time to live a more sober life...

[jcm12]

So yea, i'm 22 and had a moment of clarity today. I wasn't hungover or anything, but I woke up realizing that I no longer want or need alcohol in my life.

I have very good self control, when I quit smoking cigarettes I quit cold turkey and that was that. I had the headaches and anxiety for a week, then it was over.

I wasn't a very hardcore drinker, but I did drink regularly. My withdrawals should be little to non-existant.

Enough rambling, how's everyone else feeling?

[Taza Tikha]

Good for you. You'll save lots of money. I was never a big drinker, but I usually got roped into being the DD. So I've had my fair share of long nights out and wasting away the next day in bed. I've cut back on the nightlife a lot and am dabbling in the late night workouts to keep me from feeling like a complete loser. There's something nice about being the only one in the gym on a Saturday night...no waiting for a particular machine...blasting my own music on the stereo system....It's a great way to occupy time and I wake up the next morning feel refreshed, not like I need to spend the day in bar detox.

[shimmer728]

I don't think I even remember being 22 because I was trashed the whole time. I wasted tons of money and put on about 10 pounds. Believe me, you respect yourself a whole lot more the morning after when you can actually recall what when on the night before. :p

[shinyleaf]

You will be a lot healthier than your counterparts if you quit drinking now. I'm 27 and I'm not quite done drinking, but I drink much less than I used to simply b/c I can't handle the next day anymore.
That said, I wouldn't give up my early '20s party days for anything. Good times.

[shimmer728]

That said, I wouldn't give up my early '20s party days for anything. Good times.

Word. I had a damn good time! :D

[RayJ1977]

There's a far cry between being smashed and drinking. Drinking is one of the fine things in life. Enjoy sobriety...I will enjoy life, thanks. But good luck nonetheless. It's a great decision for some...and I wish you the best.

[jcm12]

There's a far cry between being smashed and drinking. Drinking is one of the fine things in life. Enjoy sobriety...I will enjoy life, thanks. But good luck nonetheless. It's a great decision for some...and I wish you the best.
I'll enjoy a microbrew or draft beer on occasion, but i'm not going to drink every day like I used to.

[Mad Dawg]

I'm Irish. I'll die if I stop drinking. No, really! That's like taking a fish out of water. :lol:

[jcm12]

I'm Irish. I'll die if I stop drinking. No, really! That's like taking a fish out of water. :lol:
ya I know, this is just a "drying out" period for me. Alcoholism is no joke in my family, so i'm keeping a close eye on my health.

[cornflakegirl]

i have severely cut back on drinking since my college years. i feel healthier & lost weight. now when i do have the occasional nights when i will drink a few, i realize how bad i feel the next morning. not even hung over just overtired from not sleeping so well. alcoholism is no joke in my family either, on both sides. so i know i am risk for it.

plus, i am a cheap date.

[Kitty]

I used to drink about 5 nights a week while I was in college and I look back on that and have no idea how I did it. NOw that I only drink about 1 or 2 times a month, I feel a lot better and have a lot more stability in my life.

I have to admit that I truly enjoy being drunk and drinking, but its definitely a special occasion type of thing.

[wordsmith]

I've never been a really excessive drinker, so I've never felt the need to cut it out in it's entirety. It's super occasional, and moderate when I do, nothing close to regular. Plus, hangovers are pretty much nonexistent for me. I think I've had two.

[KeepRockin]

ya I know, this is just a "drying out" period for me. Alcoholism is no joke in my family, so i'm keeping a close eye on my health.
I'm fresh out of a relationship with a recovering alcoholic and I've gained a new respect for people with the self-control needed to curb an addiction...and the ones that notice and respect that there is a sickness associated with drinking. While I was with this guy, I realized that I could still go out and have a good time without getting trashed. I still drink, but definitely not like I used to. Alcoholism has strong hereditary forces, so good for you for wanting to calm down before doing any potential long-term harm! :huge:

[LaneyV]

So yea, i'm 22 and had a moment of clarity today. I wasn't hungover or anything, but I woke up realizing that I no longer want or need alcohol in my life.



I had a similar enlightenment a few weeks ago. Since April I've been off the booze and the cigarettes because I was training for a fitness exam. But now..it just seems pointless to get drunk and barred from clubs (my lot, ie. my colleagues, usually managed to cause some havoc :redface: ).

But how, oh how, to explain all this to the people I used to work and drink with...? That, for me, is the hardest bit. I've constantly had to explain myself and my actions to the people around me - seems like not drinking is not an accepted option for the modern girl-about-town who works with a bunch of guys.

[shimmer728]

Whenever I tell people I don't party much anymore, I always have to hear, "You?! Whatever, I don't believe it." Fine, don't believe it. But Jesus, so I outgrew my drinking phase. Why is that so shocking?

[jcm12]

It's been a few days, and i've definitely noticed a change in how I feel. Slight withdrawals, but I'm feeling good.

When I quit smoking cigarettes, it seemed like 6 days straight I felt totally controlled by nicotine, then it was all gone and I felt amazing.

[ce607]

Good for you.
I had a similar moment of clarity the day before I graduated from college and swore I would keep drinking to a minimum. That was 5 years ago, but I can pretty much say I've kept my word on that one. There's no more alcohol-induced drama in my life, and that's a damn good thing.
Now I'm trying to give up caffeine, and that's proving much more difficult :rolleyes:

[shimmer728]

[QUOTE=ce607
Now I'm trying to give up caffeine, and that's proving much more difficult :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

It would be a cold day in hell before I did that!

(Says the girl sitting at her computer with a cup of java in her hand)

[samender]

I cut back around that age. I never considered myself a big drinker...but on the weekends I did like to go out with friends and have a few. Then I noticed it started being a thing during the week with dinner and then it climbed up to being something that happened 3 to 4 days a week. I cut it back to just weekends now and even that it's like a drink or two. I think I generally started losing interest more than trying to cut it out of my life and that helped. It is easy to fall into a pattern of drinking more than you intend sometimes if you dont take notice. However when you start thinking about your health and have less and less time that starts to vanish.