This thread keeps coming up....today will make two days shy of 20 years. Myself, I'm an AAer. I love the place, saved my life. Good on everyone in the thread, however you are going about it. It can be a hard thing, I know.

Irish heritage?;) I still don't have an answer for that. My social drinking often ended up in binging and vomiting. I just couldn't be happy with a light buzz. My relax at the end of the day scotch just got taller and taller... My little inside voice still says I could learn to drink sensibly and my usual attitude is to find middle way but with booze there is too much to lose. As a Dad, I don't want my girls to see me as a stupid drunk or ending up with a stupid drunk. In part, this is a gift to my descendents. But mostly, I have a good life and don't want to screw it up. Calorie reduction is something I haven't thought about much, maybe I should call it that and not cop to a serious flaw between my ears. :)

Good for you Joe!

Way to go, busterb! And it really does get easier if you can just make it through the first 90 days or so.

I've got about 2 1/2 years now. I go to AA a couple of times a week, but I'm with Bri. I tend to disagree with some of the stuff that gets said there. Plus, my Mom would drive me to drink, too. She has now passed on to a (hopefully) better place. She sure hated THIS life, though, and she made sure everyone around her knew it. Pass the Jim Beam, Mom. :drunk:

congrats regular joe! And busterb!!

Ali - an alcoholic lays awake at night wondering if they're an alcoholic.

Good for you Grif, for making it and for doing it the way that works for YOU.

I go to AA once/twice a week. Otherwise I get too pissed off at them and it gives me an excuse to drink. Not that I need one. I drink because I'm an alcoholic: I need no "excuse" no "reason" no "but I was molested at age 5..." bullshit story. those are all excuses. I need reality checks a lot.

alcohol is pure poison to me. It's no longer any fun at all to drink - it is only a blackout and then - 7-14 days of HELL

Sam = 'about 2 1/2 years'
Me = 2 years, 5 months, 9 days

Am I SamIam?

drinking.

buzzed.

Please take my keys.

Congratulating a drunk like myself for not drinking is like congratulating a cowboy with hemorrhoids for not riding his horse. I understand the sentiment though and commend anyone in my shoes for their efforts.

I disagree with you there, Joe.

Sure, you know that in the big picture you're better off not drinking, but for twenty years you have successfully resisted that sneaky little voice whispering .. go on .. just one ... a little one won't hurt ... etc.

You know that voice is bullshit, but it will sneak in at any moment of weakness. If you have seriously gone twenty years without a slip, you are bloody awesome.

No arguing.

50

Yay, Buster!!! Well done :)

My Mum is an alcoholic and so is my brother.

I know if I want Mum to pick the boys up, I have to call her at lunchtime so she doesnt get stuck into it.

My brother helped me drive up here (16 hours with 2 kids, 2 dogs, a cat and a bird - leaving at 9pm), but he could only drive for a few hours because he *had* to drink.

We fight about it a lot, he works in a job which means he has to be 0.00 alcohol and drugs and is tested regularly. This is for 28 days in a row, he has no issues during this time, but as soon as he is home he is drop down drunk. I dont know why my sister in law puts up with it.

Alcoholism is a strange and frustrating disease.

Especially to those of us that have it.

I do know how maddening we can be - not only am I one myself, I deal with lots of them, too, in various stages of illness/recovery. Sometimes I just want to shake them and tell them to WAKE UP! and I am one of the tribe. I know - soooooooooo frustrating.

sorry to all of you who have to deal with us. My hope is that we do, indeed, WAKE up and resist that seductive voice that Zengum does such a good impression of!

Hmmmm.... this is giving me ideas ....

First day today.
My word I feel grim.

I'm hoping that I'm just working through the worst of the hangover from last night and will soon start feeling better.
And that I will feel better every single day from now on.

No more morning retching which I have to disguise as a cough.
No more worrying about being too close to people in case they can smell drink on me from the night before.
No more worrying in the morning because I can't find the right amount of empty cans in my room so maybe I left one downstairs or in the computer room.

Oh and hoping to feel my gunt shrink, as opposed to feeling it grow a little every week.

Hello to my fellow travellers.
I might come here quite a bit to start with.

If it helps to be heard, have at. For me putting my intention out there helps me stay focused. Feel free to bounce things off us, its all the same price... or we can just shut up and listen.