My experience with an extended no alcohol challenge

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Preface:

I’d like to preface this topic with the fact that I was not trying to obtain nirvana or become that annoying ass yogi who posts every morning on Instagram about their damn sun salutations and how great it is to be alive with some bullshit quote (screw that, life is hard). I just wanted to implement something that would positively influence my IBS, which hopefully would enhance my mental health. I’d only drink one or two or three or four, sometimes five beers every week, which is completely the norm so I never second-guessed it! I would also find myself at sporting events getting down 3 or 4 of Seattle’s finest IPA, which equates out to like 8 shitty miller lites based on the alcohol content of a solid IPA of about 8%. I have learned a lot from not drinking for 100 days and I would love to share my experience with everyone! Hopefully, it sparks courage in someone else to tackle something scary in their own lives, not necessarily alcohol related.

Mental Health:

This past few months has been a lot! A promotion at work, a surgery I was terrified to get and a big change in scenery along with quitting a job that was no longer a good fit. All the above took a lot of courage and stress to follow through with that I actually for once had the mindset and momentum to deal with. One thing I have noticed from quitting alcohol has been the general feel good shit in my brain has leveled out. While I was drinking, I was experiencing very rapid and large swings in my mood, which led to addicting coping mechanisms, everyone has theirs! So essentially alcohol would lead to mood swings, which led to coping mechanisms, which lead to more alcohol!! What a fun cycle to be in! I had also developed piss poor coping mechanisms when I was drinking, so when I was trying to stave off the dark cloud over my head I would eat pounds of sugar until I felt somewhat better or played videogames until my mind got mushy and I couldn’t see straight anymore. All of these coping mechanisms worked momentarily, but certainly left me in a worse spot once their magic went away. Just a note on that sugar stuff, if you do decide to quit, candy will be your best friend for a couple weeks until things mellow out! Your body is craving all of the sugar you are no longer getting from your liquid bread. A final note about this subject, I was beginning to be as cranky as an 80 year old conservative grandpa who hates everything, I was finding everything annoying, that loud music, those loud kids, that barking dog, that bright ass sun, this cramped space, traffic! Now I actually don’t mind it, I won’t dare say I’m a positive person now, but I am getting there.

The Pink cloud & Small changes:

Holy shit, this is definitely a thing! I’m surprised I wasn’t caught skipping around in my underwear on King 5 news at 3 in the morning. Well, it wasn’t that awesome, but it was one very enjoyable ride. When you feel like you have unlocked the key to a happy and good life you start to have this sort of euphoria feeling after about 1-2 months of being sober. While it is certainly dying down it has definitely taught me something. Any small positive change in your life if done for a month or so will give you this feeling. I used to have this idea that drastically changing my lifestyle would be the cure to stress and worry, but the opposite is true! That bullshit about the journey of a thousand miles beginning with one step has got it down. One small positive change, leads to another small positive change. Another part of experiencing the pink cloud is really getting comfortable with the idea that one thing in life is NOT going to save you! There are pills, there is exercise, there is better sleep, there is a better diet, but one alone is not going to do the trick! For years I’ve been looking for a magic bullet that will assist me at any point in life, that will give me the perfect life every single day, no “bad days” as that stupid bumper sticker that every middle aged person in America who has been to a beach in Cali once has on their car. There is no magic bullet, healing takes time and if you really want something like peace of mind, it takes a long time to establish. For a millennial who grew up with instant gratification at every turn, THIS REALLY PISSES ME OFF. I have to work hard… for how long…?????

Toxic Drinking Culture & Peer Pressure:

This one was something I was going to have to get comfortable with because I have tried to drink less before, so I knew what was coming. The 2nd weekend of my stint and I was called a pussy and a douche for not drinking. Not going to lie, I was really bummed that we as humans feel the need the hurt others or put them down when they are trying to be a better version of themselves. I am guilty of it! My coworkers tell me something like, I am trying to eat better and I’ll pop off with we’re all dying anyways, fuck that. For some odd reason drinking is also tied into how tough you are. I have definitely gathered that I am a raging pussy from drinkers so far. According to some random article published 3 years ago, 6 people a day a die from alcohol poisoning, are we calling those people pussies because they couldn’t handle it or brave because they pushed the limits? It was difficult at first because I was so hesitant to go out in public, almost as if not having a drink in my hand was akin to being morbidly obese with a penis on my forehead, but you get used to it and begin to not take it personally! Friday beers at work were a thing in my office. It was what we looked forward to every week! Grinded through the mud, now we relax. Not one time did my friends who happened to be my coworkers give me shit for not drinking, they never pushed me into something I told them I was trying to go without. Shoutout to Tuggle, Logan, kellyn, Alexa, Jeanne, Dan and Hannah!!!If you do decide to embark on the journey just remember people who are spiraling down want to bring you with them. We have a culture where battering yourself to shit is cool. Be on the lookout for who is pressuring you the next time you’re out.

I’m not trying to claim that cutting alcohol out of your life will give you enlightenment, but life will certainly suck a little less. If life sucking is a problem for you.

Random benefits that also happened, but I have nothing to write about them: