OtherGround Forum >> Alcoholics

IDXtreme - 

btx35 - I'm an alcoholic myself. I will never attend AA because I don't believe it's a disease I take full responsibility for allowing myself to become like this. Even though I'm a drunk (i have no kids) I'm completly content with my lifestyle although it's very unhealthy.

I am sober 27 years. I attended thousands of AA meetings.
But I don't think it's a disease either. If you heard that it was in AA it was not part of the AA program. It is what those who profit off of addicts in recovery call it so they get insurance to cover treatment.

Feelz Good - 

Nuckin Futs -

Feelz Good - 

Nuckin Futs - I highly recommend a book called The Easy Way to Stop Drinking by Allen Carr.

I had my last drink when I finished the last chapter of the book and I have not had desire to have one since.

And that's been how long? I've known alcoholics who have not drank for 1-39 years, and as soon as they did it was game over. I myself have gone 18 months without it, then when I did, it was all over.

I'm going on 4 months. What you wrote reads like why even stop when most will fail at some point.

Not a very healthy attitude to have. I have no plans on ever taking that first drink again so people that have stayed sober for 39 years and had that first drink has no bearing on me.

Why not just take a gun and blow your head off since we are all going to die one day anyhow. It's the same logic as don't bother trying to stay sober when 39 years from now you might slip up.

No, it's good to not drink as long ad you can. It's better for your overall health. I'd say go for it to anyone considering it. I've also had much more experience than you and seen much more than you. I can do four months sober standing on my head while laughing at the rest of the world. Fourt months? PM me 20 months from now....

SCRAPPER - Thanks Mencken.

I know people say I'm harsh when it comes to my own issue with drinking, but that's just how I deal with it. I ran out of excuses to drink, self-pity parties, and emotional reasons why I forgave myself for acting like an asshole.

My own experience is that it is NOT a disease. Drinking isn't the problem, it's a person's inability to deal with life. There is something else that's wrong.

CANCER is a disease that you can't "not have" when the police are around, at work, or when it's really important not to have it, like a job interview or court date trying to convince the judge you've cleaned up.

If you can choose, even for 1 second not to drink, it's not a disease and a personal choice you make. I've run across a lot of people that talk about how it just HAS to be a disease because it destroyed someone they care about. Blaming it on a disease is easier than admitting that a loved one lost control and killed themselves, ruined their own life and, ultimately, hurt those that cared about them.

Here is a really simple exercise for some folks and it's one that's gotten a few alcoholics right up in my face:

Look back on your drinking and think of something you did that was the worst thing you can think of. You hurt someone, cheated on your spouse, hit your kids, abused your pet because it interrupted your drinking, drove drunk and hurt someone, you figure out whatever it is that makes you say "damn".

Of course, since it's "ME" that did it, I can justify it and wave it off.

Here's the fun part: Find a random stranger and look at them as if you just found out they did what you, yourself, have done.

Probably not in any hurry to run up and tell them it's ok to keep drinking, or tell them that all is forgiven, huh? And yet, as a drinker we excuse fucked up behavior every morning after.

Harsh, but effective. For me, at least.

I think this is a good plan, but what if you don't actually do stuff that is shitty?  I don't drive drunk.  I may have pushed the line a little once, but even then it was debatable.  I don't get in fights. I don't curse out friends.  I don't abuse animals.  I don't spend all my money.  I don't sleep with girls I wouldn't normally touch (though I push the line a little on that one too haha)

Perhaps it's odd, but I don't actually do stuff I'm ashamed of.  I just drink a lot and often.  I'm not putting down two bottles of tequila every day, but I do drink too much.  But without glaring negatives, it's hard to see a reason to stop, other than health.  And health is an abstract concept.  I eat pretty clean and exercise often.  Admittedly, I'm not as lean as I should be, but thus far, that's not enough of a reason to stop

My main reason is just knowing what it does to the liver and the calories.  My grandpa basically drank himself to death, and two of my other grandparents were alcoholics as well...so there is definitely family history.  I don't have a significant physical dependency on it.  I was on antibiotics last spring, and had to go three weeks without, and I didn't crave it once in that time.  It's just I'm aware of what it does to the body. 

Also, I'm thinking of getting in the ring next summer, and I'm currently walking at 193 and would be fighitng at 155 haha, so stopping drinking would be key for that

El Refe -  You need to find something else to do in those time slots.
Bjj, rock climbing, yoga, soccer, bingo, whatever, you're probably drinking out of boredom?

Kublai khan style - There always going to be losers like you in society. Just play your roll

Mencken - 

My main reason is just knowing what it does to the liver and the calories.  My grandpa basically drank himself to death, and two of my other grandparents were alcoholics as well...so there is definitely family history.  I don't have a significant physical dependency on it.  I was on antibiotics last spring, and had to go three weeks without, and I didn't crave it once in that time.  It's just I'm aware of what it does to the body. 

Also, I'm thinking of getting in the ring next summer, and I'm currently walking at 193 and would be fighitng at 155 haha, so stopping drinking would be key for that