Why Did You Quit Drinking?

[robwoodall]

When I drank, life was bad. While I've never been unemployed, it turns out that that was the last excuse I was holding on to. I always had a job, but...
I was 118 pounds at 5'6".

I drove away a great woman.

I woke up in all sorts of places with no memory of getting there.

I hurt every day.

All my money went to drink or fines or medical expenses.

Good people stopped liking me.

Bad people kept using me.

I became bitter, sarcastic and depressed.

Life just sucked.
March 17, 1998 I decided I couldn't live that way any more, so I didn't drink. Still haven't. Had lots of help from various people and programs, and life is good today.

 

[cfreud]

Very much like Fuffle666, I'd get blind drunk and do stupid things that endangered my health and the safety of others. It's also nice to know that Sablebrush52 have two things in common now — sobriety and a love of Barling pipes.

 

[saltedplug]

After drinking with control until 56, I crossed the line into addiction and drank without control for a year. The limit of 2 oz a day became ridiculous. I got into some trouble but didn't drive. No detox, hospital, rehab, jail, psych ward. Went to A.A. at the end of the year and will get a 5 year chip in November. Very difficult but absolutely worth it.

 

[warren]

Good on you!

 

[tozert]

Wow...great and encouraging stories, guys. Very brave and honest of you. Thanks for sharing!

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Up until a couple years ago I was quite the beer/bourbon/wine connoisseur.

My uh..medication.. kind of made me lose the taste for alcohol.

More money for pipes and tobacco and cigars now..

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

When I found myself drinking even though I didn't want to, I knew I had a problem. Fortunately I haven't had a drink in 7 years. Even though I am relatively young, I am glad I stopped. My quality of life is much better. I spend a lot more time fishing, hiking, and hunting now, which is what I want to be doing anyway. I don't blow money at the bar and I don't feel terrible in the mornings. There is nothing wrong with a nice Belgian ale or a good bourbon, but I found that they aren't for me. Fortunately with tobacco, I have always felt like I could take it or leave it.

 

[ashdigger]

I'm fortunate in that alcohol isn't a problem. I can have a nice drink and call it good or not have a drink for a bit and call it good, but there are other gremlins in my closet that I need to pay very close attention to.
Kudos to you folks for kicking your demons in the nuts.

 

[hobie1dog]

Started to mess my stomach up to where it was interfering with eating. I started drinking when my I broke up with my girlfriend ( now my wife).

 

[fadingdaylight]

A started noticing a trend of bad things happening while I was drunk. Not so much my doing, but happening around me. I would wake up the next morning and wonder how all the damage occurred. It all culminated in a long night in jail, and a very nearly ruined military career. After that, I decided it was time to move on.
That was ten years ago. These days, I might occasionally have a beer with dinner at a restaurant, or during a barbecue, but that's about as far as I go, just one. Life is just better this way, for me anyhow. Best decision I ever made.

 

[winton]

My grandfather died driving while drunk. My mother raised me no drinking. When I was old enough, I decided that there was wisdom in this plan.
Now there was that night at my pipe club when I smoked too much, and the world started spinning. I sat there drinking coffee until the world was steady. Lesson learned.

 

[deathmetal]

When I found myself sneaking up on an ewe with a bottle of lubricant...
Just kidding. Alcoholism is a choice, not a disease. Self-discipline is the root of life. Good luck to all!

 

[sablebrush52]

Alcoholism is a choice, not a disease.

So is ignorance and rampant stupidity.

 

[deathmetal]

So is ignorance and rampant stupidity.

I disagree there, too. Stupidity is inborn, and cannot be conquered. Ignorance is something one chooses, as well, and it can be hidden behind passive-aggression, neurosis and other moral failings. The ultimate choice is to decide to want to face reality, whatever it may bring.

 

[sablebrush52]

Stupidity is inborn, and cannot be conquered.

Yest that true. It's genetics.
So the statement:

Alcoholism is a choice, not a disease.

is the natural consequence of genetically imposed intellectual incapacity.

The ultimate choice is to decide to want to face reality, whatever it may bring.

Absolutely, which the author of the post:

Alcoholism is a choice, not a disease.

might hopefully consider attempting at least once before he pushes off this mortal coil.

 

[deathmetal]

It's genetics.

We agree. Most behaviors are genetic.

So the statement "Alcoholism is a choice, not a disease" is the natural consequence of genetically imposed intellectual incapacity.

Not necessarily. (And before you accuse me of goyischkopf, remember that I play the straight man here, often.)
It could be the consequence of greater experience or analysis.
Sometimes, it is better to take the AA route and take responsibility for things than to blame an external force. Maybe they can be disciplined, maybe not; who really cares? But the point is that it is not a helplessness.
For example, people have genetic weaknesses to all sorts of things. Obesity, heart disease, sex with sheep. But they work against them. This is the healthy ideal here.

 

[fadingdaylight]

Ah but the concept of addiction goes deeper than the actual consumption. Just because the alcoholic chooses not to drink does not change the fact that they are an addict.
Meetings and sobriety do not remove the addiction (the alcoholism), they simply remove the drink. And addiction is something that is greater than a simple choice. I made a choice to put the bottle down. I didn't choose for the idea of picking it back up to run through my head every time things get rough.
It is a series of continual choices that keep me sober, but the addiction itself still tries to persist.

 

[deathmetal]

Meetings and sobriety do not remove the addiction (the alcoholism), they simply remove the drink.

Exactly. You either tackle the addiction itself and master it, or are owned by it.

 

[fishnbanjo]

I never really found a need for getting inebriated since having full capacity of my mind is who I am and anything be it medicine, alcohol or other substances make me uncomfortable not having full control. My wife, and several members of her family are/were alcoholics and were i to purchase a bottle of something I enjoy on occasion it would be easily found and consumed in one sitting. I have several expensive bottles of single malt, single origin bourbon and very old Armagnac which I keep very well hidden, these have been with me from10 years or more since I may enjoy 1-3 drinks from them annually, some of my alcohol is used to sterilize pipes. Regards to all.

banjo

 

[deathmetal]

I use whisky to sterilize pipes. It seems like it would be unpleasant to drink, being oily and astringent. But, I am told that people enjoy it.