Can you still stop drinking if people only seem to know you with a drink in your hand? Yes, certainly! Let the author of this week’s experience story be a living proof to that:
What do you do in everyday life?
I am a 54 year old woman, married and I have a beautiful 25 year old daughter. I enjoy working 38 hours a week as a shop manager in a women’s fashion store.
What did you mainly drink and how much/often?
I drank wine. Lots of dry wine, and when I had a party or festival I drank Apfelkorn (an apple-flavored liquor) with spa red in recent years. I was so good at that… I told myself I only drank on the weekends, but my weekends started earlier and earlier. They often already started on Wednesday so I could take a drink. I emptied a bottle in no time at all. Actually, I didn’t really count my drinks, because why should I? It was fun right, so the more wine the better…. I have been drinking alcohol since I was twelve. Weird, in fact, how normal it was all my life.
Was this your first attempt to quit alcohol?
I never considered previous attempts to quit because I believed people who didn’t drink were just boring! And everyone knew me with a glass of wine in my hand. In every photo and in every video, there I was. Drinking.
What stopped you from giving up alcohol sooner?
In fact, deep down in my heart, I looked up to people who didn’t drink and still had fun. How do they do that?? So it’s possible… I started to admire these people more and more and read more about them. Until I drank a bottle and a half of Apfelkorn on Sunday afternoon drink, I wasn’t really drunk, and I was proud of it too. I was done with it. I told my husband and daughter the next morning and they laughed out loud. In the meantime we are 5 sober months further and I am so proud of myself and they are so proud of me!
What have you experienced as the biggest benefits so far?
I feel fitter, sleep better, lose weight and above all; I’m not so restless anymore. I no longer have to think about when I’m going to drink alcohol again, and whether I have to plan the next day off because I’ll be sick and lame again…
And what do you miss most?
I do miss the cheers moments, but now I make up for them with a soft drink.
What do you do when you have a hard time and still want to drink or have drunk again?
I haven’t had any really difficult moments so far, but I’ll stay on my guard!
What do you drink as an alternative if you no longer drink alcohol?
Tonic is currently my favorite, and water the easiest.
Do you have any tips or advice for people who also consider quitting alcohol?
Quitting alcohol is the same as quitting smoking, dieting, etc. You have to really want it and do it for yourself, stand behind it 100% and just go for it! If I can stop, almost anyone can. And believe me, life doesn’t get any less fun. Only more fun!
Finally: what do you want to say to anyone who is still in doubt whether they should stop drinking or not?
Some people say to me: “You only live once, so why torture yourself like that?”. Well, that’s right, I only live once, but I decided I want to get the best out of it now. And that’s alcohol-free!
And so it is! Weird really, the longer I stopped drinking myself, the less I feel the need to start drinking again. Even if the end of the world was coming next week, I probably still wouldn’t grab a drink. You really only live once, so you better be there to experience it!
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us! And if somebody else would like to share his or het experiences with us: please do! Just leave me your email at this page and I will email you some questions as soon as possible. Hopefully together we will help new people get over the line!
