Question for anyone who has ever quit drinking alcohol for any significant time.

[TinyEvel]

There's more than an occasional drinking thread around here.

But I'm curious about who has quit drinking, either permanently or for a significant period of time.
What made you decide to quit?
How did you quit?
How long did you abstain?
What did/didn't work for you?

I'm just interested in what's out there, and if anyhting works better than anything else.

I used to give it up - no problem - for 40 days during lent each year. But lost focus in recent history. I hate to admit it is such a regular ingredient in my life. I guess I just have a stressful job/life and feel like I deserve it. Wrong, I know, but I want to figure out how to control it before it starts to control me.

[Demonpenz]

shit i tried but after 45+ hours in a cube your need a tall one

[Bob Dole]

Define "significant period of time".

Does 17 hours count?

[TinyEvel]

Define "significant period of time".

Does 17 hours count?

Geez.The blind leading the blind....

I guess, like, 6 months or more?

[alanm]

Quit drinking 9 yrs and 3 months ago. Never felt better. Only miss beer on a hot day. :(

[Rausch]

I quit for about 6 months on the carb diet.

It helped.

It also made me a really skinny @$$hole...

[alanm]

BTW you'll know when it's time to quit. Only you and you alone can make that decision. If it's imposed on you in any way shape or form it won't work.

[TinyEvel]

Quit drinking 9 yrs and 3 months ago. Never felt better. Only miss beer on a hot day. :(

How'd you do it? Cold Turkey?
AA? Meds?

If personal, no worries. Just trying to see what's worked for people. I'm bringing this up for myself, not being forced. I'm ready to at least regulate, if that's possible. But not sure if it is, physiologically.

[Rausch]

BTW you'll know when it's time to quit. Only you and you alone can make that decision. If it's imposed on you in any way shape or form it won't work.

Does this rule advise everyone else to STFU until then?...

[luv]

Does this rule advise everyone else to STFU until then?...
Nope. :)

[alanm]

How'd you do ti? Cold Turkey?
AA? Meds?

If personal, no worries. Just trying to see what's worked for people. I'm bringing this up for myself, not being forced. I'm ready to at least regulate, if that's possible. But not sure if it is, physiologically.
Quit drinking because it was causing problems with work and family. Sooooooo... I took a 28 day sabatical. Came away nourished up and feeling better than I had in a long time. Still hit 2 meetings a week. :thumb:
But like I said if you're not ready to quit you won't.
I was.

[Rausch]

Quit drinking because it was causing problems with work and family. Sooooooo... I took a 28 day sabatical. Came away nourished up and feeling better than I had in a long time. Still hit 2 meetings a week. :thumb:
But like I said if you're not ready to quit you won't.
I was.

I'm too greedy to be a drunk.

I don't have the money for it. Plus, I take a sleeping pill and 1 and 1/2 beers and I go straight to sleep (just ask Luv, I haven't bugged her for likely a month now. :evil: )

[luv]

I'm too greedy to be a drunk.

I don't have the money for it. Plus, I take a sleeping pill and 1 and 1/2 beers and I go straight to sleep (just ask Luv, I haven't bugged her for likely a month now. :evil: )
I know. :(

[alanm]

I'm too greedy to be a drunk.

I don't have the money for it. Plus, I take a sleeping pill and 1 and 1/2 beers and I go straight to sleep (just ask Luv, I haven't bugged her for likely a month now. :evil: )
Noob. ROFL

[Rausch]

Noob. ROFL

Yeah.

Catch me on some game weekend without some type of sedative and I'm rolling for as long as you've got beer.

Delt passed out twice in one day while I kept on a roll'n an swig'n.

"At's all a'h got's ta' say about 'at..."

[jAZ]

There's more than an occasional drinking thread around here.

But I'm curious about who has quit drinking, either permanently or for a significant period of time.
What made you decide to quit?
How did you quit?
How long did you abstain?
What did/didn't work for you?

I'm just interested in what's out there, and if anyhting works better than anything else.

I used to give it up - no problem - for 40 days during lent each year. But lost focus in recent history. I hate to admit it is such a regular ingredient in my life. I guess I just have a stressful job/life and feel like I deserve it. Wrong, I know, but I want to figure out how to control it before it starts to control me.
Good for you for asking.

I've never been in a situation where I struggled to stop drinking, so I can't offer much direct help. Just words of support.

[Rausch]

Good for you for asking.

I've never been in a situation where I struggled to stop drinking, so I can't offer much direct help.

You own a bar, don't you ****er?...

[Frazod]

Alcohol was the easiest of the vices I quit. Even when I drank a ton, I was never hooked on it at all. To this day, I can go months without a drop of alcohol and not think twice about it. But I still drink occasionally. And only the good stuff.

[luv]

Alcohol was the easiest of the vices I quit. Even when I drank a ton, I was never hooked on it at all. To this day, I can go months without a drop of alcohol and not think twice about it. But I still drink occasionally. And only the good stuff.
Ditto, only I usually settle for the cheap stuff. Unless it's a good ale.

[alanm]

Alcohol was the easiest of the vices I quit. Even when I drank a ton, I was never hooked on it at all. To this day, I can go months without a drop of alcohol and not think twice about it. But I still drink occasionally. And only the good stuff.
I never really had a problem with beer. It was the "Good stuff" that did me in. In my former occupation it was kinda frowned upon to show up hung over. ROFL ROFL
I used to have many a talk with my superiors. ROFL
But I was too damn good at my job. :thumb:

[Frazod]

The hardest thing I quit was cigarettes. It took four times to quit those damn things.

I think it's harder to quit something that's legal and readily available, just because it's always there and people are always doing it around you. When I quit coke, I simply disassociated myself from the idiots I got high with. The desire was still there, but not the physical and visual temptation of others doing it around me. I never saw it, and that helped a lot. Much harder with tobacco, and I'm sure wth booze if you're hooked. Then it takes some serious willpower.

[alanm]

The hardest thing I quit was cigarettes. It took four times to quit those damn things.

I think it's harder to quit something that's legal and readily available, just because it's always there and people are always doing it around you. When I quit coke, I simply disassociated myself from the idiots I got high with. The desire was still there, but not the physical and visual temptation of others doing it around me. I never saw it, and that helped a lot. Much harder with tobacco, and I'm sure wth booze if you're hooked. Then it takes some serious willpower.
Cigs are up next on the block. :(

[Frazod]

Cigs are up next on the block. :(

This last time it was easy. I was ready to quit and really didn't have any problems past the first couple of days. Doesn't bother me being around it, and I pride myself on the fact that I have NOT turned into an anti-smoking hypocrit Nazi c#cksucker.

I guess when you're ready to quit, you will. That's up to you. Basically, that goes for everything.

[SBK]

I haven't had a drink since 1996, which happened to be the fall of my junior year.....

I never saw a reason to drink other than to get loaded, and I never thought that I'd make a good impression of myself when I'm drunk. (of course the first time I got drunk I fell out of a lazy boy at my girlfriends house and humped the floor and told her dad how much I wanted this other girl....haha)

Funny thing is I don't ever even have the urge for a beer.

[Valiant]

Anytime you feel like a drink go masterbate profusely in a corner, doesn't matter if you are work, church or your mom's candle parties it will help...


Seriously though, get a hobby that you enjoy that involves staying busy and load up with juice or gatorade type drinks...

[Demonpenz]

i am good sunday monday tuesday wed... uh oh thursday i ususally have to drink alittle. then friday and saturday. I am ususally plowed chasing woman and go back to work warn out on mondays. Most people say that when you hit like 27 you slow down but i don't know i just keep earning more money and keep getting wilder. it was better when i only had like 10 dollars a week to blow on natty lite

[jidar]

I started drinking at 14 or 15. I don't recall when exactly.

Me and my buds drank a lot. On my 18th summer, after I graduated highschool, I was blitzed at least 5 nights a week. I distinctly remember getting drunk every night the first month after school let out, my buddy said we would try to make it the whole summer. Luckily we didn't.
A year later I quit cold turkey.

I distinctly remember the exact moment I decided to quit.
One night I had drank some shots and a 6 pack or so of habit and I sat down to play a computer game. It was X-wing. I really liked the game and had been playing it for awhile and was close to completing it. The mission I was on I normaly could get all the way through except for the final battle when things got too hairy.. but being drunk I couldn't even get to the battle. I got pretty frustrated and then I decided I wasn't drinking anymore. Told my friends that the reason was "once you've started drinking that's really all your good for the rest of the night"
Yes, I quit drinking before it was even legal for me to drink, and pathetically enough it was because of a video game.

Well 10 years later I started up again, but not nearly like I had before. Now I like I drink when I have friends over and typically keep some good vodka in the freezer and decent beer in the fridge. I'll have a drink or two maybe once every 2 weeks or so.

[DaneMcCloud]

I started drinking at 14 or 15. I don't recall when exactly.

Me and my buds drank a lot. On my 18th summer, after I graduated highschool, I was blitzed at least 5 nights a week. I distinctly remember getting drunk every night the first month after school let out, my buddy said we would try to make it the whole summer. Luckily we didn't.
A year later I quit cold turkey.

I distinctly remember the exact moment I decided to quit.
One night I had drank some shots and a 6 pack or so of habit and I sat down to play a computer game. It was X-wing. I really liked the game and had been playing it for awhile and was close to completing it. The mission I was on I normaly could get all the way through except for the final battle when things got too hairy.. but being drunk I couldn't even get to the battle. I got pretty frustrated and then I decided I wasn't drinking anymore. Told my friends that the reason was "once you've started drinking that's really all your good for the rest of the night"
Yes, I quit drinking before it was even legal for me to drink, and pathetically enough it was because of a video game.

Well 10 years later I started up again, but not nearly like I had before. Now I like I drink when I have friends over and typically keep some good vodka in the freezer and decent beer in the fridge. I'll have a drink or two maybe once every 2 weeks or so.

All your base are belong to us

[elvomito]

we used to drink and party all the time... have drunken fights over inanimate objects, all too drunk of course to do damage. usually involved a lot of throwing of chairs and couch cushions, whatever else was near.... chasing people down the street with sticks... shooting fireworks at the people at the silver slipper around the corner...
then a few years later i was 21 and the mystique of liquor wore off, it was legal and easier to get and i no longer saw what the big fuss was... fastforward a few years... back in action, a little different this time... most of the time the intensely drunken desires involve attempts at multiple women and other lusts of the flesh.

but i can quit at anytime

[Mr Grimm]

Quit drinking because it was causing problems with work and family. Sooooooo... I took a 28 day sabatical. Came away nourished up and feeling better than I had in a long time. Still hit 2 meetings a week. :thumb:
But like I said if you're not ready to quit you won't.
I was.


hey, congrats on the meetings. I know that can be really hard, i dont think many people know that its a little harder that just not picking up. Depending on the depth, it requires a whole change of character.



drinking isnt a problem, but the cigs have a vader death grip on me! :banghead:

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

This is not a good time to quit drinking with the upcoming football season just 18 days away! If the Chiefs come out losing , you're gonna have to drink to tolerate. If they come out winning you're gonna have to drink to enjoy, so just don't even try!:shrug:

[Eleazar]

I never have alcohol in my fridge or anything. I can go a week or two without having a sip and not even notice.

[Hound333]

I quit drinking and have not had more than one beer in 10 months. (the one beer was at the Superbowl which we can all agree is required)

I got pulled over after one night at the bar and blew a .072. Was the last night ive been drunk and I will most likely never be drunk again. Was scared straight I guess.

[BucEyedPea]

Pregnancy and nursing made me quit years ago.

Only thing I went back to was one beer during football season per week, occasional wine ( which has health benefits) with a meal , champagne on New Years and a rare Margarita. So mainly just a special occasion drinker since.It's fattening too.

[PastorMikH]

When I was in college (MU) my roomate and I consumed quite a bit of alcohol. When we didn't have any around we'd argue with each other a lot. I figured that if I was having trouble already with it, maybe I should give up drinking for a while so I put it down - quit cold turkey (which wasn't too hard to do since I was strapped and waiting on the next paycheck for more disposable income). In the next several weeks I got back into church and haven't gone back yet. That was 18 years ago.

[TinyEvel]

Pregnancy and nursing made me quit years ago.

Only thing I went back to was one beer during football season per week, occasional wine ( which has health benefits) with a meal , champagne on New Years and a rare Margarita. So mainly just a special occasion drinker since.It's fattening too.

See, my problem is I'd go through your list in one airport bar sitting.

[Mr. Laz]

stopped for a couple of years actually



but i must admit that i had plenty of morph and perk to smooth the withdraw of it. ;)

[Rain Man]

I haven't been drunk in over 40 years.

[plbrdude]

long story but i quit in 97. i started going to church and kinda just stopped. it was strange in a way cause i really liked gettin boozed up. but it was like 1 week i was hammerin back some beers, then about 6 months later one of my friends said,"you had to quit drinkin since you started goin' to that church didn't ya?" and i said,"no, but come to think of i don't miss it any." but then due to female trouble i started again in early '99. but now i've been alcohol free since may'99. andd i do not miss it at all, thank God.

[jAZ]

You own a bar, don't you ****er?...
I wish... but no.

[MahiMike]

My Dr. told me to quit because of elevated liver counts and cholesterol. I tried it for about 3 mos and didn't notice any change in how I felt. I missed it like my oldest friend. It changes everything you do on a Friday night. I try to drink more red wine instead of beer but it's hard in the summer when a beer tastes so good. In the end, I guess I'd rather die early than give up my buddy. Besides, who wants to live to 105? My 401K will run out by 85.

[Tactical Funky]

I stopped drinking beer and liquor after I started taking meds about a year ago.

I can still have a glass here and there, but anything more makes me feel beyond shitty. Still, I'm glad I don't really drink anymore because I'm healthier than ever now and I've lost those few extra pounds I gained early on in college.

[sedated]

everyone has their doom and gloom stories. "I was so wasted, I f*cked my grandma and fell off a building."

I used to be like that, then I grew up. I still drink, usually 2-3 nights a week, never drive, never get in fights.

I guess you either grow up or you quit.


but I would like to quit to drop a couple extra pounds. it sucks busting your ass in the gym for 2 hours, knowing you'll put it all back on the next night pounding BLVD wheats

[MOhillbilly]

i went 30 days cold turkey in june. Im making up for found liver function these days.

whiskey w/ beer chaser is my new found friend.


while i didnt feel bad, those around me said it made me mean which in turn my responce was somethin akin to - shut you ****in face! im tired of you tellin me how i am! -

goodtimes..


were had by none.

[OldTownChief]

It seems that any time I've quit it's been a woman that drove me to it and always a woman that drove me back to it.

[WilliamTheIrish]

17 years. April of 1989. The day after Michigan and Glenn Rice beat Seton Hall in the NCAA championship game in OT.

Got sick and tired of being sick and tired. Friend took me to my first AA meeting the next day.

Did AA for about 3 months. But realized it was more about me than any demon inside me.

I still go to bars with friends. I have the occasional O'doul's Amber or Kaliber non alcoholic beverage.

Never been the preaching type. If somebody asks for help, I'll direct them. Won't sponsor people cause that's not my gig.

That is all.

[vailpass]

God hates a quitter.

[tommykat]

17 years. April of 1989. The day after Michigan and Glenn Rice beat Seton Hall in the NCAA championship game in OT.

Got sick and tired of being sick and tired. Friend took me to my first AA meeting the next day.

Did AA for about 3 months. But realized it was more about me than any demon inside me.

I still go to bars with friends. I have the occasional O'doul's Amber or Kaliber non alcoholic beverage.

Never been the preaching type. If somebody asks for help, I'll direct them. Won't sponsor people cause that's not my gig.

That is all.

:clap:I read this first and will not read any further. When I saw "tired of being sick and tired" I already knew what you would say~ Been there. In 1981 I stopped drinking for 18 years. Why? Just didn't care for it and found my outlet with God. Enough said. Way to go WilliamThe Irish!!

[R&GHomer]

I quit for 6+ months last year just to make sure I could. It kind of sucked for a little bit, but wasn't to bad. I just like putting on a little buzz before I go to sleep. I've tried sleeping pills but they jack with my breathing. So a couple of Rum and cokes before bed time makes all the difference in the world. When I don't have a couple drinks I'll be tossing and turning until 3 in the morning.

My advice would be to have plenty of Gatorade or something available to drink when ever you get the urge.

[Simply Red]

Quit for nine-yrs. 1992>2001 cold turkey. WTF was I thinking? No actually I don't drink like I used to. Get a very challenging job where you feel the most rewarded when you win, even moreso than $$. Winning is the biggest reward out there.

PM me with any serious concerns. I will really try to help. If I can.

[Simply Red]

:clap:I read this first and will not read any further. When I saw "tired of being sick and tired" I already knew what you would say~ Been there. In 1981 I stopped drinking for 18 years. Why? Just didn't care for it and found my outlet with God. Enough said. Way to go WilliamThe Irish!!

It's okay. You can still say Jesus.

[Baby Lee]

I'm getting a strong drinky/sleepy connection set up. Never have a lingering crave to drink. Usually don't drink even when out, unless it's Mardi Gras or St. Patty's.
But with my hectic schedule, when it comes beddy bye time, I know I need to wolf down a snifter of good stuff to get the 'peaceful easy feelin,'' or I'll be tossing and turning about what didn't get done today, or what needs to be done tomorrow, until 2am or more.

[Simply Red]

Fixed my post..

It's okay. You can still say Jesus.

[Scaga]

Worst 15 minutes of my life.
That will never happen again. :harumph:

[SBK]

Reading this it seems as if everyone that's given up drinking doesn't miss it at all.

That would seem to be the reason that most people don't quit, is because they think they'll miss it too much.

[JohnnyV13]

i've gone months at a time without havng alcohol, but i don't think i've ever gone a year. But what's funny is, I do like to drink, so that when i get into a drinking phase i can consume a fair amount on a regular basis, then go back to not drinking for months.

It has never really taken much effort for me. I just don't really think about it when that happens

[cadmonkey]

As most people know around here, I am a huge drunk. So taking any period of time off from drinking is a big thing for me.

I took one month off, back in April. The reason I did it was because I needed to prove to myself that I was in control and not the alcohol. I also wanted to feel healthy for once and not like I was on the verge of death.

I did it, and proved that I could control what was going on in my life, I lost 15 pounds and have kept most of it off, and I felt over all the best I did in years.

I am going to do it again.

[Phobia]

Glad to hear that, cadmonkey.

I don't tell people when or if they should quit but clearly alcohol is too important to some of us on this site. There are other things in life. I've never had a problem with frequency of drinking so taking time off was never an issue for me. My problem was drinking too much when I did drink. I've reduced my intake. There's no reason to drink 20 beers. There really isn't. I enjoy myself equally if I drink 6 in 6 hours or if I drink 20 so why should I relinquish control? Maybe I'm getting old.

It was never about getting drunk for me, I don't think.... I really enjoy and appreciate a quality brew. I drink a lot of diet coke - for the caffeine. I drink beers because I enjoy a well crafted beer.

[MOhillbilly]

As most people know around here, I am a huge drunk. So taking any period of time off from drinking is a big thing for me.

I took one month off, back in April. The reason I did it was because I needed to prove to myself that I was in control and not the alcohol. I also wanted to feel healthy for once and not like I was on the verge of death.

I did it, and proved that I could control what was going on in my life, I lost 15 pounds and have kept most of it off, and I felt over all the best I did in years.

I am going to do it again.


anyone called you out on you supprot of terrorism byway of your avvy yet?

[ROYC75]

What made you decide to quit?Pussy whipped, came home snockered one day from a hunting trip and she laid into me....

How did you quit?Cold Turkey ......... just walked away !

How long did you abstain? For good, other than an occassional drink with friends, I have only been drunk 2 times since 1985

What did/didn't work for you?
Strong will and understanding that drinking causes problems, I was a cop at the time and didn't need the public to know I was a drunk.



Other than that, ya have to work it out on your own........

[cadmonkey]

anyone called you out on you supprot of terrorism byway of your avvy yet?


not yet, but I am hoping someone will eventually.

[MOhillbilly]

not yet, but I am hoping someone will eventually.


so you can bomb them?

[vailpass]

so you can bomb them?
ROFL

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Hell, I'm drunk rit now!!!! I ben thinking about qutting but I injoy it waay to much . Besides you can alwiys go by a mew liver! I goytta go piss.

[cadmonkey]

so you can bomb them?

I can't tell you that. Surprise is the best weapon!

[MOhillbilly]

I can't tell you that. Surprise is the best weapon!

how would you feel if someone sported a UDL avvy/sig?

or the flag of St. George?

[ROYC75]

Hell, I'm drunk rit now!!!! I ben thinking about qutting but I injoy it waay to much . Besides you can alwiys go by a mew liver! I goytta go piss.


This drunk comes out of the bar, stumbling along holding his car keys in his hands. A cop see's him and asked if he is having trouble.

The drunks claims, Iz hav'trubl findnma char. The cop says, where was it when you last noticed it ?

The drunk says, ritesa hereya on da end of my kezs......

The cop looks down and see's his fly unzipped with his dick hanging out and tells him about it.

The drunk looks down and says, Awhshits man, I've dunz lost me gurlfriend twoooo ........

[2bikemike]

I quit drinking 13 years ago.

The main reasons for me quitting were:
1. I could not quit drinking and driving. I would go out get hammered and drive home so I could have my car for work the next make that later that morning.

2. My father is a raging alcoholic who's drinking and womanizing was more important than spending time with his kids. I realized I was becoming just like him.

I did go to some AA meetings but just didn't think that was for me. So on July 8th 1993 I had my last drink in New Orleans.

I still want to drink but refuse and fight the urge all the time. The popularity of all these different micro brews is really making it tough. It doesn't help that I will go to bars with friends as a DD.

My life is going very well right now and I would sure hate to do something to fug it all up.

BTW my Stepson called me last sunday morning to be picked up from the downtown jail. He was busted for a DUI. I spent the morning running him around to get his truck out of the impound yard for a fee of $425

[WilliamTheIrish]

Mike!!!

Nice to see you on the board. Greeting from the WTI clan.

[joesomebody]

Don't quit cold turkey... are you a booze hound or just drink beer? I'd think switching from booze to beer or wine is a good first step. From there I don't know the next step. Maybe bitch drinks?

They don't have a patch for this yet... but cold turkey just is not good if you think you have a problem.

I only drink on weekends and sometimes Thursdays. If its a really bad week, then Wednesdays. If I'm in Vegas or camping its on any day that ends in Y.

[joesomebody]

I quit drinking 13 years ago.

The main reasons for me quitting were:
1. I could not quit drinking and driving. I would go out get hammered and drive home so I could have my car for work the next make that later that morning.

2. My father is a raging alcoholic who's drinking and womanizing was more important than spending time with his kids. I realized I was becoming just like him.

I did go to some AA meetings but just didn't think that was for me. So on July 8th 1993 I had my last drink in New Orleans.

I still want to drink but refuse and fight the urge all the time. The popularity of all these different micro brews is really making it tough. It doesn't help that I will go to bars with friends as a DD.

My life is going very well right now and I would sure hate to do something to fug it all up.

BTW my Stepson called me last sunday morning to be picked up from the downtown jail. He was busted for a DUI. I spent the morning running him around to get his truck out of the impound yard for a fee of $425Grats Mike. Thats really awesome. Sorry about your step-son. The military has been the only thing keeping me from drinking and driving. Used to do it all the time, but now I "hope" I know better. I'm a civillian again in 6 days, but hoping thats one thing that sticks.

[DanT]

There's more than an occasional drinking thread around here.

But I'm curious about who has quit drinking, either permanently or for a significant period of time.
What made you decide to quit?
How did you quit?
How long did you abstain?
What did/didn't work for you?

I'm just interested in what's out there, and if anyhting works better than anything else.



I "stopped" drinking alcohol sometime around 1989 or so and only started drinking again this summer. I had graduated college in 1988, was working out very seriously to get in good shape (supposedly to join the military to become an aviator) and didn't have a whole lot of pocket money from my low-paying job as a research assistant. A friend told me that he thought that bars were a big part of my social life, maybe too big a part. I took that to mean that maybe I am drinking too much, so I just quit cold turkey, which wasn't hard for me at all. It actually helped me lose the stubborn last 5 pounds that I wanted to lose and it saved me a few bucks a day, on average, back when I only had about 10 bucks to squander a day on things other than rent and bus fare.

Anyway, I ended up learning a lot of valuable skills at work and started grad school after a couple of years to learn more, so I didn't want to start drinking again and lose time and energy that could be better spent. Plus, when I was in my early twenties, I was somewhat inflexible about stuff (i.e. if I'm going to stop something, I'm going to damn well stop it cold), so I went about 15 or 16 years in which I had less than a handful of drinks total--basically, I'd taste the champagne at the first toast at friends' weddings or other celebrations. Once, I tasted the alcohol in the spiked egg nog that my comedian brother (jettio) brought me one holiday season when I asked him to bring me a glass from the kitchen. The point is that as far as I was concerned, I "didn't drink" and could count the blue moons when I did.

I finished my Ph.D. dissertation in math (statistics) this summer and decided to resume drinking, as long as it's not a problem. Two factors that went into that decision were that (a) I now live close to one of the best wine-producing regions in the world and (b) I became a Catholic not too long ago. So I will now let myself have no more than two drinks at a time, to be sociable or to celebrate a big feat. I've not even had 10 drinks yet, though, under the new rules, but I have noticed that after I have a drink, I want to drink the next day. Last Saturday, for example, I had a beer with my neighbor and the next night I was looking at the beers in the cooler at the drug store and had to convince myself to buy a soft drink instead to swig on the long walk home. So, I'll have to see how it works out. I'm the sort that gets into routines, so, even though I don't think that alcohol is bad, I do know that it can become a bad thing for someone like me if I don't stay on top of it.

[morphius]

I "stopped" drinking alcohol sometime around 1989 or so and only started drinking again this past summer. I had graduated college in 1988, was working out very seriously to get in good shape (supposedly to join the military to become an aviator) and didn't have a whole lot of pocket money from my low-paying job as a research assistant. A friend told me that he thought that bars were a big part of my social life, maybe too big a part. I took that to mean that maybe I am drinking too much, so I just quit cold turkey, which wasn't hard for me at all. It actually helped me lose the stubborn last 5 pounds that I wanted to lose and it saved me a few bucks a day, on average, back when I only had about 10 bucks to squander a day on things other than rent and bus fare.

Anyway, I ended up learning a lot of valuable skills at work and started grad school after a couple of years to learn more, so I didn't want to start drinking again and lose time and energy that could be better spent. Plus, when I was in my early twenties, I was somewhat inflexible about stuff (i.e. if I'm going to stop something, I'm going to damn well stop it cold), so I went about 15 or 16 years in which I had less than a handful of drinks total--basically, I'd taste the champagne at the first toast at friends' weddings or other celebrations. Once, I tasted the alcohol in the spiked egg nog that my comedian brother (jettio) brought me one holiday season when I asked him to bring me a glass from the kitchen. The point is that as far as I was concerned, I "didn't drink" and could count the blue moons when I did.

I finished my Ph.D. dissertation in math (statistics) this summer and decided to resume drinking, as long as it's not a problem. Two factors that went into that decision were that (a) I now live close to one of the best wine-producing regions in the world and (b) I became a Catholic not too long ago. So I will now let myself have no more than two drinks at a time, to be sociable or to celebrate a big feat. I've not even had 10 drinks yet, though, under the new rules, but I have noticed that after I have a drink, I want to drink the next day. Last Saturday, for example, I had a beer with my neighbor and the next night I was looking at the beers in the cooler at the drug store and had to convince myself to buy a soft drink instead to swig on the long walk home. So, I'll have to see how it works out. I'm the sort that gets into routines, so, even though I don't think that alcohol is bad, I do know that it can become a bad thing for someone like me if I don't stay on top of it.
Interesting.

I set the two drink limit on myself when I was in HS. I have never been drunk, but was once happy, and a happy morphius is a bad thing for everyone around me.

I never had to quit drinking, probably had more to drink when I was 13 then I have had in any year since. Sticking to the two drinks means I haven't tasted many drinks, and there are very few that I actually enjoy.

[Jilly]

1. Sedated - You don't need to lose weight. That's silly.

2. Tinyevel - if you really think this is going to be a hard journey for you, then alcohol might already be controlling you. Find an AA group and stick with it or a close friend who struggles as well and hold each other accountable. And, if you don't want to take that step, I agree with the others, find a good hobby or something new to work towards.

[Hootie]

I haven't had a drink since 1996, which happened to be the fall of my junior year.....

I never saw a reason to drink other than to get loaded, and I never thought that I'd make a good impression of myself when I'm drunk. (of course the first time I got drunk I fell out of a lazy boy at my girlfriends house and humped the floor and told her dad how much I wanted this other girl....haha)

Funny thing is I don't ever even have the urge for a beer.

that is the dumbest thing I've ever read in my life.

[Hootie]

long story but i quit in 97. i started going to church and kinda just stopped. it was strange in a way cause i really liked gettin boozed up. but it was like 1 week i was hammerin back some beers, then about 6 months later one of my friends said,"you had to quit drinkin since you started goin' to that church didn't ya?" and i said,"no, but come to think of i don't miss it any." but then due to female trouble i started again in early '99. but now i've been alcohol free since may'99. andd i do not miss it at all, thank God.
second dumbest thing I've ever read.

[Hootie]

Glad to hear that, cadmonkey.

I don't tell people when or if they should quit but clearly alcohol is too important to some of us on this site. There are other things in life. I've never had a problem with frequency of drinking so taking time off was never an issue for me. My problem was drinking too much when I did drink. I've reduced my intake. There's no reason to drink 20 beers. There really isn't. I enjoy myself equally if I drink 6 in 6 hours or if I drink 20 so why should I relinquish control? Maybe I'm getting old.

It was never about getting drunk for me, I don't think.... I really enjoy and appreciate a quality brew. I drink a lot of diet coke - for the caffeine. I drink beers because I enjoy a well crafted beer.
gayest thing I've ever read. You drink 20 beers for one reason...

HOGGING! Hyeah!

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

I stopped drinking last night, and thats long enough, I'm off to buy some booze. WooHoo it's Friday!!!!!!!!