Hello all,
I started drinking when I was 14 (I'm now 27), but didn't realize I had a problem until a few years ago (summer of 2005, to be exact). Since I was about 17 I've always been a heavy drinker, although right up to the present I have been able to function fine, which is one of the reasons it's so difficult for me to quit. Also, I've been very fortunate to have been equipped with a robust constitution, so I've avoided most of the ill-effects associated with drinking, despite the fact that I've consumed enormous quantities of alcohol on a regular basis. In any case, it is this latter fact that has really started me worrying. I used to party hard on the weekends, but rarely touch the stuff during the week. In the past few years this has changed to such a dramatic degree that I usually only go 1 or 2 days a week not drinking at least 10 or more drinks. The fact that my tolerance is so high has really worried me, especially since I am well aware that early liver damage is often asymptomatic. At this point I can quite easily down an entire fifth of liquor in an evening and wake up the next day without even the trace of a hangover- clearly this is extremely dangerous. In the last 10 years the longest period I've ever gone without a drink is only 18days. The stupid thing is, although alcohol has not yet grossly affected my health in a negative way, I felt so much better during this time that I'm stupefied and ashamed that I never seem to succeed in abstaining from booze for more than a few days. Noticeably my mood was much calmer and I slept like I hadn't in years. My problem is always that the cravings get so intense that I give in. I was able to quit smoking cold turkey 7 years ago and now I don't even think about it (which is interesting considering I was a heavy smoker), so I have some confidence that I'll be able to get a handle on my drinking as well, but I've been seriously having a frustrating time of it lately. Sometimes I can convince myself of the positive gains of abstaining from alcohol (I have given up on any type of moderation program due to repeated failures), but the cravings always sink me soon enough. I guess I would be interested in hearing from people about what kind of noticeable improvements they experienced during their first few months off booze. I need to have all the positive gains reinforced in my head.
I started drinking when I was 14 (I'm now 27), but didn't realize I had a problem until a few years ago (summer of 2005, to be exact). Since I was about 17 I've always been a heavy drinker, although right up to the present I have been able to function fine, which is one of the reasons it's so difficult for me to quit. Also, I've been very fortunate to have been equipped with a robust constitution, so I've avoided most of the ill-effects associated with drinking, despite the fact that I've consumed enormous quantities of alcohol on a regular basis. In any case, it is this latter fact that has really started me worrying. I used to party hard on the weekends, but rarely touch the stuff during the week. In the past few years this has changed to such a dramatic degree that I usually only go 1 or 2 days a week not drinking at least 10 or more drinks. The fact that my tolerance is so high has really worried me, especially since I am well aware that early liver damage is often asymptomatic. At this point I can quite easily down an entire fifth of liquor in an evening and wake up the next day without even the trace of a hangover- clearly this is extremely dangerous. In the last 10 years the longest period I've ever gone without a drink is only 18days. The stupid thing is, although alcohol has not yet grossly affected my health in a negative way, I felt so much better during this time that I'm stupefied and ashamed that I never seem to succeed in abstaining from booze for more than a few days. Noticeably my mood was much calmer and I slept like I hadn't in years. My problem is always that the cravings get so intense that I give in. I was able to quit smoking cold turkey 7 years ago and now I don't even think about it (which is interesting considering I was a heavy smoker), so I have some confidence that I'll be able to get a handle on my drinking as well, but I've been seriously having a frustrating time of it lately. Sometimes I can convince myself of the positive gains of abstaining from alcohol (I have given up on any type of moderation program due to repeated failures), but the cravings always sink me soon enough. I guess I would be interested in hearing from people about what kind of noticeable improvements they experienced during their first few months off booze. I need to have all the positive gains reinforced in my head.
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