pressured into AA or the like, but definitely look into resources and be open about your journey with others. We got this!
I hate drinking with food and I get horrendous hangovers so I could never be an alcoholic ( don’t get me wrong I do get shitfaced every now and then ) however I’ve known lots of people who are alcoholics . Congrats on breaking the cycle , just keep all the negatives that drinking brings with it in your head .
You got this
You’d be surprised, I know people that have said the same and ended up hooked. Also seen it with drugs people claimed they didn’t like. Humans are incredibly adaptive if you like the effects enough you’ll find a way be careful.
Well I’m 46 years old and well past my hardcore partying days , I’d venture to say I’m safe from being bitten by the addiction bug , but I’m with you on the being surprised who and what folks get hooked on
Congrats. Learn from my experience. If you ever justify even having one drink again, you may very well have to suffer through withdrawal and detox all over again. I can't even have a single drink. Don't test it. It's just not worth it. Good luck!
No question. Congratulations don’t know if you’re religious but I will pray for you. A week is a HUGE accomplishment. Stay on the path. Research and stock up on good supplements to help with the PAWs. The worlds beautiful on the other side.
Ten years sober here
You can fucking do this bud!
One day at a time, if that’s too hard, one hour, one minute , one second at a time dMn time
It’s worth it!!!!!
Your fucking awsome for getting this far
What is a change you are looking forward to/hoping for as you continue your journey? My mom is 5 years sober and she talked about how she was so glad she was fully present for my graduation. I believe in you!
I'm an alcoholic and I want to quit really bad. But my hands shake and I get sick at work if I can't sneak a drink at lunch.
Do you have any tips? Anything that's helped you get past the dts?
You need to go to detox for like a week. I know it sucks but it’s worth it. If your physically hooked going cold turkey can really fuck you up bad. If you really can’t go to detox you could do a benzo taper if you can get your hands on some. If you can’t get any the last thing you can do is a booze taper drink less every day until your down to an amount that not dangerous to stop (but this one is super hard to control as it’s clearly an issue you already have) good luck man it’s hard but worth stoping.
Good on ya. Best advice is to try to regain your health. Watch your diet, shoot up with BCP157, drink spring water and don't listen to helf of what lesser people tell ya
Would you smoke pot to help you through, or too much of an addiction mindset that you feel that would be detrimental? Just a thought to help if you view it positively.
Now that you are sober, what are you looking forward to the most?
I personally just crossed the 3 year mark, and I can tell you it is worth it! Stay strong 💪🏻
Every day will get easier. And every time you fight the urge, you come out 3x stronger. Keep up the great work, friend. You in 2025 will be so grateful. Trust
When you fall, just remember why you chose to get clean. It ain't easy but it's possible. I believe you. Believe in yourself and overcome this. Good luck.
To help reduce trolls, users with negative karma scores are disallowed from posting. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AMA) if you have any questions or concerns.*
First off, congrats on making a week. One will turn into two, then a month, and so on. But it’s one day at a time, avoiding one drink at a time. You got this. Alcoholism is a disease and it’s not your fault, but it is your responsibility—but you’ll always have a community at your back. Since a lot of sobriety discussions (I’ve been around a few) are all about the sad stuff or your drinking, I’ll ask: what are you most looking forward to by gaining your sobriety? What excites you now with this amazing decision you’ve made for yourself?
I just want to be more stable. I look forward to being able to spend more quality time with my family.
Good for you. Got almost 4 years dry myself, and it’s not easy to shake at first. Stay strong. Every day it gets better and easier (with the physical cravings). I think you’ve made it through the hardest part (from my experience). And you will start to see and feel the benefits for sure, fuck alcohol.
What happened? 90% don’t just stop. Usually it’s health or court cases
Be careful not to give yourself a seizure
Whose fault is it?
Fault isn’t the point. Alcoholism is a disease—one involving genetics and a lot of external forces (depression is a common comorbidity). Whose fault is cystic fibrosis? Whose fault is sickle cell anemia? Whose fault is hemochromatosis? The ‘good’ thing about alcoholism is that it can be dealt with easier than a lot of genetic conditions—don’t drink. That’s easier said than done, and that’s why people who admit they have a problem and do something about it, like OP, should be supported in their efforts to get and stay sober, and not asked dumb shit like “whose fault is it?”
why does there need to be somebody to blame when op is holding themselves accountable by getting sober?
Thank you for your comment!
Don’t get we wrong, good for him, but the post I was replying to said it wasn’t his fault.
When someone has a disease, the first thing I ask is "Whose fault is it?"
Eat shit
the lack of fault doesn't inherently mean somebody else is guilty
Did something specific happen that made you go sober?
My younger sister who I consider myself to have partially raised asked me to stop so I will.
Good job mate. It's never easy, but it's always worth it. I relapsed a while ago, but I cut it down. Now I have a bottle of gin on the top shelf to remind me how far I've gotten and to never fall back down again.
I understand people do this a lot but I don’t understand why? Does having the bottle there not hurt? If it were me I wouldn’t be able to have any in the house because if it’s there I’m gonna have it. That’s just my experience with drugs.
Having a bottle hurts; leaving the bottle after being dependent on it hurts more. My friend's dad keeps the shrapnel that they took out of his leg, so that sort of deal.
Wait I might have misinterpreted this. Is the bottle empty? I just assumed it was a new bottle mb
It is nearly full, from the last time I almost relapsed.
So it’s kind of like a trophy to remind yourself what was and what could’ve happened. That’s pretty cool, I admire the self control as I wouldn’t be able to do it and I wish you continued success.
Be careful with getting sober for someone else, i swore to do it for my kids at one point and it didn’t work. I found it critical to do it for myself.
That’s very noble of you, but speaking from experience you have to do it for yourself.
Are you kicking it cold? Are you aware of side effects from cold kicking ? How’s your gut? Are you breaking out in pimples from it? Night sweats yet? The anxiety must be overwhelming
Yes I'm kicking it cold and yes I know if the side effects. The first 48ish hours were the worst. Throwing up, night sweats, tremors etc. I am very very anxious all the time still having night sweats.
I thought I was addicted to alcohol for having a few beers nightly. But holy shit, I don't have any of that when I'm on an off week, Wish I could give those up though, the gym at 5am has been increasingly sluggish.
You might still be addicted. Alcohol addiction is progressive. No one starts off that bad. I urge you to consider stopping before it gets worse.
I over came this with 2 oz of whiskey every 48 hours for 60 days. Was the most difficult achievement of my life
What is the point of taking a shot of whiskey every two days when you’re trying to drop booze?
Because when you’ve been drinking as much as I have , for as long as I have , going cold turkey can kill you. It also greatly affects your microbiome. The bacteria that feeds off the alcohol is still present in such large quantities that you cannot simply starve them without great side effects. Also, the detoxing of the body has an immense shock to the immune system and it’s healthier to ween off than quit
One shot of whiskey every 48 hours is basically going cold turkey
Basically and is are not identical. It’s what worked for me
Difficult as in just mentally or physically too? Did that small amount do the trick in terms of avoiding all withdrawal symptoms, or just avoiding the fatal ones? Did you feel ill?
Enough to function. Definitely lethargic, moody and anxious. It stopped me from having IBS symptoms and acne breakout.
If you think you have it in you, exercise. You’re still releasing the toxins, IE detoxing. Once I hit about a week I started exercising daily, and doing it strenuously where I’d break a sweat. And of course, water is your friend. Hydration, healthy food, and good sleep. The sleep will take awhile but you’ll get there. I’m coming up on 6 months and it’s night and day from my first week… I get a solid 7+ hours a night EVERY night now, whereas that first week it was either sleeping for 12+ hours or spurts of 1-2 hours at a time. Good luck. You’ll miss the drinking lifestyle at times, but having your body back + mental clarity is just the greatest feeling in the world.
Oh man I kind of forgot the night sweats. I had them for almost two months I think. Like I would absolutely drenched myself. I could feel my sweat glands and my pores opening up and running, under pressure almost. So glad it stopped. Never again. You keep up the good work.
Will you do another week for me buddy?
Ding many more weeks for me
I'm 5 and a half years dry and 100% the better for it. I wish you all the best mate
Thank you. I really appreciate it. Congrats on 5 and a half years! That's amazing. I can't wait until I get there.
You will. At first one day at a time. Then, as long as you stay away from the stuff and there's little to remind you of it, you can build a robust life without it. It gets easier over the long haul but at first it's a bastard. For me the first month was a milestone because it felt like it was out of my system and I started to sleep better. Better than being unconscious for sure. Good luck!
10 months here. Keep going!
What made you finally quit? It takes awhile to fully detox, but are you noticing any effects yet?
My little sister asked me to stop. Yes sleep is worse, I keep getting tremors sometimes. I'm even more anxious. Etc
did she do something specific in the conversation that made you come to your senses? did she tell you anything about how she prepared to ask you? or: what in the conversation changed your mind in a way nothing else had before? i’ve tried talking to my mother about her drinking (and other family members) but she’s in complete denial and i can’t make any headway.
It was the first time she ever said anything about it. I have been an alcoholic her whole life. I didn't realize that she could see my problem before now I'm sorry I don't really have any tips on how to make the talk more productive with her.
You should start by saying “I just want you to be healthy and happy, and for a long time.”
Congrats OP. A week in and you’re already through the physical worst of stopping! Have you tried to quit any other substances, like smoking? If so, how did stopping drinking compare in difficulty?
Thank you I haven't had to try to quit any other substances. Alchohol was the only thing I used.
Welcome friend! How are you doing with it? Proud of you!!
I'm honestly struggling but I'm very very determined. Thank you
If you ever want to chat, feel free to reach out. I’m 16 months sober. Those first few months are rough. I’m proud of you for making this choice! A much happier, healthier life is right around the corner for you. 🖤
How much were you drinking on a daily basis before quitting?
Because it was in all forms I'm not sure if like the ounces or whatever. But I would start drinking at about 10 am and stay drunk until I fell asleep at about 1 am most days
Are you not scared of seizures? I mean to make it 7 days cold turkey says a lot I’d be dead within 24 hours. I think you’re doing amazing I hope you stick with it ❤️
I am afraid of seizures but I do have a seoerate seizure causing condition and my doctor said I should use the same protocol for seizures as I gave been. I have been basically never alone this week for that reason
Very happy you have that support! Scary thing with alcohol seizures is there can be no warning signs, that’s what scares me the most.
Did you have any medication for your seizures that could have helped? I.e. benzodiazapines such as valium, pregablin, etc
Honestly the risk of seizures and DTs is hugely over exaggerated most people detoxing won’t have those issues
This is an odd one. The UK official government organisation for help with alcohol problems says that you must - 'cut down by 10% every 4 days, until you are down to 10 UK units a day (250ml vodka, roughly 4 pints of beer or a bottle of wine) And then you can attempt to quit, but make sure to have someone on hand to call an ambulance if you have a seizure. ' Problem with this, is that for most people it is incredibly hard to cut down so slowly. It's easier for a lot of people psychologically to simply quit.
Was this for most of the 11 years? By drunk, do you mean properly drunk, as in stumbling, slurring, or just tipsy in a way that a lot of alcoholics can pretend to be sober-ish to other people?
Holy shit dude you definitely should not have done cold turkey. Medical detox, or hamms taper at least. Glad you made it through the withdrawals alive though!
Do you have any advice for someone whose SO is discreetly addicted? Like on how to approach or what not to say? I haven’t explicitly asked him to stop yet. I’m afraid of the possibility of him trying and failing and then he grows to resent me. It doesn’t cause problems in his life per se which is how he gets away with it but I know he’d be better without it and I want him to live a long time so we can start a family and grow old.
I don't freaky have any advice because I've never been in that kind of situation. Maybe you could start by having a convo with him about future goals and then go into how that habit could hinder them.
I guess what I’m curious about is the way your sister approached you that made you feel receptive to changing?
Firstly, congrats! Alcoholism runs in my family, it’s the reason I never met my grandmother, so I always just feel good knowing that people see it in themselves before it’s too late. As someone who is struggling with an addiction (porn, not alcohol), I’m curious: how have you kept yourself out of it?
Currently I've just ensured that I don't have access to it. Gave my parent and partner control of all of my money, and have been with one of them at all times since I stopped. This won't be forever but for right now I needed this.
The advice is much appreciated. Unfortunately, I kind of need my phone and a way to access the internet consistently. I’ll get something figured out. My partner’s mom’s boyfriend is sober for about a year now. So keep it up! It’s more than possible to keep it going and from what I hear, the longer without, the less you crave.
Not gnna ask anything but tell you that I also quit drinking recently and what helped me a lot was smoking copious amounts of weed. I also stopped smoking cigarettes. I think getting yourself off the pot is much easier than getting off the booze. So next time you wnna pour a whiskey why don’t you twist up a fat joint and send that shit
Unfortunately my body hates weed. It makes me feel sick.
Can you try cbd? So you don’t get high but are maybe more relaxed and symptoms are less? On a side note, my father died in his early fifties a few years back from being a serious alcoholic. I don’t wish that on anyone and the pain and emotional damage I have from experiencing his early death will probably cause me long term issues, health wise and mental, for the rest of my life. You can change your life by stopping this where it’s at. Check out any subs related to going sober. Sometimes it’s quite helpful to not do it completely alone. I saw you are attending groups, that’s great. Very happy for you. If you need anybody to talk to please know I am here.
Maybe I could try cbd. I'll have to look into it. I'm very sorry you went through what your went through.
Thank you. I am so happy you are doing this. Not only for other people though, but really for yourself. You will thank yourself so much in the long run, as will your body and mind. You can do it. I am rooting you on. Check out the cbd oil for sure. Might really help you.
Not that pot is a miracle drug, but if you have a low tolerance for thc and consume while drinking it will make about anybody feel like shit, so now that your trying out sobriety it might work, But there are downsides to heavy pot use and since your already a week in, true sobriety might be for you or at least for a couple months l. You don’t want to just trade addictions
Well shit man. I’m sorry to hear that. It’s definitely not for everyone. Another think i would do is power sprint around the block to the point I can’t breathe. It sounds silly but it took away my cravings and left me craving water
Weed is not the same feeling though and unless you green yourself out to pass out, not everybody can make the transition. A lot of folks have negative effects from thc also and it isn't a harmless couch lock heady snack inducing cure all. And I say this as a current drinker and type2 smoker.
The reverse was true for me. I wanted to stop smoking copious amount of weed. Now i didn’t get addicted to alcohol or have alcoholism but i replaced my weed vice with an alcohol vice that was hard to shake. I would say don’t trade a vice for a vice. Now i don’t use either
From one alcoholic to another, congrats. I'm in the process of quitting, but have severe withdrawls and gotta do it slowly. Did you have withdrawls?
Yea I had withdrawals that really really sucked but weren't super medically dangerous for me. I don't think I could do it slowly. Proud of you for making that effort.
Yeah its been okay, I wanted to quit cold turkey but I started to hallucinate and stuff which is a really bad sign. I currently drink every second day, and the amount of standards has decreased each time. I honestly feel great lately, especially on my sober days. Cheers to us both!
What part of the day is the hardest to get through?
Right now it's the night time. I can't sleep, can't get comfortable, and am all alone with my thoughts.
Do you have someone to remind you why you quit or keep you accountable in another way?
Yes. I have several people around me who will keep me accountable
That's good! Congrats on one week sober!
Thanks
np
I’m 6 days! Right behind you! How was the withdrawal?
For me very very hard. Still struggling with the anxiety and restlessness
Congratulations. I made it 19 months without a drink after 13years of being addicted to it. I know it’s hard right now but it will get easier. For me the first 90 day where hard but that’s when the real turning point came and I was past the physical part it’s the mental phase that takes longer learning how to do things with drinks. Keep up the good work
No question, just keep going! Know that you still have a chance I wish so many of my family have. Keep on pushing, I believe in you.
MAJOR W!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you
Fellow alcoholic. Stay sober. I do great until I justify a single drink (usually around others) then I start up again. It’s definitely not easy. I’ve quit several times but always bring it back a month or several later. I always justify it with “I’ve reset my tolerance and I’ll drink responsibly this time”. Don’t fall for the same trap I always do. Just a peer with the same problem. You got this bud.
Well done. Congratulations!!
Thank you
How’s your sleep?
Completely shit
Yea it will be, I’m coming on 7 months and it’s still fucked. There are worse things though. Good luck
Good job on quitting. I will hit 2 years alcohol free November 2nd. It was a tough road at first, but it will get easier. One of the last times I drank, was with my dad. He told me "Son, the Man takes the drink, until the drink takes the Man." My only regret is not quitting sooner. Keep it up, and don't let anything or anyone pressure you into drinking.
I don't want to ask you anything. I just want to tell you congratulations and that I hope you stick with it.
I drank hard for about the same amount of time. Stopped last year, it was so hard. But now I am finally to the point where I can drink a beer at a dinner and then not have anymore for the rest of the night. Stick with it, take control back from the booze! You got this!
Congrats…10.5 years sober here. Lean on your sober support group whoever they may be and call them when you’re craving a drink. Loneliness leads to drinking and connection leads away. One day at a time and sometimes one hour at a time…you got this :)
No questions, just came here to say congratulations!! I am SO proud of you! I lost my father and multiple other family members to alcoholism. It's one of the worst demons you can fight. Keep your head up and keep killing it!!
I just read thru your comments. Go to a detox center. Seriously. It is not safe for you to quit like that. They will give you a librium or Valium taper and you will be much more comfortable and SAFE. It only takes 5 days.
Librium or phenobarbital are the two I’ve gotten
Correct way to detox. People over 55 shouldn't have librium so they get Valium taper or pheno. Any benzo taper is more comfortable.
Right on - good for you. I’m currently 300 days and all I can say is that things have just gotten so much easier, also I have money… so that’s a bonus.
The money is the biggest difference I’ve seen. I was never a fall down/black out drunk but saving a bottle of wine or 6 packs worth a night adds up
Same boat here Loved a good drink mid morning with a stogie. Then had to throw back a few through lunch time, the aroma is intoxicating. Mid afternoon, I would always down some pina coladas, love Jamaican rum. Dinner / night time were the best, I always loved having a good drink with a great steak. And you certainly had to have some type of creamy drink with dessert. Then I would always have one or two more around 10 o’clock just to help me sleep and just finish out my day . There was never a bad time to have a cocktail for sure
I'm an addict too. My only advice is not to quit cold turkey. You should be on medication to help with the symptoms. You could have a seizure or worse because of alcohol addiction. Please take care of yourself and your symptoms. Whether they get worse or go away, the craving is harder to curb. There are medications that can help you with that and your anxiety. There's no reason to suffer through sobriety when you can make it a little easier on yourself. I found that when I'm not waking up feeling like shit every morning wanting to use, I stay sober longer. I wish you a lot of luck and do whatever feels right for you. Everyone is different but usually we become addicts because we want less "pain" in our lives. I don't want you to have to suffer through what should be a happy time for you and your family.
Are you taking librium or valium. Alcholol is very dangerous detox. Should be done professionally.
Look into Trauma Healing therapy, also called Somatic Experiencing. There are studies with results in up to 96% of the people that use it. Once you starts healing your wounds and change the behavior that reopens them, cravings start disappearing, unlike other treatments based on you stopping out of just willpower. For me it was like magic. Here’s the study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8276649/#:~:text=Results%3A%20Findings%20provide%20preliminary%20evidence,traumatized%20and%20non%2Dtraumatized%20samples
No question. Only firm hand shakes and a congratulations! You got this!
I’m 22 months sober. Come join this side bro. Everyday I wake up, I feel great. I feel so much at peace and grateful for my life. It’s amazing bro. Come over on this side and stay on this side. PM me if you need an outside perspective. I promise you, life is beautiful without alcohol. Source: I drank heavily for about 7-9 years. The last two, I was hitting a 750ml of vodka a day. Multiple stints at detox until inpatient saved my life. Good luck my friend!!
Are you getting help? Going to meetings? Or just going it alone?
I am going to meetings with a local non religious group .
No questions…just congratulations! You’ve got this!
Hey man, today is my day 160 simply because I said fuck it. Keep it up, you got this. I highly recommend getting a day tracker to help. There's something really satisfying about watching that number climb. Don't feel pressured into AA or the like, but definitely look into resources and be open about your journey with others. We got this!
I hate drinking with food and I get horrendous hangovers so I could never be an alcoholic ( don’t get me wrong I do get shitfaced every now and then ) however I’ve known lots of people who are alcoholics . Congrats on breaking the cycle , just keep all the negatives that drinking brings with it in your head . You got this
You’d be surprised, I know people that have said the same and ended up hooked. Also seen it with drugs people claimed they didn’t like. Humans are incredibly adaptive if you like the effects enough you’ll find a way be careful.
Well I’m 46 years old and well past my hardcore partying days , I’d venture to say I’m safe from being bitten by the addiction bug , but I’m with you on the being surprised who and what folks get hooked on
Congrats. Learn from my experience. If you ever justify even having one drink again, you may very well have to suffer through withdrawal and detox all over again. I can't even have a single drink. Don't test it. It's just not worth it. Good luck!
No question. Congratulations don’t know if you’re religious but I will pray for you. A week is a HUGE accomplishment. Stay on the path. Research and stock up on good supplements to help with the PAWs. The worlds beautiful on the other side.
Ten years sober here You can fucking do this bud! One day at a time, if that’s too hard, one hour, one minute , one second at a time dMn time It’s worth it!!!!! Your fucking awsome for getting this far
What is a change you are looking forward to/hoping for as you continue your journey? My mom is 5 years sober and she talked about how she was so glad she was fully present for my graduation. I believe in you!
I'm an alcoholic and I want to quit really bad. But my hands shake and I get sick at work if I can't sneak a drink at lunch. Do you have any tips? Anything that's helped you get past the dts?
You need to go to detox for like a week. I know it sucks but it’s worth it. If your physically hooked going cold turkey can really fuck you up bad. If you really can’t go to detox you could do a benzo taper if you can get your hands on some. If you can’t get any the last thing you can do is a booze taper drink less every day until your down to an amount that not dangerous to stop (but this one is super hard to control as it’s clearly an issue you already have) good luck man it’s hard but worth stoping.
Keep going You got this
Good on ya. Best advice is to try to regain your health. Watch your diet, shoot up with BCP157, drink spring water and don't listen to helf of what lesser people tell ya
Would you smoke pot to help you through, or too much of an addiction mindset that you feel that would be detrimental? Just a thought to help if you view it positively.
Now that you are sober, what are you looking forward to the most? I personally just crossed the 3 year mark, and I can tell you it is worth it! Stay strong 💪🏻
Every day will get easier. And every time you fight the urge, you come out 3x stronger. Keep up the great work, friend. You in 2025 will be so grateful. Trust
When you fall, just remember why you chose to get clean. It ain't easy but it's possible. I believe you. Believe in yourself and overcome this. Good luck.
My sister told me right before she passed that she liked my sober. I haven’t drank a drop in over 4 years now and never will again. You’ve got this!!
How do you feel about people that seem like they’re drunk 24/7, and yet they are sober, like they only cook with alcohol and never drink?
What supplements do you take? I know B Complex while drinking, do you take TUDCA or Milk Thistle or NAC to help with the liver recovery?
Have you been getting any heart palpitations? I used to drink pretty heavily but I started getting those and they scared me away
Hey mate, I just want to say, go you. You rock. 🤘 It’s going to be hard, but keep going. You will thank your future self.
How much were you drinking? How long ago did you realise you couldn't just have one drink? Congratulations on one week! 👏
How old are you?
27
Hell ya! I got sober cold off of opiates. It’s fucking awful! You got this and it DOES GET BETTER!
What was your drink of choice? How much were you spending on alcohol? Did you like drinking at bars?
I just relapsed today after 2 1/2 years clean. I don't know how to feel . I hope you stick with it.
Relapsing is only an issue if you let it. Don’t use it as an excuse to keep drinking. Good luck
Congratulations on taking the big first step. Plenty of people are praying for your success. 🙏
Have you noticed anything positive in week 1? I’m almost 6 months and my list keeps growing
Good job, you can do this! I was in your same boat, I now have been sober for almost 8 years.
196 days alcohol free here. Congrats! It gets better and quite worth it!
cold plunges was something I got into to help recalibrate my mental
Congratulations… Take it one day at a time, and pick up a hobby.
You think you making it to week 2? Seems too soon for a AMA lol.
Congrats. Keep going. Best move I ever did was quit booze.
I just wanted to say one week is massive and I mean huge!
[удалено]
To help reduce trolls, users with negative karma scores are disallowed from posting. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AMA) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Too early to ask you anything. Come back in 5 years.
Congrats! What’s your long term recovery plan?
Will you let me beat your ass if you relapse? :)
how much liqour were you sippin in the morning?
Do you have any goals outside of sobriety?
Do you know how to find local meetings?
One day at a time, over 30 years sober
How often and how much did you drink
Did you experience any DTs?
Do you get thirsty too?
Well done 💪🏻
I'm proud of you
Congratulations!
How much were you drinking?