Has anyone on here battled alcohol addiction?

skip dog · Apr 26, 2026

hey man......so much good info and encouragement from folks on this board.....I have wonderful friends who have recovered, and a family member that long ago was on his way to the grave, and multiple walkouts of treatment.....one day, something triggered, he went to AA, and followed the plan, and his life changed for the better........

proud of you for recognizing it is a problem, and posting it here. Correct above, you have to do this for you, and YOU can do this.....need inspiration, look at your 9 year old and your wife, and get to work on getting sober.

Best of luck, and I hope when you struggle, you will post on this board........mainly, so you can get encouraged and know that good folk are praying for your strength to get through this.

Good luck my friend

paindonthurt · Apr 26, 2026

Anon201138 said:
I’m totally aware that 75-90% of this country drinks responsibly, I’m not demonizing alcohol. Most people go to a baseball game have 4-6 beers eat a hot dog, maybe some popcorn, and go home.

I’ve never done an illegal drug in my life. But right now, I’m drinking a fifth a day. Sometimes a fifth a day and 6 more beers after that. Somehow it has not affected my job as I wake up every morning and go, do my best. But I’ll get sober for a month, 2 months, hell I’ve been sober for 13 months before. But I keep coming back.

This may sound corny, but MSU athletic success makes me happy. It’s one of the few things in life that I don’t need to booze to enjoy. I have started posting here because I know it’s a group of people that want us to win every f*cking game like I do. Come from behind wins like tonight watching with my 9 year old are pure joy. But I still think about booze every f*cking day.

Have you ever been addicted to alcohol? If so, how did you overcome it?

Just asking but do you drink so much bc you can’t get drunk or does it just happen?

if you are able to go months without it, maybe try buying a pint each day. Or even just every other day.

22yardpunt · Apr 26, 2026

Anon201138 said:
Both of those were 3+ years ago. I had a problem even before that. My point is that I’ve had some tragic events in my life, and I didn’t even during those perioids drink to cope with those.

The problem, at least for me, is that alcohol is everywhere. Let’s say you were addicted to heroin. Well, that’s a tough thing to beat, but heroin is not sold in every gas station and grocery store. It’s not consumed at most social functions.

I travel a lot for work. What happens to me is that I will get sober for an extended period of time, I’m talking months not days. And then I’ll be at a dinner, or at a social event, and say okay I’ll have one beer or glass of wine. Sometimes I DO have that 1-2 glasses of wine or beer and that’s it’s. But maybe every 4-5th time I have 5 beers, and find myself ordering Uber Eats alcohol and polishing off a pint of whiskey after that dinner by myself in my hotel room. Then I get on a horrible binge that last weeks.

I don’t even know why, I don’t even know what triggers it.

Doesn’t sound like you can allow yourself to have any alcohol - zero. And if it’s a dinner or social event, order a seltzer water with a lime or a non-alcoholic beer. If you’re concerned about being judged for not drinking - funk ‘em. They don’t know you and what you have to do to keep it straight.

TroyMcClure2025 · Apr 26, 2026

22yardpunt said:
Doesn’t sound like you can allow yourself to have any alcohol - zero. And if it’s a dinner or social event, order a seltzer water with a lime or a non-alcoholic beer. If you’re concerned about being judged for not drinking - funk ‘em. They don’t know you and what you have to do to keep it straight.

I thought alcoholism was a prerequisite to posting on this board?

Yeti · Apr 26, 2026

May you find the path to kick this habit. I have not experienced this but from a close friend who did and has been sober for years it took AA to get there. This may sound crazy but you might look into GLP1 to kickstart your journey…some studies show they help reduce the craving …do what it takes to stop. For you and those around you Use this board for encouragement

biodawg · Apr 26, 2026

OG Goat Holder said:
That’s it right there, man - stress.

I know it’s first world problems but if somebody dropped off about 100K at my house so I could get out from under things, I’d probably quit drinking.

It took sooo much therapy for me to realize my triggers and things that go along with it. My main one is money. About a month after I quit, our dishwasher crapped out. Man, I wanted to drive up to the liquor store and grab a handle, but deep down, I knew it wouldn’t solve anything and the damn thing would still be broken when I woke up the next morning. Haha. Like someone said, you have to just wake up one day and be like “enough is enough, I CANT drink anymore”. The “want” to drink will last well beyond that, but you just have to kick yourself in the nuts and say no. Best decision I ever made. The road to quitting was a long one for me, but once I made the commitment to myself, that was it. I was done. I knew I was basically at the point where I had to choose my family or booze. And the choice was easy for me. I’ll extend the same offer to you or anyone else. If I can help in any way, DM me. I’ll help if I’m at all able.

Motodawg · Apr 26, 2026

Anon201138 said:
I’m totally aware that 75-90% of this country drinks responsibly, I’m not demonizing alcohol. Most people go to a baseball game have 4-6 beers eat a hot dog, maybe some popcorn, and go home.

I’ve never done an illegal drug in my life. But right now, I’m drinking a fifth a day. Sometimes a fifth a day and 6 more beers after that. Somehow it has not affected my job as I wake up every morning and go, do my best. But I’ll get sober for a month, 2 months, hell I’ve been sober for 13 months before. But I keep coming back.

This may sound corny, but MSU athletic success makes me happy. It’s one of the few things in life that I don’t need to booze to enjoy. I have started posting here because I know it’s a group of people that want us to win every f*cking game like I do. Come from behind wins like tonight watching with my 9 year old are pure joy. But I still think about booze every f*cking day.

Have you ever been addicted to alcohol? If so, how did you overcome it?

My biggest thing is anxiety. I feel like I can’t have fun or really be in public anymore without a few beers. I’m not sure when it started but I wasn’t much of a drinker and more of a weed guy and at some point traded one for the other and then it became an everyday thing. The anxiety just gets worse and worse as I get older and I’ve noticed it’s become how I cope with it and it’s scary. I was prescribed to benzos but that **** sucks so I put it down pretty quickly. Glad to know I’m not alone, I guess.

Anon201138 · Apr 26, 2026

S fee d

Motodawg said:
My biggest thing is anxiety. I feel like I can’t have fun or really be in public anymore without a few beers. I’m not sure when it started but I wasn’t much of a drinker and more of a weed guy and at some point traded one for the other and then it became an everyday thing. The anxiety just gets worse and worse as I get older and I’ve noticed it’s become how I cope with it and it’s scary. I was prescribed to benzos but that **** sucks so I put it down pretty quickly. Glad to know I’m not alone, I guess.

That’s the biggest problem. 3-6 beers over a night is perfect. Not sloppy drunk, just a little bit more loose and able to have social interactions. The problem for me is, even though it’s less than 1/3 of the time, those 4 beers turn into a dozen.

ronpolk · Apr 26, 2026

OG Goat Holder said:
That’s it right there, man - stress.

I know it’s first world problems but if somebody dropped off about 100K at my house so I could get out from under things, I’d probably quit drinking.

Maybe downsize some.

MagicDawg · Apr 26, 2026

Get to AA. Or a Celebrate Recovery group. But get a group to help you in this fight.

Alcoholism destroyed my great-aunt's life and her sunset years. It made life difficult for everyone else in her family. Her husband covered it up for her for a long time, but after he died it was a constant mess for the rest of her life.

Get help while you can think clearly. Please and God bless you.

dstatechamps · Apr 26, 2026

Anon201138 said:
Have you ever been addicted to alcohol? If so, how did you overcome it?

Good luck on your journey and I hope you do well. Even if you don't go to meetings, find someone to talk to. It definitely helps. There are a lot of online forums you can interact with that you can look at also if an in person group setting isn't your thing.

OG Goat Holder · Apr 26, 2026

ronpolk said:
Maybe downsize some.

Not quite as easy as it sounds (it never is) but yes looking into things like that.

OG Goat Holder · Apr 26, 2026

biodawg said:
It took sooo much therapy for me to realize my triggers and things that go along with it. My main one is money. About a month after I quit, our dishwasher crapped out. Man, I wanted to drive up to the liquor store and grab a handle, but deep down, I knew it wouldn’t solve anything and the damn thing would still be broken when I woke up the next morning. Haha. Like someone said, you have to just wake up one day and be like “enough is enough, I CANT drink anymore”. The “want” to drink will last well beyond that, but you just have to kick yourself in the nuts and say no. Best decision I ever made. The road to quitting was a long one for me, but once I made the commitment to myself, that was it. I was done. I knew I was basically at the point where I had to choose my family or booze. And the choice was easy for me. I’ll extend the same offer to you or anyone else. If I can help in any way, DM me. I’ll help if I’m at all able.

So what do you do to replace it? I’m not an addictive personality, but it’s one of those things to where it becomes your ‘happy place’. There’s a lot of things about life that it feels like you can’t change. And not to mention my age (40s) is statistically the unhappiest of life. Really it’s about just not killing yourself (long term) during those stressful times of life.

I noticed a change in my mentality during COVID. Just seeing how the world can illogically turn upside down really just triggered a lot of cynicism in me. It’s been a shitshow since then, many things I once believed in simply became null and void.

OG Goat Holder · Apr 26, 2026

Motodawg said:
My biggest thing is anxiety. I feel like I can’t have fun or really be in public anymore without a few beers. I’m not sure when it started but I wasn’t much of a drinker and more of a weed guy and at some point traded one for the other and then it became an everyday thing. The anxiety just gets worse and worse as I get older and I’ve noticed it’s become how I cope with it and it’s scary. I was prescribed to benzos but that **** sucks so I put it down pretty quickly. Glad to know I’m not alone, I guess.

I’m with you on the anxiety too.

biodawg · Apr 26, 2026

OG Goat Holder said:
So what do you do to replace it? I’m not an addictive personality, but it’s one of those things to where it becomes your ‘happy place’. There’s a lot of things about life that it feels like you can’t change. And not to mention my age (40s) is statistically the unhappiest of life. Really it’s about just not killing yourself (long term) during those stressful times of life.

I noticed a change in my mentality during COVID. Just seeing how the world can illogically turn upside down really just triggered a lot of cynicism in me. It’s been a shitshow since then, many things I once believed in simply became null and void.

I just turned 40. My time that I spent drinking, now I spend either at the gym, or actually spending meaningful time with my kids. I started out walking around my neighborhood and just doing stuff that I had neglected around the house (because I spent pretty much every moment that I wasn’t at work drinking). Getting the yard/flower beds back in shape, cleaning the garage, etc. I volunteer at our church now, and have gotten involved in a couple of men’s Bible study groups.

I don’t go crazy at the gym. 3-4 days/week. The key time is the first 3-4 months after you quit. Don’t sit at home by yourself and think about not drinking all afternoon. When I first quit, if I got off work early, I wouldn’t even go home. I’d keep a fishing rod and tackle box in the back of my truck and go fish for 2 hours ant the reservoir until my wife and kids were close to getting home. Or pack some clothes and go somewhere and go for a long walk. But you’re definitely on the right track in that you have to fill that time that you previously spent drinking with other activities. You can’t just go home and fill that time with nothing.

I will say that since I quit drinking, I have developed one helluva sweet tooth haha. But even with that, not drinking coupled with exercise and losing weight, my A1C dropped from 5.6 to 5.0 in the last year. I haven’t lost a ton of weight (~30ish lbs), but I’m much healthier and stronger.

chefdawg · Apr 26, 2026

There is some great advice on here, and naturally what works for some, doesn’t for others. I am 13 months in from ditching the sauce, and it’s been amazing. I don’t go to meetings, but am lucky to have a great wife and siblings, so my support system isn’t as a hands on thing, but they serve as the motivation I need just by being available. I will say I never did the THC thing growing up, and I’m not suggesting switching one vice for the other, but an occasional THC seltzer or 1/2 a gummy on the couch after dinner are 1000000% better for me than the multiple cocktails or glasses of wine were. I go with very small doses and it’s not nightly, but the difference is unreal; it just slows my ADHD brain down enough to relax a little bit while still having complete awareness. More relaxed than high in small doses; it’s a very misunderstood product when (like anything else) used as intended. That said, piece together what advice is practical for you, and professional help is available everywhere; get that ball rolling and best of luck

ronpolk · Apr 26, 2026

OG Goat Holder said:
Not quite as easy as it sounds (it never is) but yes looking into things like that.

Yeah, I completely get it. Hopefully you’re able to figure something out, especially if it reduces stress and drinking.

greenbean.sixpack · Apr 26, 2026

OG Goat Holder said:
So what do you do to replace it? I’m not an addictive personality, but it’s one of those things to where it becomes your ‘happy place’. There’s a lot of things about life that it feels like you can’t change. And not to mention my age (40s) is statistically the unhappiest of life. Really it’s about just not killing yourself (long term) during those stressful times of life.

I noticed a change in my mentality during COVID. Just seeing how the world can illogically turn upside down really just triggered a lot of cynicism in me. It’s been a shitshow since then, many things I once believed in simply became null and void.

I with you on COVID, the impacts on the shutdowns, which lasted for years in some places, will be felt for many years to come.

Have you tried Delta 9 gummies? A gummy is usually less than a dollar and gives me a better feeling than being drunk (hangovers are terrible for me), and you get a good nights rest and wake ready to go.

olblue · Apr 26, 2026

OG Goat Holder said:
I’m with you on the anxiety too.

Peace

OG Goat Holder · Apr 26, 2026

greenbean.sixpack said:
I with you on COVID, the impacts on the shutdowns, which lasted for years in some places, will be felt for many years to come.

Have you tried Delta 9 gummies? A gummy is usually less than a dollar and gives me a better feeling than being drunk (hangovers are terrible for me), and you get a good nights rest and wake ready to go.

Can’t do thc, job wise. Wish I could.

85Bears · Apr 26, 2026

I think a lot of it is genetic, your ability to metabolize ethanol. when I was in my twenties I could go,out and put away a 12 pack and get up and have a pretty normal day, now it would damn near kill me and I’d be worthless the next day. So I only drink a couple times a month if that, usually if we go out to dinner, vacation or a sporting event.

if I could wake up and feel great I’d probably drink a lot more often. So my inability to metabolize alcohol prevents me from abusing alcohol. I had a friend whose uncle went drinking with us one night, he had never had a hang over in his life and could put away hard liquor like nobodies business. He could metabolize alcohol great apparently, and he was an alcoholic.

the best natural treatment for stress and anxiety imo is physical exercise.

22yardpunt · Apr 26, 2026

When I was younger I could have my share of drinks, go home and sleep it off and sleep in and be decent the next day unless I’d gotten just trashed the night before. Then, I got married, started a career, and had kids, all of which meant my tail is out of bed by 6 or so every day. So now, when I have some drinks I still wake up at the same time and I feel like complete garbage because I can’t sleep in and sleep it off. So that’s a big reason why I don’t drink nearly as much / don’t want to waste days.

OG Goat Holder · Apr 26, 2026

85Bears said:
I think a lot of it is genetic, your ability to metabolize ethanol. when I was in my twenties I could go,out and put away a 12 pack and get up and have a pretty normal day, now it would damn near kill me and I’d be worthless the next day. So I only drink a couple times a month if that, usually if we go out to dinner, vacation or a sporting event.

if I could wake up and feel great I’d probably drink a lot more often. So my inability to metabolize alcohol prevents me from abusing alcohol. I had a friend whose uncle went drinking with us one night, he had never had a hang over in his life and could put away hard liquor like nobodies business. He could metabolize alcohol great apparently, and he was an alcoholic.

the best natural treatment for stress and anxiety imo is physical exercise.

The hangover is all that stops me honestly. I have to remind myself that first drink of coffee is better.

Perd Hapley · Apr 26, 2026

Anon201138 said:
It comes in all shapes and sizes. I’ve paid $30k over 2 rehab trips (no I’m not rich, it was just necessary) to try and kick it. The problem, at least for me, is that all of these places and Alcoholics Anonymous use religion, “a higher power”, as the basis for their programs.

I was raised Baptist, I still go to church even today. But religion, at least for me, doesn’t help me when it comes to this problem. Clinical, professional help does. But I have yet to find a program that doesn’t tell me if I just pray I won’t have the urge to drink.

Not in AA, but I have done and am currently doing quite a bit of 12-step work on the Anon side due some very close family addictions that have wreaked havoc upon my life, and my own unhealthy coping processes around those things. Pretty much every 12-step program out there draws significantly (if not exclusively) from the AA model, so I’ve got a little knowledge there.

If it’s the “religious” thing you are struggling with, I think you may want to give AA another look. AA and others are definitely spiritual programs, but they aren’t necessarily “religious”. It’s all about the God of your own understanding, which may or may not align with the religious God you are accustomed to. Your problem is not a unique one. Many folks come into the rooms and hit a wall around the “Higher Power” concept - especially atheists or those who had some type of traumatic or hypocritical experience growing up in the church.

One thing I’ve heard many recovered fellows share with those individuals is that accepting a Higher Power simply means acknowledging that there is some power in the world or universe greater than yourself - that YOU are not God, pretty much. It’s about simply letting go of control vs. accepting or praying on things to your theological God (Christian, Muslim, or whatever).

Letting go of self-will and letting things land where they need to land is 17ing hard. But it helps to apply that practical concept. And if you deeply work Steps 2 and 3, you might find that who or what you truly accept as God - with everything stripped away - might be very different than what you’ve always thought you “believed” growing up. Or not. Either way, you can still move forward in the program.

Thank you the vulnerability of sharing your deep struggle here. That’s certainly a great start. “Keep coming back”, as they say.

skipperDawg · Apr 26, 2026

Don’t wanna piss in these Cheerios here, but I’ve been drinking every night for close to 27 years. I could count the hangovers on two hands that I’ve had in that time. Also, after retiring picked up an old habit that includes the devil salad.(ask our resident devil) and at67 I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. I guess genetics it’s just different from one person to the other, but I wouldn’t change a thing.

BioChemDawg · Apr 27, 2026

Speaking as a doctor, I wouldn’t wish the sequelae of alcohol abuse on anybody. Cirrhosis is a ***** to live with, and one of the hardest things for internists to manage. I promise you don’t want that for yourself.

Like someone else mentioned, don’t do this alone. Alcohol withdrawal can be deadly. Let a doctor wean you off with medication. There are also proven medications that we have to reduce cravings once the acute withdrawal period is over. Add in something like AA and/or cognitive behavioral therapy, and you’ve got a good recipe for success.

I’ll be thinking about you and praying for you. I’m in Jackson at UMMC. Feel free to reach out and I’m happy to point you in the direction of some folks who can help.

Motodawg · Apr 27, 2026

OG Goat Holder said:
I’m with you on the anxiety too.

I am many people like to give you **** on here but it’s cool to see you be open and honest about something like this and willing to help out a fellow dog. We all can disagree on everything but the one thing that is most important, we are all dogs! Hail state!

Theconnormead · Apr 27, 2026

Anon201138 said:
I’m totally aware that 75-90% of this country drinks responsibly, I’m not demonizing alcohol. Most people go to a baseball game have 4-6 beers eat a hot dog, maybe some popcorn, and go home.

I’ve never done an illegal drug in my life. But right now, I’m drinking a fifth a day. Sometimes a fifth a day and 6 more beers after that. Somehow it has not affected my job as I wake up every morning and go, do my best. But I’ll get sober for a month, 2 months, hell I’ve been sober for 13 months before. But I keep coming back.

This may sound corny, but MSU athletic success makes me happy. It’s one of the few things in life that I don’t need to booze to enjoy. I have started posting here because I know it’s a group of people that want us to win every f*cking game like I do. Come from behind wins like tonight watching with my 9 year old are pure joy. But I still think about booze every f*cking day.

Have you ever been addicted to alcohol? If so, how did you overcome it?

I haven’t personally gone through it, but addiction runs deep in my family, so I’ve always tried to stay aware. My brother, on the other hand, wasn’t as cautious, and it nearly cost him everything. He got sober about 17 years ago, and I’ve never been more proud of anyone.

Today, he’s built an incredible life, one never possible before. He still goes to meetings and has helped a lot of people find their way to sobriety—never pushing, only supporting those who truly want it. It’s one of the best recovery stories I’ve ever seen.

If you’ve got kids, and you’re struggling, use them as motivation if nothing else. It can make all the difference.

Wishing you all the best.

Seinfeld · Apr 27, 2026

OG Goat Holder said:
So what do you do to replace it? I’m not an addictive personality, but it’s one of those things to where it becomes your ‘happy place’. There’s a lot of things about life that it feels like you can’t change. And not to mention my age (40s) is statistically the unhappiest of life. Really it’s about just not killing yourself (long term) during those stressful times of life.

I noticed a change in my mentality during COVID. Just seeing how the world can illogically turn upside down really just triggered a lot of cynicism in me. It’s been a shitshow since then, many things I once believed in simply became null and void.

Yeah, I’m finding out that our 40s really is a tough decade.

Our parents’ generation is getting older and less self sufficient. Many have even lost moms/dads

Our kids that used to be young enough to be our beacon of happiness and innocence are now old enough to be dealing with all the crap that you never want anyone to have to experience. Social pressure, anxiety, depression…

And then there’s the little matter of financial stress that you brought up and that I’d wager 99% of the population are feeling.

I won’t ever pretend to have all the answers, but some of the best advice I ever got was just to stay busy. Gym, yard, coaching, church, kids’ activities… doesn’t matter. Just keep yourself busy. Everyone needs a little downtime every now and then, but too much of it can lead us all down a rocky path.

Seinfeld · Apr 27, 2026

biodawg said:
I just turned 40. My time that I spent drinking, now I spend either at the gym, or actually spending meaningful time with my kids. I started out walking around my neighborhood and just doing stuff that I had neglected around the house (because I spent pretty much every moment that I wasn’t at work drinking). Getting the yard/flower beds back in shape, cleaning the garage, etc. I volunteer at our church now, and have gotten involved in a couple of men’s Bible study groups.

I don’t go crazy at the gym. 3-4 days/week. The key time is the first 3-4 months after you quit. Don’t sit at home by yourself and think about not drinking all afternoon. When I first quit, if I got off work early, I wouldn’t even go home. I’d keep a fishing rod and tackle box in the back of my truck and go fish for 2 hours ant the reservoir until my wife and kids were close to getting home. Or pack some clothes and go somewhere and go for a long walk. But you’re definitely on the right track in that you have to fill that time that you previously spent drinking with other activities. You can’t just go home and fill that time with nothing.

I will say that since I quit drinking, I have developed one helluva sweet tooth haha. But even with that, not drinking coupled with exercise and losing weight, my A1C dropped from 5.6 to 5.0 in the last year. I haven’t lost a ton of weight (~30ish lbs), but I’m much healthier and stronger.

That’s awesome, and while I haven’t quit drinking altogether, it sounds a lot like my last 2-3 years. Sometimes the best medicine for the crap going on in all of our lives is simply not giving yourself time to dwell on it, and you never know… you may end up finding a hobby that you really enjoy.

We’ve been working on our backyard for 2 years, and I’ll concede that we were blessed to have the funds to do a couple of the things that we’re doing like putting in a pool. However, my wife and I have done a bunch of the work ourselves, and we were all sitting out there yesterday afternoon talking about how proud we were of it. I can also sleep easy knowing that I’ll get to watch my son and his buddies act nuts at his birthday party out there in a couple weeks rather than regretting in ten years that I never had the guts to pull the trigger.

Keep the good fight going!

DoggieDaddy13 · Apr 27, 2026

As weird, bitter and angry as the comments can be on here, there's a lot of truly kind and very good stuff in this thread. Never dreamed some of you were this thoughtful.

I trust you can see that plenty of folks on SPS do care, Anon. And you will find the same kind of understanding and compassion in your community if you reach out. Never be ashamed or afraid to lean on folks. You'll find that they will often be leaning on you too.

My only advice would be to keep sharing and connecting. Do what you can to stay active in things that do not involve alcohol. It's not easy, but you can do it.

DawgNsuds · Apr 27, 2026

Anon201138 said:
I’m totally aware that 75-90% of this country drinks responsibly, I’m not demonizing alcohol. Most people go to a baseball game have 4-6 beers eat a hot dog, maybe some popcorn, and go home.

I’ve never done an illegal drug in my life. But right now, I’m drinking a fifth a day. Sometimes a fifth a day and 6 more beers after that. Somehow it has not affected my job as I wake up every morning and go, do my best. But I’ll get sober for a month, 2 months, hell I’ve been sober for 13 months before. But I keep coming back.

This may sound corny, but MSU athletic success makes me happy. It’s one of the few things in life that I don’t need to booze to enjoy. I have started posting here because I know it’s a group of people that want us to win every f*cking game like I do. Come from behind wins like tonight watching with my 9 year old are pure joy. But I still think about booze every f*cking day.

Have you ever been addicted to alcohol? If so, how did you overcome it?

First of all, I would like to commend you for reaching out and seeking help. This is a great first step, the only advice I feel qualified to share is, as others have already stated, I would bet that your daily activities are effected more than you believe and this is true for "responsible" drinkers as well. I pray that you find the key, so many have. Godspeed

golferdog · Apr 27, 2026

Read/Listen to the book "Easy Way to Control Alcohol" by Allen Carr. May help you quit completely. Many are addicted and don't even realize it. It's linked to 7 different kinds of cancer, associated with 180,000 deaths annually in the US alone, can cause dementia, brain damage, etc.

Drinking is fun...........until it's not (at least for some of us).

JacksonCPAdawg · Apr 27, 2026

the weed seltzers are a fine alternative if you ask me

She Mate Me · Apr 27, 2026

BioChemDawg said:
Speaking as a doctor, I wouldn’t wish the sequelae of alcohol abuse on anybody. Cirrhosis is a ***** to live with, and one of the hardest things for internists to manage. I promise you don’t want that for yourself.

Like someone else mentioned, don’t do this alone. Alcohol withdrawal can be deadly. Let a doctor wean you off with medication. There are also proven medications that we have to reduce cravings once the acute withdrawal period is over. Add in something like AA and/or cognitive behavioral therapy, and you’ve got a good recipe for success.

I’ll be thinking about you and praying for you. I’m in Jackson at UMMC. Feel free to reach out and I’m happy to point you in the direction of some folks who can help.

Having seen someone dealing with Cirrhosis up close, I might even suggest that someone trying to deal with alcohol addiction watch some videos on the effects of Cirrhosis if they need some scared straight style motivation.

It was just a word to me and something ignorant young me associated with fall down, street dwelling drunks. It's far from exclusive to that group.

It is truly awful.

horshack.sixpack · Apr 27, 2026

Anon201138 said:
I’m totally aware that 75-90% of this country drinks responsibly, I’m not demonizing alcohol. Most people go to a baseball game have 4-6 beers eat a hot dog, maybe some popcorn, and go home.

I’ve never done an illegal drug in my life. But right now, I’m drinking a fifth a day. Sometimes a fifth a day and 6 more beers after that. Somehow it has not affected my job as I wake up every morning and go, do my best. But I’ll get sober for a month, 2 months, hell I’ve been sober for 13 months before. But I keep coming back.

This may sound corny, but MSU athletic success makes me happy. It’s one of the few things in life that I don’t need to booze to enjoy. I have started posting here because I know it’s a group of people that want us to win every f*cking game like I do. Come from behind wins like tonight watching with my 9 year old are pure joy. But I still think about booze every f*cking day.

Have you ever been addicted to alcohol? If so, how did you overcome it?

You may be functioning at that level of intake, but you are severely impacting your health. Alcohol is toxic and a well known carcinogen. If you can't reign it in, quit it altogether. If you can't do either, get the help you need to recover. Conventional wisdom is that 3 drinks a day is the upper end of moderate. I would argue that is not healthy. I hope you knock it down and drive a stake in it. There are likely some really good things in your future that you would like to participate in, but at this rate, may not be around to enjoy.

dogmatic001 · Apr 27, 2026

This board is more about practicing it than battling it, but the fact you are asking about it is a very positive sign.
When you decide to make a permanent life change, you have to do it in complete selfishness for you - I am a people pleaser by nature and battle very low self esteem, among much else, and drinking heavily every day is something I had to rein back from after a very long time of doing it. There are lots of ancillary reasons for throttling back, but doing so has changed how I participate in a lot of life. I don't enjoy social situations at all when I'm dry, but I have to stay dry at those because, in those cases, no amount is ever enough for me, and the will power to stop after two or three isn't there, but it's there to stop before one. You have to have decided that's what you want to do for you, then do it.

If you're going to control it, you have to have the control parameters set and in place before you begin. At least, that's how it works for me.
If you've stopped for months at a time, it sounds like you've done that before. I'm just confirming it works. Controlling it, for me, means usually eliminating it altogether - almost always eliminating it altogether.

dorndawg · Apr 27, 2026

What’s your plan the next time you feel the urge to drink? I had to have one. Personally, I started to play the tape forward: what was *going* to happen if I drank? For me, nothing changed if nothing changed.

Consider going to an AA meeting and just sitting and listening. There’s a bunch of oddballs there who are ready to help you if you want it.

If that’s not for you, take a look at the stopdrinking Reddit page. Im not much of a redditor, but damn that page has some insight.

As far as books, Allen Carr’s is mentioned above and I’ve heard lots of great feedback on it. Another that really hit home for me is This Naked Mind by Annie Grace. I highly recommend it, and she’s a good writer to boot. The Big Book is always available too - some of the writing is old-fashioned sounding (bc it’s going on 100 years old) but 10s of millions of problem drinkers have found relief by following what it says.

If you or any other Sixpackers ever want to discuss alcoholism further, the dm’s are always open. Im pulling for you, dawg.

dorndawg · Apr 27, 2026

Perd Hapley said:
Not in AA, but I have done and am currently doing quite a bit of 12-step work on the Anon side due some very close family addictions that have wreaked havoc upon my life, and my own unhealthy coping processes around those things. Pretty much every 12-step program out there draws significantly (if not exclusively) from the AA model, so I’ve got a little knowledge there.

If it’s the “religious” thing you are struggling with, I think you may want to give AA another look. AA and others are definitely spiritual programs, but they aren’t necessarily “religious”. It’s all about the God of your own understanding, which may or may not align with the religious God you are accustomed to. Your problem is not a unique one. Many folks come into the rooms and hit a wall around the “Higher Power” concept - especially atheists or those who had some type of traumatic or hypocritical experience growing up in the church.

One thing I’ve heard many recovered fellows share with those individuals is that accepting a Higher Power simply means acknowledging that there is some power in the world or universe greater than yourself - that YOU are not God, pretty much. It’s about simply letting go of control vs. accepting or praying on things to your theological God (Christian, Muslim, or whatever).

Letting go of self-will and letting things land where they need to land is 17ing hard. But it helps to apply that practical concept. And if you deeply work Steps 2 and 3, you might find that who or what you truly accept as God - with everything stripped away - might be very different than what you’ve always thought you “believed” growing up. Or not. Either way, you can still move forward in the program.

Thank you the vulnerability of sharing your deep struggle here. That’s certainly a great start. “Keep coming back”, as they say.

I mentioned the StopDrinking Reddit as a place I look to for recovery. But anytime I need to get scared straight, I go look at the Al-Anon subreddit. Whew, when you read about what drinkers put their loved ones through…

biodawg · Apr 27, 2026

dorndawg said:
Whew, when you read about what drinkers put their loved ones through…

^^^^^^
10000000% Looking back, I can’t believe my wife hung around, because I don’t think I could have, had the shoe been on the other foot. You obviously don’t see it when it’s happening, but looking back, I have a ton of regret and guilt. My wife nearly single-handedly raised our two kids for 2-3 years while my alcoholism was at its worst. While I was always at home physically, I was never there emotionally. Always checked out drinking and on my phone by myself sitting in my recliner. Getting pissed off at everyone for the slightest thing.

And the saddest thing, I missed those years of my kids growing up. Fortunately, I guess, it was at a relatively young age for both of them, maybe they don’t remember. Either way, I plan to apologize to both of them for that when they get older, but well before they have the opportunity to head down that road like I did. I don’t know that I will ever fully forgive myself for that, but I’m doing my best to make it right now.

Most people can drink and stop when they want. I couldn’t. And you other guys that can’t, I would really urge you to get some help. Don’t let it consume and ruin you. It’s never too late to quit.

Has anyone on here battled alcohol addiction?

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