A week off the drink

LegacyUser

So after 4 years of heavy drinking, I finally stopped. I've been off it for a week now.

I would usually get drunk at least every other day. The off days would be spent hungover in bed.

I'm a freelancer working in Castlebar so I have a lot of free time and no routine. The thing is, I never had cravings for alcohol, I would never wake up and start drinking, but as soon as the boredom set in, I'd start drinking again. I don't know how I've managed to support myself over the years. I suppose I was a so called functional alcoholic.

I stopped last Monday partially because I split up with my gf of 1 year. She lives in Glasgow so we wouldn't see eachother much. Over the past few months I ignored her calls and web chats a lot because I would be hungover or asleep. I would also be very negative when chatting online when drunk. Looking back over the logs makes me cringe because she was trying to be so nice and I was just horrible. Such regret. I knew that the booze wasn't going to help me get though the depression of the split, so I dumped the last bottle of wine in the toilet and decided to get my act together. There's no chance getting back with her so I have to move on.

Since stopping, I have gone through a 5 litre container of water every day and I have only been eating fruit, veg and soups. I've been taking long walks - the only exercise I got before was walking to the supermarket to get food and booze. I didn't have any major withdrawal symptoms, only diarrhoea and insomnia. I've felt like a zombie all week.

The big problem is now the empty void left over that the drink used to fill. The loneliness has set in and I'm finding it very hard to get motivated to work. I'm not feeling virtuous and I have very little inspiration or creativity. I have this numb feeling in my brain and I wake up groggy and just want to stay in bed.

I'm also a 20-a-day smoker. I didn't want to stop smoking and drinking at the same time as I thought that might be a bit much to cope with. So tomorrow I'm going to stop. I'm going to start jogging every morning to see if that helps get rid of the brain numb.

I guess I'm lucky that I have absolutely no desire or temptation to drink now that I'm off it. All I really want now is to feel virtuous. My brain probably needs time to adjust. I'm hoping next week will get better.

If anyone has any stories of kicking the booze, I'd love to hear them.

Nervous Wreck

Don't have any stories to share but just wanted to say well f*ckin done man! Really amazing to see how you've gone head first into it and how it's paying off.

As for the boredom, pick up a hobby or two! I was suffering severe work-related boredom last year so to combat it, I took up an instrument (drums), learned to drive, and started taking a dance class. Now when I get bored, I can go for a drive, play some music or go out dancing and I've never been so fulfilled! Your life is your own now; follow your whims.

Hermy

No stories either but exactly as Nervous said, Well fcukin done! It's not an easy thing to do but the rewards will be massive. Stay strong.

Nervous Wreck

Hermy wrote: »

No stories either but exactly as Nervous said

I just realised that I'm posting in a personal issues forum and my user name is "Nervous Wreck".... Woops, I'm seriously gonna have to change that......

LegacyUser

Dude,

Go see your doctor too.

They'll be able to help you through it.

What you're doing is massive. Are you sure you can do it on your own? If you slip up, you may end up feeling even worse about yourself.

Talk to your doctor.

emy-87

I have to congratulate you for kicking the booze, and doing it by yourself! I dont have any stories myself, but there is a non-drinkers forum on boards that you might find very useful!

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1015

Keep it up!

aare

You are just BRILLIANT

...and I am saying that as someone who recognises my own tendency to lean a little too heavily on the bottle and consciously strives to keep it under control.

I know the sense of boredom too...you may find some of that is just another kind of hangover that will pass when your system is fully detoxed...there is more to it than just flushing the alcohol out, your blood sugar takes some more time to stabilise.

I also know that anyone from AA would recommend you wait a bit longer and congratulate yourself a bit before trying to quit smoking, but that is up to you.

Even though you won't get her back, have you thought of tell the girl in Glasgow what you have told us here? Just to set the record straight?

Goat Mouth

Not really a story, but i enjoyed your turn of the leave tale and would like to share mine because it's only now i realise i've never givin a concise reason to anyone why i stopped.

Nearly 3 months of the drink now.

Anyway. I started to drink when i was about 15/16, all my friends were older than me so they were in the phase of drinking before legal "because it's cool" phase. So I, like a spa joined them. Now i never had any problems with drink really. I also took it in moderation never had hangovers, then when i got olddrank more, started getting the hang overs and became "weaker" in a sense. So on my 18th went out, drank, cant remember the night, but i look back on the missing night with fondness.

However, most of the times when i did drink I became SO goddamn emotional and depressed, I look back and cringe at the scenes i made or the times i've cried over people and how it must have sickened others.... but you k'now that happens most people (I think?)

i was still a casual drinker up until christmas day just gone. My best mate and I would meet up for food, lots of pints, cinema, go home, more drinks. miss work the next day, then drink at the weekend, miss training. became depressed that i was missing training and gaining weight.
So i decided I'd knock it on the head.
Christmas is the WORST time to try and give up drink, but i pulled through.
New years was the first test, I sat really quietly in the packed local with everyone in good spirits around me. Nothing was bothering me but the fact that i was too sober for the scene.

But I have to say, i feel much better, i train a lot more, physical fitness has improved so much and i havet even gone on any specific diet, just axed the drink.

Colm86 wrote:

The big problem is now the empty void left over that the drink used to fill. The loneliness has set in and I'm finding it very hard to get motivated to work. I'm not feeling virtuous and I have very little inspiration or creativity.

I understand you 100%, Normally i was the whacky guy in any group and i would literally stop at nothing to have a good time. I thought i could still be that guy and make people laugh but no. it all went away.
I still find myself sitting in work and thinking, I'd just want to sit in front of the telly watch a crap film with a couple of cans and tell the best mate to come over.
I still do that, but when i dont drink i feel like im putting a stomp in my freinds buzz. But i try to ignore it and just have the craic regardless, which comes eventually.

However, I had training to help me through and it's made completely forget about everything I mentioned.
I've gone back to sketching, writing and acting, and i've never been happier, it's time consuming but it beats the boredom like a it were an ungrateful love child!

the only thing you have to look out for is, people offering you drink.
I was at a party last night and i didnt go too minutes with people offering me to taste their drinks. Be clear and adamant that you've giving up for good,
I realise people respect it a lot more.

Let us hear from you man!

impr0v

I'd maybe give it a while before seeking to cut the smokes too - giving up either after dependancy will leave your system in flux. Both might be too much. For example, giving up a 20 a day habit can often lead to chest infections and general colds as your raw lungs try to adjust. An illness now might increase the general strange feeling. Maybe cut down a bit first as you try to get into the jogging. Otherwise, best of luck.