Hi Everyone,
I am writing this post in hopes that it helps someone, somewhere, somehow.
I quit drinking ten weeks ago, after many years of trying unsuccessfully to quit. I was at the point where I had to quit. The negative physicial and mental impact on myself, and the negative impact it was having on my family was becoming too much. I had to quit, and I'm happy every day that I did finally quit.
I used two main tools to get me over the line. I listened to podcasts from Kevin O'Hara on Alcohol Mastery. He really helped me put drinking in perspective. The second tool I used to quit was the book The Easy Way to Control Alcohol by Allan Carr. This audio book really carried me over the line when I finally quit.
This has been the best thing that has happened to me in a long time. I didnt fully realize how damaging my alcohol problem was to me and my family until I stopped. I am happier. I am calmer. I sleep better. I am less depressed/down in the dumps than I have been in years. I can drive anytime, anywhere. I am available for my kids, my wife, and my friends whenever they need me.
Alcohol wasn't giving me any benefits. Maybe some people can "handle it," but I realize I cannot. I am accepting the fact that alcohol and I do not mix. We are a bad combination. We dont work well together. We are like oil and water. And I dont miss anything about it.
I have only had one occassion in the last ten weeks where I was a bit tempted to drink. I was dealing with a very very stressful life situation. The thought of getting a drink to calm me down came to my head. That thought was followed quickly by "Imagine how much worse I'd be feeling now if I were drinking."
The only part that I am having trouble with is forgiving myself for what did to myself and my family over the last number of years when I was abusing alcohol. Even typing this paragraph upsets me greatly. I will find that forgiveness sometime in the future I guess.
Good luck to anyone trying to quit. Figure out how to silence that little gremlin that's on your shoulder telling you its OK to drink, when you know deep down its not OK for you.
