anyone ever quit drinking cold turkey?

[The Crusader]

what was it like? how did you feel?
My last beer/shot was at my holiday party this past friday. on saturday I almost passed out at dinner from dehydration (and I was a bit short of breath with a racing heart). sunday I went to the ER cause I thought it might happen again and yesterday the doctor. seems I'm OK (I hope) just suffering from withdrawal. lots of anxiety.
what's your experience?

[Flabby1]

go to AA to greatly increase your chances of staying sober

[The Crusader]

Originally Posted by Flabby1

go to AA to greatly increase your chances of staying sober

I hear ya, but I can and will do this on my own. I never drank everyday to begin with, and compared to some people, really didn't drink that much (about a case of beer a week, less than 4 beers a day). last week I just binged way too much, but I have no desire at all right now for a beer or glass of wine. I am not going thru that **** again. Pain is a powerful motivator.

[Phalex]

Yeah, I've done it.

My drummer needed a bit of support in this area. We both quit drinking for a month the last two years. The first week you miss it, after that it's no big deal. (For me anyway) I don't think my drummer has actually made it all the way through when we've tried this little experiment. He has slowed down a lot lately, so the intervention has been put on hold.

[spade2you]

I quit once for almost a year 100% cold turkey without any support. The only "support" I had was a bunch of people screwing me over. Oddly enough, I learned that I didn't have an alcohol addiction but a strong desire to avoid reality. Mine is an odd case, eh?

[The Crusader]

Originally Posted by spade2you

I quit once for almost a year 100% cold turkey without any support. The only "support" I had was a bunch of people screwing me over. Oddly enough, I learned that I didn't have an alcohol addiction but a strong desire to avoid reality. Mine is an odd case, eh?

maybe not. I think that many people drink to avoid reality or to ease/forget some sort of emotional pain.

[Johnny Crab]

Originally Posted by The Crusader

maybe not. I think that many people drink to avoid reality or to ease/forget some sort of emotional pain.

+1

You must be strong enough to control it and not it control you.
Similar to material things:
Do you own them or do they own you?

[MAJOR METAL]

I am giving some serious thought to giving up alcohol in the new year myself.

[spade2you]

Originally Posted by The Crusader

maybe not. I think that many people drink to avoid reality or to ease/forget some sort of emotional pain.

Perhaps, just be careful to establish if it's an addiction or not. I drink beers almost routinely and get drunk once in a blue moon. Had it been a true addiction to alcohol, taking a drink again would have been a shade dangerous.

[FL Knifemaker]

I've done it many times

[SpankyPants]

I kind of want to make a joke about drinking cold turkey, but I fear it'll be in bad taste.

At any rate, I'm sorry to hear that you've been having such a rough time with it lately. I've seen a lot of people struggle with it their entire lives. I wish you strength and guidance. I can only imagine how tough it's been to even make a decision like this. Whatever happens, I wish you good luck in your endeavors.

[louieeadg]

Originally Posted by The Crusader

anyone ever quit drinking cold turkey?

It's easy, I do it everyday.

Oh, and instead of quitting drinking alcohol, why didn't you try to eat more fruit and drink water while you weren't drinking alcohol?

[MJ5150]

I did it in 1997. Looking back, I don't believe I had a serious physical addiction to alcohol, it was more for social acceptance and peer pressure. I will admit that it was hard to get used to not drinking and getting drunk all the time. So, I had to change my peer group and make new friends. That totally helped for me.

Now, I don't even crave alcohol.

For your dehydration issues.....drink water. A simple way to check your hydration level, pinch up a small amount of skin on the back of your hand or forearm area and then let go. If it does not bounce back and return to form quickly, you are lacking some fluid in your body. Now I am no doctor, and I do not suggest you do that in place of seeing a professional, but it is a simple way to check if you are feeling lethargic or like you haven't drank enough liquid.

-Mike

[The Crusader]

Originally Posted by louieeadg

It's easy, I do it everyday.

Oh, and instead of quitting drinking alcohol, why didn't you try to eat more fruit and drink water while you weren't drinking alcohol?

well duh. if you must know I didn't feel hungover that saturday, as a matter of fact, I had no right feeling as good as I did earlier in the day, until we went out for japanese food. then i had my "near syncope" due to "vasovagal" or whatever the hell happened. FWIW, at 40 years old, I'm tired of my heart pounding in my chest while I'm sleeping due to the consumption.

[Blueszilla]

Self discipline is a wonderful thing. It makes you feel like anything is possible. I go without alcohol from Jan 1 to Jun 1 most every year, just to do it. I'm not much of a drinker anyway so maybe it isn't such a big deal, but I do this with other things too. I feel like if I can get through one day, that's all I need. Of course I think that every day because all we have is now.

If you have a powerful urge to drink, and the reason really doesn't matter, and you can get through quitting on your own, you are most likely capable of doing anything you want. A strong constitution will allow you to weather most anything.

[Munjibunga]

Yep. I quit in 1982. I felt better the very next day and every day since, and I never missed it for second. I had a beer on July 5, 1987 and rediscovered what a waste it is.

[louieeadg]

Originally Posted by The Crusader

FWIW, at 40 years old, I'm tired of my heart pounding in my chest while I'm sleeping due to the consumption.

Milk thistle & hops tea...and the high sodium level of many japanese foods will really screw with your water levels, especially while slightly inebriated. You seemed to have experienced a bad case of not adhering to the balance...I think you're attacking this from the wrong angle and using beer as an easy scapegoat. That's about as cool as being a yankee fan or supporting toddler fighting.

[The Crusader]

Originally Posted by louieeadg

Milk thistle & hops tea...and the high sodium level of many japanese foods will really screw with your water levels, especially while slightly inebriated. You seemed to have experienced a bad case of not adhering to the balance...I think you're attacking this from the wrong angle and using beer as an easy scapegoat. That's about as cool as being a yankee fan or supporting toddler fighting.

I hear ya Louie, but being that my wife and I are beginning IVF, basically right now (implantation in a couple of weeks!) maybe it's not so bad afterall. and maybe once I lose about 30-40 lbs I will taste the lovely nectar again. but for now, I gotta get my liver back on track as my liver tests came back a bit high.

ps: I'm just a Yankee fan, you on the other hand support toddler fighting

edit: plus it will save a ****load of money. my bar tab last friday was $390 plus tip.

[louieeadg]

Originally Posted by The Crusader

I hear ya Louie, but being that my wife and I are beginning IVF, basically right now (implantation in a couple of weeks!) maybe it's not so bad afterall. and maybe once I lose about 30-40 lbs I will taste the lovely nectar again. but for now, I gotta get my liver back on track as my liver tests came back a bit high.

Milk thistle & hops tea man, your liver will love you. Here's some info on what milk thistle does for the liver. Hops have many of the same properties and helpfulness for the liver, I add it to the milk thistle for taste.

ps: I'm just a Yankee fan, you on the other hand support toddler fighting

edit: plus it will save a ****load of money. my bar tab last friday was $390 plus tip.

I have never, will never, wouldn't even imagine, could not, would not, should not, ever...never ever...condone toddler fighting. Those barbarians have been giving the U.S.E.Y.C. a bad name for years...

And a $390 bar tab? That's not necessary...

edit: changed link.

[Wesley R]

Last drink. I decided to stop drinking for a couple of months. I did have a very small glass of wine (I was told it was non-alcoholic) at Thanskgiving dinner.
1. Less heartburn
2. Better sleep
3. Tryglyceride levels dropped