.
I’am not. Though I did used to drink alot. Then I turned 21 realized I could drink at anytime that I wanted to and suddenly it just wasn’t as much fun.
Nah, I always prefered drugs over alcohol. Never reached the point of addiction though, thankfully. Got married and had a kid and can’t afford to deal with legal issues if I ever got caught now. Just the occassional indulgence of legal “herbal incense” these days.
Add me to the list though I preferred both alcohol acid and pot. Now I prefer being sober. To each their own, I’m just grateful I didn’t kill anyone while driving drunk.
Yeah it looks like a lot of people here have gone through some type or other thing with drugs. Worst part of quiting is you know what would “cure” your situation in a minute. Though what seems most important to any quiting is determination. Not in a throw your will against it with force. But more o.k. that didn’t work I’am still going to try something maybe something else, I’am going to find some other way. I’am a musician so I’ve known a number of junkies and alkies. And the thing is they all seem to have diffrent ways they’ve gotten off of it. Some kept a goal in mind and an image of the worst times. Some just got sick of it. Some locked themselves up. Some used other things (which can back fire sometimes). Some prayed and prayed. Some tapered, some got help some refused help and thought it’s all me so your help is meaningless. One thing though I think highly of people that deal with that kind of thing with success. I have more respect for people who have gone through and come out, then teetotalers (only in the I’ll never touch anything). Not that I don’t disrespect teetotalers just it ain’t a bragging point. So I hope that helps to know I have respect for you. I’ve also gotten a few monkeys off my back not alcohol though and I feel like a better person for it.
This thread is beginning to explain an awful lot of things!
I am waiting for the bestiality thread to explain the rest
Oh gosh that is something I don’t want to read about. Though I do have to say on that subject watch out for dolphins they can misbehave.
Or we could take the Robert Anton Wilson approach which is that since humans are animals it’s always technicaly beastiality. It’s the cross species thing that’s off.
I’am not. Though I did used to drink alot. Then I turned 21 realized I could drink at anytime that I wanted to and suddenly it just wasn’t as much fun.
My heavy drinking halted suddenly when I left the Army aged 24.
@bish777 yeah situation can make a big diffrence. I’ve known people who had really hard lives and were addicted to herion untill things started turning around. They claimed the withdraw sucked but that there wasn’t a real tempatation.
Good Lord, surely we are not all recovering alcoholics?!!?
Not me I am recovered!!! Being sober enough?Recovery is that; getting back what was lost. Alcohol was the solution I am the problem. Alcoholism not alcohol was-um! The ism is - I ,self,me.how do you claim true humility?Be rigorously honest?Do a great deed and not be found out? Surrender to win.Why go to a twelve step program and not work it?Give it away to keep it? Everyday is a great day this side of the turf.My favorite and original It is better to be seen then viewed.also Living on borrowed time the first hundred years are the hardest ! Feel free to utilize.
I was an alcoholic by the age of 15. I have 29 or 30 years of sobriety…I forget which…I was pretty drunk when I quit drinking.
I went to AA for about 6 months. Just long enough to get comfortable with the fact that I was not the only one in the world that could not stop drinking once I started. After that hearing the same sad stories, and brags, just got depressing. That said I support anyone that chooses a 12 step program or any other program in an effort to improve their life. My wife is currently in a program, not AA, but shares some similar steps. It focuses more on coping strategies and recognizing your triggers.
For me there is no casual drink. It is all or nothing. My life is good that way. If I want to have a social drink I have a cup of coffee or tea.
With weed I could always take it or leave it. Currently nicotine and caffeine are my only recreational drugs.
Nicotine is recreational, but caffeine is essential!
t’other way round for me - caffeine I could do without, nicotine never.
me I couldn’t do without either. Man you don’t want to see me when I’am short on either.
I was without both (at the same time) for a couple/few years, and imo there’s no big virtue in going without. In fact I think it made me really bored. 
You take away my caffeine and nicotine now and I don’t think I’d ever leave my bed.
It is really easy for people to tell their own story. It brings a sense of relief. It is not selfish and it is certainly not a method of asking for pity. To be able to allow a peer to comprehend a personal difficulty in life, it brings you to further appreciate the changes you have made to overcome your own plague. Quite often problem/addiction has affected the people around you, so when somone else gives you some kind of pat on the back it makes you feel that you can ammend any problems with people and prevent them from happening to anyone else you meet in your life. Furthermore, if you are still stuck in the rut, telling your story to people you don’t know on a face to face level can help you get your thought out. For example when I write an essay on a topic, If I discuss it with somone It really brings out all the ideas I have burried in the back of my head. However, when it is somthing so frowned upon such as alcoholism, it is too difficult to talk to somone you know out of fear of dismisal or dissapointment in you which is very common. These types of settings are very judgement free which makes it so easy to put your thoughts out.
I told part of my own story in a much earlier thread, looking back at it I kind of felt like an idoit and clearly seemed like my post was written by an attention whore, hind sight is 20-20, which is why you should always be very critical when writting about somthing so serious, you don’t want to be mistaken for somthing you are not trying to be. The fact that this thread is based on this whole topic makes it much easier to not be mistaken, so it is kind of nice to have this here. It really does encourage people to put in their two cents.
Unfortunately when I had written about my own situation, it was used against me in a very grand misunderstanding, so I promptly erased the post.
As somone who has had a run in with abusiveness to alcohol, I pulled myself out after seeing the downward spiral I could have been stuck in for even longer. These days I have changed my entire lifestyle because of my spiritual beliefs which is an amalgam of pagan/hindu things that I refer to as ‘The Noble Path.’ This includes limiting meat in my diet, staying primarily vegetarian with exceptions to diary and eggs, minor exceptions to fish, and very limited rare exceptions of having any other sort of meat. Along with diet is the rest of my lifestyle and maintaining balance, staying active, working the land and gardening, maintaining good work ethic while on the job, helping friends and neighbors within reason, and always trying to better relationships you have with all people while keeping strong family values. Part of this philosophy is avoiding over-indulging yourself, so I have come to learn to have a glass of wine with dinner, and also to put the cork back on. On a particularly productive week, having a six pack of Dos Equis or Harp on Friday or Saturday night is rewarding and justified. You truly must emobdy the noble way in order to maintain it. Your attitude in daily life is very important.
I hope this wasn’t too long and boring.
Thanks, Vito. You are lucky to be able to drink moderately. Some of us can’t take that chance any more. I probably could but wouldn’t like to go through what it took for me to quit again.It was the hardest thing I have ever done.