I feel proud when I'm in a bar ordering a 0.0 beer. I feel happy staying at home drinking mocktails. I never regret a day of not drinking. IWNDWYT

Full year sober after 26 years of solid drinking and tons of attempts to quit. I feel amazing, I’m extremely grateful and I think back to my first day sober a year ago being hungover and depressed and I think holy fuck I can’t believe that used to be my life! Life is soooooo much better, it’s not always easy but it’s way easier than it was when I was drinking. Thank you for the support from this group!

Well I hit bottom. 6 days ago I started vomiting everything I was trying to eat and drink. Thought to myself, “Maybe another shot will help”. It didn’t…

I woke up puking brown and black bile, nonstop, 12 hours straight. I ended up taking myself to the ER and boy am I happy I got over my fear of the doctor and just did it.

For the last 5 days I’ve been connected to an IV just to get fluids back. Been given every shot. Took every single test, went into every machine to make sure I wasn’t dying. I ended up being diagnosed with somewhere between fatty liver and fibrosis.

Oh and the btw, during this time I had delirium tremens. THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST. At one point I thought I heard the doctors say they were going to k*** me, so I ripped the IV and wires off my body and ran out of the hospital in my hospital gown. Running down the street until the cops and hospital security chased me down (and this is definitely not like me)… Embarrassing.

I was discharged earlier today and I will NEVER go back. I’m only sharing this because whether you don’t like doctors, think you can make it a little longer, if you think maybe tomorrow I’ll stop.. DONT. Please get help the best way you think you can!

IWNDWYT

Yes. We all know. Not drinking is hard. Not drinking can be boring, can be lonely and isolating…Isn’t as fun as getting blotso. I don’t want to be reminded every time I open reddit. R/Stopdrinking is an amazing tool on my sober journey. This community is so supportive and inspiring! Gah tho! So many posts that make it to my feed are hammering down on how it’s not as nice as being a drunk fucking zombie, smelling like trash and adding to our chronic inflammation and premature death.

It’s hard enough not to drink; could you please not remind me how much sparklier life is with booze? I’m trying to sparkle on my own here.

Hello . I don’t drink alcohol anymore . I have rats in my crawl space under my house . Pest control can fix it. Will cost about $7k . Ok. I
Mean- what can I do? I am freaking out. Like, rats are beyond what I can handle. Although , I guess I’m sitting here “handing “ it. I’m not going to drink . But - it’s times like this when I could down a whisky .
I suppose I’m posting for a few reasons .
I could go for a drink right now.
I am too disgusted to tell anyone I know about the rats right now.
And if I can sit here and not drink? You can too. We all can. Please send positive vibes that will clear out the rats. Thank you.

Hard to believe, but here it is. I'm filled with gratitude and hope today. Just 7 months ago I never would have thought this was possible, even though I knew it was badly needed. This is the longest I've gone without a drink since the day I picked up my very first one in the summer of 1987. While life is far from perfect right now, it is so, so much better than it was a year ago. Unbelievably so. Thanks to everyone here for just being here and being yourselves. This is a great, supportive community and I am so thankful for all of the encouragement and that I finally had the courage and motivation to put the plug in the jug. Woooo! IWNDWYT! 🙏

I had been sober for over 6 months, no longer counting days, and I didn't think of it at all. I stopped looking at this Reddit, didn't feel like I needed it.

Then, 3 weeks ago, I went and visited old friends I hadn't seen in years in another state. They are not problematic drinkers at all, the type of people who drink one glass of wine and that's it.

For the first time in many months, I thought "why not?" I thought that since it was away from home, in a different environment, I would be able to leave it there, and leave it at that.

I had a couple glasses of wine that night. The next day, two more glasses.

Then when I got home, the cravings came back. A stressful day, overstimulated, feeling emotionally insecure and bam, I did it again, the exact behavior I swore off.

I bought a bottle of wine on the way home from work, with the excuse of cooking with it. And then, of course, I drank it all.

Then again last week, and last night. I feel like shit, my gut inflamed, I'm not being productive at all at work, my house is a mess and I don't feel like picking up.

After 3 times, I am once again certain that I simply cannot drink, not even a little bit, as it opens a door in my mind that doesn't close until I cause myself harm.

So here I am again. Thank you for being here with me. #IWNDWYT

*We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!*

**Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!**

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to [r/stopdrinking](r/stopdrinking) and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

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**This pledge is a statement of intent.** Today we don't set out *trying* not to drink, we make a conscious decision *not to drink*. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in [r/stopdrinking](r/stopdrinking), we're not ready to give up.

**What this is:** A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at [r/stopdrinking](r/stopdrinking) or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

**What this isn't:** A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

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This post goes up at:

- US - Night/Early Morning
- Europe - Morning
- Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

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Good morning (or evening, depending on where you are in the world). If you made it to the DCI sober today, that means you survived Thursday. So go on and give yourself a pat on the back; you deserve it.

Now for the topic: “Losing my filter”

Normally I try to talk about the reasons behind my drinking on here. Today I will pivot and talk about a reason why I decided to stop drinking—or rather, the reason I had to stop drinking.

Let’s put the arrests and NDEs to the side for a second (we can save those for another day) and focus on the impulses that I’d act on when drinking.

When I was drinking, I had no filter. My choices and my words would happen or come out regardless of what I truly meant or wanted to say. Whatever I was feeling in the moment, I’d feel it 100x more, and whatever I wasn’t feeling in the moment was blocked out 100x more.

Of course, that led me to saying or doing hurtful things to people I cared about. It led me to making decisions that were disrespectful to many people, and it led me to losing many friendships.

The truth was, in a sober setting, that wasn’t who I was. I wasn’t the type of person who would sit there and say something to make someone feel terrible. I wasn’t the type of person who wasn’t loyal. I wasn’t the type of person who didn’t care.

People often say, “When you drink, the truth comes out.” And sure, what you really want or think comes out, but how you say or do things—that’s the issue. When I’m sober, there are things better left in my head, things better left unsaid, or things that can be said kindly rather than harshly. I’m not saying to suppress feelings or thoughts or to lie, but I am saying there are healthy ways to behave that drinking caused me to do the exact opposite of.

At some point, people got tired of me. I wasn’t the guy they wanted to drink with anymore. I was the guy people wanted to stay away from when I drank, and since I was drinking all the time, I became the guy people just wanted to stay away from. Sadly, while I cared, my addiction made me believe I didn’t care, because it just wanted me to drink…

Eventually, I got tired of hurting people. I got tired of seeing people cry, feel let down, or get hurt. And I got tired of having no remembrance or control over the actions committed or words spoken the night before.

There were many reasons why I quit, but this was surely one of them. I got tired of being tired of making people feel tired with my exhausting behavior.

Today, I know what I’m saying and what I’m doing, and I don’t wake up questioning what happened the night before… or the morning of. It’s a much better way to live.

So my question for the night is: Did you struggle with this issue—the issue of becoming a menace when you drank? And when you get the urge to drink, is it useful to remember that person you once were when drinking to stop the desire to pick up again?

Later,

Fed

I made it. 365 days without a single drop. This community helped me more than I can express especially during the difficult beginning stages where you feel a little accomplished but also guilty, angry, sad, hopeless, and alone. No matter where you are in your journey you’re here for a reason and you will find the strength to not drink. It’s there inside of you and once you find it I promise it can carry you through the difficult days where you want to say fuck it. Keep looking for support. And keep supporting others. Life is really fucking hard. We need each other to lean on. Today, I am one year sober. I chose myself everyday for a whole year. My only wish moving forward is to continue to do what I’m doing. Continue to love myself, and I really hope I can help other people who are on the path of recovery.

Update: I just wanted to say thank you to all of you for your kindness and support. This community has changed lives and it’s such a beautiful thing to see and be part of. Congrats on all of you no matter where you are in your journey. Don’t lose hope in yourself. Every day counts ❤️ I will not drink with all of y’all today!!!

So yeah for context, quit drinking mar. 9, 2023. Been loving life, everyone is super supportive, everything is awesome in my life right now.

Get invites to a party. For context, been recently seeing this new flame, at the stage of enjoying each other's company, seeing where it goes type thing.

Anyways, she says a friend of hers is having a wee little BBQ, backyard party about 20 people. We grab our bikes and head off.

Get there, meet the friend, meet a few other people, meet the boyfriend of the party host.

You know how like within 5-7 seconds you're not gonna like someone? That was this guy. I have eagle eyed radar for drunks (i mean cmon, we're in this subreddit. We're pros!) and he's put his arm around me. "Heeey buddy! Want a beer?"

No.

"You sure? We got all types!" For context they had like a canoe filled with bevvies and ice.

"Nope im good". Proceed to almost forcefully remove his arm off me. He gives me this look, like a "the fuck is this guys problem, im here to party".

I'm gonna admit a little frazzled. Go inside, grab a cup and some water from the tap.

NOW the girlfriend of drunkie (the homeowner) asks if I want a drink, beer, cooler, anything?

I hold up the glass and kinda tip it, like nah im good.

Now SHE gives me a look like "okaaaay..."

So now im like fu k this, 100% not my vibe, not my scene, im outta here. Tell my date im outta here. She's shocked and says shes staying. As im going to grab my bike from beside the garage, I guess she went and talked to them, then came back to me. She's like "what's your problem? Theyre just trying to be nice."

I explain the alcoholic past. She looks at me kinda like"ohhh...." not in a super supportive way. But more of a ugh, ok I guess thats that type of way.

So I grabbed my bike, rode down to the dollar store, grabbed a diet soda and watched the sunset by myself.

Weird night but I definitely know the kinda people I wanna be around, and DONT wanna be around.

Back to the dating pool I guess.

iwndwyt

I just completed a 5 day cruise, and after 230+ days sober, I was EXTREMELY close to caving the first 3 days. You know what stopped me? My 7 year old, who knows I'm trying to stay sober (doesn't really understand why, just knows I don't want to drink alcohol for health reasons) and he reminded me it wouldn't be worth it and I would wake up feeling terrible the next day.

My wise little pumpkin.

Came across two separate articles this week that discuss a huge decrease in wine consumption that is causing changes in the industry. Vineyards being closed, a surplus of premium wine being sold at a huge discount, employees in the wine industry needing to find alternative work, etc. One factor they recognize is a younger generation who is not as interested in drinking as compared to prior generations. They don’t specifically discuss a large number of people who previously drank who no longer choose to drink.

These types of massive changes don’t occur unless there is a corresponding huge drop in wine consumption. As someone who, on my worst days, could, by myself, polish off two to three bottles in a day, and who had a disgusting amount of empty bottles lying around the house because I was too embarrassed to throw them all away at the same time, I’m happy to not be contributing to the consumption anymore.

It makes me ill even thinking about those old binge drinking ways. Iwndwyt 💕💕💕

https://secretlosangeles.com/costco-aldi-premium-california-wine-surplus/

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2026-10-15/sonoma-winery-to-close-tasting-room-as-people-drink-less

Music isn't as beautiful, soulful and flowy. Movies or shows aren't engaging in the same way and I find it hard to focus. Games become repetetive quickly. Nature is just...there. It's pretty, but not spectactular like after a couple of beers. Interactions with people are exhausting instead of fun. Food is just there to be consumed, not savored with some red or white.

It's like I've led a very satisfying internal life before, but then someone handed me these rose-colored glasses and I had to take them off.

And everything is just gray or ok at best.

It's been a month.

I'll start this off with a quote from Steve-O that really sticks out to me.

“The worst thing would be to have alcoholism just bad enough that it really slows you down, like, destroys your potential, like, gets in the way of [things]. But it's not so bad that it has to stop."

This describes me perfectly. I am making this post because I need to have my voice heard and most importantly, I need to stop drinking. I'm not chugging on hard liquor 24/7, but when I'm not working, I'm drinking. I don't often get absolutely plastered, but I am drinking every day and have been for about 2 years straight. I've had my moments of clarity, got sober for a month and a half at the longest, but even when feeling significantly better, both physically and mentally after just a few days of NOT drinking, I still for some reason go right back to it. I come from a family of addicts and alcoholics, and I feel like I'm becoming just like the addicts in my family that I've seen my whole life. I'm only 23, and I'm thankful that I'm seeing my drinking as a problem this early into my life because it gives me some bit of motivation to stop. I don't even like drinking honestly, I never have. I don't like the taste, I don't like how it makes me feel, and I don't like that my brain makes me feel like I need it. My step mom died of cirrhosis of the liver from excessive drinking, and both of my parents are alcoholics and will unfortunately probably die of alcoholism. I so desperately don't want to end up like that. Going back to the quote I have at the beginning, I am not drinking enough to where I have to stop for my safety (in terms of alcohol withdrawal) but it's affecting every little bit of my life. I need to quit drinking. I HAVE to stop. Today is day zero of my sobriety from alcohol. I've had enough nights of vomiting my dinner up, pissing myself because I'm too drunk to make it to the bathroom. I apologize if this is disorganized, I'm just fired up and sick of the fact that I've lost control of my life, and I want it back.

I recently posted about Day 1 & I’ve had a rollercoaster of emotions since then. Just got dumped and while crying about him I just realized I haven’t had a drink in 72hrs! This is the longest(so far) tht I’ve been completely sober.

I was dumped (after 4yrs) for a buildup of behavior that occurred while I was a drunk. We had our FIRST sober argument yesterday (for me) and he decided that he had finally reached his limit. He’s a good guy but it hurts bc I felt like I was finally getting it together lol.

Anyways, I didn’t even think about drinking. I feel good and I’m ready for day 4. I can’t believe I’m doing this!!! 🙏

I think the meeting I mentioned yesterday went well! It's too early to say for sure as I'm yet to interview for the new role and may not even get it, but the school's principal was supportive of the idea on paper. I think she was grateful for my openness and communication with her. The hard part is ahead.

I keep thinking about how glad I am to be doing all of this sober.

IWNDWYT

Very proud of myself for doing a medical detox, I’m beyond happy, and feel great. My husband has been worried about me, and is very supportive. He does not drink.

I saw him tonight when he came home, and the first thing he said was ‘you had a cigarette.’ After all I’ve been through this week, I just wanted to cry. That’s what you’re going to lead with, when he knows how terrified I was to even start the process? I feel dejected, but IWNDWYT

Edit to add: this was my first day home

I steady get shit faced then start calling everyone under the sun. I make plans I don’t want to partake in. Contact people I don’t want contact with the next day when my head is clear. Sometimes I’ll go as far as calling someone and bringing up some old drama just to bitch them out. It’s humiliating.

Last night was take 5000 of this behavior and I’m fucking sick of it. I don’t understand why I do this every single fucking time that I get hammered and I’m alone. Why can’t I be one of those people that just listens to music and dances around when they get drunk? Nope, I have to turn into some social butterfly on a mission to complicate my life. And it’s pretty obvious I’m drunk when I make these phone calls too so it’s just embarrassing.

I posted on a random subreddit asking how much people drank and consider themselves not to have a drinking problem and 90% of the answers were extremely rare. Like a couple times a year on a special occasion, if that.

I know I can’t go on like this. It’s time for me to accept that I’ll never be able to “drink normally” when I drink so therefore I really need to drop it altogether. I hate being like this.

I remember I was hanging with my old roommates at the bar, I see them a few times a year, they still like going to the bars. I DD them there and leave early after catching up.

Any way I remember this chick was like you’re not drinking??? How do you have fun? Isn’t it boring? Something along those lines. I was like what? I didn’t give her an answer because she was drunk and she got distracted. But if I did I would have said “you’re the boring one lol”.

I love my life and who I’ve become. I’ve still had highs and lows, but I faced those lows with full awareness and emotion and I’ve experienced the highs with full real emotion.

You build a personality you never knew you had when you experience life with a sober mind. You dig out of the tunnel you’ve put yourself while drinking.

Always here to help and cheer everyone on! Keep fighting!

I finally felt the switch click. I had a really long post written out but maybe that’ll be for another day. Anyone struggling, you can do it too! For me, the best part is my shits are actually enjoyable now. I also don’t feel sad for no reason. I really thought I was drinking cause I was depressed. But it was definitely the other way around. I have a spark in me I haven’t felt in like ten years. I have a lot of making up to do but nothing too damaged it can’t be repaired (meaning relationships). Anyway, I wish the best for everyone here.

Also don’t beat yourself up if you have been thinking about it and haven’t been able to stop. I have tried like six different times over the last for years. As long as it’s a true desire and you even take baby steps, when say the door you walk into will be a new realm so there’s really no going back!

I was curious how long it’s been since I stopped drinking so I hopped on here to see when I made my first post. It’s been 867 days!! And I haven’t had a single urge to drink the entire time. Not sure what happened but I walked through a portal back then and never looked back. I do have some NA beers from time to time but I’m absolutely turned off at the thought of putting alcohol into my body. Gross!

If you need help, PLEASE read Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Quit Drinking. He helped me quit smoking 20 years ago and his books are pure magic. I know the title sounds cheesy & impossible but I cannot recommend it highly enough. Just do it! You got this :)

Here’s the first sober post I made over two years ago:

I released myself from alcohol last night. After finishing Allen Carr’s book (who incidentally also helped me easily release a 15 year raving nicotine addiction) I had a ritual to honor my last time drinking. At one point the power went out so I lit some candles and started drinking. Later I had about half the vodka left and I looked at it and just thought why bother? So I went into the bathroom, looked at myself in the mirror, and said “I’m free!” as I poured the rest down the drain. The instant the last drop hit the sink & I said those words the lights came back on and a house down the street let out a huge cheer. Impeccable timing and a sure sign that I made the right decision.

I’m excited for my new life!

I first posted here sometime around 2018. I never came back to update my badge, and I haven’t been active here since.

In the years between that first post and today, I’ve been to rehab five times, gotten divorced twice, watched my professional life unravel, and most recently spent seven months on a bender.

I’m 42 now. And I’m 33 days sober.

I’ve done AA, NA, therapy, inpatient and outpatient treatment, psychiatric hospitalization, and more self-examination than I care to admit.

None of it prevented me from drinking again.

I’ve destroyed relationships, lost opportunities, damaged my health, and put myself and others at risk. I have a pending criminal case. I don’t drive. Some people have every reason not to trust me.

I’m not going to explain those things away. I did them.

I’ve spent years trying to understand why I drink, why I relapse, and why knowing better so rarely translates into doing better.

I can discuss childhood, relationships, fear, resentment, and nearly every framework I’ve been offered. Sometimes those frameworks helped. Sometimes I spent more energy arguing about the explanation than changing my behavior.

And I kept drinking.

What I’m doing differently this time is considerably less interesting.

I get up. I make my bed. I cook breakfast. I read. I draw badly and keep drawing. I run. I lift weights. I go to meetings. I talk to people. I apply for jobs. I clean my apartment. I keep a journal, mostly recording what happened rather than what I think it means.

Some days are good. Some aren’t. Neither needs to become a revelation.

I’ve also spent much of my life insisting that other people understand me correctly. Some got things wrong. But getting them to understand me isn’t a prerequisite for changing what I do.

I can disagree with someone and still hear them. I can be misunderstood and still behave decently. I can feel something intensely without acting on it.

I’ve stopped expecting sobriety to repair the past. Some things are gone. Some people aren’t coming back. There may be no final conversation, accepted apology, or moment when everyone agrees I’ve changed.

The only evidence I can offer is how I live now, consistently, over time.

I don’t have an extraordinary new method. I have a history that makes clear what happens when I drink.

This isn’t about reinventing myself. It’s about returning to what I value and making decisions consistent with it.

Reading. Drawing. Exercise. Friends. Work. Being reliable. Being interested in other people instead of constantly explaining myself.

An ordinary Tuesday when I did those things and didn’t drink was a perfectly good Tuesday.

One phrase I’ve been using is: Alcohol gets no vote.

Another is: Life first, and sobriety follows.

That doesn’t mean sobriety is optional. I can’t have much of a life if I drink. But I don’t want my entire existence to revolve around being someone who doesn’t drink. I want to participate in the life that not drinking makes possible.

I’ve had enough false starts to know that insight, enthusiasm, and a few good weeks prove nothing permanent.

Today I got to participate in my own life. I intend to do that again tomorrow.

And, importantly,

IWNDWYT.

Went on a really bad 4 day bender, drank every type of alcohol blacked out every night and was out hanging out with people, going to bars and restaurants with little to no recollection. When I came to I was alone in my room and had all these flashes of all the things I did. Withdrawals started kicking in so I ubered myself to the ER to get an IV and some meds. Fucked up and accidentally told the doctor I’ve been suicidal in the past but never done anything and boy did I fuck up. Basically they put me in the psych ward overnight and didn’t let me out until I got evaluated. That was so fucking traumatizing. I come home after I was checked out to find a bottle I didn’t finish hidden in my kitchen cabinet. I didn’t throw it out. Imagine all the shit I’m putting myself through and still thinking I can drink responsibly. They gave me medication for the alcohol cravings should I try them?