Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I don't drink anymore because I can no longer afford such an expensive habit, it made me fat, and I found drinking too much made me feel more sick than happy as I grew up. So now I only drink occasionally and will usually enjoy a glass or two of whatever beverage we're talking about. If I'm getting really crazy with friends, I may consume as many as four maybe once a year. It's just a matter of choosing not too for me, I felt I no longer needed it.
Another factor that helped was replacing it with healthier alternatives when I wanted to relax with a cool, luxurious beverage after work. Now I enjoy kombucha and the finest teas and find them more satisfying.
I think I'm getting there. I got my liver tested, its holding up fine though.
Just a word of warning Flanigans and Quarterdeck in Ft lauderdale are owned by the same people and they do not allow e cigs or vaping which is scientifically proven not to be harmful. In fact go to nearby Kellys Seafood, Raw Bar, Bravos etc and you wont even get a glance with an e cig... Go figure ! They say there is not enough research so I sent them some then they say people complain ( which I doubt) and I got no response after that ...I guess the x and y generation just has no tolerence for anything they do not understand unlike the Boomers. Ft Liquordale is a thing of the past. I drink alone now in my apt 2 blocks away or go to vape friendly establishements. I laid down cigs and picked up vaping two yrs ago...one thing at a time.
smoking-cold turkey--- on a very nervous day. and had to change my whole routine. took a week.. craved beer, pizza and a ciggie... that was in '94-- no beer- still do pizza, and an occasional vodka
Smoking: Quit cold turkey and never looked back. I'm extremely happy I do not smoke anymore.
Drinking: I don't think I'll ever quit. It's something I enjoy. When I describe drinking I don't mean binge drinking, but the social aspect of it.
Not smoking but dipping. Heard somewhere that quitting the dip is 6-7x harder than smoking. I don't know, I never smoked.
Anyways I just decided one day enough was enough. I had a half can left and sure I could have said this is my last can but I didn't. I poured the half can down the toilet and never looked back.
The first three days after were hard but that diminished. I've been clean for a couple years now and I still every few months get the most intense craving for a dip but I usually buy a Monster or Rockstar to get me past it. It usually just lasts a couple of hours. The worst time of year for me is now, hunting season and traveling the back dirt roads. Perfect dipping weather But I resist
Quitting drinking is a serious issue. Depending on the length of time and the amount you have been drinking can land you in DT's and seizures that can be fatal.
Understanding what Alcoholism is is extremely important. The actual disease of alcoholism is based on an allergy to ethanol. In the human body, most people (9 out of 10) create 2 by products when drinking. The first is water and the second is oxygen. That is why we smell like a brewery and have to tinkle like crazy when drinking.
The 10% that are unlucky enough to actually be "alcoholic" develop a third chemical in the body called tetrahydroisoquiniline - or - THIQ used often in recovery based programs. This chemical was actually experimented with in the early 50's as a pain killer, but it did not reduce pain well and was permanently addictive. It is 6 - 8 times as addictive as morphine. That is why many people will simply drink themselves to death. Their bodies are screaming for it just like a heroine junky.
If you can quit cold turkey, you do not have THIQ in your body - regardless of how much you drink. It is still dangerous to detox with out a physician's help because if you have really been drinking a great deal (folks called heavy drinkers and not alcoholics at all), you will still through similar detox hazards. It is important to note that alcoholics can be very light drinkers or very very heavy drinkers. Does not make a difference. It is the fact that the liver is producing THIQ, and it seems to be impossible to stop.
Quitting drinking should be done under a doctor's care because ethanol with-drawl is one of the few addictions that can kill you. Go talk to your doctor about the situation. He/She can help you determine if you are a drinker or an alcoholic. Generally it is determined if previous drinking has cause significant problems and you kept on drinking regardless of the after-effects.
I can't comment on the smoking except that chewing gun is the best I have ever done with quitting. BTW, addiction to nicotine gum is a heck of a lot better than smoking!
Last edited by Harvest123; 11-21-2013 at 07:37 AM..
Reason: Mis-spelling of tetrahydroisoquiniline
3) I read a ridiculous and hilarious book called The Easy Way to Stop Smoking. To sum it up, it basically said the way to stop smoking was to stop smoking. I loved that advice.
Pretty much. I've quit twice, one in high school and once in my mid 20s. It's not hard. You just stop doing it. The withdrawal symptoms last less than a week.
Was it AA ? That made you stop drinking? What about smoking? Anyone just woke up & stopped whats your story?
Never started smoking. As for drinking, started when I was 21 and just quit 5 years later.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
But I resist
