Paul's Blog

When an alcoholic or heavy, problem drinker stops drinking so many good things happen; or maybe it is better to say that so many bad things stop happening. Giving up alcohol means hangovers and blackouts stop; one stops wasting heaps of money on alcohol; making a fool of yourself while drunk ends; it no longer happens that hundreds of times you can say or do something stupid and crazy that you regret. Sober, one gets the chance to mostly live each day in a sane, sensible way and interact and communicate with other people in a polite, reasonable and respectful manner.

I recently reread parts of Clive James' "Fame in the 20th Century". I love how James ended this book with reminding us that even the most famous people are still frail and fallible human beings.

Oh well, this attempt at long term sobriety is now at 29 days. I am at the moment not finding it hard not drinking. I really must each day think of things I can be grateful for. I do not agree with all of AA ideology but I believe AA is right when it says that self pity and resentments can bring sober alcoholics undone. By developing the healthy habit of daily thinking of things I can be grateful about is a great way to counter feelings and thoughts of self pity and resentments.

January 16 and 16 days sober. Over the years I have stayed sober for periods lasting from 3 months to 22 months. My life is VERY much more sane, peaceful and stable when I don't drink alcohol. Last year I was given a book about recovery from alcoholism. The author of this book, Allen Berger, makes the point that many alcoholics too easily accept the myth that life should be easy. In sobriety there can still exist anxiety, fears, depression, stress, low self esteem and relationship troubles etc and alcoholics in recovery are setting themselves up for failure if they expect life to be easy. Alcoholics should not be seduced by the idea that in sobriety all our days will be good ones.

So many times in my life I have attempted to permanently quit drinking alcohol. I have since way back in 1991 stayed sober for periods of time from 3 months to 22 months. In early 1991 I was 28. I am now 56. How different and better my life would have been over the past 28 years if I had stayed sober from early 1991 till now!! In early 1991 I was in rehab for 3 months and that 3 months sobriety was the first 3 months sobriety I achieved since I left school. I am an alcoholic. When I drink I drink WAY too much; and when I drink my drinking often causes problems. I want so much for 2019 to be a 100% sober year for me; I want the rest of my life to be lived 100% free from alcohol and free from all the problems alcohol abuse brings.