If I Can Take A Moment....

[whitwolf]

This Is NOT a preaching moment...........Nor Is It a sympathy thread... Informational only!

 

I made a response  In another thread and for whatever reason thought I might start this thread In hopes that If one (1) person can benefit  then a few of the detractors that are sure to respond will not matter.

 

I openly admitted to having a problem with alcohol in another thread and while I was fully functional in day to day tasks it certainly had a negative Impact on my life. I gained a massive amount of weight, spent a ton of money weekly, and while I fulfilled my responsibilities both personally and professionally, my life was centered around that next drink. To spare a good many details I'll share the one that changed my life for good. I was heading home from a night out and passed out behind the wheel. I crossed over the medium and awoke just before seeing the guard rail. I slammed on the breaks before I hit. It was not only terrifying but so Incredibly irresponsible that God only knows why It wasn't fatal, not only for me but others.

 

The next morning I thought about this and realized I was more fortunate than I deserved to be. I also thought about this; almost every time I have had bad things happen In my life, they were all directly related to substance abuse. 

 

I had quit before(once for six years) but this was the moment that took hold of me to realize enough was enough. If I have a beer every few months that's a lot and thankfully I have the strength to only have one. 

 

The point of this Is If anyone here has been thinking they might have a problem please do something about It. I know It may be a lifestyle and you may have to find yourself allover again, but take it from someone who knows this as an absolute truth: It's worth being shunned by the folks you thought were friends for a life that Is more meaningful, satisfying, and more than anything, finding your true self. 

[slonezp]

This Is NOT a preaching moment...........Nor Is It a sympathy thread... Informational only!

 

I made a response  In another thread and for whatever reason thought I might start this thread In hopes that If one (1) person can benefit  then a few of the detractors that are sure to respond will not matter.

 

I openly admitted to having a problem with alcohol in another thread and while I was fully functional in day to day tasks it certainly had a negative Impact on my life. I gained a massive amount of weight, spent a ton of money weekly, and while I fulfilled my responsibilities both personally and professionally, my life was centered around that next drink. To spare a good many details I'll share the one that changed my life for good. I was heading home from a night out and passed out behind the wheel. I crossed over the medium and awoke just before seeing the guard rail. I slammed on the breaks before I hit. It was not only terrifying but so Incredibly irresponsible that God only knows why It wasn't fatal, not only for me but others.

 

The next morning I thought about this and realized I was more fortunate than I deserved to be. I also thought about this; almost every time I have had bad things happen In my life, they were all directly related to substance abuse. 

 

I had quit before(once for six years) but this was the moment that took hold of me to realize enough was enough. If I have a beer every few months that's a lot and thankfully I have the strength to only have one. 

 

The point of this Is If anyone here has been thinking they might have a problem please do something about It. I know It may be a lifestyle and you may have to find yourself allover again, but take it from someone who knows this as an absolute truth: It's worth being shunned by the folks you thought were friends for a life that Is more meaningful, satisfying, and more than anything, finding your true self. 

Sorry I brought the preacher out of you

 

My quitting of drinking has everything to do with getting healthy. As many here know I was injured on the job a few years ago and after being off work and no longer able to do physical labor I put on a bunch of weight. All the mass I had in my upper torso has turned to fat and made its way to my gut. I gave up drinking pop (soda for those of you outside of the midwest) a year ago and alcohol in Oct. I'm not able to exercise much. I went to the gym with the wifey a couple weeks ago to see what I could accomplish and after 20 minutes on the elliptical and another 20 on the treadmill, I was done. Not because I'm out of shape, but because the motion was causing the muscles to spasm in my back and shoulder which in turn gives me some killer headaches. Anyway, I'd like to lose as much weight as I can over the next few months. I'm planning on having another surgery later this year to reattach my back muscles to my shoulder blade and I'd like to be as healthy as possible before the doc cuts me open. My last 2 surgeries on the shoulder were arthroscopic but this one is major surgery with 8 months of rehab afterwards.

 

Kudos to you for realizing you had a problem. I was talking to a buddy earlier this week. He quit cold turkey 3 years ago after getting a DUI and hasn't looked back

[Skeeter Dan]

It only takes getting scared enough one time to change. There's alot out there that keep making the same mistakes over and over. I'm like you. After wakeing up in a truck stop back in 1985 sitting in the Drivers room with every one laughing at me because I woke up not knowing where I was and how I got there. I ran out to the parking lot looking for my truck and trailer. I found it but there was no bull dozer on the trailer. The truck was alright the trailer was alright and the paper work was signed but I did'nt remember any of it. I thought about my wife and little two yr old son and asked my self how would I feel if some DRUNK fool of a truck driver had run over my family and killed them ? How would I feel? I never drank another drop for ten years. Now if and If is a Huge word I drink. I only drink 1 beer but i haven't had one in two years. one or two mix drinks wich I haven't had in a year. The important thing is that I learned how to control the alcohol and my self. Now if I just had the will to quit smokeing.

[Bluebasser86]

Good for you for taking the responsibility to get yourself right. It's not an easy thing to do and neither is sticking to it. Alcohol abuse is a common problem in my family so I pretty much just avoid it all together. 

[Sam]

You da man.

 

Congrats.

 

Keep up the good work.

 

I wish I had the willpower to avoid sugar like you are doing for your situation.

 

Would probably feel better and drop some pounds.

[SirSnookalot]

My demon was gambling, bowling, pool, snooker, billards, ponies, cards and a dozen other ways to lose money.  Halloween night 1970 while in Vegas stiing at a blackjack table, got up went to the airport and hopped on a plane to L.A., went fishing in the ocean.  I never gambled again to that extent.  I can walk into a casino now, play for a few minutes or not play at all, see a show or just have dinner.

[Lund Explorer]

Probably not surprising, but I could do a multi-quote here and hi-lite so many parts of these posts that matched my demons, the whole darn thread would look psychedelic! 

 

While I've always been impressed with those who have led a long and healthy lifestyle, I find myself cheering on those who can face their problems and over some them.  It's also the reason that I have a hard time feeling sorrow for those who threw it all away, especially those who lost so much more than the average person could ever dream of having.  If I could find my way to escape my alcohol induced, gambling and womanizing life, then it is proof that anyone can.

[KritterGitter]

This Is NOT a preaching moment...........Nor Is It a sympathy thread... Informational only!

 

I made a response  In another thread and for whatever reason thought I might start this thread In hopes that If one (1) person can benefit  then a few of the detractors that are sure to respond will not matter.

 

I openly admitted to having a problem with alcohol in another thread and while I was fully functional in day to day tasks it certainly had a negative Impact on my life. I gained a massive amount of weight, spent a ton of money weekly, and while I fulfilled my responsibilities both personally and professionally, my life was centered around that next drink. To spare a good many details I'll share the one that changed my life for good. I was heading home from a night out and passed out behind the wheel. I crossed over the medium and awoke just before seeing the guard rail. I slammed on the breaks before I hit. It was not only terrifying but so Incredibly irresponsible that God only knows why It wasn't fatal, not only for me but others.

 

The next morning I thought about this and realized I was more fortunate than I deserved to be. I also thought about this; almost every time I have had bad things happen In my life, they were all directly related to substance abuse. 

 

I had quit before(once for six years) but this was the moment that took hold of me to realize enough was enough. If I have a beer every few months that's a lot and thankfully I have the strength to only have one. 

 

The point of this Is If anyone here has been thinking they might have a problem please do something about It. I know It may be a lifestyle and you may have to find yourself allover again, but take it from someone who knows this as an absolute truth: It's worth being shunned by the folks you thought were friends for a life that Is more meaningful, satisfying, and more than anything, finding your true self. 

This is absolute truth down to the last letter, lost some friends, gained better ones who made me better and without a doubt, to succeed you must change your lifestyle, its hard at first but you find things to fill your time instead of boozing. Fishing was one of those things for me! Luckily I never drank while fishing so it was an easy transition in that area.

 

My dad always simply put, if it causes problems then it is a problem. I didn't realize that my drinking caused and was a problem until the law got involved. Thankfully the trooper was cool as can be, no he didn't let me off, but we had a nice long talk on the way back to the barracks and I finally decided to straighten up, 3 years later still have my girl (now my wife) along with a beautiful baby girl. Who knows where I would be if I continued on the path I was on.

[gulfcaptain]

I found out how many true friends I had after I got a DUI.  I feel fortunate that I didn't have an accident, nor injure anyone in that low point of my life where I was no happy with who I was but continued to tell myself I was.  Decided to quit the job I had and go back to doing what I loved working on the ocean.  All the friends I thought I had vanished, but the few that were there from the start were still there for me.  It sometimes takes a harsh reality check to realize what you're doing to yourself.  I've had a few friends I've had to turn my back on that choose to go down the darker paths of substance abuse.  I was hoping they would come back but they made their choice which I couldn't follow.  Only thing I'm addicted to now is that pleasure we all get from chasing those fish we love to catch.  I am blessed to have the life I have.  If I had continued to make the wrong choices, well who knows where I would be right now but odds are it wouldn't be close to where I am now.

[Jaderose]

Working on 13 years sobriety here.  No magic pills, no miracle cures.  Tons of time in AA rooms and gut checking every day for the first few years.   I LOVED drinking but it was killing me...which would have been ok if I wasn't also a Son, Father, and Husband.  I GOT sober for them.  I stay sober for me.  My life is better now  I used to not have a clue how to live without booze.  Now I don't know how I could live WITH it.  Answer...I couldn't.  It would kill me and probably quickly.  If you need help (I did), get it.  I'm not endorsing anything but AA worked for me.  It may or may not work for you.  But don't do it alone.  No need to.

[Sam]

Jader, I gave up drinking when I had to stumble and crawl back on my hands and knees to my BOQ from the Officers' Club one night.

 

Decided to quit "cold turkey" the next morning.

 

Never regretted it or looked back.

[HoosierHawgs]

You da man.

 

Congrats.

 

Keep up the good work.

 

I wish I had the willpower to avoid sugar like you are doing for your situation.

 

Would probably feel better and drop some pounds.

Dropping the soda (if that's what you mean by sugar) isn't as hard as you think! Order a water at a reseruant almost becomes habitual, and has saved me a couple hundred bucks.

[Bankbeater]

Alcohol has been a problem in my family and my wife's family.  The both of us combined may have 3 or 4 drinks a year.  I learned a long time ago that there was more to life than just going out and getting hammered.

[mrmacwvu1]

Wow I am glad I checked in today.

Like I said in the other thread I quit drinking and smokes.

The first few days were hard but now I am excited to get back into shape.

The reason I quit is mom got cancer. She was a smoker her whole life. I knew that I needed to quit and be a role model for her. I also knew that if I kept drinking I would cheat and smoke. Ultimately my love for my family was more then any beer or cig could give me.

I am now in my thirties and wish I would have done this years ago.

[I.rar]

Congrats for making the change.

I got caught up with the law some years back and met some people in NA/AA meetings who really turned around. It takes strength to admit you have a problem. Not only to yourself but to your friends and family. It takes even more to do something about it. And anyone who does, should feel d**n proud of their self for making that life altering change.

Best of luck to you.