mznell

Hello,

I congratulate you on recognizing at such a young age that you need to stop drinking. You have taken the most difficult step. Now you need to carry through with your decision.

Most people will tell you that the success rate for someone who quits "cold turkey" is practically zero. But I'm here to tell you that it is possible.

I started drinking in college and just continued on as a social drinker throughout my adulthood. I stopped for both my pregnancies, but then resumed drinking about 6 months after the babies were born. Then I just drinking drinking a little more and a little more. I usually drank wine so I never thought I did something that was causing harm to me or to anyone else. I'm sure I drove drunk plenty of times but I must have had an angel on my shoulder as I never got caught and I never had an accident.

Around when I turned 50 I realized I was drinking too much, way too much. Every day when I'd pour my first glass of wine, I'd think these thoughts, think I should quit, but I never did. My liver panels were starting to come back elevated and my doc would tell me to quit. So I'd not go back to see that doctor again.

Finally a couple years later, I tripped over a throw rug while attempting to step over one of our large dogs. I fell and hit my head on the corner of a speaker. It bled like crazy and my husband and 17-year old insisted that I go to the ER. Turned out I needed stitches. Turned out everyone in the ER but me realized I had been drinking. Something just snapped that night and I realized I didn't want to live this way any longer. And I never had another drink.

I never did anything dramatic like throw out all the booze in the house, or demand my husband stop drinking. I just regarded it as my problem and I never drank again. I was open about it with people we saw socially. When offered a drink I would just say "I don't drink any more" and then they would offer me whatever they had that was not alcoholic. Going to bars wasn't a problem...I'd just order sparkling water or tonic water.

I won't say that it didn't bother me at first when I'd go to a bar and couldn't order a drink. But I'd remind myself that I wanted to live a healthy life, wanted to be around to see my kids grow and become young adults, etc. and that this was all worth more than a glass of wine.

There are all kinds of ways of managing your sobriety. There are lots of resources you can check into online or at the library. Find what you think will work for you, and then go for it.

You need to find another substitute for alcohol in your life -- another way to manage your stress, anxiety, etc. I always remember the words of one of my doctors who said: "You know you have a problem when one drink is too much and 100 drinks are not enough." I think this may come out of AA but I don't know.

I know you think you feel better after one drink, but how do you feel after 6 or 7? How do you like those heart palpitations or maybe the feeling of nausea you feel the next morning after a big night of drinking?? I always wake up feeling good. I didn't actually realize how bad I was feeling on a regular basis until I sobered up!!

I'm sure others will chime in with some helpful information for you. I wish you well. You have your whole life in front of you...at least you will if you start making some good decisions!!