Reasons to Live

[groggy]

This may sound somewhat pathetic, but it dawned on me this morning that Alcohol is such a baffling problem that I could very well just slide into, well...worse things to say the least.

Therefore, as Part 1 of my plan to overcome this mess I am going to start a list of reasons to live no matter how trivial they may seem. Hopefully the outcome will be conditioning my brain to change the way I look at alcohol and what it can and will do to me should I not quit. It's really getting to the point of being a major priority. I cannot keep slipping like this. I must muster my resolve and inner strength. I've done it before, but this time I really think I need to create a proactive program for myself.

To keep things interesting and to help stay on track, I would like to ask for some other members reasons for living and not allowing AL to destroy their lives. Children and relationships are obvious... I would like to hear about all different sorts of reasons. Please chime in.

Well, tired again this morning ( another reason ), so I'm logging off. But, I look forward to seeing some responses.

[gyco]

Reasons to Live

hi groggy,you kind of remind me of me a year ago,your reaching for stars,i was,had no reason to live,didnt have the balls to pull the plug,to much al and drugs will give us a glow for a while,then if your an addictive minded person like me,it will make life a hell,you named a few reasons ,but most of all you live for you,threw life s journey,most addictive people are very giving,but forget of themselves,thats why we fall into what we do,drug and alchohol addiction,you get better for you and do what ever you have to,cause you no what YOU ARE IMPORTANT gyco

[groggy]

Reasons to Live

Thanks Gyco. I really believe I can be the comeback kid. But, I am painfully ( or obviously ) aware I could easily just slip into the worst depths of this!

[Boss.man]

Reasons to Live

groggy, just as AL tends to give you "rose colored glasses" or other things, it also colors the mirror for yourself. It makes you feel good, but your perception isn't real. You don't look to others as good as you look to yourself. You aren't as capable of dealing with the little problems in life, as you think you are. It frustrates you, and you tend to respond by reducing the scope of the world. With fewer friends, there is less chance of challenges. By not traveling as far,there is less chance of frustratin. By going to bed early there is less challenge to the day. Over time it boils down to just you and the bottle.

Losing AL is like waking up, and realizing the whole spiral pit is just a fallacy, and the answer has always been rise up and out, and to gain satisfaction from facing all the challenges and overcoming them.

[dill]

Reasons to Live

Reasons to live are good. Focusing on the positive is good. I think maybe you should do what many here do and write two lists: the pros of drinking and the cons of drinking. Then ponder it. It is definitely tough to get the mind set and the resolve to do what must be done. Then, of course, you must make a plan as to how you do it. Then the hard part: sticking to the plan! And if you slip, returning to the plan.

For me, I am early in my journey to quit drinking. I don't feel like I know enough to really tell others what to do or how, other than the ones I stated above, and those are not original thoughts! I can say, I am on day 6 of a series of several AF runs. I feel really good. I FEEL LIKE LIVING. I am glimpsing what I could be like if I were completely free of alc and I like what I am seeing and feeling. That is a rewarding feeling. You could have those types of feelings, too, if you decide to.

It's easy to think of reasons for living when you feel good. You start to feel good when you have significant AF time.

[Snapdragon]

Reasons to Live

Hi Groggy - I'm very early starting out too - just day 3 of numerous attempts to be AF. This time actually facing the possibility of death in the face - and what that actually means has really kicked started me and made a huge difference to my attitude. It's difficult to explain, because drinking heavily for years I've known that I'm slowly killing myself, but last week I was listening to a radio programme with an expert talking about liver transplants. He mentioned that many people drink heavility for years and have no idea that their liver is giving out - and one day it just won't function any more and they either get a transplant or die.

This scared me to death - although I'm reasonably slim and fit, my midriff has been looking very swollen and puffy and aches a lot. I suddenly thought "I'm going to die! I might wake up tomorrow and find that my liver has given up." I thought about not being here any more - as you say, my family and children and how it will affect them. I think about the summer and the sunshine and lovely holidays with my family - or just walking through the woods with my dogs. I don't want to leave all that now.

I haven't had a drink since that programme. I have brought and started taking Live52 which someone on this site recommended and apparently is clinically proven to help restore your liver to good health. I'm also taking supplements and I've joined the gym.

Life is precious - when I hear of someone young who is dying of cancer and desperately wants and would give anything to have just a few more years, I feel selfish and unworthy to be deliberately destroying my own body.

Drink is my demon - as with many of you. As I say - I'm at the bottom of a very steep hill with a long struggle ahead of me, but hopefully with all of your help, I'll eventually reach the top.

[southernbelle]

Reasons to Live

Groggy,
We are all brothers and sisters in this trial, we are going to pull each other up to freedom....! Just declare it my dear brother....you can do this, I can do this...I am struggling just like you......hang in there....there is love for all......hang on..make your list....mine is easy....a strong faith in our great God of the Universe, great husband, super children, and positive friends.....just like you, that we have no way of knowing, except from this great network....and a huge thanks for starting this wonderful gift....I love you, so hang on my brother!!!!

[SarahH]

Reasons to Live

A very close friend of mine died of cancer last week at the age of 46. She fought for every last breath. And here I have been killing myself with alcohol voluntarily. I can't give her back her life, but I can take back mine.

[horizonsnew]

Reasons to Live

Hello Groggy
I cannot remember what if feels like to be totally sober. I look at myself in the mirror and I see a 45 year old woman who could easily pass for 55 or even 60. Call it vanity I don't care..I want to wake up in the morning and see myself,the real me, fresh faced,wide eyed and happy to be alive..
Blessings to one and all xx

[YoungAtHeart]

Reasons to Live

I didn't want to die young from alcohol, period. This is a relationship thing, but I have one daughter (19) whose father is not very involved in her life. It is important for me to be there for her as long as I possibly can.

Since stopping, my BP (up slightly) has returned to normal, I rarely have anxiety unless there is a very good reason, and I lost a lot of weight (30 lbs) that I needed to lose.

I've been sober over a year and a half, and I don't think that life is necessarily easier, but living life IS easier, and darn, the problems are so much easier now that I'M not my major problem.

[rustyonthelake]

Reasons to Live

reasons:

Had the very same thoughts this weekend...I am making a list of my reasons.
1. would like to know that when my time on earth is near the end, I can look back and say to myself."Thank God I stopped Drinking and got to enjoy life much more.
Would like to begin getting up each morning and watch some sun rises without a hangover
Would like to "relearn" how to enjoy life without AL and be happy with it
Would like to feel my body healing and my thoughts turn from sad to happy
Would like to take a camping trip down the Colorado for a week and enjoy it without AK..Have put it off in the past because I figured I would have to go without AL during the trip
Would welcome to hear from you on your reasons too.

groggy;553918 wrote: This may sound somewhat pathetic, but it dawned on me this morning that Alcohol is such a baffling problem that I could very well just slide into, well...worse things to say the least.

Therefore, as Part 1 of my plan to overcome this mess I am going to start a list of reasons to live no matter how trivial they may seem. Hopefully the outcome will be conditioning my brain to change the way I look at alcohol and what it can and will do to me should I not quit. It's really getting to the point of being a major priority. I cannot keep slipping like this. I must muster my resolve and inner strength. I've done it before, but this time I really think I need to create a proactive program for myself.

To keep things interesting and to help stay on track, I would like to ask for some other members reasons for living and not allowing AL to destroy their lives. Children and relationships are obvious... I would like to hear about all different sorts of reasons. Please chime in.

Well, tired again this morning ( another reason ), so I'm logging off. But, I look forward to seeing some responses.

[bouchard01]

Reasons to Live

Because ...

We deserve to live a happy healthy life. :heart:

[peacenik]

Reasons to Live

living while sober is really living. when drunk, one doesn't truly feel emotions, nor are we really present in our lives because we are always thinking about our best friend, al. i always felt preoccupied with al or like i was recovering from spending too much time with al...now i am free of al and i own my life again.

[j-vo]

Reasons to Live

Living sober is living. Living drunk is not. God gave us this life to live to our fullest. We need to take care of ourselves and our loved ones. We need to enjoy the simple things in life, a good meal, a funny tv show, a baseball game. We can't do these simple things that put smiles on our faces with sauce in our system.