Quit using Alcohol? Are you crazy it makes life better! Really?
The following are real life people who are/were using Alcohol on routine basis who decided to quit for a variety of reasons. Information is being provided for you to consider whether or not your alcohol drinking is "really working for you" as well as and understanding that if it becomes an addiction in your life, these WILL BE the consequences of continued use in your life! The format for these posts are 1) short demographics of the person, 2) their drug of choice, 3) benefits of using alcohol, and 4) the negative consequences that occurred which caused them to want to quit.
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- 21 yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "makes me feel happy &
loved." Reason to quit: "Going against my own morals/values - took mom's credit card & spent $400 on it." - 24 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Helps me avoid reality or to ignore responsibilities without remorse." Reason to quit: "Have had a drug/alcohol problem for past 10 years, tired of it." - 25yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "clears distractions, removes irritability, allows me to 'check out'." Reason to quit: "If I didn't do something about it, it would do something to me. Life was getting out of control." - 26 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "socially acceptable w/ friends & helped to meet women. I feel ugly when I am sober." Reason to quit: "My binge drinking & problems w/ self-esteem." - 27 yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "feel like I can do anything, relieves all the pressure and guilt I feel." Reasons to quit: "Drinking every day about 3-4 pints of vodka; driving while drinking." - 27 yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "It use to be fun - now it just makes me sleepy and anxious." Reason to quit: "Have Alcoholism, I lost my job, & had social & family problems." - 28 yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Numbs, relaxes, makes me sleep, forget my problems, helps me party and have a good time." Reason to quit: "Husband was filing for divorce; my young daughter saw me fall down stairs drunk." - 29 yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Relaxes me, takes the edge off, makes me happy and loving." Reason to quit: "Drinking all day every day & my family found out about it." - 29 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Takes a load off. Helps to have fun with friends." Reason to quit: "Looking in the mirror at myself and saw death." - 29yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Relieves anxiety, dulls the anger, chills me out, liquid courage." Reason to quit: "Alcohol was controlling me, not the other way around." - 30 yr, Hisp. woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Makes me relax, kick back, speak my mind." Reason to quit: "Alcoholism, 2 DUI's, not managing life the way I want or need to." - 30 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Temporarily changes my feelings, confidence, and self-esteem for the better." Reason to quit: "Alcohol binges that were out of control & my selfish behavior." - 32 yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Relaxes me, talk more freely, makes me feel better for the moment." Reason to quit: "Trouble w/ family, started missing work, loss of control." - 33 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Relaxes me, takes me away from problems temporarily." Reason to quit: "consuming large amount of alcohol during day & night." - 36 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: escape problems. Reason to quit: "causes pain, family problems, legal & financial issues; wife left with their babie children." - 37 yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "helps me to escape my negative emotions - anger, fear, anxiety, hurt, depression." Reasons to quit: "got a DWI w/ a child in vehicle - felony, CPS involved." - 37 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Drinking numbs my stress." Reason to quit: "My drinking got out of control." - 38 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "makes me high & happy for a short while then makes me pass out." Reason to quit: "job loss; alienation from friends & family; financial problems; loss of trust with employees and family." - 39 yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Relaxes me. Takes me out of my own skin, helps me to feel better." Reason to quit: "Drinking became more important than my children & other family." |
- 41 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "stress reliever."
Reasons to quit: "urging from family and friends." - 42 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Loosens me up." Reason to quit: "Drinking is a problem now, having black-outs." - 43yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Forget the outside world; creates a hiding place for me." Reason to quit: "Drinking instead of working; lying to family and to co- workers." - 44 yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Numbs me out, but not sure from what exactly." Reason to quit: "DWI w/ my teen daughter in car w/ me during Christmas time." - 44 yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "makes me feel good." Reason to quit: "My husband told me to move out." - 44yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "makes me feel good, think it's not noticed by family or friends." Reason to quit: "Husband wants a divorce; failed at last chance to quit drinking; endangered my children's lives." - 45 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Escape, pain relief." Reason to quit: "have Alcoholism." - 46 yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "makes me feel 6 ft tall and bullet proof." Reason to quit: "staying out late which led to losing my children and husband by them moving out." - 46 yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "makes me feel good." Reason to quit: "caused destruction of family & want to save my family." - 46 yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "relieves my stress temporarily, helps me forget my problems." Reason to quit: "drinking to an extreme level more than ever before, causing depression." - 46 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Tastes good, excuse not to have to avoid work; makes day go by faster." Reason to quit: " Drinking all day." - 47 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "I associate alcohol with having fun." Reason to quit: "Alcohol is getting more important than me & all that I love (family, spirituality, etc.). - 47 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "let me sleep w/o hearing voices, helps me forget about issues, relaxes me after stressful day." Reason to quit: family problems and personal health issues. - 51 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "helps me stop worrying, helps me sleep, helps me forget, helps me blow off the people that bother me." Reason to quit: "Binge drinking, noticeable work absences; inability to enjoy life because of it." - 53 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "feels good, reduces stress." Reason to quit: "4th DUI." - 59 yr, white woman; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "It makes me feel good." Reason to quit: "Started drinking again after 6 months of sobriety, want sobriety back." - 62 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "Keeps me going." Reason to quit: "relapsed after 12 yrs of sobriety, want sobriety back." - 63 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: "drinking makes my neck and feet not hurt so much; numbs me up." Reason to quit: "causing problems" - 64 yr, white man; ALCOHOL; benefits of use: " makes me feel better & cools me off." Reason to quit: drinking too much, health problems. |
