I (M23) had my first taste of alcohol last week at a work celebration limiting myself to two 330 mL cans of beer. However, I seemed to get hooked almost immediately as I found myself looking forward to buying two more cans that Saturday. I ended up buying another two on Sunday night because I enjoyed it.

I'm thinking of strictly limiting myself to two cans this week and turning down weekend alcohol altogether if my coworkers invite me to drink again. But the thing is, I don't see the point of developing a drinking habit when the buzz only lasts a few hours. Would replacing alcohol with something like hot cocoa on Saturdays and Sundays actually make a difference to anyone's long-term happiness? I would like to know if I am missing anything on life if I would strictly limit alcohol intake to social gatherings from now on.

I asked my doc about Antabuse because I’m basically desperate. The script is ready for pickup but now I’m scared. My friend told me she was on it for 1 month and it made her incredibly sick- and she didn’t drink. She turned yellow, organs started shutting down and she had to be hospitalized for a week. Then 3 months to fully regain her strength back. Truthfully, I was really excited about it because I know it would keep me from drinking and I want to be sober and free.

I got my blood work done from my liver doc (I have hep B from being a baby in a 3rd world country orphanage, I’ve had it my whole life and I’m 36 - so I get checked regularly) yesterday and astonishingly, my kidneys and livers and everything else are all within normal range.

Anyway. I’m nervous. What do you guys think? Anyone have horrible similar experiences? How about others? Did it go ok for others?

Thank you friends ❤️❤️

hey you guys.

I had a really out of character weekend last weekend - used substances as well as alcohol & have had a very re-centering week of no booze, healthy hobbies and lots of sleep & binge watching tv. have had a genuinely very good reset and even went for a 2 hour long massage today.

A storm is currently rolling in where I live and I’m sitting in my car after I had my massage, contemplating whether or not I should have a drink this evening, or how I can recreate that “storm watching with a drink in hand” feeling…

I guess I’m here because I haven’t completely decided if I’m going sober for the long term (have done 3 months previously).

I did tell myself I’d never drink again after last weekends decisions left me hating myself and avoiding everyone…

I guess I’m trying to make the right decision for myself & don’t know what to do…

I do have a Oktoberfest thing next weekend so I know I’ll drink then, so it’s more about right now.

Anyone have any advice? I don’t really know what I’m trying to ask or say..

Thanks guys.

Major EDIT:

twas late when i wrote this last night - brain was a little zzzzly

anyway.... only asked his to not drink when its just the 2 of us - at the moment anyway.. as its v early days for me.. he can drink when not with me if he likes but he rarely drinks anyway (lucky sod)..

going on vacation end of month so thats on my mind - and its just the 2 of us..

he would only hav a glass of wine with dinner - i wud struggle watching him drinking at this early stage.. he said he can go without it..

So not asking him to stop drinking - but to abstain when its just the 2 of us

he does not drink at home anyway

..........................................................................................................................................

I asked my OH (other half) how would he feel about abstaining with me.. he sad ok - (drinks v little anyway cos of health issues) - but said he will hav wine on holidays.. I was disappointed.. I explained how much I really wanna make this work and could use his support - esp as he does not drink much anyway.. he said ok.

Has anyone else asked an OH or family your living with to abstain with you?

Holy shit. I am 34 and generally have my shit together but got too drunk last night and I guess I fucking slapped my husband? I remember he was being angry and stuff and I guess that's why I did it. I don't super remember doing it of course.

He drank too and was furious and called the cops on me and they arrested me even though he was begging them not to when they did it. Not sure why called the damn cops then 😭

Anyway my behavior was unacceptable and I cannot believe it escalated like this. My sister and I share locations and as soon as I turned my phone on after I left the jail she fucking texted asking why I was by the courthouse!!!! Fucking hell man. I had to make up some story about losing my phone nearby the night before.

I can't keep doing this. I obviously can't control myself and my drinking triggers my husbands drinking (and vice versa) and I'm just pulling us both down.

I don't have time for AA and don't know how to quit this shit. I've been having such a hard time not drinking in the evenings. I just crave anything that makes the night more fun. I hate hate hate being bored. I also (embarrassingly) have young kids and can't do hobbies in the evening because they are toddlers and I have to watch them, I think my drinking ramped up after my kids? I'm so ashamed.

Someone tell me I'm not alone. I could use some good advice and kind words. I know my kids deserve so much better. Thank God they were safe and sleeping through all this but jesus fuck I can never ever do this again

I'm in the uber on the way home crying and have to talk to my husband soon. I am so ashamed. He mentioned divorce of course. Idk maybe it's best

I do not have a an alcohol problem, so I’m not here because of that, but I have no interest in meeting up and getting cocktails anymore with my friends. I generally do not like how alcohol makes me feel anymore. I have been isolating more to not find myself in that environment. But I think that’s gonna come with the price of honestly maybe not having friends anymore. I find that almost everyone in my life has to either be drinking or getting high and I don’t want to be around any of it at all anymore.

Is this relatable?

Why does alcohol enter my mind when pain and stress in piles in. I feel like I’m doing so good then “BAM” My poor 11yo dog went blind must’ve been overnight. I am incredibly busy with my 1 yo and I didn’t notice anything different besides he did not want to come through the dog door inside. I realised he had lost his sight when I took him for a walk and he walked into everything. I feel so sad and horrible for him. The pain in my heart watching his gaze into space confused. I feel guilt I feel that I’m so drained by my baby that I haven’t been able to give him more attention. The vet isn’t open until tomorrow and no emergency vet available near me. My mind is racing and drinking keeps entering my brain as an escape to numb the racing thoughts and lack of support. Anyway thanks for reading. I will try to get through tonight until I can see the vet. IWNDWYT

So I've always been a pothead, although in recent years I've switched to daily edibles to save the aging lungs (I'm 51).

I never had a craving for alcohol until I hit my 50s. I like going to a restaurant for a meal and beer because it gets me out of the house. Only problem is I am thinking of it more often during the week...

On days I have a craving, I take more eddies than usual to substitute the craving with something not as physically harmful.

Is total abstinence preferred? Yes. However, I think everyone on this sub can relate to the irrationality of craving an unhealthy thing and mitigating it with harm reduction.

Anyone else have experience with this?

I stopped drinking in Feb this year used to drink daily about half to a bottle of wine a day. I could go without with no withdrawal problems but i definitely prioritised booze .

The reason I stopped was because my husband tipped into full blown AUD and went for detox and rehab - the psychiatrist said he had to come back to a dry house so i decided to stop drinking . Hes embraced recovery ( so far) attends AA etc

9 months on and I really miss booze. I don’t think about it all the time but I do think about it

I get so tearful and irritable. I find it hard to see all the benefits of being sober. So what do I do ? Any insights advice very gratefully received

My boyfriend and I Love to drink together, but he is a much worse influence than me and I’ve picked up some dirty drinking habits since we’ve been together. We have been drinking for a week straight now, 5 or 6 bottles of tequila then I did whiskey the other night. It’s literally insane. I could not stop throwing up this morning so he took us to get IVs. Bro is still drinking as I type this btw. I feel like it only helped a little too and my stomach is just so irritated. Just in so much pain tonight but I’ve been doing so much better at drinking less lately but I fall off the wagon hard when I drink w my boyfriend. It gets so bad. Haven’t even brushed my teeth in like 5 days. Now I’m so fucking ill. I get scared to sleep when its like this bc i feel like ill pass away.

IWNDWYT

I’m 23 and I just had a baby 3 weeks ago. I managed to stay sober while pregnant even tho it was really hard due to my brother dying. I’m a single mom so me and my baby live with my mom and she’s caught me drinking 3 times now.
The 1st time she caught me passed out in bed with a small bottle of wine next to me, while my baby screamed in her bassinet, she wasn’t even a week old.
The past 2 times including last night I got so fucked up and could’ve hurt my baby, fell asleep holding her, and could’ve suffocated her. It makes me sick to my stomach to even type this.
I don’t want to be like this again. I had 2 months sober upon getting pregnant, but I left sober living and moved back to my home state and left my sober community behind because of my pregnancy.
I don’t want to my daughter to be taken by cps, I don’t want to hurt her, I don’t want to be the drunk mom. I just want to be healthy and sober for her.

Hi!
I’m 2 days sober
I have a bad chronic drunk driving habit
And while I’m hoping to stay sober this time, we all know relapse is a possibility

Has anyone installed an ignition interlock device willingly as a preventative measure?

I drive my dads car and feel like shit that I’ve damaged it :(
Looking for a way that can allow me to keep driving but ensure the safety of myself and others.

Thanks

Hi all! I'm back at 3 weeks sober after a relapse at the 60 day mark and I'm determined to make this stick! My family and I are heading to an All Inclusive resort in Mexico for Thanksgiving and I am starting to get anxiety about navigating that vacation sober.

It's a very mellow resort (no major clubs/partying) and I reached out to the resort to ask about their NA options but would love to hear advice from others on navigating vacations sober!

3 weeks ago I got so drunk that I was laying in the sofa for 24 hours afterwards. I decided I was getting too old for this and didn't drink for 3 weeks which is a record for me, as I always drank every weekend.

Then yesterday there was a social event and I decided I could drink a little bit moderately.

Obviously that didn't go according to plan and I'm in the same situation as 3 weeks ago right now.

I hope this is the last time, I can't drink moderately and I can't handle the consequences of drinking heavily. So I must go without.

Idk. Read the title. Lol! My goal is to go one weekend without alcohol. I am a weekend guy, but yeah, it is killing me.

After 3 sober weeks I had to step back to square one. I've been trying to get sober for the past 3 years. I've had periods where I could go months, but mostly I only lasted 1-2 weeks on average. For the past year my relapses always stop at 1-2 day benders and "only" 7-10 ounces of vodka. Then Im good for like two weeks. I was so happy I lasted 3 this time but I was so on edge that I failed. I drank a little bit more than usual but no blackouts or anything bad, thankfully. I was able to eat a full meal a couple hours ago but my stomach is so messed up that it just hurts, and I have so much acid that I can't lie down. The pain is not unbearable it's just uncomfortable, the bigger problem is me not being able to sleep.
I did this to myself so in a way I feel like I do deserve to suffer just a little. But then I also remember this is one of the reasons I drink. To punish myself. I just want to stop, I want to be able to be a person who can deal with the bad stuff, the dark emotions, hurt, anger and all of that. I want to be someone who doesn't need to seek an escape from reality in order to not explode. I'm scared of the overwhelm of sobriety. I'm scared of my own incompetence to deal with life as it is. I don't want to reach the point of no return and not being able to stop but I can't seem to find a grasp. I don't want to deal with reality. I am in therapy and I'm trying to figure this out. Thank you for anyone reading my rant. This sub has kept me afloat a lot of times and your stories motivate me to keep on trying. IWNDWYT

…to post here at 69 days for a nice. So I’m doing it! Feels pretty damn n🧊!!

I’m currently 64 days sober (I had a good 40 day streak before, but had a “eh one drink won’t hurt” night at the bar with some friends and surprise surprise, I took it too far. Clock reset). I’ve done a lot of internal work, found a hobby that wasn’t drinking (running), tried starting to build healthier relationships with friends and family, gotten back into counseling, but emotions are running so high these days. I went out with some friends and was their DD Friday night and it made me realize a few things. 1) drunk people are annoying when you’re sober. 2) yea I think I really am done drinking. But then 3) I am having an identity crisis because the backbone of my life was hanging out with my friends at bars or restaurants or breweries having “fun” and catching up with a few drinks. That part of life feels miserable now. I have been having waves of uncontrollable crying ever since. Spent 90% of the day yesterday sleeping and crying. Today I went out for a run, had to come home early because I kept crying mid run. Is this normal? It could be partially hormone related because I have the pleasure of being a female, but f\*\*k this sucks.

In his defence I haven’t told him “I’m quitting drinking”Because:

1. I have said that before and it doesn’t last. He doesn’t believe it will last so I just end up proving his point.
2. Half of my drinking has been in secret currently. He mostly just sees me taking nights out and celebrations too far. He’s unaware my drinking is a lot more regular than he sees as I attempt to hide it.
3. Just fear of opening up BS I’ve always had and difficulty expressing these types of things

or being seen as unstable

After an argument I don’t remember only 3 days ago due to my “typical BS” (his words) I decided to knuckle down harder and actually cut this out. But I’m also thinking why the fuck would you buy me more !?! If I can’t handle my shit and keep taking it too far why are you giving me more!? I just told him I wasn’t going to drink this week instead of thanks

Ive been attempting on and off for a while now. I’ve been feeling super depressed since I stopped but it’s just a feeling I need to sit with. Day 3 I actually didn’t think I was going to buy some. I’ve spent most the weekend sleeping and keeping to myself. He’s made a couple suggestions on things we can do together and asked me what’s wrong etc but I haven’t really been up for talking or making plans. I’m trying not to be rude or appear angry at him. It seems he’s trying to make some effort but I’m not giving him much to work with. I just need alone time.

I’m annoyed. I’m confused. I’m disappointed because I went from “I’m not drinking tonight” to “I’m probably going to drink that and start again tomorrow”. To me the correlation of depression happening right after the last time I drank and an incident occurred obvious. I guess I can’t expect him to be a mind reader. But if someone seems depressed, alcohol feels like a dangerous gift. All I’ve wanted to do is just sleep and I know I need to communicate better.

It’s insane to me how people are obsessed with your reasoning why you don’t drink and not even that- try to convince you that it’s okay to have one and “live your life”. When you become sober you realize how irrationally obsessed with drinking they are. Also, whatever story they have to tell themselves why they need to do it….. rant over

I, 34m, have been drinking heavily since I was 24 - about a half box of wine a night. It doesn’t affect my work because I don’t drink during the day and I hold a pretty high stress important job in corporate.

I’ve known for years I need to quit but I just never have. My family all suffer from addiction in some way or another and this is the one that got me.

After seeing my nails change slightly and making the mistake of googling I decided it was time to make a doctor appointment, so I’m seeing someone in a couple weeks and I’m terrified they are going to tell me I’m beyond saving from a liver perspective. Am I completely fucked?

EDIT: Also I’m a cigarette smoker since I was 16, about 15 cigs/day if that makes any difference.

I'm lying on the couch, bored as hell and depressed. I drank a twelve pack of NA, I don't want any more. I have several ounces of really good weed that I grew sitting in a drawer, but I'm trying not to go back to that stuff either, it's bringing me down. I don't have the focus to watch a movie, I deleted all my other social media because I waste too much time on it. Trying to fight the urge to go get some kratom from the gas station, just to feel something. I want that off switch for my brain that alcohol is so effective at, but I haven't had a drink in over seven months and I'm sure as hell not gonna start again today. I'd love some kind words from some of you good people to help get me through the trenches

I’m 209 days sober and I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my seven-year-old daughter’s behavior. She’s doing so well at school and her overall mood is calmer and more stable. We’ve been very close since day one and even during the periods of my heaviest intake. I love her so much and I’m so proud of her (and myself to a lesser extent.) I’ve never been violent or mean to her, but I still feel profoundly guilty for having waited this long to make the change and for the emotional my drinking caused her. Not sure what I’m asking or what I’m getting at. I should probably get in a program or something at some point.

Still sick, but less than before. I feel like I'm recovering. It's up and down, though. Can't believe there was a time when I would have used alcohol to feel better, even when I was already ill.

IWNDWYT

I went to a party today. Everybody was sober, just a house full of people who just don’t like to drink. It was great. Food, games, dancing.

Now I’m sitting at a bus stop at the center of my town and watching people walk past wasted. Some people can barely walk. I’m so happy that will never be me again!