Sober JCF'ers

[SeventhSon]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

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But I think it was Abraham Lincoln that said something to the effect of -- a man's true character is shown only in the face of adversity.

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See my sig for something else Abe said. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] j/k of course.

I am stopping for 2 weeks just to see if I can do it. It would be sad if I couldn't make it. Already there have been temptations. It was my turn to buy beers for band practice and I couldn't drink.

[GWARGHOUL]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

There are a few people who love me and/or need me...so.. there’s a lot of things I need to take into consideration. Staying alive is one of them...

[Ace]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

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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!

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I don't drink much on tour as a tech either. I maybe have one beer in the early afternoon right after load in and then I won't touch a drop until the band walks off the stage.

I sobered up for awhile while I was in the USMC, went to rehab and everything. After rehab I just hit the gym with some friends and soon I was sober and in the best shape of my life...

Best of luck to ya! [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

Have a rootbeer on me!! [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[LRGman]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

I went about 2 years wish I wouldn't have started back up. I had other problems which while on booze made it hard to say no. I started drinking again(mistake) but dumped the hard junk for good. I was pretty cool with the alcohol just an ocassional here and there until my dad died 2 years ago then I stepped it up and honestly it does affect my life some now in coparison to sobriety. But definitely not a daily thing or a lifestyle for me. I am just a lot more aware of the effects than I used to be.


Anyway it is important to take an interest in your health. It makes you more aware what you are doing to your body and you will be aware of the rewards physically of not beating the shit out of yourself daily.

#1 Exercise-working out,cardio or some sort of intense physical hobby.

This will help give your some consistency to base a new lifestyle around. And most importantly it will give you a
release so you don't take shit out those around you. It will take the edge off. When I say edge its the I am wound and deserve a release.


#2 Diet-Get some multivitamins, a b-complex, a vitamin C
Watch the junk food try and eat reasonably well a regular. Its usually when I quit eating regular that its a set up for disaster.

#3 I would avoid bars(at least for now) If you are playing in them fine, work there then split.

#4 Keep a personal journal with thoughts in it. I feel like shit. I feel great ect. So and so pisses me off. Cause quitting will fuck with you emotionally and probably physically some too and if you can say hey I am having a shitty day write some stuff down and realize what is actually happening it helps.


#4 Hang with some people that don't drink much and never have had the lifestyle. Find someone who you respect, that makes good decisions and has something you want in your life(not their hot woman)..ect Watch them and take the things in their life you waand incorporate it into your own life. Basically you can see how others exist and function without using booze to act as a buffer between them and the world.

It was an eye opener for me. I grew up with alcoholic parents that were pretty disfuntional in their relationships. I never had a clue about respect in a relationship between men and woman. that you could actually like your partner.

I am not saying this is a problem you have just that lots of can be learned from those you admire if you are sober and observant enough to see it.

#5 Find out where there are some AA meetings and hit them. You will find some good guys that will help anyway they can Its cool to have some encouragement and a place to go where others are sober even if they are killing themselves with cigarettes and coffee


#6 Set some goals for yourself in your journal. Not I want to be king of the world. Easily attainable goals that you can focus on instead of the fact that you are dry.





Its a long post but I hope it helps you.

These are some things that helped me to keep in mind when I have quit things in life-I have quit everthying self destructive at one time or another.

Remember why you quit-cause you want to, not because you can't ever drink again. You can drink anytime you want but you will pay the price(whatever that might be) . Obviously you are not digging it anymore and don't want to pay the price it is causing in your life or you wouldn't want to quit.

Don't feel the need to share the fact that you are quitting(have a problem) with everyone you come in contact with, not everyone understands and the scrutiny of others won't help.


Don't let a woman(or anyone else) screw up your sobriety.


Take the blame. You drank cause you liked and you chose it, not cause mommy raised me poorly ect. Not that people haven't done you wrong or you have not been through some shit in your life. That shit is just an excuse and you will just keep doing the same. Blame the world and it won't do anything for you. You will meet many like people like this if you ever hit an NA meeting, and they don't stay sober long.


Enjoy it. Like I said you quit cause you want to and its a chance to explore some new things in your life. I spent so little time sober in parts of my past that sobriety can really be a pretty cool trip.


Dump the people that want to use your old ways against you and surround yourself with those that are loyal to you. Those that truely give a shit about will help the new improved you not want keep you where you were. I always say I reserve the right to change who I am at any point in time.


Finally- If you fuck up and drink one night. Don't be a pussy get yourself up the next day and dry out again and start over. Its not and all or nothing deal, you stumble you keep trying. At some point you will get tired of having to go though the first week of quitting again.

Good Luck PM me if I can help you in any way. Its not hard to quit its dealing with life while you are sober and that is hard. But the longer you are sober the easier it becomes.

[horns666]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

LRGman Dude...I don't drink...but damn that was some fine insightful advice there..IMO!!!!

BTW...I'm high. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[SEEGERMANY]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

It blows my mind that only one person recommended AA.

[VulfgangPfuck]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

I used to get hammered to "fit in" when I was coming out of my teens and into my early 20's, but that was it. It was just to be cool and be social, because all my friends drank.
I personally HATED getting fucked up. I could never understand how a person enjoys doing that to themselves. Not only did I feel like shit when I was shitfaced, the next morning was adding insult to injury for me. I turned to smoking herb for a while too, and while that had no lasting effects after it wore off...I slowly got out of doing that too.

Best thing is, just don't cave in to peer pressure. That's the absolute HARDEST obstacle to overcome. Once you make yourself a stronger person and kick your habit for a while, you'll feel much better about yourself.

[horns666]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

AA is for quitters... [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[Shotgun]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

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It blows my mind that only one person recommended AA.

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FYI, I PM'ed a long message about AA. Just wasn't interested in posting it in the thread.

Keith

[Tetsuo]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

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It blows my mind that only one person recommended AA.

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AA works for some but I have a few real problems with the program but for some people that is the only route that works for them and that is great... I have no problem with anyone going to AA and it really has worked for a good # of people I know...

[the_drip]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

i've been sober since last Thursday. Trying to get over being sick.

[Jack The Riffer]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

I've detoxed off of Crack and Heroin and it was pretty brutal, I'm still trying to kick the alcohol. None of it is easy.

[PowerTube]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

I guess I'm very lucky. If you added all of the alchohol I've drank in my entire life, it would come to about:

3 Screwdrivers
5 Dacquiris
Less than one whole beer [img]/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]

No kidding. I guess I just never acquired the taste, except for nicotine.

For you guys who are struggling with any of the above, I wish you the best.

[atomic charvel guy]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers

i wish you the best dude. there's a great big hole in the middle of you and you're trying to fill it up in the wrong way. i shot my last 80 thousand dollars in my arm and then lost everything else i owned and held dear. all i can say is i'm not shooting H and coke anymore, although i do eat a xanax when i'm stressing out at work or can't sleep and istill smoke fatties. sorry , that's all i can do right now, Heroin took it all, even with a 15-25k a month paying job, it still won, so i'm praying for you . relapse is not the end of the world either. good luck my good man.
tommy

[Posepatrol]

Re: Sober JCF\'ers Thanks!!!

I just wanted to thank you guys. Its been 3 months and I have not even had a drop. My life already has totally changed.I look better, feel better, play better than I ever have.

I was reading this thread everyday for the first month...

I read the AA book the first week, But it made me feel as if I was having a panic attack.
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I did a junk food kick for about 3 weeks. Then I was finding myself driving around at night...SOBER because I never could. I would drive by places I lived, friends houses from back in the day. I guess searching for something... One day I went to my old High School, which I graduated from 15 years ago. I walked around on a Sat. when a game was going, I went and sat down at the place where my old gang of buddies hung out. I thought about the last 15 years. instead of thinking about My ex wife, the house I lost in the divorce, the money I blew being depressed, I thought of all the good things I accomplished, and that drinking might have been the demise of "myself" losing control of my life without anyone, including myself ever thinking booze was the issue. So I had my last Big Mac, got with a Dr. Changed my diet, started working out, and well. I'm here today, happy as a MF!!!! I read a book called "How to quit dringing without AA" Its mainly a book on vitamins and stuff, but I read it cover to cover in one sitting and It sits in my coffee table. I have had 4 friends read it and they have now laid back on the booze to the point where they thanked me for quiting because it has helped them.

Its wild to see what I wrote too, I was scared to quit for all the wrong reasons.

I also have done every possible sittuation and have yet to take a drink , been to bars, casinos, the river, no beer, no nothing.

Lost 35 pounds and people say I look better than I did 10 years ago.

Its a day to day thing, but I pretty much see a difference, the high now is being sober and looking better when I did at 23 !!!

Thanks again. [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]