Quit Alcohol - Support Thread

[Young Trees]

Hey guys!! Great posts, let's keep it going because at any time any one of us could be in a hole...yesterday being a Friday is always a hard one. Every 10 minutes or so I caught myself looking forward to drinking. As early as 10 in the morning I was already thinking about drinking later on and have fun. Wine, and mainly strong ales kept crossing my mind. How fucked up is that? I have 2 great kids a beautiful wife, yet my greatest happiness and constant thought of comfort was smoking and drinking alone (my wife stopped smoking years back). Sounds so selfish it makes me sick really. To think I ruined so many years by letting this nasty drug make me irritable, confused, angry and depressed.

Today is day 5 and it's just begun. The first rule I made is to never have alcohol at home, and my wife agreed to not buying any or bringing any home. In this beginning phase it just seems like way too much temptation.. When I opened this thread, I told her I about it and how I also realized I was pretty much addicted to alcohol, an alcoholic. We were very close to separation, she was over me a year or so ago and let me know it, she no longer tolerated the amounts of plants I was growing in my house, with our children around, the smoking in the house constantly, and the drinking and all the demons it brought. She told me she no longer wanted to be with me. I got angry, I got angry at God, I tried to close my heart forever, I crushed my ego and believed I wasn't the man for her. I turned to alcohol more than ever, instead of bettering myself and focusing on being a better person, I gave up.. I gave up trying to love, I gave up caring, I gave up on faith and trust. The only person in my life I cared about had given up on me. I hurt myself in many ways and hurt her in the end, let the cofusion and anger take over, abused MJ, alcohol, her trust, everything.

I feel like a piece of shit for making so many mistakes. I truly know in my heart alcohol was numbing my soul and my heart, and quitting alcohol is the ONLY way I can be a better person.

Homer, your comment about doing things for the wife or others is pointless and how it is useless and will only make you drink again...is so true because you can't try to convince others of something you aren't. You have to evolve in life and become a better person, to then be able to give the love that is true and pure, through every action. Alcohol consumption is a slow death, not only of the body and mind, but of the soul...I was on that path.

I find that daily a great thing is to when going about the day is to already plan out what I will do once I get to where there is alcohol. Karma Girl dropped by and said something interesting I wish she'd elaborate on. There is definitely reason to abuse alcohol, definitely underlying reasons, if not people wouldn't use it as a crutch, an escape and a way to be who they aren't and do things they ultimately wouldn't. I also believe so many people commit suicide subconsciously with alcohol...slowly..but karma girl, you also said something else that I don't agree with. In quitting alcohol I find that if I plan on substituting alcohol with similar drinks and with Cannabis to relax and ease the anxiety and tension, as well as lack of appetite, I can quit alcohol more easily. It is definitely more easy, for example, I never drink sodas, but now I drink a natural ginger soda or even a coke at lunch or dinner or an occasional coffee or energy drink before a show. There is something to be said for substituting hard drugs with lesser harmful things that mimic a lifestyle of that drug, even small things like carbonation in other beverages just to ease the anxiety in the initial stages of withdrawals etc. Cannabis calms me in the darkest of my hours, helps me focus on the things that are important hen I crave alcohol.Cannabis is not man-made, this is a fact, so to compare it to alcohol and say it is no use as an anti-drug as a anti-alcohol makes no sense. Cannabis helps relieve sadness and inspires me to be a better person when I use it correctly. I'm sure I also abuse Cannabis, and i wil eventually cut down from smoking bongloads every couple hours, to only a coupe times a day or week even if I decide I don't need to have such a high tolerance. Cannabis is a powerful therapy for me, but definitely has it's place like this morning here alone, rambling and getting taught a lesson or three by God. However my wife doesn't smoke, and I find there are times she wishes I was not medicated..I have a long road ahead of me folks lol.

I hurt my wife, my kids and many others I love, but now I'm ready to live.
The first step is to continue this conviction and remember that any alcohol down my throat is basically cheating on myself, my convictions of changing my life.
Thank you guys so much for the words, it really helps to know that others make the same mistakes and feel the same way...another day, here we go..

 

[HomerSimpson]

Hey guys!! Great posts, let's keep it going because at any time any one of us could be in a hole...yesterday being a Friday is always a hard one. Every 10 minutes or so I caught myself looking forward to drinking. As early as 10 in the morning I was already thinking about drinking later on and have fun. Wine, and mainly strong ales kept crossing my mind. How fucked up is that?

Not really fucked up at all. Its all part of the withdrawal cycle.

Today is day 5 and it's just begun. The first rule I made is to never have alcohol at home, and my wife agreed to not buying any or bringing any home. In this beginning phase it just seems like way too much temptation.. When I opened this thread, I told her I about it and how I also realized I was pretty much addicted to alcohol, an alcoholic.

I ended up living with alcohol in the house while I was getting sober. It is a very strong temptation. If my will to quit had been any weaker. It could have surely happen. If you know you can be around the booze then by all means get that shit away. And don't even put yourself in the place to be tempted.


Thank you for making the thread.

 

[IwannatokeNbone]

i know alot about nutrition, if any body wants some foods that put u in bliss please pm me, u have to get your cells to stay open basically, non constricted, most people eat acidic foods that create tightness and then drink alcohol to expand them back to normal, to get the chi going sort of speak, but alcohol is poison, bascially two things have ruined people and they come from one source= sugar , and fermented sugar. there is no pinapples, carrots, apples etc etc in nature, were all sugar addicts for zero reasoning. bitter greens and the right erbs along with some medicinal tree grown mushrooms like reishi n chaga n cordyceps(doest grow on a tree) are the dietary path to bliss. get of uselss sugar and stop depleteing your mind of minerals, the pancreas of the average person takes more minerals then there brain, its needed to process insulin growth hormone devoid of nutriets that they get from all the crap food they eat, do that for 50 years u gradutate to diabetes, which can be cured in about a week to two. you have to bring down your yeast mold n fungi in your body, u can do this in about 2 months substantially to the point were your food cravings will be complety changed and brought back to normal.


and lets not forget that hops is the most estrogenic erb of all erbs bacially, u want effeminize yourself, grab a beer, the protestant purity act changed beer forever from having ginger, and juniper berries in them to haveing hops, what a great way to sedate your intellect, sip some feminizing hops.

 

[NUG-JUG]

I like this thread..like an AA for stoners..I'd like to suggest an excellent book on the topic of addiction titled; "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts" By Dr. Gabor Mate Having addictions himself, in one chapter he joins AA and feels the 12 step process can be very helpful. Although he decides the religious fervor of some members was uncomfortable.


Update on myself, I'm typing this with a massive hangover, 3 beers and 3 shots of Jack with some friends, then went to the bar and......

I should have just quit when I got a dui four years ago at 19. Not even old enough to drink and I was wrecking into stop sign in my honda.

I really want to quit and you all will see if I can. Day 1 is today. Tomorrow will be hard since all I will see is obnoxious beer commercials while everyone around me drinks.

 

[GET MO]

Yep, 4 weeks today. In the course of the month my grandpa passed, got into a couple arguments with my unsupportive ass soon to be ex girl (she try n smoke cigs and drink infront of me seem like ta smite me), found out someone had a parkin ticket on my shit that cost 225 dollars to fix to renew my car registration, got my laptop smashed and some mother plants destroyed of rare plants(fightin withthat punkass broad uh mine)....... Felt like smokin n drinkin like uh mofuxka.. but I was like fuck that shit, I wont let circumstances or the actions of others dictate my fealins or knock me out my forward motion. Gotta keep pushin! Yall recognize that you got control, they gon hate to see u shine but when u keep on you be so bright the hate must overt its eyes, n u will shine on.

 

[AfroSheep]

I wish everyone goodluck with this, i used to drink alot with a mates parents and tried keeping up with the old fellas, got over that period when i started learning more about cannbis, now i just have the odd social drink once or twice a month, and only 2 beers. Ill stick to my luxurious cannabis in all its great glory and medicinal attributes it gives. Never felt healthier.

 

[HomerSimpson]

Get Mo- Thats a rough weekend bro. Glad to hear you made it through it. Sounds like you have the tools. Just keep using them.

 

[Young Trees]

Hey guys!!! I'm like a week in now with zero alcohol and I feel great, when I'm not looking at a bottle of wine at the supermarket or the beer wall in the fridge section..sometimes that shit pops pout of nowhere and I look away like it was Medusa ahhaha. Scary man lmao, powerful shit.

I feel better today, picked up some more super potent herb to help with the withdrawals. I have some OG drying, but since it's raining for like 2 weeks here in Socal, it's been stubborn to dry and burn mi chest uncured, so I find that if at night (when I crave the most) I'm smoking alot still, but stopping drinking is huge to eventually control the Cannabis tolerance and compulsiveness. When I only smoke, a few bongloads will do me good for a couple hours. However if I drink one beer, 5 bongloads turn into 25 easily..no joke. What helps me are strong Indicas and hybrids like Grandaddy and PK for relaxing and Fire OG, Private Reserve OG, Herojuana OG,any strong OG hybrid when I crave alcohol. I can get so medicated with these OG varieties that I feel almost like I drank at times. I can tell I will be making edibles soon. I found an awesome company that sells raw chocolates infused with Canabis, 100% organiic, raw and potent! Those help alot to help me sleep and smoke less too, maybe I'll use them more when I want to smoke less in the near future..

It's cool to see that a couple people are in this battle., man I've tried before several times, but they were always New Years resolutions and other times like when I had a really bad hangover. These weren't actual convictions to stop, they were wishes. NO ONE WILL DO IT FOR YOU, NO ONE WILL GIVE YOU WILL POWER.

Iwanttotokeandbone, awesome name!
I really began to understand the damages alcohol, white flour and sugars/processed sweteners when I read a holistic diet book recently. You are so right, alcohol blocks vitamin absorbtion, ruins the intestinal flora, kills all the important bacteria in the body, immune system weakens, pickles your brain, and gives you shit breath to say the least..
The part about your Pancreas is so true too. Until recently I thought I could make up for most these with daily exercise and a healthy diet, however after 20 years of drinking, I now realize that the one thing I can't keep healthy with alcohol - my brain. That shit kills your emotions, your love and your brain functions, pickles your body..

Love the quote! - "Wine is a waste of perfectly good grapes." AHHAHA
the truth is I love wine, LMAO, but I hate my compulsiveness. Some people can drink a glass of wine with a steak, a beer with chicken wings, I can't drink less than a bottle of wine and a sixpack of beer to be happy, then I proceeded to smoke an eighth in a night worth of snaps..abuse and more abuse. I am compulsive with alcohol, so I'm not one of those people. They can drink, I can't have one sip or it all starts up again..one leads to two, then the next day 3, then the cravings start every day after.

A close friend of mine told me today he too couldn't control his amounts and that at least he stays mon-thurs without drinking. However this guy (he's older, close to 65 years old)
really drinks almost daily, he is only cutting down because his wife and daughter are bugging him constantly. I told him I stopped for good, but also went into most of what I have typed here in this thread. He agreed about not being able to control amounts and drinking almost daily. I told him he too was an alcoholic. Immediatly he said "No I'm not."
and denied it the whole time. This guy drinks more than I do even and gets way more faded than I do, but would not believe me when I said that he was constantly depressed monday throuhg thusday for no reason all due to alcohol affecting him even when he took a few days break. He doesn't admit it and continues geting drunk several days a week and is having irritability, depression and also a sense of no good outcome to anything in life. This guy has it all, is retired and burns herb, has no reason to be depressed, but alcohol is bringing him down, his wife and daughter have told me several times and we all agreed he was an alcoholic, little did I know, I was one too, on the same path..

My garden is looking better than ever though and I am stoked! I'll post some pics up soon, they are at day 30 or so and are beautiful. I have some great meds to help me get through the holiday season. Fire OG, Pre-98 Bubba, Green Crack, Purple Kush, Sour Double, Alien Dawg and some SFV OG. For now I'll show you some of my neighbors socal outdoor!! He is growing some of the clones I gave him including the Pre-98 Bubba, I'll attach an untrimmed nug pic, and some Green Crack Extreme I gave him as well as some Chernobyl aka Thaitanium (awesome sweet lemon drops haze), some Super Lemon Haze he got at a club, Jack Herer which are the big spears in the greenhouse, and some Afghnai.

Thanks for the positive vibes and awesome responses, we can do it, like someone said to me earlier, life is too good to ruin it with alcohol, alcohol sucks, sucks your life and soul away..
Sweet, no haters so far!! Hope I don't jynx myself. My wife already notices a difference, but only time and actions will prove that I changed this habot for myself first of all..Here are the pics, socal rain this tiume of year suckkkkks..

 

[SCF]

SCF, the meds are called "revia" and the active component is Naltrexonhydrochlorid or Naltrexone HCl. if there is craving this component blocks the opioidreceptors in the synapses. cause when you addicted to alc you feel euphoria when the opioidreceptors are "buzzing".
after taking this med, there will be much weaker "buzzes" BUT:
in case of you´ve not stopped drinking and you take this med, you´ll need twice oder triple amount of alc to aim the effect of getting drunk.
so it´s indicated to stop drinking first and to accompany the sober phase with revia. it´s a very expensive med (cost for 28 tabs around 300$) but fortunatly i´ve a health insurance who covers the costs.
the second med is Buproprion which (i heard) is the most prescripted drug in the us. these two really help. but in the long run i want to get rid of these drugs.

YOUNGTREE, the first step to get rid of addiction imho starts in your head. when you identify the pattern and you´ve the desire to change your life. so, you are right and the first step is done. good luck!

Yeah, just seems like a replacement, but i know sometimes medications can play a double treatment. Like Methadone for instance, 40 grams stops cravings of alcohol, and stops cravings for opiates. But it is a HCI drug as well, and it doesn't create a euphoric effect after a bit of being on it. Its also used to treat Heroin Addicts, to get off heroin. Usually in high doses, like 400 MG then tapered off no matter what your usage habits where. This is how they do the detox program. Its sad really.

Then as of a few years ago, they legalized it for pain perscription. Now doctors can prescribe it for pain. Sometimes i wonder whats better, the living a doubtful life or the drug.? And i usually always conclude, the drug. But still, not an easy road.

SCF

 

[007.]

Hey Young Trees!

Good luck with your commitment!

I'm a problem drinker myself. I drink 6+ drinks 2-6 nights a week, and drink "a beer or two" pretty much every night. When I go out to party, I seem to always reach the point of blacking out. I've had some real close calls in the last couple years.

I was always good at handling my drinking until a couple years ago when I started doing a lot of cocaine with an ex, and then drinking afterward to level me out. For about a year I did a lot of blow 3-5 times a week with her, and then we'd drink to level out. Bad news! I quit the broad and the blow, but not the booze.

Now I'm still a problem drinker, but I haven't quite gathered the resolve yet to quit. I'm a bartender, and I'm around drinking all the time. It's easy for me to drink. It's going to happen soon though. I can feel it. I woke up one morning and decided no more cocaine. When I wake up and decide no more booze, it will happen.

When that happens, I hope this thread is still kicking.

In the meantime, I send respect and high hopes for you and all others following the same path.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Hater #1 reporting. I'm an indoor micro-grower and I hate your greenhouse. Just kidding. That's a nice outfit! Looks like it's stuffed pretty good too. The JH tops look like footballs. I don't have Green Crack but I've got a cross, Green Crack x Tangerine Haze. Green Tangerine is the name, I call it Crack Haze. Seeds too! But until Dec 1 it's street weed or nuthin.

As far as the treatment/drug aspect, it's good to hear your Mj cravings aren't as elevated minus alcohol.

BTW, consider making your journey a need-to-know basis. Make aware those you want to know, the rest...

Nondisclosure helps keep haters at bay, not to mention your privacy deserves any consideration you choose. Family, loved ones and the support group are here for you, the rest are whoever you choose to share with.

My sister is a working professional and chooses to limit her disclosure. Some see her AA meetings as a weakness but I feel she's strong, very strong. Even intervention targets are strong if they embrace treatment and counseling. But you personally seized the reigns and that's as good as it gets. Best wishes to you.

I'm afraid your friend may be less-open to treatment but your counseling is honorable. You're someone he won't have to disassociate with, should he choose to stop drinking.

One of the hardest things is to limit or even cease associations that bring on cravings. Sometimes people, sometimes venue, even both may be more than alcohol related. It's a personal decision, often difficult. Your best relationships will be alcohol free, even if the persons drink themselves.

 

[HomerSimpson]

Young Trees - I know you are filled with all kinds of self worth and want to share it with everyone. And its a great thing to want to share. When dealing with other problem drinkers. It's best not to label them "alcoholic" Unless he has truly admitted to himself that he is, the response will always be " No, I am not". It could also be a trigger for the "bender to end all benders". The only way a practicing alcoholic can show you he is not a drunk. Is by going out and getting more drunk than he has ever been. Just to show you he can handle it. I suggest you check out a copy of "Alcoholic's Anonymous" The first half of the book tells you how to work a 12-step program. The second half is stories of AA members, telling the way it was, how they got better, and how they stay sober. Great reading. Even quite a chapter on how to deal with other drunks. And Disco Biscuit said it right. When your buddy does decide to quite drinking, he will probably come seek you out.

SCF- I agree, have to wonder about the cure sometimes.

007 - When you are ready, we are here man.

DB - Thanks for the post! Great Addition to the thread. When i first got sober I used to sing it to the world as well. You are right though. Its best to let the people close to you know. Its funny how often a room full of people will congratulate you on not drinking, with fists full of booze.

 

[Young Trees]

When I wake up and decide no more booze, it will happen.

Exactly 007! I had to wake up to the fact that I am compulsive with alcohol, and a few other things, if I let them become a habit. I realized they were ruining my relationship with several people including some closest to me. I've made "decisions" to stop recently but always found excuses and new deadlines. I needed a real reason to stop, and I think that's one of the hardest parts of giving that poison up.

Obviously the second hardest part to is that alcohol is condoned by society. I really started drinking with my parents and uncles around 10 years old, taking sips of Budweiser at the beach to see how it tasted, since they guzzled down so much, it must be good..was what I thought ahha, we'd also drink wine at home casually, like a glass of wine for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthdays etc. when we were 11, 12.
Then came highschool and you know the rest of that story. You turn 21 here in the USA and people expect you to get drunk. It's amazing how Cannabis is so non-toxic and is so demonized. Did you guys see Jocelyn Elders on CNN Sunday? I hope all Californians see that, I forwarded it to all my contacts. lol, anyway 007, you are so right, it takes a hate for alcohol to quit it if you are a compulsive drinker. Something that makes you realize it's fucking your brain, body etc up..

I'm afraid your friend may be less-open to treatment but your counseling is honorable. You're someone he won't have to disassociate with, should he choose to stop drinking.

One of the hardest things is to limit or even cease associations that bring on cravings. Sometimes people, sometimes venue, even both may be more than alcohol related. It's a personal decision, often difficult. Your best relationships will be alcohol free, even if the persons drink themselves.

I agree, and it could be hard if I was alone or people around me disregarded my battle to not drink, and pressured me to drink. Luckily I have wonderful supportive wife and 2 kids I have to set an example for and explain how alcohol was so bad I quit. But the only way is through actions. And as for my friend, you are right, but I'm not worried about him so much. I worry about myself, my wife, my children and then come the friends...
Thanks for the cool post.

It's best not to label them "alcoholic" Unless he has truly admitted to himself that he is, the response will always be " No, I am not". It could also be a trigger for the "bender to end all benders". The only way a practicing alcoholic can show you he is not a drunk. Is by going out and getting more drunk than he has ever been. Just to show you he can handle it. I suggest you check out a copy of "Alcoholic's Anonymous" The first half of the book tells you how to work a 12-step program. The second half is stories of AA members, telling the way it was, how they got better, and how they stay sober. Great reading. Even quite a chapter on how to deal with other drunks. And Disco Biscuit said it right. When your buddy does decide to quite drinking, he will probably come seek you out.

Homer! What up homie? I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for letting me know, I googled it here and am reading it now, much appreciated!! Thanks for posting!!

Today I'm not craving alcohol finally, I ran 3 miles fast, lifted a ton of weights and got a migraine tonight, so that cut my craving for any alcohol!

 

[Young Trees]

Yall recognize that you got control, they gon hate to see u shine but when u keep on you be so bright the hate must overt its eyes, n u will shine on.

Beautiful GetMO, just beautiful!

Here are some shots of the dried pre-98 Bubba from the greenhouse,







and one of a Thai haze my friend put in his test greenhouse he has for random tests. The scraggly ones on the left are plants he just put out for some winter nug, but that Thai Haze plant has been out the same amount of time as the other plants I showed in the other greenhouse, but is nowhere near being done..I'd say this one is going deep into November-December, look how skinny and stretchy this Sativa is..

 

[SuperSizeMe]

People, places and things...once you re-develop your coping skills/good habits it's gets easier and easier to avoid those three things.

Major trigger they were for me.

Stay strong.

Peace,

SSM

 

[HomerSimpson]

YT- No problem man. I know it from the book and from personal experience. I was out drinking with a summer harvest crew. We had just finished up cutting in one location and weren't due in the next for a week. Whole crew went down to the "longbranch" Through out the night I went about my usual drinkin. Downing shots and chasing with a beer around the pool table. The guy we harvested for was also buying shots. my boss started feeding me his shots cause he was done. Then proceeded to tell me I drank too much. Boy howdy, I started double fisting Colorado Kool-Ade at a blinding speed.

The next morning I found myself still drunk wandering around town. Not knowing where I was and pissed off at my boss. I spotted a car. Told myself. If the door is open and the keys in it, you are gone. Honestly I was hoping that it would be locked. It wasn't. Next thing I knew. I had been thrown 75 feet from the car after wrecking it about 150 miles away. I wish I could tell you that experience lead me to quit drinking. It didn't. I continued on for about another year and half. Mostly to ashamed of what I had done to show my face around home. But here I sit 6 years later. What a wonderful life.

 

[GET MO]

Yesterday I was fealin real down, so I said fuck it let me light this joint cuz its been a month and thats when I said Id start smokin weed again.... I tell ya, that shit really brought up my mood! I smoked some sour flower and I was laughin and all the shit thats been on my shoulders just seems like it was lifted, like things werent as stressful and important as my minds been makin um out to be.
When I first stopped I tried drinkin some odouls a couple times but that shit just gave me a headache n made me feal bloated and Id want some real liquor... but I know a couple people who switched to non-alcoholic beers and it worked for them, they still drink a 6 pack of odouls every couple days.. I guess if I was a beer drinker it might of worked but beer wasnt my thing, I was more of a hennessy type person.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

My sister was a beer drinker. Now she drinks club soda or soda water from the grocer. Something about the bubbles "reminds" her she's not drinking beer.

 

[Young Trees]

I was laughin and all the shit thats been on my shoulders just seems like it was lifted, like things werent as stressful and important as my minds been makin um out to be

I've been feeling the same way, and the more things that bring you down and you are compulsive about wich are harming you are dropped, the more that feeling is a constant in your life. Guarantee you people around you will notice, and trust you a whole lot more also. I truly believe most anxiety, sadness(many times mislabeled as depression) and things that weigh down on us daily can be relieved permanently by having certain convictions and facing our fears, one of which is giving up something we think we love so much, man did I "love" beers and wine!

We made a run of hash with bubble bags in an old washing machine, very nice, I was surprised, got some melty melt out of the wet frozen trim and decent stuff from the dry trim, bubbles. By the colors you can see the grades of hash, very very nice..

 

[HomerSimpson]

youngtree's how did you ever find time for booze with all those beautiful buds? Hope this post finds everyone sober from their vice of choice.