I have tried to quit a few times in the past, and always around week 2 I think, ‘I am sure I can do this in moderation, right? I am in control of this’.
That always ends up not being true—I can’t seem to stop at a glass of wine with dinner, or two cocktails on Friday. It feels overwhelming to not be able to imbibe at all in a world that seems to circle around alcohol. Work functions, social functions, dates—when did we decide that alcohol should be present at all after hour events?
A colleague is traveling and sent a pic of him and another peer ‘cheersing’ with a couple of beers and the first thing that entered my mind was, ‘surely I could have just one’. Any thoughts on how you mentally get over the hurdle of thinking you can just better manage your addictions?
Start hanging around people who's lives don't revolve around being drunken idiots.
Remember how badly it makes you feel….. Yuck!! 
Give yourself a goal. 90 meetings in 90 days. Maybe this won’t feel as if it insurmountable. Instead of thinking “ the rest of my life”. Think about it 1 day at a time. 30, 60, and then 90 days add up fast. Then see how you feel. I bet it will feel really great. Mentally and physically.
It’s the only drug you have to apologize for not using! Alcohol is the official sponsor of every event…. There’s a new seltzer beer/malt commercial everyday on TV.
Your story resonates. We are all different and my case might have been extreme but I got a divorce, moved and started over from scratch to get sober. It’s lonely AF but I’m sober.
I feel the same too. I don’t drink everyday and don’t really drink at home but if I go out, I deal with social anxiety by drinking and I don’t ever know when to stop…
I’m not a big book thumper but one line got me; what was common has to become uncommon. You will find being sober is an introspective journey. I naturally gravitated to parties and social events only to be the one left at the bar drinking alone. I love more passionately and my vices are healthy now. You will find your way and it will be a wonderful experience for you if you let go of “what was”.
Um... Are you being sarcastic?
Some people can and some people can't...after proving to myself countless times I know I can't control my drinking....for its accepting that I am alcoholic. That means I am powerless over alcohol.
When I have quit before, getting past the first 2 weeks was always the hardest. Once I get past that point I feel like I have more invested and don’t want to have to start over. For me it does get easier over time. I also had to really commit to making it a permanent change. Just keep telling yourself the reasons you don’t want to drink. Best of luck. You can do it!
I can’t be around drunks. It’s super lame. I also could never stop at 2 beers
Your definitely not in control,I thought the same thing I would buy a little bottle, then 2,then3,4,pretty soon it was a half gallon jug. If you question whether or not you can control it,you can't.
Read ,read , read !!!! Anything and everything that explains to you what is really going on with your mind , with your body , with our society and culture and this poison. When you realize we are being bamboozled you get really mad. Then you make it a point to not be a puppet. We are bombarded with the idea that alcohol means being an adult, a sophisticated, fun adult and it’s all a lie.
I wasn't being judgemental. I was stating what I personally have to do. I have to not hang out with drunk idiots, the drunk idiots I have always hung around, in order to not be one of them.
Sorry my comments trigger you so much that you can't actually get the gist of them without "judging" me.
For me I had to completely Surrender and accept the fact that I am a addicted and one drink would lead me back in my addiction so when I see others drinking I think where it took me and I refuse to live that life
Everything I say here is from the "I". I don't talk about things I don't know about, you however can't seem to get enough talking about me (which you know nothing about) Talk about "puerile"......
Go ahead, lay into me, I don't even care.
Thanks! I’ll pick it up. I just started ‘quit like a woman’ and it has really been resonating as well.
Alot of them do, because I have been here for about 6 months and have told many people my background.
Do your fücking research.
You can if you look around that not everyone is drinking anymore. You can toast with a pelligrino and lime.