New Here.

[Stompy]

Hi,
I'm new here. Male from Dublin Ireland.
Have spent years realising that I need to stop drinking as it has a detrimental impact of most aspects of my life. But I have never committed to giving up or fully convinced myself that I need to.

Would welcome any feedback that could be provided in how I should go about a quit.:new:

[Doggygirl]

New Here.

:welcome: Stompy! Recognizing we have a problem is definitely the first step. I started by downloading the My Way Out book from the health store. I implemented everything in there except the prescription meds to get myself started.

You will also find a lot of great ideas here: https://www.mywayout.org/community/f1...box-27556.html

I suggest making a written plan and then making sobriety the most important thing in your life.

DG

[Lavande]

New Here.

Hi Stomp,

Just wanted to say welcome to MWO, this is a great place!
Please feel free to drop in the Newbies Nest thread for lots of support. People are starting new there almost everyday

Wishing you the best!

Lav

[techie]

New Here.

Welcome Stompy. This is a great community. I suggest you peruse the tool box Doggygirl provided and get involved by posting and sharing. Best of luck to you.

[Unwasted]

New Here.

Stompy, reading books about drinking helps me. And, reading here a lot. If you look around the site, there are tons of suggestions. Welcome - you've found a great place for support. Posting will help you refine your thoughts and actions. Hopefully you can work all the way through to finding clarity about how to go about finding sobriety if that's what you decide you want.

[LillyE]

New Here.

Hey Stompy,

I'm new here too and... ditto. Actually, no, I *should* have been worried about my drinking years ago but for some reason never seriously have been until the last six months or so. At this stage I have a few months of writing out the misery of it and the bad effects it causes in a journal and yet the booze still whispers in my head... deciding to quit 100% is very hard. And, I imagine, particularly for a male in Dublin, given that from what I understand the drinking culture there is much like here (Australia). Eg. All pervasive.

I can tell you that after even 10 days alcohol-free the black clouds are lifting, I'm sleeping way more soundly, I feel calmer and happier and the terrible anxiety that has been plaguing me (particularly after a binge) is easing. Not gone - but easing. I just fear hanging in there especially when the weekends come... For me, what's helping so far is reading lots of books and stuff online - here and elsewhere - in an effort to strengthen my motivation/resolve.

Hope we can help encourage each other.

[windy]

New Here.

Stompy,

Glad you are here. Keep reading and posting and asking yourself the hard questions. There is a great thread in "Just Starting Out" regarding substance abuse/dependence abuse. It asks some good questions and is broken down pretty good. It was a wakeup call for me.

Whatever journey you choose it is yours and it will be different and special for you. It took me a long time to commit to an AL free life. For me the key was admitting I had no control or lost the control.

Good luck and hope to hear more from you.

[gotta stop]

New Here.

Welcome Stompy,
luckily, there are many ways to attack this disease. I would suggest you have a look around and maybe see what you may think work best for you. We have those that attend AA and are finding great success, as well we have members that have purchased and read books on the subject, those that are using supplements, medicines which help reduce or remove cravings to help them either abstain or reduce theri drinking. We also have those that just downright said no more and are winning the battle.
As it has been said before, to tell yourself that you will never drink again is a pretty unfathomable statement for your alcoholic brain to take and thusly may set you up for failure. I know when I began my journey - my intent was not to "never drink again". It was to get my drinking under control. But I believe many of us that have come here, came here because deep down, we know we have already tried that it it wasnt succesful. I am happy to say that my way out has helped me achieve a life without alcohol. An easier goal for a newbie, may be a 30 day goal - some are doing this just focusing on getting through the day.
I guess my point is, decide how you would like to take this on, let us know, and let us help you. It is much easir to do with the support of those that have gone through it, than to go it alone.
Please remember, These are only my opinions and I wish you nothing but success.

[Stompy]

New Here.

All,
Thanks very much for words of ecnouragement. I am going to commit to posting here as offten as I can. My goal is to completely keep away from alcohol full stop. It has no absolutely zero benefit for me. However I know I have serious hurdles to cross. For example for almost 20 years my social life has revolved around the pub, nightclubs and booze fuelled parties. I need to get over any anxiety I might have in this regard and realise that I can have a life without alcohol.
I have all the raw materials for a successful life e.g. good job, education, fit, outgoing, lots of friends etc etc etc. However my success and enjoyment in all fields has been to some degree or other been eroded by alcohol and in partcilar my approach to and behviour in alcohol.
I need to get rid of it completely.

[Unwasted]

New Here.

Stompy, I tried to cut down for a year and made good headway but alcohol still screwed with my life. It's easier sober if you can get there and then give it time. Good luck.

[Nursie]

New Here.

Hey Stompy, I'm new too. Just wanted to say hello and welcome! We can do this!

[Doggygirl]

New Here.

Stompy, I know you can build a great life without AL. There are lots of folks around this forum who have done just that, and are here to help you and motivate you and even :b&d: when you need it, LOL!

DG

[mario]

New Here.

Hi stompy welcome to a great community with great support and advice,keep sharing your thoughts and questions as we can all relate to what you will/are going through,Give yourself a chance in this battle as you did not get to where you are in one day and it wont go away in one day, goodluck and hope to see you around the boards.

[Stompy]

New Here.

Thanks all for feedback and support.:new::new:

Got a call this evening to go for a drink. Wasn't even tempted. Hope this continues.
Have started to read Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Drinking - hope it helps.
When I sit down and think what impact sobriety would have on my life it excites me so much. The ultimate being freedom from something which has held me back from really fulfilling my capabilities and ambitions. I know if I don't stop permanently I will merely be existing not living.
Nearly all difficulties which have occurred in my life have been as a result of drink. I need to stay away from it full stop. I don't know why I do it. I am more than capable of going out and enjoying myself without out as I have proved to myself in the past. I need this to be my motivation because the thought of going out without drinking brings me back to it. Despite the fact that I know I do not need booze as a social crutch.
I am really determined and would welcome any ideas/strategies you can suggest.

[Stompy]

New Here.

Nursie;1184897 wrote: Hey Stompy, I'm new too. Just wanted to say hello and welcome! We can do this!

Hi Nursie,
Maybe we can leverage of each other and indeed others on the site for the support.

Stompy