r/MadeMeSmile • u/picklesarelife1 • 26d ago
Left is me 2 months before I stopped drinking (March 2020), right is last weekend, 14 months alcohol free. Quitting alcohol is the biggest gift I’ve ever give to myself, my son and my husband. ❤️❤️❤️ Personal Win
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u/AppyPitts06 26d ago edited 25d ago
You have no idea how proud i am of you! I am the adult child of an alcoholic and i want to express something to you.
So, you just gave your son the biggest gift a parent can give, you. He now knows you’re gonna always be safe. He now knows you chose him. He now knows how hard you work, and how dedicated and kick ass you are, and what a strong role model you are, too. It won’t be easy, but it will be the most rewarding things you can do. You’re so beautiful, btw.
You are absolutely correct you gave everyone in your immediate life that gift, but also know you’re giving that gift to everyone else, too. I’m so proud of you.
From a kid whose mom also chose them, more than 13 years ago now, thank you. Sending you all my love.
Edit: thank you for the awards :) you all are so kind.
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u/picklesarelife1 26d ago
Aw thank you so much for this! I appreciate it more than you know!
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u/AppyPitts06 26d ago
Any time!! For real you rock ❤️❤️❤️
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u/sofargoods 25d ago
Oh no, not on the rock, straight.
But for real, OP and your post are so beautiful!
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u/CookieMonsterWasHere 25d ago
This comment made me cry. My dad ultimately lost his battle with alcoholism, and as his eldest daughter, I don't think I'll ever fully recover.
I have so much respect for parents who persevere against their addictions to enjoy life to the fullest with their children! Enjoy every moment
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u/chrostono 25d ago
I'm sorry. My dad never got better either. The lives of kids whose parents don't get better are really hard. I'm lucky that I accidentally stumbled my way into really high quality mental health treatment, or else I don't think I'd still be here today. Or I'd be in a really bad place, if I was.
Anyway, any person who needs a sign that it's time to do whatever it takes to get clean, this is it. No matter how hard it is, not doing it will be so much harder for everyone involved. I always say I wish I could go back in time and help my mom leave him earlier, but what I really wish is that he got professional help and actually got better so that she didn't need to. But since he didn't... yeah I wish she would have left a lot earlier.
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u/Calm_Comfortable_834 26d ago
I quit 9/9/19. It is possible! Congratulations on your sobriety! Keep going strong!
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u/Top-Comedian6204 25d ago edited 25d ago
That’s my birthday, congratulations to you glad you decided on my birthday 🙌🏼👏🏼
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u/k_jant 26d ago
Good job! :) you are brave! Keep it up!
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u/ChrystalGuidry 26d ago
Look at her eyes, It is glowing unlike to the first photo. I really admire this kind of woman. very strong and dedicated. Continue fighting and be the best version of yourself. Your family is very proud of you
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u/redrumhennessy 26d ago
Why drink when pickles are life
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u/Iamyes_ok 26d ago
gotta disagree with you there. Everyone lnows pickle JUICE is life
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u/The-Krimson-King 26d ago
Why play 'hide the bottle' when you can play 'hide the pickle'?
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u/kcamsdog1387 25d ago
Using this on my wife who has played hide the bottle way too many times and is now in week 6 of her recovery.
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u/CandelariaCates 26d ago
Congratulations! keep going your family is very proud for what you achieved. Continue to love yourself, be the best version of yourself.
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u/mrcakeyface 26d ago
Question of you don't mind. How much were you drinking? A glass of wine every other night, or a bottle a day?
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u/picklesarelife1 26d ago
Oh gosh so much… I could never just have one glass. Probably minimum one bottle of wine, max 3 😩
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u/BFWinner 26d ago
I realized I've been getting way too chubby for my own taste and decided to cut back. I've gone about 1 week without alcohol and realized that it's probably the first week i've gone in a year. Feels pretty good :) keep up the good work!
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u/georgfrankoo 26d ago
I quit alcohol back in 2012 ( age 20 ) , so 9 years now . Just don’t ever think about it. :) keep it up
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u/[deleted] 26d ago
BOOOOOM THAT JAWLINE REVEAL 💖 CONGRATS 🎉💗
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u/1SecretUpvote 26d ago
Seriously, how does that even happen?
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u/Jabberwocky613 26d ago
Alcohol causes bloating in the face, plus it has a lot of empty calories.
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u/hxveasnickers 26d ago edited 25d ago
Not sure if this is rhetorical or not, but just in case it isn’t: Alcohol bloats your face pretty badly. There’s a famous influencer Jaclyn Hill who’s face completely changed due to excessive drinking. Alternatively, losing weight can also slim down your face (no, you can not spot reduce and only slim your face, it has to be an overall loss of weight). :)
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u/AlbumSixForever 26d ago
Literally EVERY single person I’ve met who stops drinking says their life got exponentially better. It’s easy to think of alcohol as not a drug simply because it’s not illegal.
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u/timmyisserpico 25d ago edited 25d ago
When you remove the social aspect and legal status of alcohol, and view it as just another chemical, and consider the damage that addiction to it causes to people's health, their social life, their family, and their career, it's easy to view it as one of the harder drugs out there. By no means am I anti-alcohol, or anti-drug for that matter, but I do believe that if you are going to partake, that you need to be mindful of your relationship with these substances. Are you using too much? Too often? Do your friends and family notice? Have you alienated people in favor of your drug? Is it causing problems with your career? Is it causing you legal problems? Do you use it as a coping mechanism, or to enhance your performance, and do you feel like you need it for these purposes?
If we educated people (especially young people) about all of that, offered them safe sources for them to find their substance of choice, taught them about harm reduction, offered resources to people who find themselves in the throws of addiction, there is no doubt in my mind that we would see a sharp decline in our rate of addiction, save money in the process, and see an end to the violence that the drug war has caused.
I had the misfortune of learning about drugs during the "just say no" era of drug education, It didn't work, we all knew who the weed man was by time we hit Jr. High. Those of us that wanted to partake, did, and then there was everyone else. The only thing "just say no" did was teach us to just make sure we hid it. What kills me is watching another generation go through this.
Sorry for the long winded rant, this is a topic that hits super close to home for me.
Edit: a word.
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u/psychpopnprogncore 26d ago
yeah alcohol is literally a hard drug. its so bad for you
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u/ST3PH3N-G 25d ago
Cannabis is far better yet that's illegal. Go figure.
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u/Nothing_Doing 25d ago
I wouldn’t say “far better”. Sobriety is far better.
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u/ST3PH3N-G 25d ago
Yeah sorry bad wording. But you kind of get my drift. Alcohol is treat like its just a normal thing to do yet the implications are terrible.
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u/Goldendelixious 26d ago
Wow congratulations. Your eyes look so bright now👏
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u/PMME_UR_LADYPARTSPLZ 25d ago
And that authentic smile! Man if i had a heart it would be warmer after seeing that.
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u/Desolate_Revelation 26d ago
I’m really lucky I have terrible hangovers and it keeps me from becoming addicted. One night out and I’m done drinking for a month.
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u/BlackSkull7X 25d ago
I am about to reach the legal drinking age and at first was kinda excited abt it. Now I'm just thinking that I should never touch alcohol
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u/rc729338 26d ago
Your face is so much brighter on the right. What a huge difference. Congratulations!
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u/PsychologicalPea2956 26d ago
Honest question. What do you do when the craving strikes? I’m trying to quit so bad and the longest I’ve made it is about a month.
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u/picklesarelife1 25d ago
The first couple months were the hardest for sure. I ate my weight in candy for a while and had all the seltzer water. Sometimes I would just go to bed at like 7pm when the cravings were really bad. You will also have realllly good happy moments too… try to remember those moments and when you have bad ones hold on to the good memories to get you through… the cravings always pass ❤️ I believe in you
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u/PsychologicalPea2956 25d ago
Thank you so much for the reply! It’s definitely a process I know it’ll be better for my family in the long run.
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u/dannoGB68 26d ago
Great job. Keep it up. Your son will appreciate it more than he can ever tell you.
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u/DrSir1879 25d ago
My older sister looks like the previous picture and its just depressing watching her looks and health slowly decline as she drinks her life away
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u/picklesarelife1 25d ago
I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine how hard that would be. Have you checked out r/Alanon? It’s for families of alcoholics. Sending you love and strength ❤️
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u/DrSir1879 25d ago
I appreciate your support greatly, especially since you've had the strength to get past your addiction. I hope you keep up the great work and keep being happy and healthy. And I'll definitely look into this subreddit, thanks again.
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u/jmcrises187 25d ago
Iam Trying to only have a drink once a week. It’s working so far. Been a month
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u/GildMyComments 25d ago
Alive and powerful! r/stopdrinking to any of you interested in learning the way.
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u/histeethwerered 25d ago
You look younger, vibrant. Keep on. Enjoy a future of unimpaired intellect. Best wishes.
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u/ImSomethingMyself 25d ago
Hell yeah, you rock! I've done the same and I've never felt better and judging by your photo, you do too! Begone poison!
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u/TheRealPapaDan 25d ago
Great job. It’s definitely the best and right thing to do. One day at a time. I had my last drink on 12/5/1975, and it was the best thing I could have ever done. It was with the help of very good friends.
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u/Klinky1984 25d ago
From Gingerschnapping to Gingersnappin'! 14 months has made you 10-years younger.
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u/OptimisticToaster 25d ago
- You look so much cuter now.
- You look so much happier now.
- You look like someone to be around now.
I'm sure it's a daily grind, but I'm very happy for you AND your family.
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u/Ace-Ventura1934 26d ago
Put the bottle down in 2014. Long term sobriety is possible. Keep up the great work, you look fantastic!
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u/fuzzybluetriceratops 26d ago
I’m 29 and have been watching my dad struggle as a “functioning alcoholic” pretty much my entire life, and he is now actively killing himself with it at only 61. I cannot begin to tell you all the ways in which his drinking has impacted who I am and our relationship that we never even really got to develop. This is the biggest act of love anyone struggling with alcohol can do for theirselves and their loved ones.
From one human to another, you have done a truly amazing act of love for yourself and your family, you’re right that this is the biggest gift you could ever give to yourself and them. Keep it up. Alcohol isn’t worth it. Sending you a massive Internet hug.
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u/yurtfarmer 25d ago
Some people can drink without issue, some can not. I learned young I could not. So… still don’t drink . Ever. 12/25/ 1995. ( 19, ninety fucking five!! ). Distance yourself from whatever it is that reminds you of drinking. Change habits and routines. You might lose a couple friends, but you will see who the real ones are.
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u/picklesarelife1 25d ago
You’re amazing! So incredibly proud of you! I hope I can say the same one day.
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u/Powell_614 26d ago
Oh man o man do you look absolutely beautiful and happy.
This gives me motivation.
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u/_Y0ur_Mum_ 26d ago
Congratulations.
We quit while our kids were young too. It still feels unusual but better. Def. think we're happier.
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u/BuyHuman 26d ago
Congratulations on 14 months!! This journey only gets better the longer you do it!! Gave up the sauce myself in July of 2016! Never forget why you started!! Keep up the good work!👍💪🙏
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u/ufonight 26d ago
Be free of a addiction is one of the best feelings, I can see the bright in your eyes.
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u/doobsmash28 25d ago
Congratulations on sobriety!! You look great! I’ve been sober for a little over 2 years now. You are right it’s best gift to our husbands and kids. Keep it up!
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u/MorsecodeMimics 25d ago
I am so genuinely moved by this. You deserve all the awards and good comments already but I just wanna say you’re absolutely amazing and as a stranger I am incredibly proud and happy for you. This is a huge win and I’m so genuinely happy for you and your family!
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u/arhedee 25d ago
Every time I try and quit drinking I get horrible nightmares 3 or 4 times a night. I want to quit but that’s an obstacle I don’t know how to get over.
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u/fibonacciii 25d ago
Congrats, my father would never give up drinking. Your children will notice and know their parent did the selfless act.
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u/susanostling 25d ago
Not to mention your looks. You dropped 15 years. Keep giving this gift to yourself everyday and it's rude to refuse gifts so it would be rude for you to refuse your own gift stay clean
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u/NerdyAddiction 25d ago
It’s crazy how much life shines on you when you quit drinking. Energy spent in all the right places.
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u/tardisowl 25d ago
I’m seven months sober, an view every month sober as a win. Really looking forward to being able to hit that year mark.
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u/PrincessMiasBitch 25d ago
I'll never stop loving these posts. What an incredible achievement. The strength and love you have for yourself and your family is inspiring. Have a great life!
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u/yawningunimpressed 25d ago
Nice. A lot of calories in booze too. Lost some weight. Hopefully not a smoker . Stay well.
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u/stillambivalentone 25d ago
It’s always the eyes. You must love looking through those true eyes, especially at yourself now. You were always beautiful, but shame is a hard look for any of us to smile at in the mirror. Congratulations warrior.
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u/scornrose 25d ago
I’m so proud of you! And to stop drinking right at the start of the pandemic…you must have some strength. You look fantastic, props to you.
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u/quickplayninja 25d ago
I quit smoking and drinking recently. I feel so much better. Even if I’m still little lazy, the quality of life has become so much better. Now I just need to start working out, eat healthy and work on the depression that I’ve. I wanna get married, have kids live life for once.
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u/myteafox 25d ago
Left one also seems to be low light, and low pixel density picture. But yeah, you can feel the difference within and it’s clearly visible.
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u/Businessjett 25d ago
Congratulations. You look so much younger. I stopped drinking 10 years ago. I am 52 and often people comment how I don’t look it. Phew. I figure I must be the fact I don’t drink anymore .
I quit for my wife & probably would be dead by now if I didn’t . She still has wine here and there . Alcohol is in my house all the time & while I do miss it I just need to reminder myself that dark path it would take me down if I had a drink again.
It’s wonderful to see you doing so well. It gets easier and easier .
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u/gsibble 26d ago
I gave it up July 2020! You look amazing. I’ve lost 65lbs too and am overall in a much better place. Keep it up and remember, one day at a time!
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u/LaminationStation- 26d ago
I'm almost up to 90 days and this is inspiring me to keep it up! Let's gooooooooooooo!
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u/ICantLaughMore 26d ago
Congrats! You look healthier and happier too. I'm so happy you made this decision and taking care of yourself.
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u/DuaneMichael 26d ago edited 25d ago
Well done we're all happy for you, alcohol is a bitch to get over, my auntie was an alcoholic and she didn't get off the stuff but she died trying. We miss her loads.
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u/jrsamson 26d ago
Great job, your are doing great! Coming up five months for me. Never felt better in my life.
Alcohol is literally poisonous.
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u/MagicalMysterySoul 26d ago
Keep going, for your health and for your family. Outstanding job! You're so strong.
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u/JukeBoxHeroJustin 26d ago
Wow. Congrats. If I experienced those changes I would never touch booze again either.
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u/schalk81 26d ago
Welcome to the family! 8¾ years sober and 1½ years clean here. Finding a self help group that works for me saved my life. Keep it going, one day at a time. ❤️
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u/MrMcSpanky94 26d ago
You look great! When I see posts like these I always wonder what would change for me physically if I stopped drinking… definitely would lose a bit of weight I’m sure!
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u/WhyAmIBornHere 26d ago
Your eyes seem so bright and happy in the right picture! Life has a lot to offer, and I'm happy about your progress and hope you get to enjoy all the amazing things in the world ❤️
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u/dontchewglass 26d ago
Glad you're doing better, getting sober is hard work! Congrats on making big steps to improve your health and quality of life
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u/momtoeveryone 26d ago
Wow what a difference! You look amazing, you're glowing and you look so happy! Good job, I know I don't know you but I'm proud of you anyway <3
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u/sandwichsandwich69 26d ago
Jeeeez! I’m in active recovery right now and this has made me really want to stick with it
Huge congrats and thanks for the inspiration!