Can't get off this merrygoround

KeefF

After a weekend of absolute debauchery I had to miss work again.
I know I need to stop drinking to have any quality of life.
Missing Mondays is seriously impacting my reputation at work. That aside I have been successful at work, am physically fit from the gym and have my own place.
I do not drink every weekend or during the week. However when I drink it's like a game or Russian roulette - don't know how it will end up.
I've been here before. I've been to AA for a number of weeks which i didn't find too bad but stopped going when Christmas arrived.
Everytime I go off the booze my life gets much better but I always end up on it again due to feelings of isolation or missing out.
Would love to stop now but have 3 stags and 3 weddings to go over next 8 weeks which I just cannot avoid.
Should I attempt to quit now, attend AA and go to stags & weddings and try to not drink or hold off until all that and then quit? If I don't go to them I will completely isolate myself from a lot of friends & I do not feel comfortable at this stage telling anyone close that I need to stop.

a fat guy

You won't be isolated by simply not drinking on nights out. Just have the best night out that you possibly can, and you'll see how you don't need to drink to have fun. It took me a few months to get back into that frame of mind, but it's worth it in the end.

KeefF

AFG,
Thanks for the advice.
That's what i'd like to do, just get stuck in and enjoy myself without the booze.
I seem to be more concerned with what people might think as oppposed to what I want.
Need to be strong and get on with it.

a fat guy

Forget any perceived shame/negativity that you THINK you'll get from this process, and focus on the positive points.

My friends honestly couldn't give a crap about me giving up the drink, although my old drinking buddy did try to get me back into it... Can't really blame him though!

And nothing, NOTHING is stopping you from hanging out with all of your friends regardless of whether you drink with them or not. If anything, I have become much more social and started hanging out with even more people since I gave up the habit!

Just keep on track and you'll do fine!

smithfish

KeefF wrote: »

After a weekend of absolute debauchery I had to miss work again.
I know I need to stop drinking to have any quality of life.
Missing Mondays is seriously impacting my reputation at work. That aside I have been successful at work, am physically fit from the gym and have my own place.
I do not drink every weekend or during the week. However when I drink it's like a game or Russian roulette - don't know how it will end up.
I've been here before. I've been to AA for a number of weeks which i didn't find too bad but stopped going when Christmas arrived.
Everytime I go off the booze my life gets much better but I always end up on it again due to feelings of isolation or missing out.
Would love to stop now but have 3 stags and 3 weddings to go over next 8 weeks which I just cannot avoid.
Should I attempt to quit now, attend AA and go to stags & weddings and try to not drink or hold off until all that and then quit? If I don't go to them I will completely isolate myself from a lot of friends & I do not feel comfortable at this stage telling anyone close that I need to stop.

Can you stop after one drink? If not, then in my opinion you have a problem. If you can't stop after one, or can stop but crave more then my friend alcohol is in control of you. Your story sounds a lot like my own, I not only had to give up the drink but all the people that went with it. That was my situation, everyone is different. Deep down I'm sure you know if you have a problem or not and what you need to do. That's a very hard thing to come to terms with.