Help me quit alcohol
ill give a bit of background to my drinking and then why i want to quit and why it is so hard.
got into drinking aged around 15-16. i would drink with my school mates round someones house. was really good fun. still meet up with them when im in london. we go to the pub 2-3 nights a week.
spent my gap year permanently drunk. went to australia with two of my school mates, travelled everywhere, don't think there was a spell of more than 3 days where we didn't hit the bars etc. great time. spent 4 months working at a golf club, did the usual pubs 2-3 nights a week. when i say go to the pub, talking on average 5 pints (around 2.7 litres) then a few doubles and mixers, sometimes more, sometimes less.
went to uni, been on a 4 year bender. again been a really great time. varies from week to week, sometimes ill get shitfaced 4-5 times a week, other weeks 2 times. in first year drinking to oblivion was frequent. second year getting home regularly was a blank. third year all day pub sessions were common. this year the same. whenever i go back home, my school mates all live right near me so again ill hit the pubs back home.
now, this may seem like, wtf, you've really enjoyed drinking. i must stress i dont have an alcohol problem. its just ive been lucky to of meet a lot of decent fun people who want to have a good time.
however, i just want to quit booze becuase i feel after 5 years of constant hitting the pubs and bars hard, i need a rest. like a worker who has worked his socks off for 5 years needs a few months holiday. part of it is that im starting a job in 3 months time. in 2007 online i have made a bit over $200/hr. i have around $100K, my job will earn me $50K/year. i really want to play a sick amount over the next 3 months so i can hopefully buy a house within a year. in london $100K+$150K mortgage could buy you some scankhole. i dont want to live in a scankhole, but dont want to spend years living with my folks. this is really important to me, having my own place will really make me feel that i'd made it, that the financial side of poker hasnt just allowed me to be a blow money when going out, but actually help set me up in life.
the other part is i cant be bothered spending days hungover, feeling like crap with a banging hangover, having spent $200+ the night before. i'd like to spend what free time i plan to have this summer watching a dvd or something, or having a nice meal.
the problem with quitting is that going down the pub and bars is what we do. when i say we i mean myself and school and uni mates. its hard to be the wet blanket, the guy who sits there sober while everyone else gets drunk. your effectively sitting there being like 'i think drinking is stupid'. the sober people never enjoy themselves as much as the drunk people, its not surprising given the effects of alcohol.
i guess im looking for suggestions on how to go about this or if anyone else is/has been in the same situation. i guess i find it very hard to be the wet blanket, becuase ive enjoyed going out so much be it with school or uni mates. but i dont want to look back when im 35 thinking 'that was a fun 20 year bender', i now have x y and z health problems, and have struggled with my job, blown most of my money etc.
but after 10 days or so of quitting booze, ill probably think 'this is so dull, lets get shitfaced'. if thats the case, i will probably get shitfaced, but i dont think it will be the case.
alcohol really has had a great effect for me, meant ive had a really great last 5 years (i may well of had a good 5 years without it but i doubt it tbh, certainly not as much fun anyway) but i just feel now its time to turn a different direction. also i think this is becuase ive never needed to not drink, during gap years and uni you can go on benders all you like, becuase its fun and you can build for the future in later years. but now i guess ive always wanted to be rich, and i wont achieve that quickly being an accountant, so i guess i need to spend the 15+ hours or so a week i spend drunk and hungover instead more productively.
sorry for such a long post, just i think i needed to post this.
replies much appreciated.
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