Sober for 6 months

armatage · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:14

Due to chronic stomach pains 6 months ago I stopped drinking alcohol and soon after stopped getting stomach pains.

Getting through x-mas was hard though but a pain free x-mas was worth a $1,000,000

Jimmi · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:18

Good work, i'm lucky to go 6 days

trojan698 · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:18

Congrats

Was it an ulcer or something?

Agent_matt · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:19

Well done buddy

wizard91 · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:23

Well done

always nice to hear something positive.

cleanbluesky · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:26

Doesn't 'sober' usually suggest you were an alcoholic?

armatage · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:31

cleanbluesky said:
Doesn't 'sober' usually suggest you were an alcoholic?

If going out on a friday night and drinking 12 pints worth makes me an alcoholic then yes

Congrats
Was it an ulcer or something?

Not sure what it was...had a camera down my throat (shudders) and an ultrasound and all clear..prob just IBS

dirtydog · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:35

If you were only doing it once a week then I wouldn't say you classed as an alcoholic, but it's certainly a lot to drink in one night albeit far from uncommon in this country of course.

Hen_Dawg · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:36

Any tips on stopping drinking?

Azagoth · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:37

Hen_Dawg said:
Any tips on stopping drinking?

Yeah, stop putting the glass to your lips!

Will_3rd · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:38

Congrats, I know how hard it is myself, gave it up for 4 months while I was being treated for mental health problems

SB118 · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:38

Cold turkey.

Just stop drinking, it's not that hard. (ok, you'll be a really unpleasent person for a bit, but it works)

dirtydog · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:40

SB118 said:
Just stop drinking, it's not that hard.

That rather depends on how long you've been drinking for, and how much you've been drinking... for those who are heavily dependent on it, 'just stopping' can be dangerous with nasty side-effects similar to quitting hard drugs.

SB118 · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:41

I went from 2 bottles of pernod a week at work to nothing.

Trust me, you become a really unfiendly person

dirtydog · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:43

SB118 said:
I went from 2 bottles of pernod a week at work to nothing.

Trust me, you become a really unfiendly person

That isn't especially heavy drinking though

SB118 · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:45

dirtydog said:
That isn't especially heavy drinking though

yea gods i wouldn't want to go drinking with essex boys

trojan698 · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:45

dirtydog said:
That rather depends on how long you've been drinking for, and how much you've been drinking... for those who are heavily dependent on it, 'just stopping' can be dangerous with nasty side-effects similar to quitting hard drugs.

Obviously how hard it is varies from person to person, but there's nothing wrong with going cold turkey from a health perspective. Sure you might get the shakes, sweats etc, but that's a good thing.

dirtydog · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:50

trojan698 said:
Obviously how hard it is varies from person to person, but there's nothing wrong with going cold turkey from a health perspective. Sure you might get the shakes, sweats etc, but that's a good thing.

Random result from a quick google.

Yes, a person CAN die from withdrawing. Im an Intensive care nurse, and have seen people die in the hospital due to severe withdrawl symptoms. It is not just the DT's, there can be other problems as well. Good for you for quitting. I recommend AA meetings as well.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070314105801AALZOOS&show=7

Telling all problem drinkers to just quit is bad advice.

Saytan · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:53

first week or two is the hardest. i once did it for a month to prove that i could (mainly to myself), putting myself in all my normal social situations but staying off booze.

the first week, it was hard to turn down pints etc when offered, but after the "official" month, i didnt just rush off and start drinking, it was almost a week before i wanted a beer

Super Tigers · 8 Apr 2007 at 17:55

The best way to stop drinking is to work in a pub and then you see the sights! You will quickly see what alcohol does to people. I left school at 18 and got a job in a local pub, working fulltime over 6 days per week. When you see people just sat in a seat drinking a pint one second and then 10 seconds later vomiting down their fronts, soon puts you off drinking. Then when you have seen a few glassings.... held a person's cheek skin against his cheekbone with a large wad of dressing whilst an ambulance turned up... that puts you off drinking.
Left the licenced trade when I was 22, after becoming a relief manager. Pleased I left the job behind, not a job, it is a way of life.

Rob H