Can the bros help?

[Fruitbat]

Sorry not women related but we are all about becoming better men. Not sure if you can help.

I don’t drink that often, but when I do, I drink to oblivion. Yesterday - example. Bought 4 for the football, drank 14 which is about one and a half gallons of 5% beer.

I’m getting a bit too old for this now. I have history of substance abuse - binges, plus smokedherb daily for 15 years. Gave up a few years back.

issue is, the only time I don’t feel background pressure and stress is either when drunk or the hangover. Bizzarely the hangover is fine as I’m distracted. Libido jumps a lot up as I’m for once not stressed. Stress is mainly job, anything

Even though it’s max 2x a month, it’s a problem. It takes me 3-5 days to feel nomal.

the idea of life stretching out without a drink forever just seems boring.

So, any of you recognise this binging tendancy? Could you beat it? Unless I am totally wasted, it never feels like enough. “Half drunk” i hate. It’s like a tease.

Considering getting counselling. Just FYI not doing AA or any groups and not religious. My sister says therapy as she thinks it’s probably something deeper driving it.

I don’t consider myself an alcoholic as I go weeks without drinking.

sorry if this is off topic but just hope someone might be able to offer perspective, and places like Reddit are full of divs. At least you guys broadly are similar to me.

 

[AttackFormation]

1. I dont understand why you would sacrifice yourself for some job, and dont tell me it's because of your family, having a healthy dad is way more important and rewarding for them than whatever youre stressing your health away for.

2. Yeah, get counselling.

 

[Fruitbat]

1. I dont understand why you would sacrifice yourself for some job, and dont tell me it's because of your family, having a healthy dad is way more important and rewarding for them than whatever youre stressing your health away for.

2. Yeah, get counselling.

Good points.

 

[Machine10033]

If you can go months without drinking just stop. It doesn’t get better... i occasionally binged... on weekends... never drank during the week... soon I said why not have a few drinks during the week. Next thing you know your drinking every night. It’s my one vice and I’m having a hell of a time kicking it... I see no negative effects yet... still maintain low body fat, no health issues... no job issues but still it’s a horrible habit. If you can avoid it... do it!

 

[Modern Man Advice]

Sorry not women related but we are all about becoming better men. Not sure if you can help.

I don’t drink that often, but when I do, I drink to oblivion. Yesterday - example. Bought 4 for the football, drank 14 which is about one and a half gallons of 5% beer.

I’m getting a bit too old for this now. I have history of substance abuse - binges, plus smokedherb daily for 15 years. Gave up a few years back.

issue is, the only time I don’t feel background pressure and stress is either when drunk or the hangover. Bizzarely the hangover is fine as I’m distracted. Libido jumps a lot up as I’m for once not stressed. Stress is mainly job, anything

Even though it’s max 2x a month, it’s a problem. It takes me 3-5 days to feel nomal.

the idea of life stretching out without a drink forever just seems boring.

So, any of you recognise this binging tendancy? Could you beat it? Unless I am totally wasted, it never feels like enough. “Half drunk” i hate. It’s like a tease.

Considering getting counselling. Just FYI not doing AA or any groups and not religious. My sister says therapy as she thinks it’s probably something deeper driving it.

I don’t consider myself an alcoholic as I go weeks without drinking.

sorry if this is off topic but just hope someone might be able to offer perspective, and places like Reddit are full of divs. At least you guys broadly are similar to me.

Seek professional help.

Modern Man Advice

 

[Barrister]

Sorry not women related but we are all about becoming better men. Not sure if you can help.

I don’t drink that often, but when I do, I drink to oblivion. Yesterday - example. Bought 4 for the football, drank 14 which is about one and a half gallons of 5% beer.

I’m getting a bit too old for this now. I have history of substance abuse - binges, plus smokedherb daily for 15 years. Gave up a few years back.

issue is, the only time I don’t feel background pressure and stress is either when drunk or the hangover. Bizzarely the hangover is fine as I’m distracted. Libido jumps a lot up as I’m for once not stressed. Stress is mainly job, anything

Even though it’s max 2x a month, it’s a problem. It takes me 3-5 days to feel nomal.

the idea of life stretching out without a drink forever just seems boring.

So, any of you recognise this binging tendancy? Could you beat it? Unless I am totally wasted, it never feels like enough. “Half drunk” i hate. It’s like a tease.

Considering getting counselling. Just FYI not doing AA or any groups and not religious. My sister says therapy as she thinks it’s probably something deeper driving it.

I don’t consider myself an alcoholic as I go weeks without drinking.

sorry if this is off topic but just hope someone might be able to offer perspective, and places like Reddit are full of divs. At least you guys broadly are similar to me.

I don’t think getting plastered two times a month is some huge vice. That’s really not that bad. What is bad is that you say you need to drink to not feel stressed. That’s an issue and could make your drinking a problem in the future. Agree with others probably talking to someone not a bad idea even if you do it for just a few sessions for a starting point in your mind reset.

 

[Fruitbat]

I don’t think getting plastered two times a month is some huge vice. That’s really not that bad. What is bad is that you say you need to drink to not feel stressed. That’s an issue and could make your drinking a problem in the future. Agree with others probably talking to someone not a bad idea even if you do it for just a few sessions for a starting point in your mind reset.

issue is. I can’t work or do anything the next day. Like literally so ill I can’t do anything.
hard on my family and also just pretty lame

 

[xplt]

Sorry not women related but we are all about becoming better men. Not sure if you can help.

I don’t drink that often, but when I do, I drink to oblivion. Yesterday - example. Bought 4 for the football, drank 14 which is about one and a half gallons of 5% beer.

I’m getting a bit too old for this now. I have history of substance abuse - binges, plus smokedherb daily for 15 years. Gave up a few years back.

issue is, the only time I don’t feel background pressure and stress is either when drunk or the hangover. Bizzarely the hangover is fine as I’m distracted. Libido jumps a lot up as I’m for once not stressed. Stress is mainly job, anything

Even though it’s max 2x a month, it’s a problem. It takes me 3-5 days to feel nomal.

the idea of life stretching out without a drink forever just seems boring.

So, any of you recognise this binging tendancy? Could you beat it? Unless I am totally wasted, it never feels like enough. “Half drunk” i hate. It’s like a tease.

Considering getting counselling. Just FYI not doing AA or any groups and not religious. My sister says therapy as she thinks it’s probably something deeper driving it.

I don’t consider myself an alcoholic as I go weeks without drinking.

sorry if this is off topic but just hope someone might be able to offer perspective, and places like Reddit are full of divs. At least you guys broadly are similar to me.

I have the same problem. I only drink on social events. Seldom alone - corona changed that a little bit. but I'm at a point where I've finally enough. again...

Normally I go days, weeks and sometimes months without drinking. I don't count an ocassional beer here and there (to a meal i.e.).

But when I'm out with the boys I binge drink. I inhale the first beers and only stop when I go to bed. 5-6 liters, no problem. Because like you, I can't stand being half drunk, it's a waste.

Everytime I need 2-4 days till I'm able to function again. Sleepingproblems, weak concentration, felling overall weak and stressed. And this is a problem, because I feel like I'm standing in my own way.

I don't act out when I'm drunk, I can control myself pretty good under the influence of alcohol (given I stay with beer, booze is a different story. But I don't like hard alcohol.). Mostly people around me don't even notice how wasted I am and I just don't vomit, regardless how much I shed down. Blackouts happen to me, but not often and I never lose the entire night.

I made a behavioral therapy six years ago because I considered my drinking habits problematic. I've been able to drink controlled till the lockdown was enforced in germany. Boredom brought back my old habits.

I don't like to consider myself an alcoholic, but I think I am. Because I tend to binge drink and this has nothing to do with simple enjoyment, I do it for the frenzy. And I do it although I know how the next few days will be like.

Sometimes you have to make one (as we say in germany). And that's not an issue.
But when you binge on a regular basis, although you know you will fail for the next days, your relationship with alcohol is a problematic one.

 

[Fruitbat]

I have the same problem. I only drink on social events. Seldom alone - corona changed that a little bit. but I'm at a point where I've finally enough. again...

Normally I go days, weeks and sometimes months without drinking. I don't count an ocassional beer here and there (to a meal i.e.).

But when I'm out with the boys I binge drink. I inhale the first beers and only stop when I go to bed. 5-6 liters, no problem. Because like you, I can't stand being half drunk, it's a waste.

Everytime I need 2-4 days till I'm able to function again. Sleepingproblems, weak concentration, felling overall weak and stressed. And this is a problem, because I feel like I'm standing in my own way.

I don't act out when I'm drunk, I can control myself pretty good under the influence of alcohol (given I stay with beer, booze is a different story. But I don't like hard alcohol.). Mostly people around me don't even notice how wasted I am and I just don't vomit, regardless how much I shed down. Blackouts happen to me, but not often and I never lose the entire night.

I made a behavioral therapy six years ago because I considered my drinking habits problematic. I've been able to drink controlled till the lockdown was enforced in germany. Boredom brought back my old habits.

I don't like to consider myself an alcoholic, but I think I am. Because I tend to binge drink and this has nothing to do with simple enjoyment, I do it for the frenzy. And I do it although I know how the next few days will be like.

Sometimes you have to make one (as we say in germany). And that's not an issue.
But when you binge on a regular basis, although you know you will fail for the next days, your relationship with alcohol is a problematic one.

This could have been written by me. I too am fine on beer and had to give up wine and hard alcohol because it makes me too drunk. I’ve had multiple fights, and been highly aggressive. The final straw was with my wife where I drank a ton of wine and lost my temper and slammed a door in a hotel and it smashed. At that point I never drank hard spirits or wine again.
Beer I can drink in any quantity and never puke, never spin, never get aggressive just happy and mellow. I literally could drink it indefinitely. Also, I am mostly in control.

I was on a stag weekend about 5 years ago and I messed up my friends face pretty bad and beat another friend half senseless. That was vodka.

that’s how drunk I’ve been. Beer just can’t make me this bad.

it’s a real shame because of this I am faced with a choice -either never have normal social relations (you’re a German and I’m English. We share the same culture, we are basically the same people ethically - you can’t have a life without beer!)OR you just end up doing this once in a while.

Also, it can be fun once in a while. I wouldn’t want to never say never.

Here are solutions I have thought of

- Arrive later
- Try to make the early once weak beer. Just order a 3-4% beer for the first few before you get the thirst. Nobody will criticise you for drinking weak beer. There is actually a trend for weaker beer now. It doesn’t have to be 5% pilsner, 4% is 25% less strong. If you are buying the round, get a lemonade top.
- Just drink at birthdays/boys nights/important stuff/Christmas
- take a sleeping pill when you get home. A lot of extra beers are when I return home and don’t want the buzz to end

Some of my drinking nights are completely unnecessary. Just recently, I was with my family. I was the only one drinking. That was pointless.

I think if I adopt this approach I can master it.

I gave up hard liquor, so I can modify the beer drinking I am sure.

Good luck my friend and good luck in the euros (unless you play England in which case bad luck!)

 

[xplt]

This could have been written by me. I too am fine on beer and had to give up wine and hard alcohol because it makes me too drunk. I’ve had multiple fights, and been highly aggressive. The final straw was with my wife where I drank a ton of wine and lost my temper and slammed a door in a hotel and it smashed. At that point I never drank hard spirits or wine again.
Beer I can drink in any quantity and never puke, never spin, never get aggressive just happy and mellow. I literally could drink it indefinitely. Also, I am mostly in control.

I was on a stag weekend about 5 years ago and I messed up my friends face pretty bad and beat another friend half senseless. That was vodka.

that’s how drunk I’ve been. Beer just can’t make me this bad.

I haven't acted out like that in a very long time. But I was more dangerous for myself than others. Not that I hurt myself on purpose, but I tended to make dumb choices when I had too much.

I have one rule, that I follow strictly: I don't drink when something difficult occupies my mind. Alcohol is a huge mood amplifier.

I learned to be stoic, but when it comes to family and friends, I tend to overthink.

it’s a real shame because of this I am faced with a choice -either never have normal social relations (you’re a German and I’m English. We share the same culture, we are basically the same people ethically - you can’t have a life without beer!)OR you just end up doing this once in a while.

Also, it can be fun once in a while. I wouldn’t want to never say never.

Haha, right
There's a austrian doc, who speaks in public about alcohol abuse in europe and he always says: "There's the northern, scandinavian style of drinking and that's bingedrinking with days of abstinence between. And there's the southern european style of drinking, that's drinking small amounts but often without reaching a frenzy. And we in middle europe, we do both, all year long."

Yes, we have a culture of brewing beer and making wine. The Area where I come from is the biggest wineyard of germany. In summer there are winefestivals every weekend. Being social there just means drinking. I don't know many who have learned to drink the right way. All my buddies I know since childhood are bingedrinkers, but none of them drinks daily.

Social gatherings without alcohol just don't exist here, it's our choice to handle this in a reasonable way.
I don't want to say never, too. But I want to handle things differently, regardless how people around me are dealing with their drinking.

Here are solutions I have thought of

- Arrive later
- Try to make the early once weak beer. Just order a 3-4% beer for the first few before you get the thirst. Nobody will criticise you for drinking weak beer. There is actually a trend for weaker beer now. It doesn’t have to be 5% pilsner, 4% is 25% less strong. If you are buying the round, get a lemonade top.
- Just drink at birthdays/boys nights/important stuff/Christmas
- take a sleeping pill when you get home. A lot of extra beers are when I return home and don’t want the buzz to end

If that's a way you want to try, that's not a bad start to do it from my experience. Except the sleeping pill.
Sleeping pills and pain meds can be dangerous when you take them drunk before sleeping. Your muscles relax more when you're drunk, these meds increase this effect. I would rather smoke or vape some weed (vaping won't cause dependency, only mixed consuming with tobacco does).

My approach is a little bit different but I seldom drink myself alone to a frenzy and when I come home after drinking, I just go to bed. I can't find reasonable activities, when I've started drinking. So once I drink, I just want to socialise and drink, nothing more.

- Eat well before going out and build a solid base
- Enjoy the first few beers and don't drown them (I'm a pilsener guy, I don't like the taste of light beers.)
- Drink a big glass of water every hour
- Take a break from min. half an hour to an hour when you feel that you had too much
- Drink only what you really like and learn to enjoy the taste again
- Do sports and motivate yourself with your progress, you will be angry about yourself if you fall behind your goals because of a hangover
- Look around and see all the wasted people who behave like clowns and know, you don't want to be like that
- Learn to say no and mean it

With this approach I came to a point, where I just didn't feel well, when I noticed that I was starting to get really drunk. It was some kind of digust I felt and after some months of drinking in a controlled way, I stopped everytime I reached that point. I just didn't want to be drunk anymore.

Good luck my friend and good luck in the euros (unless you play England in which case bad luck!)

Thanks man. England would be hard for germany this year, indeed. But you know what happens, when we play draw for 120 minutes SO good luck for you, too.

 

[Fruitbat]

I haven't acted out like that in a very long time. But I was more dangerous for myself than others. Not that I hurt myself on purpose, but I tended to make dumb choices when I had too much.

I have one rule, that I follow strictly: I don't drink when something difficult occupies my mind. Alcohol is a huge mood amplifier.

I learned to be stoic, but when it comes to family and friends, I tend to overthink.


Haha, right
There's a austrian doc, who speaks in public about alcohol abuse in europe and he always says: "There's the northern, scandinavian style of drinking and that's bingedrinking with days of abstinence between. And there's the southern european style of drinking, that's drinking small amounts but often without reaching a frenzy. And we in middle europe, we do both, all year long."

Yes, we have a culture of brewing beer and making wine. The Area where I come from is the biggest wineyard of germany. In summer there are winefestivals every weekend. Being social there just means drinking. I don't know many who have learned to drink the right way. All my buddies I know since childhood are bingedrinkers, but none of them drinks daily.

Social gatherings without alcohol just don't exist here, it's our choice to handle this in a reasonable way.
I don't want to say never, too. But I want to handle things differently, regardless how people around me are dealing with their drinking.


If that's a way you want to try, that's not a bad start to do it from my experience. Except the sleeping pill.
Sleeping pills and pain meds can be dangerous when you take them drunk before sleeping. Your muscles relax more when you're drunk, these meds increase this effect. I would rather smoke or vape some weed (vaping won't cause dependency, only mixed consuming with tobacco does).

My approach is a little bit different but I seldom drink myself alone to a frenzy and when I come home after drinking, I just go to bed. I can't find reasonable activities, when I've started drinking. So once I drink, I just want to socialise and drink, nothing more.

- Eat well before going out and build a solid base
- Enjoy the first few beers and don't drown them (I'm a pilsener guy, I don't like the taste of light beers.)
- Drink a big glass of water every hour
- Take a break from min. half an hour to an hour when you feel that you had too much
- Drink only what you really like and learn to enjoy the taste again
- Do sports and motivate yourself with your progress, you will be angry about yourself if you fall behind your goals because of a hangover
- Look around and see all the wasted people who behave like clowns and know, you don't want to be like that
- Learn to say no and mean it

With this approach I came to a point, where I just didn't feel well, when I noticed that I was starting to get really drunk. It was some kind of digust I felt and after some months of drinking in a controlled way, I stopped everytime I reached that point. I just didn't want to be drunk anymore.


Thanks man. England would be hard for germany this year, indeed. But you know what happens, when we play draw for 120 minutes SO good luck for you, too.

thats a very interesting post but I can tell you for a stone cold fact Weed is highly addictive.

I was a weed and smoking addict. I gave up tobacco long before I gave up weed (I vaped it too)

I was high all day every day for years. It isn’t to everyone but if I have weed in the house, it is used constantly until it’s gone. Good for you if you can take it or leave it. I found it highly dependent for 15 years.

I hear you on the water.

for the last 3 days I’ve been so dehydrated I nearly needed hospital. Still not hydrated. Digestion doesn’t work. Eyes sunken. Headache. It’s horrible. It’s also extremely hot here presently (rare for U.K.)

Your English is perfect too, my compliments.

I was supporting you against France. Although the English and Germany have a strong history of rivalry, I feel much more in common with the Germans than I do with the French. Don’t know why, I think it’s true of most English.

the Germans we see kind of as comedy pantomime villains! You’re always very competent and ruthless. But we respect you. The French, well, we respect their food but we kind of think of them as lazy and disorganised and very arrogant. Of course this is a generalisation but I would sooner see Germany win than France. But I think the French or Italians will win it this year.

 

[derby1]

I don’t consider myself an alcoholic as I go weeks without drinking.

Hello mate, so youre classed as an addict, "1 is too many and a 1000 never enough."

youve conditioned your mind it is a survival habit, so you can probably list 100 reasons to drink. (I only had to see someone smile and id encourage us to get some booze)

dopamine is released when you complete all these actions and the reward centre of the brain is activated, hence the 5 day crash when it cant find its reward.

i wont quote all your post, but you are a carbon copy of me I now chair N.A meetings

There is an addiction theme to all addicts, we sell ourselves american dreams for instance this is you ie: I will manage to get another year out of drinking by convincing myself it wasnt the beer but the quality of it. so I will order beer brewed by the tapist monks and sip it reading the daily mail"

I am having a laugh with you but trust me this is what we do, so for instance i found gin didnt give me half the after effects.

This reinforced my reward centre in my brain it was okay to drink, before you knew it I was drinking a litre of gin a day. why because were addicts.

I will DM you later, but time to start doing the 12 steps and get a sponsor

 

[stovepipe]

You don't need therapy. Start challenging yourself in ways you never have before. For me I found working out & fasting helped me tremendously in quitting some addictions I had. It was more so fasting that really helped as you're battling demons on the daily trying to get you to submit to their temptations. Each time I fast I come out stronger after each challenge I put myself through. This afternoon I'll be done with a 92hr water fast. I've felt things physically, mentally & spiritually I've never felt before doing these fasting challenges. When you gain a good amount of experience fasting it all makes sense why God fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. Fasting has changed my life in so many ways. I feel partly due to the suffering you endure. And we know suffering makes us stronger. My goal is a 40 day water fast I hope to achieve some day.

Eating healthy whole foods is key to proper gut health. Food plays a bigger role in helping with mental health & addiction then they care to talk about on the mainstream level. Partly due to healthy people dont make the medical system money. Instead it's therapy & medication with nasty side effects. I've been there and done that. Never again would I want to go down that path. Your environment plays a role in your mental health that can cause one to pick up an addiction. I don't know your living situation or the kind of people around you. It's your job that seems to be the environment that's effecting your mental health. In this case maybe consider finding an exit strategy.

From reading your post you don't really seem like you want to quit even though you say you do. Maybe partly due to only drinking 2 days a month makes it seem like its not a huge deal. The same way a smoker would destroy a carton of cigarettes twice a month and say I rarely smoke. You know it's a lot more taxing on the body to drink 14 beers in one night, then 1 beer a day for 2 weeks. Takes you 4-5 days to feel normal, so a third of the month you feel like poo poo just from 2 days of abuse.

Try getting you a white board and start writing down some goals or chores on it. Hang it in your room or somewhere where you're forced to see it most. Each time you accomplish, cross it off the list. When you see a daily list all crossed off it feels amazing. Look back at your childhood like a fine tooth comb to see if it's something from your past thats causing you the problems you mentioned. I know I do,that helped me understand why I am the way I am. A lot of our problems stem from our childhood and most times we don't even realize it.

I've done a handful of therapy sessions in my life. To me I knew it was a waste of time but I had to try it in order to gain the experience. At the end of the day I have the power to change me. I dont need to waste my money & time on a therapist & dangerous meds. I put my suite of armor on everyday to battle my own demons.

 

[Larry Lurex]

Im not much of a drinker, but it’s been 27 days since I last had a ciggie. Mind, I’m on nicotine gums (first time on them, and they work remarkably well).

After a looong hiatus I’ve been doing daily 6am cardio ever since, and back to working on my overhead squats.

It’s all in the mind and having the desire. No one else can do it for you.

I wish you the very best.

 

[Fruitbat]

Hello mate, so youre classed as an addict, "1 is too many and a 1000 never enough."

youve conditioned your mind it is a survival habit, so you can probably list 100 reasons to drink. (I only had to see someone smile and id encourage us to get some booze)

dopamine is released when you complete all these actions and the reward centre of the brain is activated, hence the 5 day crash when it cant find its reward.

i wont quote all your post, but you are a carbon copy of me I now chair N.A meetings

There is an addiction theme to all addicts, we sell ourselves american dreams for instance this is you ie: I will manage to get another year out of drinking by convincing myself it wasnt the beer but the quality of it. so I will order beer brewed by the tapist monks and sip it reading the daily mail"

I am having a laugh with you but trust me this is what we do, so for instance i found gin didnt give me half the after effects.

This reinforced my reward centre in my brain it was okay to drink, before you knew it I was drinking a litre of gin a day. why because were addicts.

I will DM you later, but time to start doing the 12 steps and get a sponsor

But I only drink about 12-15 times a year. I just binge when I do.

it’s not the same. I don’t drink every day, I’m not dependent. I’m just stupid

 

[Fruitbat]

Im not much of a drinker, but it’s been 27 days since I last had a ciggie. Mind, I’m on nicotine gums (first time on them, and they work remarkably well).

After a looong hiatus I’ve been doing daily 6am cardio ever since, and back to working on my overhead squats.

It’s all in the mind and having the desire. No one else can do it for you.

I wish you the very best.

They do, I’ve been on them a year

 

[Sir FB]

But I only drink about 12-15 times a year. I just binge when I do.

it’s not the same. I don’t drink every day, I’m not dependent. I’m just stupid

Derby and I are the only two people I’ve seen in here that are actively in 12 step recovery. The drinking patterns of alcoholics vary widely. I was also a daily pot smoker, when I decided to put it away, my alcohol use gradually became more and more frequent. I would wake up horribly hung over, refuse to take a morning drink, (because only alcoholics drink in the morning, right?), and swear I was not going to repeat that act of dumbassery again. Next time I was going to control myself. Without fail, some days later, I’d found that I’d done it again. Where was my willpower? Why couldn’t I control the amount I took after I got started? Over and over I repeated this behavior. Nothing I tried worked; switching to beer, starting drinking later at night, going to see a therapist. AA is the only thing that has worked for me and I haven’t had a drink since Jan 13, 2013. If you can get yourself turned around and drink like a gentleman, my hat is off to you but in my case, I had to get help. I was absolutely incapable of stopping on my own.

 

[Fruitbat]

Derby and I are the only two people I’ve seen in here that are actively in 12 step recovery. The drinking patterns of alcoholics vary widely. I was also a daily pot smoker, when I decided to put it away, my alcohol use gradually became more and more frequent. I would wake up horribly hung over, refuse to take a morning drink, (because only alcoholics drink in the morning, right?), and swear I was not going to repeat that act of dumbassery again. Next time I was going to control myself. Without fail, some days later, I’d found that I’d done it again. Where was my willpower? Why couldn’t I control the amount I took after I got started? Over and over I repeated this behavior. Nothing I tried worked; switching to beer, starting drinking later at night, going to see a therapist. AA is the only thing that has worked for me and I haven’t had a drink since Jan 13, 2013. If you can get yourself turned around and drink like a gentleman, my hat is off to you but in my case, I had to get help. I was absolutely incapable of stopping on my own.

i thought AA was religious?

pretty sure the steps are handing it over to God etc

 

[Sir FB]

i thought AA was religious?

pretty sure the steps are handing it over to God etc

I’m my experience there is a lot of difference between spirituality and religion. Many of us had trouble with the God word when we came in. I suggest going to a meeting and seeing if you identify with the people you meet there. It doesn’t cost anything and nobody is going to chase you down and pester you if you decide it’s not your cup of tea.

 

[derby1]

But I only drink about 12-15 times a year. I just binge when I do.

The reason I told you that was because we have a good laugh in N.A with each other, you are the same story that comes through the door every time, but think your a variable, I do not mean this as an attack I mean it with a smile.

your even plotting when you can drink again, it has a shrine in your mind , even though it totally destroys everything around you and leaves you emotionally bankrupt when you do? make sense?

This is why I did not advise you to do 90 days of sobriety, it registers the booze as important at the end of the 90 days.

i thought AA was religious?

pretty sure the steps are handing it over to God etc

Do not look at it like Religion, Look at it at like the questions were wrote by a Genius much like the DJ Bible.

there is 75 questions in step 1, and I was totally disgusted with myself by question 50, I havent drank since.