Any Teetotalers Here?

[Doc]

2 years cold turkey back in the early '80's.
Didn't have much choice in the matter, Hep A from bad water while OS will do that to you.
Still, I was in good company as the rest of the guys from the deployment were all in the same boat...

Now it is simply the occasional glass of red wine when we go out for dinner, or if friends make the drive to the country to visit.
Gone are the days of drinking just for the sake of drinking.

[.338winmag]

Hello guys been sober for 20 sum yrs. myself started drinking at a very young age ,my father passed when i was a early teen and my comfort became alcohol stayed intoxicated for 11or more years almost continuously the i had a daughter and i prayed and fought the alcohol cold turkey shakes and the whole nine yards be cause i just didnt want to raise a family like that well my oldest is 23yrs. old now and has here own children ,me i've still got the alcoholic tendency'sbut still dont drink been thinking of alcohol counseling me but am going to talk to my priest first [was raised catholic]befor i decide ,but neway i know this is an old thread but i felt i sholud say a bit about this topic as it has pretty much wreacked my life i have native amercan blood also i believe so that may have been a factor as well ,take care fellah's .338winmag

[Niblick]

Well I'm torn, it's commonplace among my peers to crush a 12 pack per night. I could easily do the same were it not for my wife, who always drives me to be more than "just a grunt". I don't fault those who put away countless bottles, everyone fights their own war. But I do respect you all that recognized a problem and dealt with it. Great thread Mel.

[Curtis C]

Not Alcohol! I was pretty heavy into meth and weed when I was in my teens. I had a few scary episodes that made me realize that was not the path I wanted my life to go down. I basically walked away from all my friends at the time since they were also users. I started doing things and going to places I would have never thought of going while I was using. I went to a house warming party for my cousin and his wife. While there I met the lady that would make my desire to live a clean life so much easier. We have been married for 20 years this past March and have two fantastic children. There are so many "highs" in living free of drugs I wonder why I ever let myself get caught up. 22 years free of drugs and weed. I do have an occasional drink with friends and family at special events or holidays.

While that was a bad time in my life I made sure to find some good in it. Shortly after giving it all up I studied and made notes my behaviors and actions while using. Today I watch for these behaviors in the youth around me. I have had plenty of conversations with parents and also work with some young people struggling with bad choices.

Congrats to everyone for finding freedom from dependence!

Curtis

[BigD]

Not a teetotaler, but have to constantly remind myself that alcoholism runs in the family on both sides. However, I've grown tired of the taste of beer and so pretty much only drink red wine occasionally. I have liked hard alcohol, it tends to make me sick.

Both my father and grandfather were veterans of foreign wars (me; 14 years USAR but never experienced combat) and my dad pretty much committed slow suicide. He died at 45 when I was 21. So it's a constant reminder now that I have a child that I don't want to end up like either one of them.

For all of you that no longer drink, good for you.

[XMP]

I haven't actually every had a drink. I grew up in a home that regarded it as wrong. Then as I got older sports were really important to me and I didn't want to do anything to jeapordize my high school then college eligibilbity. By the time I got out of college and into the Army, although I no longer thought it was wrong to just have a drink, I decided that there was no good reason to start. I could see too many people who made bad decisions, wasted their money, or even encountered or caused some tragedy that was alcohol related. So now I'm in my early 50s and have never had a drink and don't really feel like I've missed out on anything.