Sober JCF'ers

[Posepatrol]

After 15 years of not going a day without a drink (I'm 33). I have given it up. I think I drank my fair share on the countless tours that I've done. I'm about a week into this, any suggestions for this sober shredder?

Casey

[Chuckracer]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

If you have enough self-respect to stop, have enough to not stumble.
Keep it up...you are only doing good things for your body!

[jgcable]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

hang around with people who don't drink. If you go to bars or clubs make sure you go with people who aren't pounding drinks. Join a gym and start working out. Most people who go to the gym on a regular basis don't drink much if at all. You will make friends with non drinkers which is a good thing.

[Drake S.]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

It also helps you reached out here as well, I've been sober now for 11 years. I'm a bartender now also. The first steps are the hardest to take , keeping yourself grounded is the tricky part. You have support here if you need it. Good luck with this. [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[Tetsuo]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

As John said if you are in the gym you are less likely to drink... A lot depends on you though if you are influenced easily by those around you avoid drinkers if not don't worry about it but you have to be honest with yourself on what type of personality you have. Also since you drank so much just remind yourself how much more power you have now that you are not drinking...

[IrfaanSE801]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

I also recommend the gym. It gives you something to do, it keeps you healthy and once your at a point where it's a normal routine, your gonna want to keep your body healthy, so your probably not gonna want to put that stuff in your body. Good for you, good luck dude.

- Irf -

[Hotrod]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

Good for you, man! I think the one of the hardest things is standing up for yourself and realizing you want or need to change. There will be some tough times, but try to keep remembering the reason you wanted to quit in the first place. I agree with what's been posted so far. Part of the quitting process is also behavior modification. You may need to keep yourself away from risky people/places at least for a while. Keep it up and there does appear to be a great support network here also. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Shotgun]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

Sober since 9-8-91, but who is counting?

Just don't have one today. Find healthy people, and hang around them. A lot.

Left foot, right foot... repeat.

Keith

[guitarsjb]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

Alot of good advice here. Hang with sober folks...keep yourself out of uncomfortable situations, and hang in there. It will all work out. I myself drink, but respect people that don't also. I'm proud of you!

[Budman68]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

[ QUOTE ]
Alot of good advice here. Hang with sober folks...keep yourself out of uncomfortable situations, and hang in there. It will all work out. I myself drink, but respect people that don't also. I'm proud of you!

[/ QUOTE ]

<font color="aqua">Agreed, take it slow and easy and seriously think about what you're doing. You can honestly do what whatever you put your mind to, so stay strong! </font>

[Newc]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

Don't look at it as "I'll never touch it again", instead say to yourself "I won't have one today". Say that every day and keep going.
Though I don't drink, I will say there's nothing wrong with one drink per day or per week. It's up to you not to give in to the compulsion of routine (commonly referred to as "force of habit"). Habit indicates addiction, but a routine can be just as bad, especially if you're trying to quit.

If the reason you are quitting is because you feel you're becoming an alcoholic, remind yourself that you did not get that way in one day, and you can't go back to the beginning in one day. Everything takes time, whichever way you are going.

It's ok to hang out with those who drink (since there's so many out there who do), but you don't have to be in the center of their party - make your own party, and know when to say when. Some will try to pressure you into "keeping up" with them, but let them know that YOU set your limit, and you won't go over that limit. It's like buying guitars - you know what you can spend and not get in over your head.

If you decide to hang out with non-drinkers, be aware that there are Anti-Drinkers out there who are very militant and insulting about it and offer no support for those who are trying to quit. Their piss-poor attitudes can often push you further into the very thing you're trying to get away from.

[1trussell]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

I quit drinking for about 4 years because I decided I was too young and immature to handle myself when I was drunk. The thing that helped me the most was I did not put myself into a situation where temptation was too much.

[GWARGHOUL]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

Your input into drinking has given me a better day to day perspective on my own drug problems.

I've been clean for 16 days now....I was previously clean for quite some time (a month or so), I keep relapsing in these cycles...

I set myself too many long term goals, I now will be looking at it day to day, it should be so much easier that way.
I've been off coke for nearly a year.
Then I got into meth....and started the intravaneous ways.

Lost my g/f, lost my mind (who wouldn't after being up 14 days straight, with no food more than Tang)...I was so weak I could not support my own body enough to breath while standing up. I collapsed in the shower twice...
Only to sleep for a few hours and get a phone call from my g/f breaking up with me... (because I sorta avoided her during that binge)... she knew...

So...I went to this chick I was very sexually attracted to...and she coerced me into shooting up..with that sexy smile of hers... I went out for another 8 days...until finally trying to jump out of a window (literally)...
I went home and fell into a drug induced coma like sleep.

Long story short, I almost died... it was not even a month ago...but the mindset I had ..I didn't care.
I died where it most counts, my heart.
My g/f and I reconciled, and I went clean.
I haven't even taken up offers of "Hay man, want a beer"...
I'm so sick of relapsing...

Life has been slowly going uphill... I've been motivated, social, organized, and I've been job hunting...I've been happier.

I never paid for any of the drugs I was into, I always served enough to earn my own large stash....and make a few bucks for gas. Which led to me getting the DEA on my tail...
Had a incident in Wal-Mart parking lot, where I had nothign on me... but the Cops tried to violate my civil liberties,l because there was an undercover DEA agent that had spotted me. I saw the whole thing going down, I was joking about it..not really thinking "that car is teh task force bro", I'll be damned if it wasn't so mcuh more real than it seemed.
The first question the cops asked me "Got any needles on ya tonight?" they asked my buddy "what are you doing hanging out with this guy?"

I nearly had a breakdown when I went home...look at the image I had formed of myself...

Sequentially...
The next morning, I get a call from my (at the time ex) g/f, and there was an oppurtunity for me to shine thru..I did.
I bought her pads, and soem nessecities, and delivered them.
As soon as I walked to her apartment, I nearly had an anxiety attack. As soon as she put her arms around me, I said "Look what I've done, I don't want this anymore...I never meant this to happen"...

We reconciled, and she dumped her flaky b/f, and yah...
I stayed the night.

Guess what happened that night?
No, I didn't get laid.

My fathers door got kicked in by the task force.
They had foudn enough things to arrest him and his roomate.

Here we are approaching 3 weeks later...

My relationships with my g/f, and my friends/family have never been better.

My father went and cleaned up as well.

I didn't mean to post my life story.
I just have so much input whe n these things come up... I've been surrounded by it from the time I was a toddler. I gave in over the last few years...slowly forming a path of unbeknown destruction.

Moderation is they key to everything in life...
But if you can't moderate, you'll lose control.
Possibly losing it all.

[Posepatrol]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

Wow, you guys are unreal. You all hit it on the head. My biggest problem was that everyone around me drinks, I happen to drink the most.( 18 Pack of Beer and Half a gallon of Scotch 6 times a week) Its wild, I was a Tech for alot of the Hair Bands in the 90's (Warrant, Saigon Kick, Fishbone, KISS). I think I drank less those days because I would have to stay sharp as a tech, and after 18 hours of putting up a show, I would just crash out in my bunk. I guess the scary thing is being "Left Out" Because " He don't party anymore." I look at this way, the least important thing about being sober is the money I will save. I can Rebuild My Collection. Thanks again Guys Your all Beyond Cool!!

Oh And My Playing is better than ever!

[jgcable]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

If you are left out because you don't party anymore those people probably weren't really lloking out for you or themselves anyway. If that happens though don't sweat it. Instead, just roll with it. There are plenty of good times to be had sober.