[mandown]

You are uncomfortable because you have conditioned yourself to believe that having a beer in hand is part of the experience of being out: welcome to being one of Pavlov's dogs. Over the years you have come to consider it 2nd nature to have that optional component of an experience be a mandatory and integral part of it. Consider why you go out, and what reasons motivate you to be there other than to drink. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that there are reasons that are far more important to you than catching a beer buzz. The beer was the garnish, not the meal. Don't give up eating the burger because you can't have the pickles.

Recognize that you conditioned yourself to feel the way you do now. You created it, so you can kill it.

 

[stinkyboy]

Stolen from Wiki:

Red wines, particularly those produced by traditional methods, contain procyanidins released from grape seeds during wine making, which have been reported to lower serum uric acid levels by an indirect mechanism.

A bottle of Chablis, hey now,
that ain't no stuff for me
Chateau Timberley, as long as I can't see
Gallo or Muscatel, either one
would be just swell
I didn't come here to fight,
hey just as long as that
ain't white

Now I ain't no connoiseur cat -
the conno-sewer/kinda sewer rat
Red red wine on Sunday
Always tastes so good
Red red wine
Red red wine
Red red wine if you would

Hey now as long as it is red, oh set
'em up until we're dead
A Saturday sippin' beer is just
a jug without a year

Now I ain't no connoiseur cat, I
think you guessed that
Red red wine on Sunday
Just like Martin said
Red red wine
Red red wine
Set us up 'till we're dead

I ain't no connoiseur cat, conno-sewer rat
... on Sunday
Just like Martin said
Red red wine
Red red wine
Set us up 'till we're dead

-Replacements

 

[jdcamb]

Last May I had my second stroke and this was after I was told by my doctor my drinking would kill me.. During the Medical treatment for the Brain injury I suffered, I received an MRI and they showed me the images of the scan and the doc compared the image of my scan to a 70y/o and I couldn't tell the difference. Neither could they! I am 43. They said that it was because I had been a daily drinker since according to their estimates since my early 20's which isn't true since I had been drinking since I was 16. On top of that I suffered a major injury from the second stroke. I couldn't walk, talk, write, read or do many of the things I took for granted. I am in Rehab right now for my injuries. It has been a real struggle. I now have my eyesight back and can walk and talk with some semblance of normalcy. I used to take care of myself and now folks take care of me. It took losing everything to sober me up. Eventually the party stops and if you keep going you might end up like me. My party may stop forever if I can't keep on the straight and narrow path..... AA and NA helps me out and you just need to find something that helps you out. Whatever works for you is what you need. To qualify I also abused opiates and other drugs for much of that time too. I partied like a Rock star for almost 25 years and almost died like one too.... I miss myself more then I miss drinking and drugs now. Man that was hard to do....

Start by getting your house in order is my advice and talk to some doctors. Things will fall into place after that. You are not as strong as you think you are. Take care of your family, because someday they may need to take care of you. Talk to them too....

I finally got the all clear to ride from my doctor so that is what I am going to do....

later monkeys...

 

[Jeremy R]

Damn Jack,
This is like finding out that Cookie Monster became a diabetic.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Damn Jack,
This is like finding out that Cookie Monster became a diabetic.

Heh...reminds me of the Family Guy episode where Rudolph is told that his red nose is actually a big cancerous tumor...

"Like a big, happy, fun tumor?"
"No."
"Like a ..."
"You're going to die!!"


On a serious note....

Good luck AMS!! And be well.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

You truly do not know what you have until you lose it. I will never take my mobility for granted. Everyday that I can walk is a good day. No matter how rough life gets, if I can walk then the rest of the day isn't really that bad. Having to ask someone to put your shoe on for you because you can't is a humbling experience.

During this whole experience, I have just hid out in my studio trying to keep myself occupied with either work or learning web design. I only have two speeds, stop and wide open. Some would call me an open channel for creativity. My head is a constant swarm of ideas. So I approach life with the same style, all or nothing. And that included beer and tequila. So now that those two are no longer an option and I'm tired of spending all my time in the studio, I'm ready to rejoin the rest of the world. The going out and not drinking thing is unfamiliar territory to me.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

You truly do not know what you have until you lose it. I will never take my mobility for granted. Everyday that I can walk is a good day. No matter how rough life gets, if I can walk then the rest of the day isn't really that bad. Having to ask someone to put your shoe on for you because you can't is a humbling experience.

During this whole experience, I have just hid out in my studio trying to keep myself occupied with either work or learning web design. I only have two speeds, stop and wide open. Some would call me an open channel for creativity. My head is a constant swarm of ideas. So I approach life with the same style, all or nothing. And that included beer and tequila. So now that those two are no longer an option and I'm tired of spending all my time in the studio, I'm ready to rejoin the rest of the world. The going out and not drinking thing is unfamiliar territory to me.

So just go out to clubs (sober) and randomly punch bouncers. This time you'll remember why you did it, and then you can blame someone else when you can't move the next day!

All kidding aside though...

My wife went through a not-being-able-to-dress-herself-experience (not in a good way...it was temporary though...) a few years ago...I feel for ya bro...keep on keepin' on!

 

[mandown]

The going out and not drinking thing is unfamiliar territory to me.

Think of how many fun things you do now that were "unfamiliar" at one time which you now enjoy. I bet riding a bike was unfamiliar at one time. I bet you are glad you didn't let that scare you off.

 

[Drunken_Ninja]

Suggestion 1

Suggestion 2

I recommend suggestion 2 if I had to chose.

 

[TN]

Have you ever tried the Specific Carbohydrate Diet? It helps with lots issues & might help with gout.

sorry, I can't help with the drinking. I am not a social person but I drink for the love of drinks. If I had to quit or just wanted too I might start drinking lots of tea.

 

[Leppah]

i used to party it up a bit here and there. Drank my fair share. I pretty much quit it all together just because it messed with my weekends too much. A night of drinking wasn't worth the torture the next day or worth missing out on good biking days. i can't bike enough already. Drinking the night before just cut into my ride time. It's not hard to keep from drinking. I get drunk about 1 time a year, and it reminds me why i quit that crap. I don't even touch alcoholic drinks throughout the rest of the year. But that's just me. i never liked the taste of any of it. And i'm too damn lazy to be addicted to anything.

 

[Serial Midget]

Up until my early 20s the only reason I drank was to get drunk, if I had no intention of getting ripped, I saved my money for other things like rent & food. For the last 15 years or so I have not consumed enough alcohol in on sitting to produce even a mild buzz.

I dislike bars and any social function that includes large numbers of people drinking - finding people of similar disposition is not hard, making connections and lasting friendships is actually much easier when alcohol is not involved.

I never felt like an alcoholic and never sought treatment... I turned my obsessive compulsive tendencies towards bicycling, running and other people who enjoyed similar interests.

The runners high is much more intense than good snog could ever be - throw in some competitive racing & you'll never look back.

 

[maddog17]

i have no experience with AA but i've gone thru stretches where i didn't drink. no real reason behind it, i just didn't want to drink alcohol. all i would drink is soda water with a lime. when someone would ask why i wasn't drinking at a bar all i would say was i didn't feel like it. some would leave it at that, others would push for a reason. i would repeat what i said with that facial expression of "there's your answer and that's all your getting". if they continued to press i would just ignore them. part of being comfortable with it is your attitude toward it. you have to be comfortable with not drinking while those around you are. you have a reason not to be and i think if you figure out a way to tell people without really getting personal and involved with the reason i think you'll find it easier to do it and they'll get the idea without having to press you on it.

i had a friend who had gout too and he liked to drink quite a bit. he just quit drinking and when he told me about it i fully supported him as much as i could. it was a little weird at first because he was really funny when he was drunk, but he was a good guy normal too.

 

[chuckie]

So Angrymetalsmith any more gout attacks or have you managed to control it now?

I have just been diagnosed with Gout! lasted almost 6 weeks starting in my ankle then my toe. no riding!!! Grrrrrr
Its my 4th attack but the previous 3 times the doctors said I had a sprain or some type of tendonitis, and was usually over in a week.
They still cant be absolutely sure its Gout because my uric acid levels weren't that high, but Im pretty sure it is and they believe it looks like it.

so I have had to attend a few recent Xmas parties alcohol free!! that was tough!!

trying to cut down on protien intake via meat now esp shell fish

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Thanks to the book Beating Gout and my doctors, I have learned how to keep it under control. There is not a lot of new research done on Gout, but the book has been remarkably helpful. I have had to learn what I can and cannot eat and have to take meds daily.

This year I have ridden a lot and started to get some fitness back. I've lost close to 50 pounds and want to lose more. If I get rid of all excess body fat, I may be able to eat a wider variety of foods and not have to take meds.

Gout sucks ! But I can honestly say that the past 2.5 years of being alcohol free has been a good thing. Believe it or not, I not quite as angry as I used to be.

Now if I can just cut back on my Ben and Jerry's habit...

 

[Knuckleslammer]

I play music out at places and never drink. Of course I never really understood the fascination with booze. It always made me tired and useless. The buzz is never consistent. If you eat your buzz is gone. You wake up with a headache and the next day is trash.

I don't get what's to like. Now the only time I do have a nice buzz is when I start drinking lite beer at 9am and have another one every 45 minutes or so. But even drinking a 1/2 - 3/4 of a gallon before bed, I still get up and feel lousy.

My thing was always pills. Opiates. But I went through a phase where I was using them every weekend and eventually I stopped. I went into a deep depression for several months and finally learned how to get myself out of it with amino acids and foods.

I still take a vic here and there. But for the most part it's being at peace with the fact that every buzz comes with a price. I'm tired of the detox, whether it be alchohol, pills, whatever. If you can be at peace with being straight, you've got it.

I hang with all different folks. Rednecks, artists, musicians. Not all of them drink, most of them don't. Lately I've been smoking a little weed. But not like I use to. Just a couple hits is all. Go to an art show, or recently hung at my friends tattoo shop for an art thing where a bunch of artists show up and paint or draw or whatever. I sat on the couch with my acoustic guitar and banged out some tunes.

You don't need bars. I got bored of bars years ago. To me it's fvcking torturous to sit in a bar and stare at "the game" on a television set. I'd rather pace around a deserted gas station on a deserted desert road in Texas. Seriously. Get involved with other folks that are what your into. It doesn't have to involve booze or anything. If your passionate about something, you don't need anything else.

For me, it's guitar. So I focus on writing. When I play out and sing and play and people come up after and ask me questions and are interested in what I do, that's a far better feeling than any drug or drink.

 

[jdcamb]

AA is like when you travel with your bike. If you show up and just start riding the trails you will get a ride in. If you manage to hook up with a local and they show you the nuances of the trail (sobriety). You end up gettting a better ride in then if you had gone there by yourself. I seem to manage sobriety better when I have help. But that is just me.

I don't have enough clean time to advise anyone about anything. I struggle daily with addiction. It is hard to go it alone. Isolating is bad for me. It is a demon with an insatiable appettite. Alone my anger builds to the point that I frighten folks. When I insert myself into a room with like minded folks. That anger softens and dissolves so that I can be around them. I'm not feeling helpful so I will STFU.... I'm just a stupid sober Mick today...

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

AA is like when you travel with your bike. If you show up and just start riding the trails you will get a ride in. If you manage to hook up with a local and they show you the nuances of the trail (sobriety). You end up gettting a better ride in then if you had gone there by yourself. I seem to manage sobriety better when I have help. But that is just me.

I don't have enough clean time to advise anyone about anything. I struggle daily with addiction. It is hard to go it alone. Isolating is bad for me. It is a demon with an insatiable appettite. Alone my anger builds to the point that I frighten folks. When I insert myself into a room with like minded folks. That anger softens and dissolves so that I can be around them. I'm not feeling helpful so I will STFU.... I'm just a stupid sober Mick today...

I went to meetings for a year and while I found it helpful in some ways I ultimately had some disagreements with the 12 step recovery program. Basically I started riding more and going to fewer and fewer meetings. Things are ok now. Mountain biking is the best therapy I know.

jd- PM me if you ever need to talk.

 

[MMike]

I've been drinking all afternoon....

 

[DirtMcGirk]

Which is why I stick to cocaine.

 

[5150dhbiker]

Smoke a bowl and you'll be as happy as can be.

But seriously, like other people have said just grab a coke or something like that to drink. I can't say much because if I'm at a place that has a bar...I'm drinking. The times that I'm at one and cant drink (if I'm the DD) I'll just hang out and enjoy watching my friends act like complete idiots. That can be pretty entertaining in itself.