what finally made your quit stick?

[paulywogg]

ive been wondering about this for a bit as ive been doing good,then not so good this year,what was it that finally made you quit for good?

[FlyAway]

what finally made your quit stick?

Much like Molly, I had a eureka moment. I woke up one day and I knew I was done. I woke up and thought, "I'm never going to drink again," and I was glad and relieved. I looked forward tonot drinking ever again. It might sound crazy, but it's true. I thought, what a relief! I never have to do that (drinking) again. I never have to worry about calling out sick from work. I never have to worry about making a fool of myself. I never have to worry about the harm I'm doing to myself. When I fully accepted the idea of never drinking again, not just accepted it but embraced it, it was a huge relief.

[YouKayBee]

what finally made your quit stick?

My turning point was approximately a year before I actually did find my way out via TSM. I basically just decided one way that by hook or by crook I was going to get fixed, I was just absolutely fed up with what I was doing with alcohol, and not prepared to go on with it any longer.

[K9Lover]

what finally made your quit stick?

Despite all the SHIT I went through with drinking, I didn't decide to quit until that very last night when I sat there forcing down beer after beer, not enjoying it at all...and thought "Really...WHY am I doing this?" I couldn't even get a buzz that night. I went from sober to shitfaced with nothing fun in between. I woke up at 3am the next morning and cried my eyes out and told myself "I just CANNOT do this anymore". I vowed to take my Antabuse religiously after that and get myself together. I did, and have never regretted it!

[kambob]

what finally made your quit stick?

I'm still very early in my 'stick'. When I look around here at folks who have months and YEARS under their belt, I am truly awed, and it gives me something to aspire to!.

For the last few months, I'd been preoccupied with death and disability. Seriously, pretty much every waking moment was filled with thoughts of impending doom: not me taking my own life, but worried sick about the effect booze was having on my life. I had no doubt that I would either wake up one morning dead (hah) or perhaps worse, suffering from enough irreparable brain damage as to make me non-functional.

And perhaps worse, my day to day life had become so boring. I'd get up, go to work, come home, pour a glass of vino....and seven, eight or nine later wake up in my chair and stumble off to bed. That was the scope of my life: on weekends, I'd just start drinking earlier. I haven't made a fool of myself in many years....learned my lessons there, so if I had to be in company and drinking, I'd have just one glass and make a handy excuse to get home so I could continue drinking alone. What a life!

To be honest, my life hasn't changed much yet. I haven't ventured out into the big wide world to start socialising, but it will happen. But I am so grateful every morning to wake up clear-headed, and all those morbid thoughts have gone completely. Just gone!

And I don't want to ever go back to day one again with the fear ahead of me....I have been given an almost miraculous opportunity here (to cut booze without too much hassle) but it might never be this way again. For me to have another drink would be momentously stupid, and I'm done with stupid. :H

kambob (Day 24)

[kuya]

what finally made your quit stick?

MWO

[paulywogg]

what finally made your quit stick?

im intrigued with this topic just because ive seen some alcoholics just up and quit,yet ive seen quit,start too,man i always said if i could make it a week af id be home free,never touch it again,i watch intervention sometimes and some of them get out of rehab and drink that same day,ive tried to be good this year,but dang i always blow it! i just cannot put my finger on it,im sick of being scared ill relapse maybe thats why i do?

[hadit]

what finally made your quit stick?

Pauly, I to am very interested in this topic also. I am about to head off to work and am short on time, so will get back to you on this subject over the weekend. Thanks for posting.I am sure there will be lots of people with some interesting explanations.:thanks::thanks:

[treetops]

what finally made your quit stick?

I had similar reasons to what others said but for me my physical health was a big factor. I had full blood tests and other tests about 14 months ago. I could feel the physical effects of AL within my body. This was not the first time in my life that I had had these = but this time I knew I would die within a few years if I did not quit.
And quite simply I ain't ready to die yet. I also love my daughter and my partner. My daughter simply said to me "Mummy I don't want you to die".
She knows I will one day - but not this decade or the next - hopefully!!

Progressive liver disease is one of the most horrible ways to end your days. And it takes hold of women much more quickly than men. And it is agony for those around you to watch.

And I am what some might call a 'high functioning alcoholic'. Thats BS = when it all comes down to the reality of the addiction and its impact on us.

[bcp2013]

what finally made your quit stick?

Wow,l was sitting in my living room,my tripletsister came to visit,she was a drinker like myself,we wanted to loose weight,as well as stop the drinking all the time ,so l said let's just quit together,so we did on easter,so we are having a easier time than we thought,she. Lives 8 Mrs away from me so we are each other support over the phone,helps,we are 48 yrs young,and metapausal,mine through surgery over a year ago,but now my hot flashes way less cause l,m not drinking wine,thank goodness,and lm down 20 pounds,so happy for that ,were doing it for life!!

[Struggles 106]

what finally made your quit stick?

Hmmm

I don't want to jinx myself so I can't say anything about "sticking" since it's only been 5 months.

[Byrdlady]

what finally made your quit stick?

It wasn't when people started saying things about my drinking.
It wasn't when I was embarrassed at a company meeting for being so drunk the night before that they were taking bets if I'd show up at the morning meeting. (250 people)
It wasn't when I fell down the stairs on Christmas Day 2005 and broke my tailbone and 3 ribs.
It wasn't when my liver readings started being 'off' and I had to have blood removed because my body was making too much iron.
It wasn't when I started drinking earlier every day and at 10:30 a.m. on weekends.

It was when my husband of 24 years packed his clothes and left me Jan 19, 2011. He told me that he was not going to be married to a drunk. THAT is what finally got my attention. Byrdie

[scottish lass]

what finally made your quit stick?

Thank you for this paulywogg - I too have wondered what it takes. I have managed a couple of 30 days and one 60 day, but not managed to make it stick. I am impressed with the responses and the insight, and the hope that I can also make this stick.
I am looking forward to reading more response, thanks everyone for sharing...

[treetops]

what finally made your quit stick?

and what's amazing Byrd is that you did not use your hubby leaving you as an excuse to wallow and keep on drinking...you stopped.
apologies if I have this wrong as I do not know your story

[Byrdlady]

what finally made your quit stick?

TreeTops, no you have it right....I had 2 choices at that point: Give in to AL totally and let it kill me, or stop. I knew at that point that I was so far down the road with AL that I could no longer just coexist with it. I'd been trying to moderate for a year....it was really a choice between life and death, but I didn't see that then. My hubs had threatened to leave me many times before, but that night he actually did it. It was an awful night....can't even begin to describe the gamut of emotions I had. He actually saved my life that night. Byrdie