I won my secret internal battle.

[bogey]

I stopped smoking on April 8th 2013, I stopped drinking on July 8th 2013. I have been having secret internal battles with myself for many, many years. I came clean to my wife last night about my drinking problem. My secret internal battles are no longer a secret. I wish I could fast forward 6 months to prove to my wife and myself that I'm sincere. This is a GOOD ****ING DAY. I wanted to post this on here because this is my version of shouting out to the world, and none of you good people know me. Ya'll have a good day, ya hear? Way to go ME!

[C3HIEF3S]

Nice Job Bogey!

[KCrockaholic]

For myself when I started to notice I was drinking everyday I turned my want for whiskey/beer into a need for working out and running a couple miles. I started to replace the alcohol with working out and it's worked for me. Went from drinking 5-6 nights a week, to about 2. And I used to binge drink. Now I'm happy with just 2 or 3 beers.

Weighed 182 at the beginning of March, and now I weigh 160, and got as low as 156lbs. The fat came off fast.

Originally Posted by Phobia

Congrats. Very impressive. I've never struggled with drinking. I used to play softball completely sober. I couldn't understand how people could compete while drinking. Then I got on a team of drinkers and I'm finding that I drink heavily when I go to the park even when I play with other teams. I need to remedy this before it becomes a problem.

Played ball tonight. Didn't have a drop. Didn't give it a second thought. Play with a couple of guys who have been struggling with alcoholism in their lives on tomorrow's team so I think I'm going to be sober in support of them as well.

[teedubya]

Originally Posted by Phobia

Played ball tonight. Didn't have a drop. Didn't give it a second thought. Play with a couple of guys who have been struggling with alcoholism in their lives on tomorrow's team so I think I'm going to be sober in support of them as well.

Nicely done, sir.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Phobia

Played ball tonight. Didn't have a drop. Didn't give it a second thought. Play with a couple of guys who have been struggling with alcoholism in their lives on tomorrow's team so I think I'm going to be sober in support of them as well.

Sweet

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by bogey

Thanks SR, words to live by. Gotta tell you, there's some great support on this site. And yes sir, if I have a weak moment, you can count on a PM. My wife is fabulous, more understanding than I deserve really. We got an invitation to one of my favorite restaurants for this Friday. They make the best Bombay martinis in town (big glass). It's going to be an interesting test... but I'm sure I'll be fine. Love CP! Lovin' life right now. My diets pretty good, my wife sees to that. Think my next step is exercise.

there are no 'tests' bogey - this is now not the old you - you no longer acknowledge alcohol, got it? hrs become days and continue to graduate - suddenly you've been off of it for a year then two then three then you never think about it - you see - here's the secret - it's no longer you - you own it - you own it.

Order Pellegrino or a rich dark coffee or even a diet cherry pepsi - I can do lemon water - often I order Pellegrino, or another unusual non alcoholic bev. Order crisp salads - eat good wholesome in your face healthy food - such as sautéed chicken w/ crushed red pepper -- roast baby broccoli - savor the air in the morning - get your exercise - get up feeling GOOD - do all of this for yourself FIRST and then your family - this is one thing you do for YOU 'first'

No bullshit / you quit

Ok

Boog out

It's good to be mature enough to recognize when it's becoming problematic. Time to take control of that aspect of my life before it gets out of control. I keep beer in my fridge and sometimes it will sit for weeks or months before I touch it but I'll drink a ton of busch light over 4 or 5 hours at softball games and even more at an all-day saturday tournament. It's not even incredibly enjoyable for me because I'm a beer snob. I can easily replace it with water or sports drinks. Not trying to take anything from bogey, just representing in case somebody else needs to feel like they're not alone with their struggles.

[Rasputin]

Originally Posted by Phobia

Played ball tonight. Didn't have a drop. Didn't give it a second thought. Play with a couple of guys who have been struggling with alcoholism in their lives on tomorrow's team so I think I'm going to be sober in support of them as well.

I never thought I could go fishing with out drinking. Going fishing use to be code word for going to the lake or river to get ****ed up drunk.

When I did catch a fish sober for the first time was one of the coolest things ever. I felt great and alive for the first time in a long time. It was great the fish put up a good fight but I rung him in for a good size fish. Tasted great after cooking him on the grill.

Can have fun being sober & can remember things for good memories that last with out the regret of being stupid from being drunk.

[Simply Red]

What's bad about it is - it will sneak up on you - and it's really easy to be all like 'oh I got this shit' - then you find yourself having more and more days and nights of regret - I think at that point you know you have an issue, or you should know.

Guys I'm not saying this to be neat or rad or anything - really I don't care. I had some nights I should have died - about four to be precise - there were times I cried to quit and even looked up and cried out for help, aloud and drunken, while doing so. maniacal

It's not a joke - it'll **** your world if you let it - and I'm always here - I don't care which poster - I'll do my best to help you psychologically against this beast.

ok I'm done now - my sermon is over and I'm off to bed. I'm speaking from my heart tho.

You're a good dude, SR.

Originally Posted by KC Tattoo

I never thought I could go fishing with out drinking. Going fishing use to be code word for going to the lake or river to get ****ed up drunk.

When I did catch a fish sober for the first time was one of the coolest things ever. I felt great and alive for the first time in a long time. It was great the fish put up a good fight but I rung him in for a good size fish. Tasted great after cooking him on the grill.

Can have fun being sober & can remember things for good memories that last with out the regret of being stupid from being drunk.

The funny thing is that I'm the very same guy when sober or drinking at ball. Loud, obnoxious, talking shit with a smile... I'm probably just drinking heavily because everybody else was.

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by Phobia

The funny thing is that I'm the very same guy when sober or drinking at ball. Loud, obnoxious, talking shit with a smile... I'm probably just drinking heavily because everybody else was.

I could see you getting off track for a month or two, but you're not an alcoholic, I don't think. You would kick it out entirely, if it ever ambushed you, I'd bet. That's how you strike me, anyways. Which is solid.

Originally Posted by Simply Red

I could see you getting off track for a month or two, but you're not an alcoholic, I don't think. You would kick it out entirely, if it ever ambushed you, I'd bet. That's how you strike me, anyways. Which is solid.

You're right. I'm not. But playing ball 3-4x a week combined with pounding swill as fast as I can choke it down certainly leads down that road. I have to be smarter.

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by Phobia

You're right. I'm not. But playing ball 3-4x a week combined with pounding swill as fast as I can choke it down certainly leads down that road. I have to be smarter.

Plus it's just harder to drink at our age - let's face it, it just is. I don't mean to physically drink the beer, but rather the repercussions from the drinking 'recovery time'

Originally Posted by Simply Red

Plus it's just harder to drink at our age - let's face it, it just is. I don't mean to physically drink the beer, but rather the repercussions from the drinking 'recovery time'

You know what is really strange and somewhat frightening? I pound water before I go to bed and I never get a hangover unless I've gone absolutely crazy drinking hard liquor. That has happened maybe once in the past decade. I play ball with a couple of guys who drink until 3:00 AM Friday, get up at 6:30 AM and start drinking again. I'm not that guy but I go beer for beer with them all day Saturday. If I don't nip it, I'll probably have to find a different team and I really don't want to do that.