Rock stars die. They die early. They die worthlessly. They die pitifully.

I graduated high school with an 4.0 in binge drinking.
Hello College…drink,drink…goodbye College!

And then came bars. It’s alright if your friends(drinking buddies) move on. Bytheway, I wonder where they went? (they quit drinking). But who cares, bars are jam-packed full of “friends”! It’s all good! I’m still a somebody!

9 years have passed since that glorious Junior year. 9 years?! What have I learned? How have I grown? What have I accomplished? Who am I?
I’m a nobody.

On a more “sober” note: Don’t let this happen to you. I know too well what a lifestyle of drinking does to your self-confidence. It has taken all of mine.
It didn’t take long until my mind noticed it only had to do the bare minimum and just get by until “punch out” time (getting wasted). It is so hard to accept that while those I once knew have created memories filled with joy, I have done nothing but let go of everything that was close to my heart.
I am now having to relearn how to deal with my emotions and life’s consequences without the ability to “punch out”. It is more painful and debilitating than anyone should ever have to suffer.

Now, on with that adjustment phase…(thanks fixed gear) And thanks everyone for the other words of encouragement above.

Now that Ive stopped, ive had some difficult moments, its difficult to talk to women when your self esteem and confidence is rock bottom. Anyway Im starting to do other things with my time, to help get me back on track. Thoughts of meeting a woman are on the back burner, but I just hope to get back to being normal, but your post has given me some hope. CHeers

After I quit I was a wreck. I forced myself to go out to bars and social situations and face them SOBER. I had many times when I didn’t know if I could do it, didn’t know if I’d ever be the same. I mean sure I could GO out, but I was now a wall-flower not talking to anyone whereas before I was an outgoing social drunk. I FORCED myself out of my comfort zone, made myself talk to girls I didn’t know totally sober without my booze crutch. Slowly, over the next 2 years I regained my confidence. Night-by-night, bit by bit. Now almost 2 years later I can say I am just as outgoing and confident in social situations stone sober as I ever was drunk! AND I get the bonus of not doing stupid drunk stuff. I have all the lowered inhibitions and none of the poor decision making. It is absolutely worth it. It is the best decision I ever made in my life. If you are ready to quit, understand there WILL be an adjustment period. You WILL have to face your fear of social situations. You won’t even perceive it as fear, you’ll just think you aren’t having as much fun as you used to and you’ll be VERY tempted to go back to drinking. Don’t do it! It’s a dead end road. Take the time to rebuild your confidence! It’s totally worth it.

One last thought… If you’re a single man doing this, you know your dating life is largely dependent on approaching women you don’t know… unless all you ever want to do is date in your social circle. Your dating life WILL take a huge hit. I couldn’t meet girls for the first YEAR. 12 lonely months. That’s BRUTAL. But the first time you hook up with a girl that you met totally sober and attracted via your OWN REAL confidence…. it’s all worth it. You WILL come out stronger on the other side, if you’re willing to rebuild your confidence. I look at it this way, it took 16 years of dependence on alcohol to destroy my confidence, if it takes 2 years to rebuild it, that’s not bad!

Alcohol has caused me problems with relationships with the people closest to me – I turn into a bit of a beast when I’ve had too much. Not physical but verbal – and I often can’t even remember all the nasty things I’ve said or even where I’ve been.

I’ve now done a home detox – 1 week off work and I was visited every day to make sure I was OK. I haven’t had a drink now for almost 6 weeks – feel great, look a lot different (loads of people have remarked on that without knowing why I look so well) – but I am REALLY having to work at staying sober. Basically, I need to be on my guard ALL the time so as not to relapse. Theresa, I finally asked my employer to help me. I don’t know if that is possible for you but I certainly received a tremendous amount of support. I’ve tried so many times to stop and this is the most “success” I’ve ever had.

Anyway, best wishes to you all and good luck. One day at a time is a really useful way of doing it.

and it’s true what they say about getting used to social situations without being drunk. You actually have to feel yourself through the uncomfortableness to get the contentment you naturally are able to feel. I think for so long I thought drinking and social situations went hand in hand that I didnt know any other way. Drinking was a way to escape and act out on my pain I suppose. Now I am attending AA, and made a committment never to drink again—and smoke free 2 months! I know this is a journey—but it’s a blessing to have an opportunity to have the healthy life I always deserved. To actually get to the heart of the matter, solve it… and really live a life sober and have that real inner happiness that you thought you could get when under the influence. We learn that is not what is normal; we want to be so we choose not to drink and face ourselves! Cheers!

My youngest is four and I nearly lost her 6 weeks ago when things got to an all time low and with a bottle of vodka I took an overdoes of prozac, she was taken off me for 2 weeks and that was the longest 2 weeks of my life.

I stayed at my partners and managed to have 2 weeks without alcohol.My partner or should i say ex partner now mother was one of the reason that I tried to take my own life. she thinks I am not good enough for her son, like most of my life I have felt I wasnt good enough.

When I came home from my partners I was fine for a fews days but then I started feeling lost and alone and once again vodka and port became my best friends.

Thats when things came to ahead with my partner cos I aint a nice person when I have been drinking I think the world is against me and that I dont deserve happiness.

Well the happiness I had I sure lost thats why last friday I took my last drink and vowed I would try to help myself. I know it is going to be hard but every time I think of having a drink I am going to think “PROVE THEM WRONG “.

Its time for me to stop letting people I love down and to start to love myself and realise that deep down I am a nice person.

Tc all