A little too Rock 'n' Roll

Good luck Matt, you're halfway there already, by posting this.

Congratulations Slugbaby, on recognizing that you need to do this.  Glad you were able to see it before you started having more serious problems. 

Good luck and best wishes.  Let us know how you're progressing because it's a long road that you're about to travel. 

bapu


Try an AA meeting.

Even if you believe you are a not a hard core drinker what you may hear in there is you have not done that some have done (yet!).

Hoping for the best for you Matt.

This ^^^, you'll meet a good bunch of people there who ain't gonna judge because we've all been there. What Mike said is cool too so you'd be killing two birds with one stone.

Thanks for the encouragement.
I managed to quit smoking cigarettes (i have the occasional cigar, but that doesn't count) 4 years ago, and compared to that this should be no problem in comparison.
I felt "a need" to smoke, but i've never felt that serious compulsion to drink.  It's just that once i start, i don't know when to stop.  So I just won't start.  The hard part will be remembering that a few months down the road, when i forget why i stopped in the first place...

Man....Good for you... the first step is acknowledging the problem.... Having someone to be an accountability partner would help too...some one to call.  I've known some alcoholics in my time.... you must remove yourself from the situations that are triggers.... even if it means letting go of the sailing hobby, or maybe find somewhere else that doesn't have a "clubhouse".  I've known some that gave up playing music (live) since it is often done where alcohol is readily available.... Who hasn't had someone buy them a drink in a club?

Ultimately, the question is: What is worth more to you... the bottle, or your family?  Family will stick with you when times are tough, your drinking buddies will not.

You can do it.

That's Why I'm Here (video)

No I ain't had nothing to drink
I knew thats probably what you'd think
If I dropped by this time of night
Remember way back when
I promised you I'd drop in
At one of those meetings down at the Y

Well, they started talkin bout steps you take
Mistakes you make
The hearts you break
And the price you pay
I almost walked away

You could hear a pin drop
When this old man
Stood up and said I'm gonna' say it again
Like I do every week
For those who don't know me

It's the simple things in life
Like the kids at home and a loving wife
That you miss the most, when you lose control
And everything you love starts to disappear
The devil takes your hand and says no fear
Have another shot, just one more beer
Yah, I've been there, that's why I'm here

This ole boy stood up in the aisle
Said he'd been living a life of denial
And he cried as he talked about wasted years
I couldn't believe what I heard
It was my life word for word
And all of the sudden it was clear

It's the simple things in life
Like the kids at home and a loving wife
That you miss the most, when you lose control
And everything you love starts to disappear
The devil takes your hand and says no fear
Have another shot, just one more beer
Yah, I've been there, that's why I'm here

I know for us it may be too late
But it would mean the world to me
If you were there when I stand to say
It's the simple things in life
Like the kids at home and a loving wife
That you miss the most, when you lose control
And everything you love starts to disappear
The devil takes your hand and says no fear
Have another shot, just one more beer
Yah, I've been there, that's why I'm here
Oh, I've been there, that's why I'm here


I've never been there personally... but many of my friends have through the years and I have witnessed the destruction of families and lives because of it.

Praying for you.

Jonbouy


I haven't touched a drop now for 22 years, but I chose to wait until I'd lost a home, a family, a business, any kind of decent reputation I had with humanitiy or myself had long since evaporated, and I landed up in a clinic with a bin bag with just a change of clothes in it, nobody by that time was going to be visiting me, and they didn't.

I couldn't run an errand to the corner store and guarantee not ending up on a complete bender.  Nowadays it's rare that I even think of a drink.  Many of my chums of that time are long since dead, are in institutions or are on street corners now, most of them never had the notion that they were ever bad enough to do anything about it while they still had enough sanity left to be able to.  I truly realise how lucky I got today.

The friends I made on my first few months of nervously attending AA meetings have turned out to be the most durable and truly loving people I've ever known.  Little did I know, yet you couldn't tell me anything back then.

If the trend is downward there really is no need to wait until you hit the bottom before you get off the slope.

Now I don't feel like I gave up anything, I was gifted with a whole new deal.

Here, here. I'm still a noob but very proud of my 6/10/06 clean day.
Best thing I was ever fortunate to be blessed with.


Way to go Slug.


By the way, very well known fact. Cigarettes are by far the hardest drug to quit. Period.
If you did that then this will be a little easier on ya.


Mike 

I think everyone has been very inspirational.  Thanks for sharing, guys. 

One day at a time, man.  Hang in there.  You're in my prayers, too.

Ahh. Pfft.

Life's too short Slug. I'd embrace it and go with it.

What are you 50 ~ 55 by the look of your picture ... honestly, how much time do you have left anyways? You know what I mean? Another good 8 ~ 9 good years tops?

If rolling in your own puke uncontrollably while in a state of disorientation and not knowing where you are is appealing to you, grasp it by the horns and don't let go my friend.

Have fun and enjoy life while you can.

I appreciate your sharing your troubles - it's definitely inspiring.

Interesting to note the phraseology here Matt.

You shared your trouble, I shared my solution...

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.