One Year Today

[tomartoh]

Feeling a bit smug and pleased with myself. not had a drink of alcohol for one whole year.

didnt stop with any particular expectations, but after a while it just became normal to not go boozing. and until recently i have run pubs and restaurants for 6 years here. even now i dont have any targets, like another year or two years or forever. I just dont drink at this time after over 50 years of it.

have to say how much better i feel. lost 8kilo, not got big belly. started jogging and recently mountain biking, dont feel as irritable and gf and i, she stopped nearly 6 months ago hardly ever fight now. saved a ton of money, although of course that got spent elsewhere. got through and survived serious stressful situations here in thailand

so any of you guys who recently stopped, just keep at it, its worth it. and for those thinking of stopping, it can be done. like life. take it a day at a time

[garro]

Brilliant. You deserve to be proud.

[ThaiPauly]

Brilliant. You deserve to be proud.

ABSOLUTLEY

[dekestone]

Congratulations tomartoh, you can be a bit smug.

Great accomplishment!

[Livinginexile]

Hey well done mate!

After 50 big ones too

I'm right behind you.

[cognos]

These are the good posts.."ones to look up to"..and many of us look up to you !!

[krading]

Congratulations Tom, I raise my glass to you.

[tomartoh]

Hey guys, thanks very much for your great comments, makes me feel good and if i can help anyone else, please feel free to pm me.

[Asianrider]

Well done, complete abstinence seems a bit strong, drinking in moderation is the KEY, body needs time to process and discharge the toxins !!

[sweeex]

Great tomartoh!

I had my first year with out alcohol the 20 aug, I had to stop, my life were falling apart,,, one year ago I was close to losing not only my job but also famely.

several years untill then I told myself that I could handle it, and belived it ! i could have long periods of non drinking,after "knowing" my alcoholism. trying to prove to other that "look,, ! I can be sober! I´m no drunk,, I have a good job, famely with 2 kid´s. But when"acepteble" to drink i always wanted more then any of my guets or non alcoholic friend, resulting in me drinking beside the party or dinner or whatever the occation, i had my privete supply stached away for my use,,,

Then up early , fixing and beeing a good man of the house , doing the things needed, and so on,,, but the fact was I needed to have a beer or whatever alcohol to be found. After a party or meeting with friend I usually drank 5-7 day´s. with al possible explenations to why I come home late (hoping they have gone to bed not notising me drunk) Then when caught,,, promissing not to drink again,, I said and knew I was an alcoholic, but did not know how to stop it, or even wanted to stop it! I loved beeing drunk! feeling the alcohol make me relaxed and easy,, i loved sitting at pub´s , talking to people, girls ,

never have I traveld to any country sober, always planing next party, dinner ,etc, but it was only so that I could drink! scary!

I had to hit my bottom line, when evrything around me were in the edge of crashing down. to make a decition, I went to rehab sept 2008.

Thank god!! I feel good now today, better then I ever thought I decered to feel, I am gaining the thrust from my famely again,,, slowly !!!

My employer (who got me to rehabafter my capitualation) has comfidence in me!

I am on the right way . for me that meen´s no alcohol,, NON, not even candy with taste of alco, i hope I can contiue to and dont start drinking again.

[tomartoh]

Hi Sweex

its funny but i just thought i would have a look on this forum which i dont do much these days as pretty busy.

well today is now 15 months without a drink. some weeks ago i realised i didnt need to drink and dont care if i never drink again, so really i suppose i have stopped drinking. not only that but my lovely thai lady has now gone nearly 10 months without a drink as well.

for 5 years i had owned and run bars and pubs in thailand and 2 of those years we had been together. we used to drink a lot. when i look back now i realise how often we used to get pissed and our relationship was so destructive and abusive. although at the time i used to think i could hold my drink with the best of them.

your right about no alcohol means no alcohol. abstinence is the easiest way to take control and if you dont want to start drinking again, then you wont.

my life has changed such a lot now, although it takes time to get rid of the effects of alcohol, i am more relaxed and less edgy, look better, feel better and have started to study again and attempt to learn thai language. i can now put my trainers on a do a bit of jogging and i have just bought another bicycle as i am now into cycling again after a lay off of 25 years. life still has its problems, but i feel much better equipped to deal with it now

so good luck and well done to all of you who have also got the better of the demon drink and for those thinking about it, go do it as well.

[sweeex]

Hey tomaroh!

I am 43 soon, and I guess that I have been drinking to mush 20 years, That did I not think before,, but now when I look back, I did just like my friends,,, I thought,!! But acctually I was the first to seek after an opportunity to party and have " fun". ofcourse many hilarius situations have occured under al my trips , and and many situations that I am ashamed of even think about!

In thailand my drinking habits now have been mostly at home , when we are here for one month a year , and it´s " acepted to drink during vacation, and when I feelt or had coments about it ,,, I sneek away to drink, fully aware that after a few day´s it´s not for a party , just simply to put the hangover away for another day/hour.

That behavior has made me going on half speed, not being able to enjoy food, not haveing the energy to play with my children, just "beeing" with out possibility to enjoy.

back home ,, i could work and have a lot going on around me,, for al to stall for a couple of weeks when in the next period.

this was acelerating fast these last years and my recovery fase were harder and longer each time. some time thinking i wount make it,, I´ll die.

and ofcourse promising myself to never go thrugh it again,. But its wery hard to do this by yourself. when one realise that you are an alcoholic and in this situation! you need help!

But first you need to have the will to regain your life and the will to regain my mind, cause when I chose drink before famely,,,,,, then I´ve lost it!! insaine!!

I asked for help,,, and I got it! what made me do that was the grave consecvenses of my behavior.

and i am so wery glad for that, I hope that some that are in simular situations ,, can get some push and suport.

[tomartoh]

hi sweex

when i first came to thaialnd i had some advice from a doctor when i had a check up. it comes to mind now. something like 'take life a day at a time and make the most of each day'

so the stopping drinking can be said to be a day at a time, its easier than saying i am stopping forever, after all, a day is only a day.

good luck

[rucus7]

Feeling a bit smug and pleased with myself. not had a drink of alcohol for one whole year.

didnt stop with any particular expectations, but after a while it just became normal to not go boozing. and until recently i have run pubs and restaurants for 6 years here. even now i dont have any targets, like another year or two years or forever. I just dont drink at this time after over 50 years of it.

have to say how much better i feel. lost 8kilo, not got big belly. started jogging and recently mountain biking, dont feel as irritable and gf and i, she stopped nearly 6 months ago hardly ever fight now. saved a ton of money, although of course that got spent elsewhere. got through and survived serious stressful situations here in thailand

so any of you guys who recently stopped, just keep at it, its worth it. and for those thinking of stopping, it can be done. like life. take it a day at a time

Right On, It feels good to control the things in life we can. January 1, 1986 I decided to take a year long break from alcohol after six months I felt so good I stopped smoking. I have not had any alcohol or tobacco since.

[sweeex]

hi sweex

when i first came to thaialnd i had some advice from a doctor when i had a check up. it comes to mind now. something like 'take life a day at a time and make the most of each day'

so the stopping drinking can be said to be a day at a time, its easier than saying i am stopping forever, after all, a day is only a day.

good luck

hej,and thanks.

Yes, It gets easyer by thinking" today I wount drink,," forever feels so,,, bound! ( dont know the right word)

I´m in sweden now and wll be back in thailand in dec, for a couple of months. a litle scary,, no, exiting! it´s one thing to stay away from alcohol here in my calm everyday life,

I´ll just take a day at a time! planing to visit AA in khon kaen and other citys. belive khon kaen to be the nearest with english speaking group.

[tomartoh]

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

Just noticed the date, and its now 18 months off the booze

Feeling fitter and stronger and a lot better in health

Gotta keep this ball rolling

Dont give up all of you who are getting on the wagon, it can be done.

[ArthurPewty]

How do you deal with the sleeplessness? I am listening to I-Pods and posting here into the small hours. Not so bad as I still feel better in the morning and I am reading a lot, but is there anything to 'help'?

[StreetCowboy]

How do you deal with the sleeplessness? I am listening to I-Pods and posting here into the small hours. Not so bad as I still feel better in the morning and I am reading a lot, but is there anything to 'help'?

I tried getting up earlier in the morning. The first time that I tried this, the aim was to go for a bike ride before the traffic got up, with a view to being too tired to stay out till the small hours in the pub. THat didn't work, but I did enjoy the few bike rides I managed. Sadly, Bangkok is not so cycle-friendly, even at 5 am.

Anyway, the second time I tried it, the aim was to try to get fit as well as staying sober, so I went for an early morning swim before setting off to work. Th

[richieudon]

Hey guys, thanks very much for your great comments, makes me feel good and if i can help anyone else, please feel free to pm me.

I think the 1st month must be the hardest?

I said to myself I'm gonna have january off the beer

But, here I am typing whilst downing a cold one (and it tastes good)

Good on you, maybe you can be an inspiration to others

Chok dee krap!!

[StreetCowboy]

Hey guys, thanks very much for your great comments, makes me feel good and if i can help anyone else, please feel free to pm me.

I think the 1st month must be the hardest?

I said to myself I'm gonna have january off the beer

But, here I am typing whilst downing a cold one (and it tastes good)

Good on you, maybe you can be an inspiration to others

Chok dee krap!!

Its never too early to start your New Year's Resolutions, nor too late. Still time for four weeks dryness (aridity?) in January, if you hurry...

I remember going from one New Year to the next without a drink, to everyone's surprise. It was lucky Chinese New Year came early that year (the target was actually Hogmanay till Burns' Night).

SC

[speicher]

6 wks ! Yes it can be done, I never thought i would make it this long, but I have. Thanks to AA group and new friends it has been possible. I have some sleep issues sometimes but overall , not bad and its a lot better than the hangovers. I would like to start tennis if possible, thats the next goal.

[Colabamumbai]

Well done fellows, I feel like this may be an AA meeting.

[Pattayatony]

Well done fellows, I feel like this may be an AA meeting.

Last August I celebrated 29 years Off the Booze (Sobriety) and believe me NO ONE enjoyed a drink more than me & If the Good times had continued I would still be Drinking. As with all Alcoholics the trouble started >>>> Family, Work, Loosing Friends, Blackouts and My Health etc etc.

BUT I can only do it "One Day at a Time"

If your ever in Phnom Penh look me up.

Cheers Tony

[tomartoh]

How do you deal with the sleeplessness? I am listening to I-Pods and posting here into the small hours. Not so bad as I still feel better in the morning and I am reading a lot, but is there anything to 'help'?

i went into the local hospital and told them i was having trouble sleeping and feeling tired as a result. the doc . gave me xanax, and i have been taking 1/2 a 0.5mg tablet every night since, 9 or 10 months. a farang doctor friend tells me better to take these than not sleep and are not addictive. i don't know as i just keep taking them as i always have been a light sleeper. 5 bahts a tablet is cheap compared to the huge cost of the booze i got through

when i stopped drinking i started exercising and a bit of jogging and cycling, but the lack of sleep hindered the exercising, now i feel ok and can run a couple of kilometres or so around the local fitness park and none of the thais near my age are as fast as me and i can sprint through the traffic light changes at 45km p h on the bike and i got a few muscles to show now.

sometimes on a hot day i think it would be nice to have a cold beer, been there before, so i go buy a coke or an ice cream

thats some more days gone by pleasantly enough.

[ding]

tomartoh, that's great man! Hey, keep it up!

[tomartoh]

Just an update

Last week was 3 years off the booze

Life goes on.............................. without that problem

Feeling good

[Sheryl]

congratulations!!!

[GrahamF]

Good to hear......Congratulations!!!!!

[RickThai]

Three years! That's the ticket! I'm glad you have discovered a new life after booze. I think that's the best part.

Sincere Congratulations.

Rick

[Chonburiram]

Congratulations,

Do you still use Xanax daily/ sometimes/ reduced-increased dose?