Giving up drinking for 1 year

A lot of crappy life hit me over the last 1-2 years.

Divorce (good to be away from that woman, but I only see my 3 kids every other weekend. Slightly hell)

Death of my Mom. Never easy.

Other assorted crap both related to the above, and unrelated.

Anyways, I decided that I have been drinking more and more and more.

I hardly taste beer anymore, it is just drinking to drink.

2 weeks ago I dumped 7 or 8 gallons from my 3 kegs and retired them for a year.

I will still post on here, but for 1 year I will not drink. I will see how I feel then.

Wow.
Sorry to hear about all the crap - I do understand.
Since I split up with my 13-year gf, before Christmas, I started drinking heavily (gin & tonics mostly) - and about a month ago, I decided that really wasn't working for me. I haven't quit, but I'm back to 'normal' and have thrown myself into remodeling my kitchen - keeping busy helps me a lot.

best wishes for you !!!

Good for you, man. If youre not homebrewing to make good beer, but to simply apply alcohol to your bloodstream, you're doing it wrong.

Sorry for you life sucking. It does get better.

So sorry to hear of your troubles. Been there done that sans the drinking. Be good to yourself and your kids. Let us all know if you need any help. Be well....

I don't know...still reading up and posting about homebrewing while not homebrewing would be pretty harsh. Personally, I think I'd just take a hiatus from all of it. We'll still be here for you.

I decided to quit for a day one time but around 4 or so I reconsidered.

Hang in there bud.

Hang in there man. This too shall pass...

Best of luck, enjoy the kids.

I lost my Dad 6 months ago, it's a bad deal. I didn't think it would have been as hard as it was. I support you cycling sober for a bit, keep the faith. You can do it.

I have my vices, but I hardly drink anymore. Mostly because it was too much of my budget to constantly buy craft beer, and then it got to the point where I couldn't afford to buy ingredients to make beer either.

To be honest, I don't really miss drinking. I did miss brewing intensely though. I'm not sure I would be able to give up brewing for a full year if I could afford it. It's the process that I enjoy the most, rather than the product.

Perhaps you can make beer for your buddies and relatives?

Best of luck in any event.

Thanks everyone!

I love to cook and may see my waistline increase. I am trying to throw myself into exercise, but the weather sucks.

2 weeks in and I am hardly tempted. i think this will help me to face some things that I had been drinking to avoid, and can't help but be good for my liver!

Good on you, cheezy!! To be able to see through a fog and recognize what's not helping is more than most people can achieve by themselves, let alone to create a goal and stick it out. You WILL feel much better when you reach your goal - without a doubt! Keep up the good work!!

Being able to see that you were drinking to self medicate or fill a void is a huge step. I admire you buddy for being able to see what was happening and take the steps to resolve it.

But really man dumping BEER. I would rather see a church burn than wasted beer

Start some awesome sours my friend! Cant touch em for a year.
Congrats on being strong

Good luck cheezy!

cheezydemon3 said:

Thanks everyone!

I love to cook and may see my waistline increase. I am trying to throw myself into exercise, but the weather sucks.

2 weeks in and I am hardly tempted. i think this will help me to face some things that I had been drinking to avoid, and can't help but be good for my liver!

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Life has a tendency to sneak up behind you and kick you in the A$$ when least expected.

I applaud your ability to recognize a bad situation and take corrective action. Not an easy task but you can do it.

Personally, I have a good friend of mine who was a father growing up that I still stay in contact who's life had been swallowed by excessive alcohol consumption over the past 10 year.

Iv'e watched him slide down a slippery slope. For the past 5 years I can't get him to leave his house because he must be home by 9pm each night for his drinking ritual. He's lost interest in everything.

As I'm sure you know, excessive drinking effects more people than just yourself. Keep your kids in mind when temptation strikes.

BTW, cooking is a great hobby but I hope you are thinking healthy cooking. Food, in my opinion, is an equal danger to ones health. Take it from a food addict.

Good luck and look forward to hearing about your progress.

Rough man.

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles this past year. I also tend to drink more when things are tough...it doesn't help, we all know it but we do it anyway. I have a tough time not drinking for 5 days straight, let alone 1 year! I'm sure it gets easy to stop cold turkey after a week or 2.

Jayhem said:

Rough man.

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles this past year. I also tend to drink more when things are tough...it doesn't help, we all know it but we do it anyway. I have a tough time not drinking for 5 days straight, let alone 1 year! I'm sure it gets easy to stop cold turkey after a week or 2.

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Day 4 and 5 were way tougher than day 14, but a complacency tries to sneak in..........

"14 days. No beer, not even tempted! You have it beat buddy!!!! Why not get a sixer? You can drink 1 tonight and one just every once in a while to prove who is in charge!"

I have to do a year or I have failed myself.

Rough couple of years Cheezy. Sorry to hear about everything.

Once you learn to recogonize those events that trigger you to want a beer, it will make lasting for a full year easier. Just like you said, that complacency can kick in and you will mentally try to talk yourself into having a beer. As time goes by the mental arguements will get even stronger. You will start thinking "Wow 6 months and not a single beer? Go ahead and have just one when out with friends. Think of it as a celebration/reward for how good you have been."

For me one of my biggest "I want a beer." triggers was after cutting the lawn on a hot day summer day. It always got me thinking "It is just one beer, and it would taste so good right now." Next thing I knew, one beer after cutting the lawn would turn into one beer a night after work, which then turned into 6 beers on a weekend...I solved all of that by just letting my wife cut the lawn from now on.

Keep up the good work. I am pulling for you.

Guess I need a calendar. I have heard that seeing those x's connected in sort of a chain (as you mark off the days), motivate you to not want to break the chain.

Here you go -

that sounds like a good plan.

jcam91 said:

Start some awesome sours my friend! Cant touch em for a year.
Congrats on being strong

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Yeah, that's a great idea. Start a few big beers that you can't or don't want to touch for over a year. Then you will have a nice reward waiting when you finish.

At the end of the year you may find yourself in control of overpowering influences you previously dismissed as insignificant.

If absolutely nothing else you are assured a journey of discovery and probably a great deal of time to absorb it.

What is it about brewers that make them a cut above?

I found the same thing true of people that love to grow things, and usually of people that love to cook. What is it about those hobbies that make us compassionate and decent people?

Or perhaps it is those qualities paired with a sense of curiosity and creativity that cause us to pursue such hobbies to begin with?

Either way......

cheezydemon3 said:

What is it about brewers that make them a cut above?

I found the same thing true of people that love to grow things, and usually of people that love to cook. What is it about those hobbies that make us compassionate and decent people?

Or perhaps it is those qualities paired with a sense of curiosity and creativity that cause us to pursue such hobbies to begin with?

Either way......

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It simply comes from the ability to create wonderful things that you wish to share with others just because you can. You will also find these are most often the people who will volunteer to do what needs doing just for doing it.

There really are some good people out there, they are just very hard to find sometimes.

krackin said:

It simply comes from the ability to create wonderful things that you wish to share with others just because you can. You will also find these are most often the people who will volunteer to do what needs doing just for doing it.

There really are some good people out there, they are just very hard to find sometimes.

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Fortunately we don't have to look too far!!!

If any of you wil be passing through Louisville, Ky let me know.

cheezydemon3 said:

A lot of crappy life hit me over the last 1-2 years.

Divorce (good to be away from that woman, but I only see my 3 kids every other weekend. Slightly hell)

Death of my Mom. Never easy.

Other assorted crap both related to the above, and unrelated.

Anyways, I decided that I have been drinking more and more and more.

I hardly taste beer anymore, it is just drinking to drink.

2 weeks ago I dumped 7 or 8 gallons from my 3 kegs and retired them for a year.

I will still post on here, but for 1 year I will not drink. I will see how I feel then.

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I'm sorry for your issues but respect your decision.

cheezydemon3 said:

2 weeks ago I dumped 7 or 8 gallons from my 3 kegs and retired them for a year.

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Do what you got to do, however dumping those pour souls...that's just wrong man.

brewingmeister said:

Do what you got to do, however dumping those pour souls...that's just wrong man.

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Lol, I can resist buying beer at the store, but the taps are just too convenient. It was partly symbolic.

ALSO....I had started an experiment on the difference of vienna and munich in non-hoppy pale ales (which, as it turns out, isn't much) so I was dumping mediocre ales, not my patented over the top IIPA or my "Blacker than your soul" Stout. Those got finished with a bit of help from some friends.

During marathon season I'll stop drinking for a month or so. Getting out of the habit of sitting on the couch with a beer is the hardest part for me, but I just replace with different habits. Exercise is a substitute. I dropped 30-40 lbs by getting off my ass and it feels great. Your goal is ambitious but I'm a go big or go home sort of person so.. I get it. Congrats man!

ilikeguns said:

During marathon season I'll stop drinking for a month or so. Getting out of the habit of sitting on the couch with a beer is the hardest part for me, but I just replace with different habits. Exercise is a substitute. I dropped 30-40 lbs by getting off my ass and it feels great. Your goal is ambitious but I'm a go big or go home sort of person so.. I get it. Congrats man!

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Walking or jogging is about the only exercise I can get motivated for. I am in FANTASTIC shape (I say that because my couch potato status of the last year should leave me otherwise) but I sit at home, I sit at a desk at work.

cheezydemon3 said:

Walking or jogging is about the only exercise I can get motivated for.

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Same here man.. I struggle to get motivated for anything but running. If running is your thing, sign up for a race. I started doing half marathons a few years back and then started doing the full ones. NYC Marathon is in November.. just sayin..

Good luck to you. Keep at it.

There's nothing wrong at all with taking some time off. Gotta jump off the Ferris wheel every now and then. Take care of yourself first - the booze will still be there when you get back.. Best of luck - and hopefully things start to look up..

Seems like you've got a good sense of yourself and are making a smart decision that way to many people fail to make. The beer will be here when you get back!

cheezydemon3 said:

Thanks everyone!

I love to cook and may see my waistline increase. I am trying to throw myself into exercise, but the weather sucks.

2 weeks in and I am hardly tempted. i think this will help me to face some things that I had been drinking to avoid, and can't help but be good for my liver!

Click to expand...

You're a noble man. Good on you, pal. I'll drink one in your honor this evening!

Good luck on you journey Cheezy. I wish you all the best and hope you find what your looking for.

Quite admirable good luck. We are always here to lend a helping and supporting hand.

We had dinner with Cheezy tonight, one of the coolest guys I've ever met. Nobody needs to worry, he's gonna be just fine.

I stopped drinking for 6 months. I drank 54 beers in a week when my week nights consisted of 7 pm to 9 pm. I decided to stop and got a grip on my problem. My 2 year old was having random seizures every couple weeks and it was stressing then hell out of me. So I decided one less thing to worry about. I have to say the first couple weeks were easy. Look what I have done! Then after about a month it gets tough. Then better. I have since learned to regulate myself. If I feel I'm consuming to much. I just cut back. Best of luck to you

headbanger said:

We had dinner with Cheezy tonight, one of the coolest guys I've ever met. Nobody needs to worry, he's gonna be just fine.

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With the help of some good friends and some of the coolest people I've ever met, how could I fail?