Has anyone else quit drinking alcohol completely?

Yep...I am a drinker...my drink of choice is Crown and Diet Coke....although I will drink beer and wine...I drink a LOT..what others would consider to be large amounts over a long period of time...(I don't drive nor do I have kids at home) and I am also 80 pounds overweight so I decided to give up Dt Coke, Alcohol, over the counter meds (for all those "headaches") and sinus meds and pain pills for back pain (don't take those much though) and just "feel" my body and become intune with it instead of just masking the pain...

I am on Day 3...my last drink was on Sunday..my husband still has a brandy at night or a couple of beers but I am determined to make some healthier changes....when the "I want a drink" craving kicks in I just mentally scream NO..and find something else to do.

good luck with your Journey

Today marks 6 weeks since I've had a drink. I originally decided to give it up because I am training for a half marathon (Saturday! eek). I also realized I hadn't gone a week without drinking since I turned 21 (I'm 27 now). I haven't noticed a difference besides I feel a bit better on Saturday and Sunday morning (I was only drinking on the weekends when I quit). I've extended my deadline to 11/16 and after that I plan to slowly reintroduce drinking into my diet. My goals are to only drink beer that I like (generally IPAs) not just down 10 Coors Lights to get drunk, I want to drink a glass of wine with a nice meal and I want to drink bloody marys. That's about it. I haven't lost a pound because I quit drinking which is frustrating, but other than that it's been pretty easy. Both my parents are alcoholics, so I'm proud of myself for doing this. At the end I will have gone 9.5 weeks without.

I actually just decided this last weekend to cut alcohol out of my life.

I am 25 and happily married with no children (yet), so for the last two years or so my husband and I have drank pretty regularly on the weekends just because we could. We were always responsible by taking cabs, but knowing we had a safe way home almost made us drink more. 'May as well live it up while we still can' was my mentality... but after many nights I can't even remember and countless hangovers, I've realized that's not really living at all. Beginning my Saturday morning with a nice long run instead of with my head in the toilet is so much nicer!

We are a social couple and I do expect it to be difficult at first, but I know it's not something I NEED to have fun.

@deltabarbie and staceyann, I can so relate with the exception of beer. Have definitely put on some weight. I love my wine and rum and was starting to partake daily to relax. I also have a huge social circle that enjoys drinking, but drank by myself as well. I have decided to give all alcohol up til Thanksgiving and then keep my intake to an absolute minimum. Unrealistic at this point to say I will give it up forever, as I love, love, love wine. My last drink was this Saturday, so I am just getting started on this journey as well. You can feel free to add me for support, as I might need some as well.

@Staceyann... I am not a mom or a drinker, but I am the daughter of an alcoholic (two, actually). I am sincerely glad that you are quitting before it become a big problem in your family dynamic. I know you don't want to let alcohol destroy your life and that's why you're taking control. So happy about that!

If you (or any parent reading this) ever struggle with wanting to go back to bad habits in the future that could lead to worse habits, think about this: Think about the possibity of you accidentally losing control and spiraling down to rock bottom. Imagine the impact that will have on your kids. How much that would hurt them. How it would hurt your family and friends. And how it would hurt you. Ask yourself if you want your kids to see you experience any of the following:

-glazed eyes
-slurred speech
-stumbling and falling down, in home and in public
-intense mood swings
-abuse (verbal, emotional, physical)
-incontinence
-passing out on the couch
-body odor
-rotting teeth
-sour breath
-broken promises over and over again
-legal problems related to your alcoholism, including rehab, probation, and prison
-hallucinations and violent sickness due to withdrawals and delirium tremens (these are particularly awful to watch your mom go through)
-poor memory
-loss of cognitive skills even when sober
-force your kids into taking on adult responsibilities such as cooking, cleaning, shopping, caring for the younger siblings, etc.


Nobody ever wants to let things get that far out of control, but when you're giving up your senses and body and mind to alcohol, you ARE giving up control, whether you realize it or not or want to admit it or not. Alcohol not only affects the drinker, it affects the whole family.

My mom never meant for her life to get out of control, but in the 17 years after she started drinking after her kids went to bed, she's experienced all of the above herself and more and I have watched her go through all of it. I lost my real mom when I was only 9 or 10 years old, and thereafter, she was the alcohol. She wasn't a bad person before she became an alcoholic. She's still not a bad person...she's just made some really awful decisions. She was a responsible mother before the drinking got out of control. I don't know what made her turn to alcohol. She's sober now, supposedly (I live 12 hours away from any of my family now, mainly to get away from the dysfunction). I know the guilt for what she put us through for the past 17 years eats at her every single day. She told me it does. And I think that guilt is what made it so hard for her to quit so many times...she just didn't want to come back to the surface to face what she did. At this point, I hope for the best but always expect the worst. Do you ever want your kids to have this attitude towards you? Do you want your kids to be in therapy every week as adults trying to figure out how to cope and figure out how live like a functional adult because the example you set for them only taught them how to be dysfunctional? In some ways, I still feel like a scared 10 year old who only wants her mom to sing her to sleep on her lap. You know, for things to just be okay. Like I said, she's sober now, but our relationship is very weak and I often find myself wishing I had a mom, because she sure doesn't feel like my mom. I've taken care of her more than she has of me.

I know this cautionary tale is a scare tactic. But I do wish some other kids used this on my mom before she started drinking out of control. I guess I'm posting this for your kids.

I do wish you the best of luck and hope that you and any other parent or person struggling with alcohol reading this can seek help to get better, whether they are a full blown alcoholic or just realizing that they drink too much. Just because you drink doesn't mean things will get as bad as it got for my family, but are you willing to risk it?

Best wishes!!!!!!!!!

Alcohol free since July 1993 . Don t miss it at all.

OP - I haven't read that book, but I just wanted to wish you the best of luck. You will give an amazing gift to your children by being present in their lives. As you said, moderation might not work for you. We all have to find what works for each of us.

My mom's drinking started when I was a teenager, so I'm at least grateful that my younger years were not affected. But the alcoholism destroyed our relationship. Personally, I drink very rarely and when I do, I don't have very much, just to avoid following in her footsteps.

Add me if you'd like support as you follow this new path, and good luck!! :flowerforyou:

I don't have a drinking problem. I have a stop drinking problem. Once I get started I usually keep going and end up with a hang over. Thats why I don't drink.

Bless you and be strong. Think of not drinking as a gift to yourself the next day.

I have. I also read the same book... and probably 10 more! Lol! I quit November last year. I recently had a slip. No big deal. Just getting right back on the horse. I think people quit when they are truly ready to quit. I know that sounds easier said than done... but there's a lot of "preparation" work involved in quitting a habit/addiction. It can take years sometimes. Good luck! And stick with it.... that's the most important thing.

I can recommend the following I've read: Changing For Good by Prochaska, Turnabout by Jean Kirkpatrick, Sober for Good by Anne Fletcher, Staying Sober by Gorski & Miller, and Rational Recovery by Trimpey. Another good read is Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp.

Also highly recommended: http://womenforsobriety.org/beta2/