Pray and ask for the desire to stop drinking, unfortunately it may take action and more action.
2 Likes
For me, the motivation came from two occasions when I was in a situation when I didnât drink for 24 hours and felt violently sick. The first time, I though it was a stomach bug. Second time as well butâŚmaybe it wasnât? And I tried to not drink for a few days (on purpose) and realized my body had become completely dependent on alcohol to feel ânormalâ.
It scared me. I had no idea that my drinks at the end of the day and the mixes during all weekends or parties or travel were doing this to my body.
The fact that I started feeling pain in my abdomen and thought it was liver damage (went to the doctor and he was shocked that at my weight and level of fitness I had that high an amount of liver fat) was what pushed me to quit.
I was scared my health would continue to deteriorate and I didnât want this to be something knowingly self-inflicted.
It wasnât easy to stop, took me about 2.5 years of relapses and trying to reduce or control alcohol. All very much failed attempts.
The books above (this naked mind, the easy way to control alcohol) helped me tremendously. they carry the same message and reinforce each other. Also âA girl walks out of a barâ, which I listened while on vacation.
Iâm close to 6 months alcohol free and feel so grateful for it. Itâs not about what Iâm missing out by not drinking anymore, but what I have gained by eliminating alcohol from my life:
health,
clarity of mind,
calm heart,
presence for my family and friends,
TIME, itâs amazing how much more time you have when youâre not drunk/hungover,
appreciation for small things,
good sleep,
better tastebuds,
not making bad decisions with horrible consequences
pride in who I am and what I can accomplish
last but not least, I feel prettier 
The list goes on.
I always think that @HoofHearted has amazing insights - why not give it a go for 30 days and see what you find in that quick journey? I promise you that it wonât be time wasted, but time gained into your life 
6 Likes
Thank you,Day 4 pain and mind keeping me awake,off to doctor today,but donât know what to say,hope he doesnât judge,as I now believe that I want to and will stay strong
.day by dayâŚneed to find a group somewhereâŚ
3 Likes
Wow sounds like my life at the moment⌠abdomen on fire with crampsâŚtaking pain pills
2 Likes
Be honest with your doctor. It doesnât matter if he will judge, he probably wonât think about it for more than 15 min in his life while youâre on consultation. For you, however, having a clear picture of what is happening with your body will be something to consider for your lifetime.
Pain killers are not the solution, as you probably knowâŚthey can make some conditions of the liver worse. The ONLY thing that will really help is to stop drinking. Talk to your doctor 
I know how difficult it is in the early days, the first few weeks were very trying for me. Now itâs not all roses, but Iâve found a freedom that I could not have imagined when I was in this alcohol prison. It does get so much better, trust me. You can do this! 
1 Like
Remember all the times you blacked out, woke up with no money in your bank, couldnât remember what you did the night before. Sobriety has always been about being able to give more back to myself. At some point abuse makes you become a shell of yourself. If you donât know who you are without substance abuse, figuring that out could be a great way to start opening yourself up to the journey of sobriety
2 Likes
There has been some awesome information given in this thread. I know you said that AA does not appeal to you. Can I ask, have you attended an AA meeting? I would bet you will be surprised at what you find. It seems like AA is religious, but in fact, itâs not. AA saved my life and got me sober and the fellowship, meetings, and working the steps in my daily life is what has allowed me to stack 611 days of sobriety together, one day at a time.
4 Likes