Does Life Get Any Easier While In Recovery

Many people that have had an addiction to alcohol/drugs and surrendered to their addiction ask themselves, "does life get any easier while in recovery?"

As for myself, I stopped drinking alcohol back in October of 2009.  Times were really tough, but I brought a lot of those bad times on my own with the addiction to alcohol I had.  I often wondered while I drank, "can life be better than this life I now lead being an alcoholic?"

To tell you the truth, yes it is so much better living a life of sobriety, but the problems I had back when I drank alcohol still exist.  Financial problems still are there, but the only difference is, now being sober, is that I can handle them much better than when I drank.

So many people in our world are struggling trying to just make ends meet, and living pay check to pay check.  I feel sorry for all those that have to live that sort of life.  I have always said, " if I had a choice of being financially set, or have my health, I would always choose my health, and that is exactly what I have.

I have no money even though I work full time and struggle each week trying to make ends meet just as millions of other people around the world do, but I have great health and that is so much more important than being financially secure.

Maybe one day my life and all those people that are struggling now will get a bit easier.  Recovery is a struggle each and everyday, not only for me, but all those struggling with me and trying to stay sober each and everyday.

One day at a time so they say, but when you and I struggle with life itself you tend to get that urge to drink to hopefully ease the pain of what you are going through,, but you and I know for a fact drinking alcohol will never ever solve a thing in life, in fact it will be worse than ever.

You and I just have to hang in there and live life one day at a time and never let your life's problems make you go back to that horrible life we once had while being addicted to alcohol or drugs.

Things will get better when we least expect it to happen.

Living Sober In 2015 And Thereafter

Listening to my music  and writing each night to help others realize there is HOPE for
anyone that wants to live sober.

Living sober in 2015 and thereafter is what many alcoholic should focus on.  If you truly want to change your life for the better, please think about stopping the drinking and get yourself out of denial and start living sober in 2015 and thereafter.

Granted, for any alcoholic, thinking of living sober is something they never thought they would ever be able to do in their life ever again, but that is not true at all.

I am an alcoholic, but back over 5 years ago I surrendered to the demons that ran and almost ruined my life.  I too never thought I could ever live a sober life again, but I proved myself and everyone else wrong.

Once I got out of the denial I was living in and made up my mind I wanted my sobriety back in my life and then promised myself, if I go through with stopping drinking it has to be forever and not for a month or two.  It has to be ALL or NOTHING!

Do not say "I think I will just drink on weekends and special occasions."  No, that will never work for any alcoholic.  It has to all or nothing.  I made my mind up, as you should do also, and make that change from being an alcoholic to a clean and sober person.

Believe me it won't be easy to give up something such as alcohol.  The one thing that you lived for each day.  The one thing that gave you that buzz and made you feel you were on top of the world when you were drunk.

You crave that alcohol as soon as you opened your eyes in the morning and couldn't wait to get that first drink of the day in you.  I too so remember this cravings and urges to have alcohol in me each and everyday of the year.

It will be hard, but anything in life that is positive and good for you doesn't come easy.  It depends on how bad you want to live sober.  If you have the willingness and the desire to change your life for the better then you will be able to conquer this addiction to alcohol you have and live and sober and healthy life once more.

You will never be sorry for this change in your life.  I know for me, it was the best thing I'd ever done for myself and my family as well.  You won't be sorry trust me!  Remember alcohol has one purpose and that is to get you drunk, ruin your life, and others lives, and eventually kill you in the end. That is the job alcohol has.  It doesn't discriminate whatsoever.  You can be rich, poor, male or female, it doesn't matter to alcohol.  Alcohol is out to kill you!  Don't let something like alcohol ruin that one and only life you have.

SAY NO TO DRINKING AND ABUSING ALCOHOL.  

Thank you for reading this blog and if you or someone you know has an addiction to alcohol send them to this blog and my other sites as well
http://www.thecleanlife-mark.blogspot.com

http://thecleanlife.hubpages.com

Sober 2015 New Years Coming Soon - Will You Break ?

Well, in one week we will all be celebrating another New Years. The years fly by so fast, and for me, it will be one more sober New Years.

Sober 2015 New Years coming soon.  Will you break, or will you be strong enough to say no one more time?  For all of us alcoholics that used to drink like there was no tomorrow on New Years and in fact, everyday of the year, we need to stay strong and not let anyone or anything make us break and take that sip of alcohol no matter what day it is during the years and that includes New Years.

For me, if I took one sip of alcohol and got that taste on my tongue I would be doomed.  I truly think it would be the same for millions of alcoholics that have gotten clean and sober.

I am not about to take that chance and I would highly recommend anyone that has found his/her sobriety not to take that chance either.  It is truly NOT worth what the outcome would be.  If you happen to break, or as I call it, RELAPSE, YOU WILL NOT forgive yourself!

I can not imagine how I would feel if I took that drink on New Years, because that one drink will indeed lead to one more and then possibly all night of drinking, because you would probably think to yourself, "I drank already so what is the difference between one drink and many in the same night?" The damage is done!

For me, I would be so disappointed in myself, not to say how disappointed our family, spouses, children, etc. would feel after you and I have done so well with your sobriety over the years.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to drink and party away celebrating the New Years 2015, but I know I can not have one drink.  I know my body, and how I am, so why take that chance?

Please, if you feel the urge to drink while at a 2015 New Years party, STOP and think what you are about to do to yourself before you take that sip of alcohol. If you are strong enough the urge will pass!

So in ending, I want to wish everyone a Safe, Sober and Happy New Years.  And especially to all my Sober friends.  We live life everyday sober, and this New Years is NO different.  It is only another day of the year, with a title to it.  It is no different than all the other days of the year we live sober.

Think before you drink my friends!  Everyone of us SOBER men and ladies can have just as much fun on New Years, Sober, in fact, this will be my 5th Sober New Years and I have a blast at each one of them and I will have a blast this New Years 2015 and wake up the next morning remembering the evening, and with NO HANGOVER!

God Bless each and every person on Earth.  Be strong and say NO to Alcohol and Drugs.

A Life Changing Whisper

For a guy like myself that is somewhat hard of hearing, so I've been told by many of people. I certainly heard a life changing whisper from above one night.

It was one of the many drink alone nights in my garage, just me and a invisible friend named "Alcohol Demon". I'm not sure if that's the best way to describe this well know friend to many of us. I can come up with many other names for this so called life destroyer.

You know when you start to drink alcohol, you tend to feel a little better with each drink consumed until you get to the border line of being buzzed and feeling good, to all out being drunk. Once you cross over that fine line to being drunk, you really can't think straight or make any wise decisions, and if you try they don't make any sense whatsoever when you sobered up.

I actually only opened my first beer and was sober as could be, when I heard a calm and peaceful whisper in my head. It stopped me right in my tracks. I said to myself, "did I just hear what I thought I heard"?

The whisper came again and again of the same calm and soothing voice. There is voice in my head, and I think it is God, I said to myself. I set the beer down and just gave my undivided attention to this whisper that continued to repeat in my head. I felt a cool chill all over my body and my body seemed to be tingling all over. It was as if something, or should I say someone had entered my body and started to cleanse me of my fears, worries and my Addiction to Alcohol.

This night was the only night ever, that I truly had a quite and soothing conversation without speaking a word out loud.

If anyone does not BELIEVE then I must say, an experience such as I had will change your life forever and you will then BELIEVE for sure.

God will never let us down, you just need to believe in our creator and love him with all your heart and you will see just how your life will change.

The words that were spoken to me from above where giving me a fair warning of what my life was leading to if I didn't do something about it and change. The voice said "I Will Help You If You Want".. I'll tell you what, it was the most beautiful experience anyone could ever have in their life.

From that moment on I have not touch a single drop of alcohol and never will again. To be perfectly honest I do not even think of it anymore, as if I never drank alcohol in my life. It is truly remarkable of how your life can change within minutes.

If I had continued to tilt that can up and ignored his voice as if I didn't hear anything, I would not be clean and sober today.

He Will Help You and Change Your Life!!

Sobriety Rocks

Yes the voice, the voice that changed my life forever. I never knew how sobriety rocks because I haven't been sober for years. Yes I was sober with a huge hangover each morning and for the rest of the day sober also, but watch out when work was over and I got home.

The alcohol was flowing like I couldn't get enough of it fast enough. I am adding this part of this hub because I feel that I should continue to explain just how one single voice from up above can CHANGE YOUR LIFE like it did for me, but the big thing is that you as an alcoholic or drug addictMUST listen and obey that voice that is trying to save your life and all those lives you are associated with.

You may think I am nuts, crazy or whatever you may think, but I know what I heard, and that voice was enough to stop me in my tracks and sit and listen what had to be said to me. It is your choice to believe me or not believe me, but I would never make up something such as this remarkable experience by any means.

If you know you have an addiction of any sort, I would recommend to reach out for help and listen to our creator. He will help you get that strength to stop drinking and using. All you have to do is to listen real hard and ask God to help you. Don't have anyone around you and just be quiet in a place that has no noise and just listen. If you believe in our God you will hear that voice. Speak to him silently in your mind and you will hear a response.

Living On The Edge Of Addiction

The Fine Line

Do you think you are living on the edge of addiction, or do you think that an addiction won't grab you and take you to a place you will never forget?

If you think you have a problem with drinking alcohol, how close do you think you are to being addicted to the alcohol and not being able to stop at that line of just drinking sociable to being addicted and abusive?

There is that fine line "in my opinion" of just drinking alcohol socially, to abusing alcohol to the point that you need it everyday of your life.

Which person do you think you are? The social drinker every once in a while or do you need it everyday of your life? I can tell you that in my case I started out drinking as an experiment with my friends and before you knew it I like it so much that I wanted it to be a part of my everyday life because of the feeling alcohol gave me. I am very sure there are thousands upon thousands of people that did the same thing and before you knew it you were addicted to the one thing that can and will ruin our lives.

Which Side of the Line Are You on ?

Do you know which side of the line you are on? Can you honestly say you don't have an addiction to alcohol, or are you living in a world of denial?

So many of us that drink alcohol think to ourselves we don't have an addiction to alcohol even though many people tell us we have a problem. I was the same way years ago thinking everyone was nuts thinking I have a alcohol problem. I clearly thought there was no problem at all, until one day I stopped and took a real hard look at my life and where my life was heading.

I saw that things were starting not to work out the way I thought they should when I was planning something to do or accomplish. I realized there was something wrong in my life , but still never wanted to admit it had to do with the alcohol I was drinking.

Now the problem was, what I was going to do about this so called addition to alcohol I had? You know, none of us that drink and abuse alcohol are stupid people by any means. Where all are smart enough to realize that we have a problem, but the thing is, we just don't want to admit it and get out of the denial we are living in. The reason is that the buzz and feeling that alcohol gives us make us feels so nice and we are the happiest person alive, (or are we). But in some case the alcohol makes others act like a mad man full of argue.and rage after they get enough alcohol into their system. Those are the ones that should never ever drink! They bring harm to them self and to innocent others as well.

Once you get out of denial and start to see the true life you were living is when you can start to make a change in your life from addiction to sobriety. Please never think sobriety is bad or something that will hurt you just because you remember all the fun times you had drinking alcohol and you wonder and think that sobriety is not fun and never will be. The is so untrue, because sobriety will indeed make you life and all those around you be the happiest time in your life.

So please think long and hard of what you are doing to your life if you cross over that fine line to addiction. Your body, and all those that love and care so much for you will be the happiest people in the world if you take that huge step backwardsfrom that line of addiction you are about to cross.

Never give up hope on yourself, and always remain positive in everything you do in life and that includes getting and staying sober. Remember, sobriety will never hurt or kill you, it's the addiction to alcohol that will shorten your life, and in time kill you if you don't have the strength and the willingness to give up drinking alcohol and live the life of sobriety that you deserve so much.

Believe me once you get a taste of living life sober you will wish you never started to abuse alcohol.

• Amazon.com: My Life Of Alcohol Addiction eBook: Peter Mark Bruno: Kindle Store

When Is Enough Enough When It Comes To Alcohol Addiction?

How Much Can Your Body Take ?

When someone has an addiction to alcohol, and they have been abusing alcohol for so many years, when is enough enough when it comes to an alcohol addiction?

When is it time to make a change in ones life, and get clean and sober before it is too late?

Alcohol addiction is a horrible thing. I know I was there for many years and to tell you the truth I thought I had NO problem whatsoever, even though so many people thought so different.

If your are addicted to alcohol and abuse alcohol to the point that you need it everyday of the week, you must have looked in the mirror and have seen the difference in yourself.

Did you, or do you see someone different staring back at you in that mirror? Are you afraid of what you see or you just don't care at all? Are you in denial and thinking you have no problem with the alcohol you drink each and everyday?

Are you the type of person that knows you have a addiction to alcohol but are to a shamed to ask for the help you need to get and stay sober?

Deep down inside you, you must know there is a huge problem with the life you lead. I knew that problem, but I was too embarrassed to ask or admit I needed help.

When do you think enough is enough when it comes to stopping drinking? Would it be when your body starts to shut down because of the abuse you put it through all the years of drinking alcohol?

Would it be time to say goodbye to your addiction to alcohol when a Doctor tells you your liver is shot and there is no repairing it now.

Would those words be enough to say, "I am going to get sober and stop drinking alcohol." I would certainly hope so.

I realize that trying to break the horrible habit of drinking and abusing alcohol is a huge task. I know I was there back in October of 2009 when I said enough was enough and I needed to stop drinking alcohol forever.

When Is the Time to Stop Drinking Forever?

If you are an alcoholic, and know you have a problem, then what measures should you take in order to change your life around for the better and start living the clean life?

• First off, you must get out of the denial you are living in and realize you need to stop drinking and get sober.
• You need to look into that mirror and see who is looking back at you. Are you happy with who is looking at you, or are you a shamed of what you have become because of an avoidable alcohol addiction.
• Are you proud to say you are an alcoholic or are you embarrassed to even mention it to anyone?
• Do you like the way your body has changed over the years of drinking, such as weight gain or weight loss?
• Do you hide from those that do not drink alcohol and drink alone?
• Are you happy with your family life, such as your spouse, children, parents and friends?
• Are those people fed up with you and your addiction to alcohol?
• Are your family and friends beginning to stay distant from you because of you addiction?

I can go on and on, but you get what I am saying, I hope. You need to sit down and take a good hard look at your life and the lives of those that love and care for you.

You have to want sobriety for yourself and not be forced into living a clean and sober life, because I have found that if you don't want sobriety in your life, no person or place will make that happen without the will and pure determination of the alcoholic.

You need to help yourself before any place or person can help you. You have to have it in your heart and soul that you want a better life for yourself and your family, and until you want it for yourself, things will be a bit rough getting and staying sober.

I am not a Doctor or a Therapist, but through my experience of drinking alcohol I know if you don't want to change your life, then recovery is in the distant future until you are 110 % ready to change and get sober on your terms and not someone that is forcing you to get sober.

I did it and so can you my friends. With the willingness, determination and huge desire to make your life right, you can and will get and stay sober.

Once you take that first step towards sobriety, never let anyone or anything get in your way or try to stop your road to recovery. There will be lots of things that may happen in your life as they happened in my life once I got sober, BUT never let it get to you to the point of picking up that drink to drown your problems and sorrows.

If so, it will be the worst mistake of your life and believe me, you will be so disappointed in yourself by letting the demons take control of your body again.

Be STRONG and stand up to the addiction to alcohol that could of, or did ruin your life once before. Believe and you will achieve sobriety my friends!!

Get Yourself Sober Than Help Others Do The Same

Back in 2009 I said to myself, " Mark lets get yourself sober and help others do the same" and that is exactly what I have done since October of 2009.

I write just about every night either here on this blog, or my Clean Life blog, and then HubPages in which I have over 440 hubs written on alcohol abuse, sobriety, ways to get sober, positive attitudes and much more.

I love writing on alcohol addiction and ways that I found that helped me get and stay sober for almost 5 years now.  Writing is really a great help keeping me sober.  Everything I write, I have in my mind as I write them, and that is, "this one article I am writing just might help a person somewhere in the world to get and stay sober."

I can't stress enough in my writing just how sobriety has changed my life, and the lives around me, such as my wife, children and Grandchildren.  I literally put them through pure hell with my alcohol abuse and never wanting to do anything with them unless I had a drink in my hand.

When I look back in time I feel so ashamed and weak. I was too weak to fight my inner demons that ran my life and other lives for so many years.  It truly makes me sick in my stomach now knowing that I put my family and friends behind my addiction to alcohol.

Well, as I write today I am sober and the past is the past and I only now look for much better things to come in my life and the lives that surround me.

If you have recently got sober then I commend you to the highest level in life.  Now your job, as is my job, is to remain sober forever, and start to help those that are suffering from an addiction as we were in the past.  It is so rewarding to know you have helped someone to make up their minds to stop drinking.

It truly wasn't that hard to quit drinking once I made up my mind and got out of the denial I lived in for so many years.  Once I admitted I truly had an alcohol problem, and was willing to surrender once and for all, the rest fell right in place.

Mine you, when you stop drinking, you have to give sobriety 110%.  There can not be any thing such as what I used to say, and that is this:

• I will only drink on weekends.
• I will only drink on Holidays and special occasions.
• I will only drink on the days I have off from work.

If you are ready to get sober, and you have abused alcohol, then the above will NOT work!  It didn't work for me at all and I had tried those methods many times and failed each and every time I tried.

You are only fooling yourself when you try to do as the above states.  Sobriety (LONG TERM SOBRIETY) is all or nothing my friends. 

Will Sobriety Make Me A Happier Person ?

When someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol, sobriety is the last thing on their mind because the addiction they have and live with over runs their body and minds.  They even often ask themselves, "will sobriety make me a happier person?" Since I got clean and sober over three years ago I couldn't be happier.

Believe it or not, finding sobriety will be the first day of the rest of your sober life, and anyone that wants a better life for them selves and their family should really consider getting clean and sober and try sobriety out.  You will never regret this huge life change, I am proof of it.

You will be surprised of how many good things come out of being sober.  Life is a beautiful thing and so many people abuse alcohol and drugs and miss out on some of the best years of their lives all because of an avoidable addiction.

Finding sobriety in ones life is really right in front of them.  The only problem is that many people with an addiction don't really care to be sober.  They are so used to being drunk or high and forget about what life is really about.

If you want to know ways to stop drinking alcohol there are so many websites that you can go to that will help you get on that road to recovery.  That is exactly what I did over three years ago.  You can read comments on those sites from people just like you that are struggling to get sober just as you are.

As far as being a happier person if you were sober that answer is yes, at least it is for myself.  You will feel so great about yourself and proud that you have beat the demons that have been running your life for so long.

Your family will also be so proud of the decision that you made to get clean and sober.  You will wake up each morning feeling great with no hangovers and ready to take on the day with a clear head, instead of feeling like crap the entire day until you get that first drink of the day. and that cycle will go on and on day after day if you continue to drink alcohol.

Don't let alcohol control your life and those that love and care for you anymore.  Take that first step towards sobriety and stop drinking alcohol and live the life you should be living, being happy and healthy.

Do You Think You Are An Alcoholic ?

So what do you think?  Do you think you are an alcoholic, or do you think you don't have any problem whatsoever regarding your alcohol intake?

What questions should you ask yourself regarding being an alcoholic or just a social drinker?

• Do you need to have alcohol in your system each and everyday of the week?
• Are you a miserable person if you don't have alcohol for just one day?
• Do you stay away from places you are invited to if they are not providing alcohol and make any excuse not to go?
• Do you feel like crap each and everyday you wake up?
• Do you live with a negative attitude?
• Have you lost your self esteem?
• Do you drink alone?
• Do you get nasty and say things you wouldn't normally say when you are drunk?
• Do you make excuses of why you are feeling bad, when you know for a fact you are hungover?
• Is alcohol the first on your mind when you wake up in the morning?
• Have you ever said to yourself that you wanted to stop drinking alcohol, but thought you wouldn't be able to?
• Are you afraid to stop drinking for the fear of getting sick?
• Are you afraid to stop drinking because of what your drinking buddies would think of you?
• Is alcohol getting in the way of your marriage and family?
• Can you see the difference in your family's reactions when you walk into a room?
• Do you notice people may stay distant from you when you are drinking?

Well, how do you think you did? Did you answer YES to any questions, and if so, you just may have a problem alcohol.  So own up to it as I did, and I might add, those questions when from my own experience with alcohol addiction.  I have been sober for over three (3) years and darn proud of it.

Yes, I lost lots of friends when I stopped drinking alcohol, but my family and my life were far more important than any drinking buddy.  I did it and so can you if you have the right frame of mind, a positive attitude and the strong will and desire to stop drinking alcohol forever.

Don't get me wrong.  I have nothing against drinking alcohol if it is done in a responsible way and not abuse it each and everyday of the year.

If you believe in yourself, and tell yourself you can and will get and stay sober, it will happen!

BELIEVE AND YOU WILL ACHIEVE !!

Tips On How I Stopped Drinking Alcohol

Here are some tips on how I stopped drinking alcohol and have been clean and sober for over 3 years now. 

First and foremost you need to want to get clean and sober and have to honest with yourself.  You can not cheat and say, "I will only drink on Holidays and weekends, like I did in the beginning of my partial sobriety.

If you know you have an addiction to alcohol and want to get sober, then it has to be all the way or nothing.  I thought that I could drink on weekends and Holidays, but it didn't work for too long.  The weekend drinking then went into one more day of the week and then no drinking for the rest of the week.  I was only kidding myself, but thought I was bringing peace to the household by not drinking alcohol for half of the week.

If you are like me and always needed alcohol in your life each and everyday of the week, then there is no happy medium for us.  There has to be a commitment to yourself that if you were to stop drinking alcohol, it has to be totally and not drink a couple days a week.  It didn't work for me and more than likely it will not work for you if you have an addiction to alcohol like I did.

So, the first thing you need to do is to want sobriety back into your life.  You need to change your outlook in life and stop feeling sorry for yourself and saying, "poor me, why is nothing going right in my life."  You need to change your attitude and make it a positive attitude and stop being so negative in your life.  Trust me, if you have a positive attitude and have a very strong desire to get sober and stay sober, than you have made a great decision and you will get sober with that attitude.

You can not think to yourself, Oh it will be too hard to get sober so why ever try to stop drinking alcohol.  That is one shitty attitude, and with that kind of attitude, you will continue to drink alcohol until the day you day from it.

Nothing great in life is easy, and that goes for getting and staying sober forever.  Everyday you will face alcohol somewhere in your day, but you must stay strong and not let the demons come back into your life and start taking full control over the one and only life you have.

This is the cover of my Ebook titled "My Life With Alcohol Addiction."

It simply explains when and why I started to drink.  It was to hide from my problems and as I continued to drink I became more addicted and that lasted for 33 years of my life.

My Ebook

****You can find many other articles I have written in my other blog called The Clean Life.****

Are You A Social Drinker Or An Abuser Of Alcohol

Where is that fine line between are you a social drinker or an abuser of alcohol?  

Where is that line drawn in your life?  Can you honestly say you don't abuse alcohol?  Do you overdue your drinking when you go out?  How can you tell which person you are?

Here is my answers to these most important questions, and may mean if you are a social drinker or an alcoholic and a abuser to alcohol.
For one, I was the type of person that loved to drink alcohol and not a shamed to say so. I didn't make any excuses of why I drank alcohol, I just drank with really no reason.  Many people that drink alcohol drink just to be social and never overdue the alcohol.  Those people know when to stop drinking alcohol and then there are those like myself, that never know when to quit.

I always wished that I could have a beer or two in an evening and call it quits for the night, but I could not do that.  I needed to continue to drink until I got the buzz I was looking for.  How about yourself, are you this way too or do you know when enough is enough?

How about this:  Are you the type of person that can only drink alcohol and not eat until you are through drinking, or can you drink alcohol and eat together?  For myself, it was either drinking alcohol or eating.  I never wanted to drink and eat at the same time, because if I drank and ate food it would fill me and my buzz would just go away, and then it was time to sleep.  Is that you?  Can you drink and eat or do you do one or another?

While I am writing this it really makes me sick to hear myself and how pitiful I was.  How in the world can any of us let alcohol control our lives?  It truly is sad isn't it?

more » HubPages

How To Stay Positive When You Are Trying To Stop Drinking Alcohol

So many people that have an addiction to alcohol deep down want to get and stay sober, but most have a negative attitude thinking they will never be able to stop drinking alcohol.

This is how to stay positive when you are trying to stop drinking alcohol and it worked for me and hopefully it will work for all those that want sobriety back into their lives.

I stopped drinking alcohol completely and doing it cold turkey on October 27, 2009.  I felt that I would have a hard time getting sober, but that was the negativity in my mind talking to me.

WHAT I DID AND WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO STOP DRINKING

First and foremost, I and (you) need to want sobriety bad enough that you are willing to do anything to get and stay sober!  That is first, because if you don't have sobriety in your heart and soul you will have a tough time even getting to the point of quitting drinking.

You can not stop drinking just because you are threatened or forced to stop your addiction to alcohol.  By being forced into stopping anything in life you will not make it, because it is not really what you want, it is what others want out of you.  You may know that you are doing wrong by drinking alcohol, but you need to want your sobriety and not be forced into it.  if you are not ready to change you own life than no matter what anyone says to you it will not work.

Granted, you may stop drinking to make peace in the family, but that will not last and will not be long term sobriety all because you are not ready to be sober for the rest of your life.  I know because I did stop drinking a couple times, but for a short period of time and then I went right back to drinking when something went wrong and my life and I felt alcohol would ease all pain and fix all problems.  That is not the case at all for me and for any of you that has an addiction to alcohol.  ALCOHOL FIXES NOTHING IN ANYONE'S LIFE, it only make matters worse in the end.

When I finally made my mind up on my own that something had to be done about my addiction to alcohol , I sat down alone and thought of all the things I missed out on in life because I put alcohol before anything else and sometimes my own family.  When I thought hard about what I have done, not only to my health and my body, but all those that loved and cared for me and what I was doing to them and to myself.

I changed my outlook on life and made it a positive attitude in which being positive helped me so much in starting my journey to long term sobriety.  I know any of you that have an addiction to not only alcohol, but drugs can beat that addiction just as I did three years ago and still going strong in staying sober.

Think of all the foolish things you have done in you drunken state of mind and how you feel each and every morning being hungover and waiting for the time to have you r first drink of that new day.

It is a miserable life thinking, waiting and wanting that drink of alcohol to help you get through the day.  We are all killing ourselves slowly, but surly and the demons don't give a crap, believe me.

Think of what you may lose if you don't stop drinking alcohol.  One thing may being your loving family and close and dear friends that DON"T abuse alcohol.  Think that sooner or later your addiction will catch up with you and you body will start to shut down one body part at a time, or in some case all at once.

Think of what you will miss out on if you continue to drink and abuse alcohol such as you child or children getting married and having their own family.  Your grandchildren that you will never see grow up and just life in general.  Life is so precious and why we abuse it is beyond me.  

Remember, we are only here a short time on Earth and we have but only one life to live, so take care of your body and enjoy life the way GOD intended us to do.

So, first you need to want sobriety in your life.  You need to stay positive in anything you do in life and that includes getting and staying sober.  Ask for HELP to get and stay sober.  If you feel you can not get sober on your own, there are thousands of excellent Rehab. Centers all over the world just waiting for you and wanting to help you change your life forever, but like I said YOU need to want sobriety first!

Don't be embarrassed of you addiction.  Be open to others and tell them you are stopping drinking.  Many will admire you for what you are about to do and then, those that you have drank alcohol with will try and stop you for changing your life and getting sober.  Why you may ask? They will then lose a great drinking partner and lose a friend or they really true friends or just people that you have something in common with and that is drinking you lives away?

HERE IS MY eBOOK AND MY LIFE OF ALCOHOL ADDICTION.

CHECK OUT THIS SITE I WRITE ON, CALLED HUBPAGES.  I HAVE OVER 300 ARTICLES ABOUT ALCOHOL ADDICTION AND HAVING A HAPPY LIFE.

MY OTHER BLOG, CALLED THE CLEAN LIFE.

WORD PRESS, LIVING LIFE SOBER.

EZINE ARTICLES

ABOVE LINKS ARE PLENTY OF READING FOR YOU TO READ REGARDING STOPPING DRINKING AND LIVING A HAPPY AND FULFILLING LIFE.  LEARN BY YOUR MISTAKES AS I DID! I WRITE TO HELP OTHERS REALIZE THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE FOR SOBRIETY IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT OUT OF YOUR LIFE.

STAY STRONG TO YOURSELF. STAY POSITIVE. BELIEVE AND LOVE YOURSELF AND STAY SOBER. YOU WILL NEVER GO WRONG WITH A LIFE OF SOBRIETY!

How To Live A Happy Life Without Alcohol In It

Everyone in the world wants to be happy right?  Some of us think that drinking alcohol makes us fun and a happy person, but are you really happy?

How to live a happy life without alcohol in it depends on each one of us and the way we go about or lives.  Whether we just drink to be social or go all out and abuse alcohol. I have nothing against drinking alcohol when it is done responsibly and not abuse it.  I am the first to say I loved drinking alcohol, but it didn't love me, so I had to think what was more important, my addiction to alcohol or my family and my life.

Isn't it funny how people that drink and sometime abuse alcohol thinks that by drinking alcohol they will have a ball at whatever they are doing, whether it be at a party or parking themselves at the bar for hours on end.  Sure it is fun in the beginning until the alcohol started to take effect and your judgement and senses go out the window.

Is it really that fun if you may have said something wrong or mean to someone that really means something to you, and if you were sober those words would of never come out of your mouth.  Is drinking really fun if you leave a function or bar and get pulled over and given a DUI, court date and possibly jail time?  Is drinking alcohol fun if God for bid you were involved in a car crash and possibly hurt or killed a innocent person or persons and ever yourself?

Happiness doesn't ever come from a bottle of alcohol, and we all know that, but for some reason we continue to drink and abuse alcohol thinking our life will be much happier while drinking.

If you think this way you couldn't be more wrong!  Happiness comes from true love, contentment, being positive, loving your family and friends unconditionally, loving your own life and loving yourself enough not to abuse your one and only body with the poison we all call ALCOHOL!

Only if we the alcoholics or those that overdue drinking now and then would only realize that drinking to ease the pain you maybe in, or drown your sorrows because of being in debt or a sickness in the family, or just because you are unhappy WILL NOT solve a thing in your life, it only makes matters worse!

If you want true happiness in your life, don't turn to alcohol.  If you are married and have children, think of something all of you would love to do, or a place you would love to go and just do it.  Spend quality time with your family and friends and do it being sober.  Stop drinking alcohol and abusing it, and live life with sobriety.  Believe me you won't be sorry for this life change! Your body will indeed thank you for it.

All of us are only here on Earth one time, so why destroy your life with alcohol.  Make the best of each day whether you are a single person or have a family.  Everyday we wake up and open our eyes to a new day is so precious, so lets enjoy life the way God intended us to do.

REMEMBER: HAPPINESS IS NOT IN A BOTTLE!

Check out my eBook and My Life Of Alcohol Addiction.
Thank you for taking time to read this Blog, and feel free to leave a comment if you so desire.
Mark

CRUSHING ALCOHOLISM

Crushing alcohol addiction is a new blog I have started and to be added to the blog I have already have called "The Clean Life." I started The Clean Life blog about three years ago after I surrendered to my own addiction to alcohol. I had been drinking alcohol for many of years and starting at the age of 19 years old. Something that started out as a experiment and having a good ole time with the guys turned out to be an addiction to alcohol in the end.

 Anyone that has an addiction to alcohol knows that it is a tough addiction to break, especially if your heart and soul is not into getting clean and sober. You need to have to want sobriety so bad that you will do anything in the world to get sober and stay sober for the rest of your life. I am sure that many alcoholics may think, as I did, what is the sense of stopping drinking when the damage is already done. We are only making excuses to not surrendering to our addiction. I thought the same way, and lived in denial for all those years thinking, " I don't have an addiction to alcohol and anyone that thinks I have are totally crazy.

 We are only lying to ourselves. You need to have a positive attitude when you have decided to stop drinking alcohol and with having the right frame of mind and wanting sobriety so bad it will not work. Sure it may work for a week or possibly a month until something has gone wrong in your life and you go back to alcohol to fix the problem. You need to be strong and have the determination to stay sober in order for you to have long term sobriety.

Once you have taken that first step towards sobriety there will be a few things you may have to give up besides your addiction to alcohol, and they are as follows:

First of all, you have to make a promise to yourself that once you have got out of the lived in for so long and what to change your life you need to promise yourself that you will never be able to pick up another alcoholic drink again.  Once you have made that promise to yourself you then will see other things that you may have to give up.

For myself, I had to give up and stay clear of all my past drinking buddies and I would imagine you will have to do the same.  I realize that the so called good friends only were my friend because we all had something in common and that was drinking alcohol.  They will look at you like you have two heads when you tell them you have stopped drinking alcohol.  Believe me, they will try everything in their power to stop you from quitting drinking.

You will have to stay clear of passing your favorite bars and night clubs.

You will need to keep yourself very busy, mentally and physically in order for you not to have time to think of the addiction you have just stopped.

For me, and I am only talking about me here.  I can now go to bars and I have been to weddings and none of the people that are drinking alcohol and the so called fun they are having drinking there life away bothers me whatsoever.  I order my root beer and black coffee and I am happy.  Many people ask me "why are you not bothered by people drinking alcohol in front of you?"  My answer is that I made my mind up, and made a promise to myself that I will never drink alcohol again, and I am a man of my word and do not break promises especially to myself.

Here is a link to my eBook called, My Life Of Alcohol Addiction.  It is about when and why I started to drink alcohol and how I stopped my addiction going cold turkey.

Any person that has an addiction can do this.  It is all in your mind and having the strength to say the word NO!  It really is as simple as that!