Usually it takes something like that to make us take the necessary steps to stay sober. I had a series of bad things happen to me from a job loss, to a death in the family and a threat of divorce.

We are glad you are here...now the question is, how will you maintain sobriety in light of all the temptations you are faced with like your drinking buddies, all the liqueur stores you live near and all the "great times" you had when you was loaded? Those are only a small number of triggers but I am sure you can think of more, like, withdrawals, depression, anxiety, etc.

It took alot for me to stay sober which involved outpatient treatment and aa meetings but different things work for different people. Different strokes for different folks, if you will. Some people can quit cold turkey and there are a few here who did that but it's not an easy way to do it. To be honest, I don't think there is an easy way....but no matter what it takes, we'll help you out the best way we can! Don't be afraid to make friends, journal, and use the resources here. It's all free.

God Bless

Honestly as cheesy and lame as it sounds I'm completly comfortable not drinking. I only Had my co-worker that i drank with and even he now does not drink, offer me a drink or tell me he is drinking. I don't mind watching others drink but don't want to be in a party situation. My biggest strength to stay sober is my family. If i can stop using meth and coke for 19 years, i can stop drinking. Having the eyes on the law on me as well really helps to stay from driving as well. Thank you for the welcome

If it works then keep doing it, is all I can say. It sounds like you have all the motivation you need so good luck.

I use to be addicted to narcotics but I began drinking when I couldn't find anymore pills but narcotics was actually my drug of choice. I found it harder to quit those then to quit drinking.

Let us know how you are doing. The path you take might help someone else. You never know. Many people read these but don't post. Good luck

you cost yourself about $10,ooo in fees with the attorney on that one last hurrah was it worth it?

Hello Andy. Welcome to sobriety. Your story is not uncommon. From my witnessing most people destined to be recovered have an event that is unavoidable in terms of allowing them clearly to see their path going forward by God's will.

It is awesome that you are seeing you want to change. After my DUI, which included me driving in a blackout that hit another car, with children in it, I still thought it wasn't me who was the problem. Not necessarily me, but something inside of me that needed to be addressed.

I have found it easier to admit I have alcoholism rather than see it as I am alcoholism. I have friends who take this absolutist approach and they at the end of the day are always more confused than clarity driven.

With that being said, these are the things I do to treat my alcoholism. I've been sober for several years and doing these things consistently have allowed me to believe my life doesn't have to stop just because I am an alcoholic.

For one, when there isn't a Coronavirus Pandemic, I go to a meeting daily, The particular meeting I go to is very early in the morning, can be very bland more than not, but is close to my house, and consistently available. I share at that meeting when called on, because it is important for me to see it as being helpful. Usually before the meeting, I pray to God first thing in the morning. I do not see long winded and loaded with request prayer as necessary so I usually just say the Serenity Prayer and say "I'm yours" then get on with the day.

I then usually read, not a whole lot, maybe one or two pages out of the book Alcoholics Anonymous, and wait for a sentence to catch my attention in a positive way, and try to see if I can't make that the theme for living that day. For instance today the sentence was "We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free."

Early on I would call my sponsor everyday, because we were doing the steps, and most importantly I committed to a philosophy that I was to be working for God for the rest of my life. This was key because when my ego would say things like I am not making enough money, or people aren't treating me fairly, defaulting to working for God reminded me that life can be more than the ego wishes it to be.

Hope it goes well for you, and have a great day.

I have that approach in my life. It's knowing that it has created problems in my life that makes me hyper aware that i don't need it in my life. Just like with drugs. Yes i don't use them anymore but i don't want to ever forget that i did because i need to remember the chaos it created in order to not go back to it thinking i can do it. As far as your 10,000 assessment, if i want on probation already that night be accurate. I had one in 2004 and it was about that. This day in age and on probation it will probably be more. I'm not going to wallow in self pity. I'm going to pick myself up and push forward

Sounds just like a story I have heard before.

The thing I didn’t really see was how when I quit harder drugs I ramped up drinking. In reality I just was exchanging one drug for another.

Alcohol IS a Drug. Very addictive. And very baffling.

I needed to not just Quit but work on the underlying reasons why I had to booze so hard. See I’m a lazy fer. I want the short cut. Booze was the short circuit. It made ME go away.

I hope you find a good replacement for the Drug.

Odds are not good but I made it this far with the help of DS and my home group. Find sober friends or risk finding drunk friends

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Even with quitting drugs i found that trying to ramp up my drinking made me feel worse. I hated being drunk. I think mainly because it took longer to recover. I was the 2 beers after work to wind down type of drinker. Didn't like hard alcohol, on weekend work projects i would drink a 12 pack throughout the entire day but even that was once or twice a month. Even with a couple weeks under my belt I'm not craving it. Yes it would be nice to have a couple being the weekend but i know i can't because of probation. For whatever reason it is harder being told i can't and I'm not sure why it is. For one thing i don't deny my alcoholism. I know i am and it had caused problems. So the probation is a good thing because it forces me to step away. Like everything we assume we have under control, there will always be times we lose that control

welcome to our little group Andy. some good comments so I'll keep my brief. gotta agree with 1is2many that it's great to quit drinking, but doing so without addressing the underlying causes is likely going to end in relapse. since you already kicked meth and coke, perhaps you're already aware of these, I don't know. i quit several times for a year or so but drank again because this recovery work was never completed. it took a recovery approach that included this work that helped my sobriety last for nearly three years to date.

wish you the best Andy, please stay in touch and looking forward to reading future posts about your progress.

Kevin

Much appreciated response and again. I know it's an issue and one i will overcome as long as i stick to it. My biggest flaw in quitting before was it was never bad enough to feel the need to quit which my sound like I'm downplaying the seriousness of the affliction and I'm not trying to minimize it's effects. I hated being drunk but loved the buzz. I only drank beer because i didn't want to be drunk. But it was become a habit of 2 or 3 beers a day with 2 or 3 days a week turning into 6-8 beers. Granted i could drink a 15 pack and feel ok it still was more than i should be drinking to begin with. I will be in touch often and look forward to hearing others stories aa well

Hi Andy was their a reason that you would drink or just habit ?

Just enjoyed drinking to drink. Not to get drunk but loved a decent buzz. Usually just on a social basis or when doing outside work projects.

Sounds like something that would happen in my life. A friend wants to quit drinking, I think supporting him and being nice in having one last throw down is the right thing to do, I end up getting a DUI. No good deed goes unpunished.

Well, my only suggestion is to commit to it for a year or two and see if you can honestly say it is helpful. Go all in, go to meetings, do service work, read the book, make friends who need to quit drinking too, forget all your plans for a while and open you mind to something you never could have thought up yourself happening.

The thing that I was not understanding was MY part. If I was driving home and got stopped it was always someone else’s fault not mine. The valet didn’t turn on the lights ... the person in front of me stopped too soon, the accident was ( insert someone’s name ). Thing is I would have not had the problem if I was not blotto.

I must say this is a very common thread. We can’t see that really it was MY fault. I was a couple seconds impaired and that was one extra second I could not react.

I hope you find a sober place but it too more than just stopping booze. The Booze was not the problem. It was how I changed the way I felt. It’s the way I hid from ME.

Today I don’t get buzzed, or drink beer all day on Saturday. Sure sometimes I miss the escape but for me it would kick off the daily drinking and the other feelings of inadequatness and shame, guilt, and remorse.

Not to mention more interaction with the cops and jailers and judges and attorneys and bankers and insurance agents and auto body shops and on and on infinitum

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I never encountered much trouble when drinking. I didn't like the bar scene except to occasionally play pool with my wife and we each had 2-3 beers, would play a handful of games then leave. Bowling we would play 3 games and get one pitcher of beer. I couldn't stat drinking before noon unless i was camping. And never had any law enforcement incidents until this last one. It's not an excuse by any means. Even having no drinks since March isn't bothersome to me. I believe people are capable of responsible drinking. But on the flip side of that i also know that it can lead up to bigger problems as well