Giving up booze.

[Sirshredalot]

Darryles comment in the quit smoking thread got me thinking that we should have a giving up booze thread too.

Ive been thinking about giving up beer for a while now, but havent committed yet.

Whats your story?

 

[Threadcutter308]

Darryles comment in the quit smoking thread got me thinking that we should have a giving up booze thread too.

Ive been thinking about giving up beer for a while now, but havent committed yet.

Whats your story?

Well, along with remodeling a house for exercise, I've dropped 30 pounds and feel a lot better.

 

[Doc68]

I've stopped since last April. Saved a bunch of money along with feeling a lot better. Lost weight back at the gym. Weird how when not drinking you have a lot of time for other things.

I have had two drinks in this past year. Both with a great friend.

Doc

 

[mosin46]

quit cold about 5yr ago. drank heavily for 50+ years and loved it. no symptoms at all. that is because my enzyme/DNA/hepatic system. just luck,not virtue. dropped 30lbs in a year. bld sugar under better control. i know people who drank less and were very symptomatic on cold turkey. i know people who drank a bunch more and quit with no issues. it all depends on your organic,metabolic and nervous system. i would never temp myself and have "just one". i don't think moderate-like 2 glasses of wine a day-is harmful for most. i also don't think "a little" is good for you like some claim. the fact is that it IS the gateway drug. does cause a lot of legal,social and med problems.
i think the radical libertarians are right in saying that mary jane and some other chems are not as harmful. prohibition gave organized crime a big jump start,just like the current war on drugs.

 

[Milf Dots]

I'll ponder this thread while having a glass or two of liquor.

 

[AZLong]

Darryles comment in the quit smoking thread got me thinking that we should have a giving up booze thread too.

Ive been thinking about giving up beer for a while now, but havent committed yet.

Whats your story?

Last beer was 4/1991

 

[LuckyLuke80]

I’m blessed to not have had to quit. My dad was an alcoholic (before me or my brothers were born) and he quit by God’s mercy. I’m of the personality/nature that if I started drinking I wouldn’t be able to handle it.

 

[Im2bent]

Wait.....beer is considered booze????

 

[Smitty192]

Started drinking in junior high (early 80's). Kept my foot on the peddle until Father's Day 2013.

Best decision I ever made...wish I would have quit sooner. But better late than never.

I would probaly be dead by now had I not quit. Either by my own hands or those of someone else.

 

[Mike Casselton]

There's this thing called moderation.

 

[W54/XM-388]

Just think if you were to follow the word of wisdom and give up:

Alcohol
Tobacco
Coffee and Tea
(and of course never do drugs)

Imagine how much money you would save over your lifetime?

 

[Fx51LP308]

There's this thing called moderation.

Precisely. 1 shot (basically) of Bourbon a day (but not every day).

 

[Fx51LP308]

Just think if you were to follow the word of wisdom and give up:

Alcohol
Tobacco
Coffee and Tea
(and of course never do drugs)

Imagine how much money you would save over your lifetime?

For a moment, I thought you were going to say, give up:

Alcohol
Tobacco
Firearms
Explosives

 

[Ric O'shay]

Generally these stories kind of suck, like mine.
Dr. said quit drinking or you will die of liver failure in the undetermined future.
I quit drinking, stone cold because I wanted to not be dead.

 

[Aussie Joe]

Good luck on your epic quest brothers. I'm 21 years sober this May.

 

[AZLong]

There's this thing called moderation.

We would have no alcoholics or drug addicts if it was as simple as that

 

[Ronws]

I only smoked marijuana (the kids these days call it mota) now and then in my younger days. And the last time was a hit off a joint in April of 1994.

I used to like beer and got up to 296 lbs. Stopped the beer and dropped 40 lbs. I liked wine now and then but it would give me a headache hangover.

I like whiskey and usually have some every evening. I drink it neat and I just sip on it and chase with a diet soda. (Got into diet sodas years back when I had real teeth.)

 

[Sirshredalot]

There's this thing called moderation.

Some of us dont do that well...

 

[Ronws]

Some of us dont do that well...

That is something I meant to say before.

For some people, one or two means the whole bottle. For some, they would keep drinking until everything in the house is gone.

Such people simply cannot drink.

 

[Redheeler]

Quit 2/88. Never looked back. Yep, no “moderation” in my life there.

 

[Malum Prohibitum]

I have never had a problem with moderation of alcohol, but if I ever felt like I did, I would stop cold turkey and never touch it again. I have had others describe for me their inability to control how much they drank. It sounded like a nightmare.

 

[TheHorta]

Bring back Prohibition and the Temperance Movement!

 

[WTF-2-EDC]

Someone in my family accused me of being an alcoholic during a family holiday dinner which pissed the F off. So I said, "First I'll prove you wrong...then I challenge you to learn how to speak properly to people." I just had my last drink for a year." 12 months passed without any desire to drink...then 13 months, 14 and 15. Then I poured one at the bigmouths birthday for the first time, smiled and said, "Have anything to say?"

To stop drinking is easy, quitting an addiction is hard. If you're addicted then you have no choice...can't let the inner demons win and control your life.
JMO

 

[Sirshredalot]

Some guys cant have just one or two gummy worms... its the whole bag.

Cant settle on one bullet so they order half the nosler catalog...etc....
Cant have one press... gotta be five.

Im one of those guys.... i stopped keeping any liqour in the house... too easy to get "one more"... then its been 8 or 9 before you realize it.

Ive cut back to only buying a 6 pack when i want a beer...so there isnt a case to get "one more".

Need to give it up all together...the wife and i have agreed, no more alcohol in the house.... just have to resolve to never sleep again(insomnia).

Shred.

Responses are awesome.

 

[Redlion]

I have quit drinking more times that I can remember. Staying done is the tough part for me. I will have 3 years of sobriety come February 18th. I have been dedicated to working out, proper nutrition, and health most the past 3 years. I am in the best physical condition since my early 20's. Likely much better as I never really had clearly defined 6-pack abs before. I am 53, soon to be 54 the end of this month.
I have been to detox 3 times and hospitalized another 5 due to my drinking. Hallucinations at one point. I honestly do not miss drinking and think that this time around with sobriety is for good. I have too much I value to lose it.
"If" someone if thinking about "ending" drinking, then it is likely time to do just that. With that said, I think nothing less of those that drink and enjoy it.
Best wishes.

 

[Seed tick]

Damn sure better off without it. Health wise and size wise. I’m a pretty heavy drinker

 

[wvfarrier]

Darryles comment in the quit smoking thread got me thinking that we should have a giving up booze thread too.

Ive been thinking about giving up beer for a while now, but havent committed yet.

Whats your story?

I quit about 3 years ago, I was never a heavy drinker but decided that as I get older I do not want the negative health effects.

 

[Aftermath]

What is this heresy you speak of?

 

[JimTN]

I may go a week, a month or longer and decide I want a drink, and have one. Some/most days I don't even think about having one, but some days the thought just pops in there, and I have one, especially with certain meals I fix/cook.

 

[breatheandsqueeze]

3 years ago I looked around and said "Why". I could not answer so decided to quit! Wasn't easy, but just decided that I didn't like me when I was drinking. Best decision ever, wish I had the money back that was wasted. One downside is now everyone wants me to go party then drive their drunk asses home. Health wise,weight wise, it has been a great journey. One was one too many and one more was never enough.
Good luck and best wishes!
B

 

[MrSmith]

It's expensive. Before quitting, I drank and smoked away a house. A nice house, at today's prices.

Thank you,
MrSmith

 

[Jscb1b]

25 years sober. I am not a happy drunk. I am a lay in the gutter don't know what day it is drunk. One is too many, 12 is not enough. Pm if you need to talk!

 

[GreenGO Juan]

Darryles comment in the quit smoking thread got me thinking that we should have a giving up booze thread too.

Ive been thinking about giving up beer for a while now, but havent committed yet.

Whats your story?

Been 100% sober for going on 4 years. Has its benefits and its draw backs just like any thing else. No desire to go back, Sobriety for me.

 

[Ankeny]

I quit drinking in September of 2021 when I got colon cancer. Along with the cancer the docs discovered non-alcoholic sclerosis of my liver, probably from years of arthritis meds and acetaminophen. At the time I was into some pretty high-end whiskey and whisky. Illegal to sell hard liquor in Wyoming, and an acquaintance of mine was employed by the Wyoming Liquor Commission. He would give me the heads-up when hard to get products came into the state and which stores would be receiving the booze. I did the honest thing and gave away about 5k of some decent booze. I gave a friend of mine that has always drank cheap crap 4 bottles of Yamazaki 12, and a bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle. He bitched about the Van Winkle being too hot so he used it for a mixer with Coke.

 

[Cowpokey]

1 Oct 2023 was my last beer. Never really did booze, a shot here and there...while drinking beer with friends. I drank a lot of beer, for a lot of years. Got sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. My beer fridge is still in the living room, but now it's full of gatorade, and pineapple juice. Still has a few beers in the back, who knows, somebody might want one someday.

 

[camotoe]

Quitter's....

 

[Fx51LP308]

Bring back Prohibition and the Temperance Movement!

Nope! Making something "prohibited/illegal" makes people only want it more! Ask all the 'Shine runners/makers.

The city in which I went to college was "dry," technically. Strong emphasis on "technically." There were ways around the prohibition. For example, if you go out to a restaurant, you could order a drink but you'd have to order food with it. Hence, a lot of orders for soup, etc. You could also travel the short distance to the city limit and buy all the booze you want (or go to drink at their restaurants), If you wanted to sponsor a "Kegger," at your dorm/frat house, you could get one delivered there from across that city limit. You just couldn't buy packaged goods in the city or just go out to drink at restaurants without eating. One of the few exceptions to that was the bar at the Holliday Inn, but I believe you had to be a guest at the hotel to drink at the bar.

One of the main problems being, this city where I went to college was also the home of the National HQ of the WCTU - the "Women's Christian Temperance Union." And they still wielded quite a bit of power with politicians. That said, their influence was actually declining in later months as the City was going to grant my college a liquor license (for a "Rathskeller" in the Student Union bldg) using "Home Rule" power against the State. But, wouldn't ya know... This came right at the time the Feds were "coercing" the State govts to raise the drinking age to 21 for all alcohol (previously, beer/wine were available to those 19+)... raise it or lose their federal highway funds. So the State refused the State liquor license. No rathskeller for my school. It would be useless, give the raising of the drinking age.

Didn't stop the dorms, frat houses, etc. We got around it. My dorm had a fondness for "Thumper" parties.

 

[kilizyrag]

Way to many stupid decisions made while drinking beer. When I retired every day was a Saturday. I drank a six pack each and every day, sometimes two. Jan 31, 2022 I drank my last beer. Never really liked the hard stuff as I was a beer man. So it has been almost 3 years since that great decision.

I had also grown to 275 lbs, fat like I have never been. I'm now at 210, beer and alcohol free.

Now if I could just quit the Red Man.

 

[Glowworm]

Effectively stopped drinking years ago, not sure exactly when. I get a horrible, debilitating headache within a minute of taking a drink. I think I've always had the issue but was able to endure it better when I was younger.

I definitely miss drinking socially, and Scotch; I still have a couple of nice bottles I haven't opened, and every now and then wonder if they're worth the price I'd pay.

Oh well. More $ for toys.

 

[Soulezoo]

Just think if you were to follow the word of wisdom and give up:

Alcohol
Tobacco
Coffee and Tea
(and of course never do drugs)

Imagine how much money you would save over your lifetime?

Spoken like a true Mormon.

 

[Soulezoo]

I quit drinking in September of 2021 when I got colon cancer. Along with the cancer the docs discovered non-alcoholic sclerosis of my liver, probably from years of arthritis meds and acetaminophen. At the time I was into some pretty high-end whiskey and whisky. Illegal to sell hard liquor in Wyoming, and an acquaintance of mine was employed by the Wyoming Liquor Commission. He would give me the heads-up when hard to get products came into the state and which stores would be receiving the booze. I did the honest thing and gave away about 5k of some decent booze. I gave a friend of mine that has always drank cheap crap 4 bottles of Yamazaki 12, and a bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle. He bitched about the Van Winkle being too hot so he used it for a mixer with Coke.

That fukker

 

[DocRDS]

I was losing to diabetes.

Gave up Alcohol, Coffee (I dont drink a lot of coffee anyway), caffine, and soda (anything carbonated) as part of my weight loss surgery/program.

I've had a sip at christmas. Don't miss it. I do miss a cold beer.

I don't miss the 150lbs or my diabetes medication (that's right, went from highest dose to NO DOSE BITCHES)

Now I can also run around with that pig of a rifle in PRS too.

 

[65x55guy]

15 years sober here. Sucked at first and had to find a few new friends. But worth it and I won’t risk a sip. Moderation is awesome and I’m terrible at it.

 

[hlee]

I ain’t no quitter.

 

[Electric B]

Nothing since August, not really giving up alcohol . Just haven’t had any.

 

[ggmanning]

Nobody likes a quitter and a man has got to have something. I figure Irish whiskey and Copenhagen is much better than strippers and cocaine.


seriously though if it's killing your health and moderation is not in cards best wishes on getting it done.

 

[hlee]

Nobody likes a quitter and a man has got to have something. I figure Irish whiskey and Copenhagen is much better than strippers and cocaine.


seriously though if it's killing your health and moderation is not in cards best wishes on getting it done.

Idk, strippers are cheaper than tobacco…

 

[Milf Dots]

Effectively stopped drinking years ago, not sure exactly when. I get a horrible, debilitating headache within a minute of taking a drink. I think I've always had the issue but was able to endure it better when I was younger.

I definitely miss drinking socially, and Scotch; I still have a couple of nice bottles I haven't opened, and every now and then wonder if they're worth the price I'd pay.

Oh well. More $ for toys.

We don't believe you- because everybody knows FBI agents aren't allowed to drink.

 

[Baron23]

One is too many, 12 is not enough.

I was about to post "For those for whom alcohol is indeed a real problem, one is too many and a thousand is never enough"

I'm not in that category but certainly have some wonderful, long time sober, friends. Frankly, I prefer a sober alcoholic to a tight ass teetotaler.

As for me....I've sort of aged out of it. I'm not that damn old...72 now. But the booze just doesn't agree with me all that much anymore. In the past, I would consider myself to be a moderately heavy drinker...that is, I most certainly didn't drink all the time but when I did it was to fire for effect.

Never did understand all that hoopla about "bouquet" and "nose" and "hints of balsa followed by a chocolate finish". FFS, its fucking ethyl alcohol and no....it really doesn't taste good...like ice cream, for example. What good liquor does is taste better than bad liquor. But, ain't no-fucking-body drinking near scotch, for example.

In any case, now...if I have more that two moderate sized drinks...I will wake up in the middle of the night...wide awake with awful anxiety. I understand this has to do with cortisol levels. Used to be when I was younger, that if I went out drinking with the boys then I slept like a rock until late morning. Now, a few drinks and three hours later its a couple of hours of middle of the night torture.

And, the impact to me the next day is much greater.

But even with all that...for whatever reason, I've just lost my yen for it. And I'm fine with that.

Cheers guys and great subject.

 

[Moe Ron]

Read a few of the responses and then went to the “What are you drinking right now” thread.