Thank you, sir, for the good luck wishes. I do plan on succeeding permanently this time.

good luck osis. sounds like you are aware that your life is better without alchohol so you can focus on that.

Thanks Victor. The human body is pretty cool, it's amazing how much better you can feel after a little over a week of no booze, healthy eating, proper sleep, and heavy, heavy (i.e. light) exercise.

SirOsis, those are from the first page of this thread, replies to my OP. I didn't take them to heart at all and it almost killed me. I think that sounds like hyperbole much of the time, so to be clear, I truly believe there's a strong likelihood I'd be cold and underground if I hadn't gotten sober. Or, perhaps worse, I'd be locked up someplace, responsible for someone else's death.

It sounds like you understand it's a bad idea to do this on your own, which is great. And you're right that this isn't the place for an AA debate - AA doesn't have a monopoly on sobriety, and I totally get the issues some people have with the program. But I will say that many/most - if not all - people who are sober in AA came to it with big obstacles. For me, total desperation caused me to set those things aside. I'm not sure what my point is, I guess I just want to express that no matter how you feel about it, the program is always an option. Hit me up anytime.

LFS, I don't think I've thanked you for this thread, so truly thank you.

I don't feel like I've adequately described my thoughts, plans, and situation in this thread so far. I KNOW FOR A FACT I can't do this on my own. Me describing the very recent things I've been doing to feel a lot healthier is in no way me thinking, "Hey this is going great, maybe if I just don't drink and keep eating healthy it will pretty much be over soon." First thing tomorrow I will be speaking with a Portland woman who is a CADC, LPC, however many other acronyms, who knows me very well, is probably one of the smartest people I know, and is aware of my entire history of alcohol abuse. She also could possibly know every group meeting, counseling service etc for alcoholics in Portland (there are a lot, I think it might be the highest in the nation per capita). I will do whatever she suggests, and if it's AA, so be it.

I report a bit early, quit alcohol in late November. But really no need to delay, I'm done with alcohol, most probably for good. My personal way is using alcohol free beer, at least for now, started a couple of weeks ago. The tasting thing is apparently significant for me, after all, and getting sufficient hydration also. For many quitters it's better not using alcohol free beer, you need to be confronted with the alcohol stuff regularly. But they have separate shelves in the stores!

Anyhow the alcohol poison (for me) is history. Feel better in almost every way. I may or may not report in the future. Good luck to you all, and thanks!!

Quite interesting short book, well worth the $6.16, imo: A Guide to Giving up Alcohol, https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Giving-...ing+up+alcohol

Gave some perspective. Ordered another e-book too, apparently more read (more reviews), and more comprehensive: https://www.amazon.com/Kick-Drink-Ea...ct_top?ie=UTF8

Wonder why they don't want to use the word "alcoholic"?

Any good recommendations?

A life without alcohol is really great! Eating a ripe banana gives you some alcohol, that's ok. I currently consume beer between 0.0% and 0.5% ABV, on average about say 0.25%. So let's say three bottles a day, seven times a week. That adds up to about the equivalent of one single bottle of beer a week at a standard 5%, did the math. Guess that's somewhere what nature intended as a max.

Anybody here using non-alcoholic beer for tapering/quitting? It isn't all that's needed for the decision, but me it has helped a lot. If not, I'll stop asking/telling

I’m not sure I’m ready to quit entirely but my body telling me to slow tf down. I’m usually good for 2-4 decent pours of bourbon/ rye a night. Weekend is more like 6-10. Well, a few weeks ago I was on the toilet and saw actual blood in the bowl. I’m not talking just a few drops I mean it look like i **** pure blood. I am pretty sure I had bad stomach cramps that previous night too.

Well today I was peeing out my butt and feeling like **** again with the cramps in stomach . I should see a doctor but I’m just gonna lay off alcohol completely and limit myself to 2 pours a day once this gets back to normal.

Not trying to be funny just honest but it’s ok to laugh or call me a dumbass. I need to check myself

If we're talking fresh red blood, that's rectal or anal bleeding. It's probably a hemorrhoid or something.

Ya, as long as it's not dark red you're probably fine.

I remember the first time I **** blood. It's a wake up call at first. Then it happens a few times and you are still alive, so how bad could it be? Alcohol has a way of making everything sort of okay. You set new limits and then crash through them and feel ****ty at first then just get used to often being in a mild state of generalized shame or remorse. The human mind and body is incredibly adaptable. Plus, that all goes away once you get a few back in you. F***ing body's stupid tolerance though, it always takes a couple more than it used to. But then you learn that that's not the case if you don't eat much, which isn't a big deal cuz you really don't have much of an appetite anyways.

I don't miss that struggle, but there's no way I would've given up my most beloved companion and comforter without realizing that at some point i crossed a line of no return. At times I could control it, and at times I did enjoy it, but never could I do both simultaneously anymore.

I hope you are successful in your attempts to self-regulate. I'd suggest writing down a goal and being objective in your evaluation of your success in meeting that. If a relative amount you'd like to keep yourself to only exists in your mind, it inevitably becomes a moving target that caters to the behavior that your mind desires and is influenced by subtle underlying drives for repeating biochemical reward pathways that are difficult if not impossible to simply will yourself out of.

Thanks Evan Williams. love evan williams single barrel by the way. My problem is what everyone's problem is, I'm sure. I am good after 2 and that's all I really need but before I know it I'm on 7 and hammered.

Judge,

Does that happen to you at home or just when out?

Does that happen to you alone or just when drinking with others?

I can run it up alone less frequently but out with others it’s a lock

Home or out doesn’t really matter

When on the road for business I am by myself and go strong. Something about new territory just is a turn on I guess

Sub’d.

I just passed 1 year sober, wisest decision I ever made. Wish I'd made it years ago! I didn't use AA or any program, but I did join an online forum, Sober Recovery. I'd read that every day, post now and then. I had started out with 75 days all on my own, then drank again for a month which motivated me to join SR. Then I went 208 days and things were mostly good, but I drank for another month. Finally stopped for good on January 30, 2017.

It sucks being a drunk, and if you don't wanna be a drunk anymore you don't have to be. And you don't have to join anything, but you do need to take a good hard look inside yourself and keep working to improve on what's in there. That's my take on the drinking.

Congrats on the year, that’s a huge indicator that you realize you like your life better without it. I’m always interested to hear what works for different people and I’m impressed you could do it (mainly) on your own. I went through multiple rehabs, homelessness, a bunch of small stints in jail, and over 20 withdrawal seizures for me to start trying how to really live sober and I STILL relapsed one last time before I quit for good. I only do a meeting a week and am not a card carrying member of AA by any means but I think I need them. I love what I get out of the meetings and look fwd to them every week.

I wish more people (myself included) realized that the addiction was just part of the whole problem. We’d have a lot more sober ppl that way. I think everyone is different but it took me 35 years to figure out I never liked what I saw in the mirror. The alcohol and drugs were just what I used to try to fix it.

Congrats to you too. I shoulda said everyone doesn't necessarily have to program it, as in my case. But for other folks, as in your case, it's the right way to go.

Great news kioshk, thanks for sharing. And yeah that's what I was going to add, that it was not necessary for you. As much as possible I try to just communicate to people what happened with me and let them draw their own conclusions without telling them what they should do. It's a difficult balance to maintain and I falter all the time.

this thread makes me glad i can drink heavily over 2-3 days over a weekend, then stop just because i want to for 2+ weeks and drink nothing.

couldnt imagine having addictive tendencies. all of these stories are scary, good read but scary. i guess im just wired differently

One thing to remember is (I’m not saying this would ever apply to you obv) that addiction is extremely progressive. The progression can be fast or slow. I drank “normally” (heavy on weekends) until I was 25. Because I had a lifestyle that allowed me to go out all the time, it progressed really quickly and by 30 I was full blown, around the clock, drinking in the middle of the night to go back to bed, first thing in the morning, etc. I vividly remember in college wondering aloud why anyone would ever drink alone. Lol

Exactly. Addiction can be very subtle. I drank very little for years and years, always knowing though if bringing home booze it would be drunk, but what the hell, just not buying. Then starting to taste whisky, and I found some disturbing tendencies: the amounts went up. Then I stepped up my battle, with controlling for years. One example is posting second most itt. Think I'm relatively free now, quit in late november. In the end alcohol can go and **** itself.

Congrats on your success. One thing ill say is, I gave up on the AA and counseling around day 300 cause "hey, i'm cured now, I don't need them anymore". I relapsed around day 380ish and it was bad. I got complacent and it has really screwed me. Whatever you do or use to help not drink, keep it up.