The Real Story: What Happens When You Stop Drinking Alcohol?

What happens when you stop drinking?

The Stop Drinking Expert program has a secret Facebook group. Today I saw this amazing post and I wanted to share it with you.

Some personal names, locations and details have been changed to protect the anonymity of the member but the rest remains as was written.

Hi everyone

I have some free time and I am bored to I thought I would check-in!

Some of you probably know already that I work away from home most weeks, usually 3 to 4 nights (I am a salesman) and now and again maybe 5, I have done this for years.

For years I lived in hotels, usually a different one every night. I got fed up with the whole thing, packing and unpacking every day, checking in and checking out and being on your own in a hotel bar every night was no fun.

I honestly believe this was the start of my drinking every day... I piled on weight not only through alcohol consumption but also the poor food choices I would make.

My bar bills where huge most nights paying hotel prices. Often I would pay for them out of my own cash rather than the company credit card to hide it from my wife.

I fell into a habit of drinking early and quickly in the knowledge that if I got to bed early I would be able to function (just about) the day after.

I started to dislike my job spending every day feeling jaded and being impatient with the clients I was trying to sell to.

What happens when you stop drinking - the 1st year:

When I did my first almost year AF I found it even more tedious, this was nothing to do with me wanting a drink or being tempted I just found it boring.

Being sober I noticed more and more that the menu choices for someone trying to eat healthily were basically a salad and nothing else.

So I decided enough was enough and I bought myself a motor home and I now travel the UK and sometimes beyond, working away in my own little home from home.

It's fantastic and although I miss my family terribly when I am away. It is still much better than hotel living.

I see more of the outdoors, I cook for myself and have it stocked with everything I need in terms of food, drink and supplements. I have TV, DVDs and even a WiFi ariel on the roof for the internet!

The extra time we have on our hands is a wonderful thing, but it can lead to a feeling of boredom.

We need to be grateful for this extra time, our time here on this planet is short enough without wasting it in a drunken fog.

Time is Valuable

While many people are terminally ill with just days left to live, who would no doubt give anything for a few extra days. What happens when you stop drinking is you get a newfound respect for how precious time is.

I for one am not going to negative about all this extra time stopping drinking a poison has given me.

When your free from the alcohol trap and the haze lifts there are aspects in your life that need to be addressed and changes that need to be made.

At least being sober now we are dealing with the issue head-on and not hiding behind a drug.

Saddens me to think that for years my one and only hobby was drinking a poisonous drug... when you stop that pastime you have so much more time for others.

Anyway, the reason I was writing this is that I am feeling a bit bored today!

I am typing this from my Motor home on a campsite in Scotland.

I was working yesterday and I am working here tomorrow and as it is a 6-hour return drive home and back it was pointless me going home leaving me with a free day!

It's pouring down outside and I am finding the noise of rain on the roof quite relaxing.

The other great thing about being sober is...

All my work is complete!

My inbox is empty because I am top of everything. Just before starting on this post, I had everything is done, a clear desk so to speak!

Its lunchtime here now, and I have found out that there is a theme park just down the road.

So as soon as this rain stops I am going to the theme park and spending the rest of the day being a big kid and riding fairground rides!

My advice to you is, if you really want to know what happens when you stop drinking - try it. I promise you won't regret it!

Sorry for the long rambling post, some of you may find it useful. I know I enjoyed writing it :D

Sober & Proud

David

If you are inspired by David's story and ready to quit drinking click here for more information.

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