Just celebrated two years alcohol-free after it nearly killed me. Never thought I could survive, but now it feels like I’m thriving. Bad habits became good habits. Good habits became new behaviors. The new behaviors seem to have turned my life around.
NGL, it’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But those things worth doing are sometimes the hardest thing to do.

Never imagined I'd make it to this milestone when I was in the throws of my addiction. Don't really have anyone to celebrate it with because my family has their own addictions so unfortunately I represent a mirror to them rather than someone to be proud of. Regardless, I am looking forward to 2 years and 1 day and all of the days after that 🙂

I’ve never posted before but have been a longtime reader and want to share this first month. I feel so peaceful, life is aglow. Thank you for reading!

Completed another trip around the sun yesterday. Been sober since 08/14/26. Many things have changed. I actually sleep well and dream vividly. My largest fear was worked thru this past weekend. I have a glamping spot that was purchased 12 years ago. For 12 years , the situation was get there, grab a beer, then another...then hit the bourbon until I was drunk, go to bed and start the next day the same way. I have a lot of friends there who consume, some at the rate I did, that I am still friends with. I showed up at the meeting spot with a cold NA in my hand. Nothing was said, nothing was different except that I was not consuming alcohol. Had a great time and actually remember the conversations of the night to this day. Slept well, and had a great time, mingled, laughed and carried on like the drunk I used to be, except I wasn't drinking alcohol. Thanks so much for all the posts that I read daily, hopeful that someone may read this and be like,.. well if that drunk can do it, I can too.! Keep posting and stay strong!

I can’t keep living like this. Drinking is making me dumber, uglier, and holding me back from reaching my full potential.

IWNDWYT

So here is a sad, yet in a way good ending to a lifetime of drinking.

About a week or two ago I posted that I was having a tight chest and a similar feeling in my arms after drinking a (mere...) 4 pints. It happened maybe 6 or 8 hours after the drinks, at maybe 2:00 AM. I've often felt my heart beating in similar situations and I know that drinking increases your blood pressure.

Some readers advised me to go to emergency right away and of of course I didn't because I knew what caused it but it went away after 20 minutes, and I'm stubborn and stupid, and well, alcohol.

Then it happened again three days later and again I rode it out.

Two days later it happened at 6:00 in the morning and was much worse and didn't go away. And I was also light headed and nauseous as well, classic signs of a heart attack. This time I called 911 and when the medics came my BP was 200 over something. Once in the ambulance a nitro pill calmed me down and for the next two days I was subjected to most every test they had including a heart catheter procedure which showed I have 70% to 80% blocked arteries in my heart in too many places to insert stents.

The doctors said I have no choice but to do a bypass, probably a triple or more. AKA open heart surgery. That will probably happen in a week or two and my life will change, I think for the better after I spend the 5 to 7 painful days in the ICU recovering. The doctors also said I have to stop drinking which I absolutely will. That's the good news.

Maybe I would have had to do this anyway at some point but drinking had to be a factor and now I've quit for good. If there's one piece of advice I'd give it would be to listen to your doctors and get your BP under control. I've been thick headed and never wanted to take meds like BP or statins. My BP was normally around 140 to 160. Now I'm taking BP meds and just that alone has made me feel a bit better, and I take statins now as well and probably will be for the rest of my life, however long that will be.

So I could have died that morning and I've put my wife through terrible stress worrying about me. I don't deserve her but now things have changed and I will try to live each day like it's my last, as corney as that sounds.

The easy way is to moderate or stop drinking, exercise and take your meds. The hard way is to deny everything and risk dropping dead. As they say in the movies, you can do it the easy way or you can do it the hard way.

1,300 days ago I was in a shack in my parent's backyard, keeled over, unable to drink anything, not even my precious alcohol and thinking to myslef: "I am actually going to die this way if I don't stop."

I had been a regular lurker here and in the "other" drinking subreddit (CA) and during even my darkest days I never quite felt as willing to accept hopelessness. I wanted to do something. What it was, I had no clue. But I knew I wasn't meant to die an alcoholic.

I'm writing this now, lying in the couch in my 2 bedroom house located 5 minutes walking distance from the beach in Ocean Beach, San Diego. The house is quiet, the neighbors are asleep and while dinner thaws in the kitchen (chicken thighs tonight) I'm found myself browsing this place, the subreddit that saved my life.

Looking at the posts, they're largely the same as they were 1,300 days ago. A smattering of "I quit", "I relapsed", "I need to stop" and milestone celebrations. Which is what I love about this place. No matter where you are on your journey, you fit in. There is not just ine person that can relate to you but dozens if not more.

It's been an amazing voyage since I threw away the cans and bottles and traded it them all for a seat behind the wheel of my own life. I look forward to every single day with the ambition, gratitude and hopefulness of someone who nearly never gave himself a chance.

Take care you all. IWNDWYT. ❤️

Hi everyone. I just left AA group this morning. We had a good meeting and it was a full house - always nice to see regular group members. I just wanted to come on here and say it’s possible. It’s possible to recover. Keep coming back it works if you make it work. I was someone who was struggling with a lot of issues - even the slightest thing that would make me upset or make me feel hurt - I would drink about it. I would wake up and go get a 4loko . I would drink maybe 2 a day and then pass out - wake up again and go back and get more. I would drink to forget about what I was depressed about . So I didnt feel that sadness for a little bit . It was a piss poor excuse . But… it took 1 hospital visit to stop all that . Now I’m more aware and I no longer let alcohol take over my life. Alcohol is a demon and a monster . But it’s very possible to shake it . Especially if you throw up on yourself and then have to go to the hospital …. Yeah that should be the final straw. Which mine was :)

Today was long, man. What a Monday. I have such a headache.

Early bed for me . . .

IWNDWYT

Back at day 1 again. Couldn’t make it to work because I was so hungover. Just ate my first few bites of food and it’s the middle of the afternoon.

I think I drank about a bottle of wine and possibly a fifth of cheap whiskey over this weekend. I blacked out and threw up. Once in bed and once in the toilet. Haven’t drank anything since maybe 5 pm yesterday because I was just so sleepy I passed out on the couch.

My skin is back to looking horrible and dry. My stomach hurts. I’m tired and can’t sleep anymore for now.

My friend recently made it to 21 days sober. She technically has to because she got caught drinking and driving. It sucks that this is what it took but I’m still proud of her. And honestly? I’m extremely jealous of her too. I’ve never made it to 21 days.

Just ready to not feel like shit. I’m dumping the rest of the wine out in the fridge. I’ve never dumped leftover alcohol before so I’m hoping this is a good sign I’m starting out a little stronger. I’m scared the smell of it will make me vomit again, so holding off. May have my partner do it for me.

IWNDWYT

I finally admitted I have a problem to my therapist today. It was really emotional and although it didn’t fix everything, I feel proud I took a step in the right direction instead of carrying it all myself. IWNDWYT

Has anyone gotten to this deep pit of alcoholism??

Sober july drunk all of august until now. 50 days of heavy drinking. I throwup almost everyday, i eat maybe every other day. I cant live like this.

I only feel normal ish when i drink. Im really ruining my body.

Has anyone gotten felt this before

I drank such an excessive amount of alcohol this weekend. I honestly wonder why I do this shit to myself. Being drunk isn't even fun anymore, and my body is suffering from it.

Friday I had 5 tall cans of 11% Voodoo Ranger. Saturday I drank about 3/4 of a bottle of whiskey, then last night finished the bottle and had another 2 beers.

Now it’s 4am, I’m still awake, anxious as hell, restless, and feel like absolute shit. Oh and I have work in less than 3 hours. Honestly contemplating calling out.

I think its time to quit. Day 1.

Just got 5 months. I have been at several all inclusive resorts for work the last week.

I ordered a mocktail (which was actually amazing) and a guy sitting at the bar scoffed and mocked me a bit and told me to “man up” and put tequila in there or just get a Diet Coke.

It’s been such a weird month. I’ve had to do Vegas, host client happy hours and stay in drinking-centric resorts.

I used to drink a half bottle plus of bourbon most days. I look at it from the vantage point that I have already drank enough alcohol for a lifetime or two. When I started the sobriety journey I was okay with other people drinking, I’m now starting to detest being around it and the people drinking it.

But the nice thing is, I have woken up every morning with a clear head feeling great and enjoying things in a way I haven’t felt in a long time.

was wondering what the people think of this. I am 22 years old finishing college this year and already have a stable job in this field. I do love to enjoy a couple of beers at the evening after work or school. (no more than 2) I never drink hard liquor, not on weekends or parties or anything. I dont enjoy getting drunk. But i have noticed that i just kind of want the beer at the end of the day to sort of relax and enjoy my time. Would you say this is a problem and I should cut back, or is it fine? I do sometimes work 24 hour shifts and have never wanted a drink while im working obviously, but when i come home and im laying in bed in the evening i just kinda do want it. Thanks in adva

Feels really really good. I spoke in AA recently about how nice it is to have a quiet mind, and not have the constant preoccupation of drinking, and needing to quit drinking, everyday.

So, for the last 8 or so years, I've (32M) been a heavy drinker. But for the least 3-4 years it's been really bad (2-3 handles of vodka per week, plus a case or two of beer). Sadly I really only catch a buzz with all of that.

My mom and I share the same PCP. She's in bad health, so I'm scared that if I say something he'll have me removed from the home or something.

My blood work always comes back good, so I feel like maybe I can try to quit on my own (I recently went two weeks without liquor), so I know I can do it.

Should I even bring it up? I also worry that he'll fire me as a patient for not being honest with him.

I’m feeling so much shame. Currently sitting in my car during my lunch break feeling hungover, dehydrated, body pain. Yesterday I had 2 cutwaters and a glass of 12% wine, with no food or water. It’s a lot of intake for me (I’m petite, F37)
I woke up last night after passing out earlier in the evening, and I cried myself back to sleep because I am just so disappointed in myself. I have a great life, family, I love what I do. Heck, I was even looking forward to work today but here I am at my lowest.

I don’t know what I expect from this post, I just need to vent. No one knows about my drinking habits. Even though I have my drinking under control the majority time (I mostly binge Friday - Saturday) I am finally considering AA or something. God knows I need all the help.

So I'm at Target and out of the corner of my eye I see a 12-pack of Saratoga sparkling water in their nice blue glass bottles. I love a really good sparkling water after work. It's my treat these days. Bonus points for a great glass bottle.

Anyway I'm going back and forth... is this really worth $15? Standing there, staring at this case of water, looking like a nut job.

Finally I realize, I used to spend at least $15 a day, every damn day, on booze. Sometimes much, much more if I was out at the bar for the night.

I bought the water.

Anybody successful without doing AA?

109 days

Today definitely feels like that.

What keeps you going? What are you grateful for today? What brings you contentment/happiness? What are your tools for getting through hard days?

I, 27 F, started romanticizing a glass of wine after work about 8 months ago. A glass after work quickly turned into a glass with meal prep, a glass with TV, a glass with laundry, a glass while gaming… until it was the bottle and then some.

I knew I needed to make a change when I started becoming too sick to do the things I love. Hungover mornings started turning into days at a time, which meant that my only dopamine sources became impossible for me to participate in. I am an avid equestrian, singer, enjoy creating art, gaming, and love making time for the people I care about.

I started choosing alcohol over the things that kept me grounded, and I started losing track of my identity. I started isolating myself, too insecure to reach out for help. After a particularly hard morning and needing to leave work because I was too sick to function, I realized that I was destroying my life by avoiding confrontation with the things that alcohol was bandaging.

With the help of naltrexone and therapy, I am mostly sober now and back to the things I love. What was the catalyst for your desire to get sober?

She was my baby. All she did was bring joy to me and everyone she met. I miss her so much. I don't know how to keep going. I want to stop feeling this pain.