I was 33 That was 40 years ago, but it seems like yesterday. I thank God all the time that I did not keep drinking.
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Playing sober, can’t do it
- Thread starter cbi1000
- Start date
This topic speaks to me. I posted on it earlier but with some fresh experiences I'll add to it in the hope to help others as a cautionary tail or just some added perspective for others.
I havent been playing all that long. I started is 2015 after buying a house and the guy that helped me move in gave me a pool table that I had room for. He was just looking to get rid of it.
Id spent the last 12 years being a single dad raising 4 kids. Never did much of anything that didnt revolve around the kids but now they are reaching teen years and a little more self susstainable I had a little more free time. I played on the table at the house and after a chance conversation with a coworker who was a long time pool player he invited me to join him after work at the bar across the street to play some pool. He thought I had promise and invited me to shoot wth him on his team.
After that Tuesday night 8 ball was my thing. My one night out away from the kids and being able to do some adult stuff after a long time of just keeping my head down and being there at home. I loved the competition. and would practice at he house getting ready for those Tuesday nights. I might drink a beer when I was out. Maybe two.
After a couple of sessions I got progressively better, There was a guy I want back and forth with in league and after overhearing that he had won the Saturday night tournament the week before I thought "If he can do it I can do it" and I started playing regularly in the Saturday night tournaments. Its Saturday night, drink a few beers and have a good time. Why not. I climbed the ladder and eventually was occasionally placing in the money in the regular sat night. Typically 25 to 30 player.
Then I met my buddy Turk, who exposed me to 1pkt. Next thing I know we're playing 4 or 5 afternoons a week. Dinking the afternoon away playing 1pkt and gambling for small stake. I went from him giving me 3 balls to me giving him 2 and the break. My 8 ball game skyrocketed. I was shooting praty solid pool since I was playing every day. I was winning the weekly tourney more times than not, one of the top players in the league and generally the big fish in the little pond.
But during that whole time the drinking also escalated. What started out as one or two beers one night a week had turned into a bucket or more every time I walked in the door. Most of the time free beer. Playing for beers or tabs. People just buying me beer to play with me. It was intoxicating in more ways than one.
But over that last several months I've come to recognize I'm on an unsustainable arc. Its something I've got to get a handle on before it becomes a problem. So, I've been going out not drinking. Water. Coke. Coffee.
I shoot ok but , as of yet, I cant get into "that zone" that I had become so comfortable in. I get distracted easier. Struggle with focus. Play for an hour or so then I'm ready to go vs spending hours at the table getting more and more in stroke.
The previous three weeks I have not been drinking in league and each week went 3 and 2. Tonight I relapsed. I didnt have t work tomorrow and figured I'd just have a few and enjoy myself. I went 5-0 , won some money after and generally just shot great. Which sucks, because it reinforces what I'm trying to get away from.
The struggle is real.
(spelling edits)
I havent been playing all that long. I started is 2015 after buying a house and the guy that helped me move in gave me a pool table that I had room for. He was just looking to get rid of it.
Id spent the last 12 years being a single dad raising 4 kids. Never did much of anything that didnt revolve around the kids but now they are reaching teen years and a little more self susstainable I had a little more free time. I played on the table at the house and after a chance conversation with a coworker who was a long time pool player he invited me to join him after work at the bar across the street to play some pool. He thought I had promise and invited me to shoot wth him on his team.
After that Tuesday night 8 ball was my thing. My one night out away from the kids and being able to do some adult stuff after a long time of just keeping my head down and being there at home. I loved the competition. and would practice at he house getting ready for those Tuesday nights. I might drink a beer when I was out. Maybe two.
After a couple of sessions I got progressively better, There was a guy I want back and forth with in league and after overhearing that he had won the Saturday night tournament the week before I thought "If he can do it I can do it" and I started playing regularly in the Saturday night tournaments. Its Saturday night, drink a few beers and have a good time. Why not. I climbed the ladder and eventually was occasionally placing in the money in the regular sat night. Typically 25 to 30 player.
Then I met my buddy Turk, who exposed me to 1pkt. Next thing I know we're playing 4 or 5 afternoons a week. Dinking the afternoon away playing 1pkt and gambling for small stake. I went from him giving me 3 balls to me giving him 2 and the break. My 8 ball game skyrocketed. I was shooting praty solid pool since I was playing every day. I was winning the weekly tourney more times than not, one of the top players in the league and generally the big fish in the little pond.
But during that whole time the drinking also escalated. What started out as one or two beers one night a week had turned into a bucket or more every time I walked in the door. Most of the time free beer. Playing for beers or tabs. People just buying me beer to play with me. It was intoxicating in more ways than one.
But over that last several months I've come to recognize I'm on an unsustainable arc. Its something I've got to get a handle on before it becomes a problem. So, I've been going out not drinking. Water. Coke. Coffee.
I shoot ok but , as of yet, I cant get into "that zone" that I had become so comfortable in. I get distracted easier. Struggle with focus. Play for an hour or so then I'm ready to go vs spending hours at the table getting more and more in stroke.
The previous three weeks I have not been drinking in league and each week went 3 and 2. Tonight I relapsed. I didnt have t work tomorrow and figured I'd just have a few and enjoy myself. I went 5-0 , won some money after and generally just shot great. Which sucks, because it reinforces what I'm trying to get away from.
The struggle is real.
(spelling edits)
Next thing you know, you will be tired from work and a "friend " will offer you a little toot to spruce you up, 6 months later you have a 300 dollar a day habit. This road, was one of the first on the planet. Good luck to you.
Nah. I dabbled in my youth and don't have any interest. I play in bars and pool rooms , that stuff is everywhere.
I don't drink at home or when I go out to dinner. Just when I'm shooting pool.
It's a difficult association to break.
Welcome to my world.
PracticeChampion
Well-known member
I gave up alcohol probably 4-5 years ago, it took a long time to get use to the pressure sober LoL. Practice at home sober was always good so I knew I didn't need it to play good but it definitely helped when making it to the finals in a tournament to try and win.
Once in awhile pressure/anxiety will build but usually if I just battle thru it for a few minutes I'll get re focused and it's gone
Fuggit. Understand it.
only you can decide whats more important
beating an alcohol/drug problem or beating an APA 1-3
to me the long term reward of beating the alcohol/drug problem will reap way more to you
but thats just my humble opinion and of course I could be wrong
have you considered professional help?
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Nothing wrong having one to two beers out playing pool. Stopping there though is the hard part. Have a somewhat serious Wednesday league where I usually have 2 beers. Really like that league, and like having a couple cold ones and at two beers for a three to four hour night of playing pool, I don't have to worry about getting a DUI.
Then there is the Thursday night bar league we joined last year. Some really heavy drinking there. Two to three beers there soon went to four to 6 beers and sometimes shots after. I was really getting concerned, but we had met some great new friends there. When that league was over in the spring, I told my wife I wasn't sure if we would be shooting it this year.
Well, a couple weeks back a good friend of my wife and I, called to ask if we would shoot with her on a three person team at a new hall that opened up somewhat near to us and we said yes. Not sure about the 3 person team format, and I hear there is some very good teams there, but we should already know about half of them I think.
Funny thing about the pressure of playing pool for me. On our Wednesday night team, we had a mix of players from the low 300's to low 600's with me about 450 ish +, and the only pressure I felt was when playing players at the lower level. Against the better players, I was totally focused and played my best games. We'll have to see how this new league goes, it was just the wife and I before, but her friend is a masters player and competitive player and hopefully things go well. I do play against her quite regularly though in our other league and in practice at each others homes.
Then there is the Thursday night bar league we joined last year. Some really heavy drinking there. Two to three beers there soon went to four to 6 beers and sometimes shots after. I was really getting concerned, but we had met some great new friends there. When that league was over in the spring, I told my wife I wasn't sure if we would be shooting it this year.
Well, a couple weeks back a good friend of my wife and I, called to ask if we would shoot with her on a three person team at a new hall that opened up somewhat near to us and we said yes. Not sure about the 3 person team format, and I hear there is some very good teams there, but we should already know about half of them I think.
Funny thing about the pressure of playing pool for me. On our Wednesday night team, we had a mix of players from the low 300's to low 600's with me about 450 ish +, and the only pressure I felt was when playing players at the lower level. Against the better players, I was totally focused and played my best games. We'll have to see how this new league goes, it was just the wife and I before, but her friend is a masters player and competitive player and hopefully things go well. I do play against her quite regularly though in our other league and in practice at each others homes.
I have tried this many timed before and I always end up giving in. I will try and ride this out.
I have competed at many things, most not involving drinking even in my years as a heavy drinker. I have played decent pool drunk and sober. All of this leads me to tell you that if you stick with the nondrinking approach your game will come around. A very real possibility it will reach a level never achieved drinking as several have said of their games. My best game was sober but playing the lazy style I used drinking.
Something that might be good advice is to separate the pool and drinking. If you are shooting pool and want to drink more than you want to shoot pool, put up the balls and your cue, drink, then pick up the cue again if you want to. However, you need to break the pool and drinking apart I believe. Drinking while shooting pool is setting yourself up to fail. You drink a beer or two, you don't plan to drink any more beer but you get thirsty. Very few of us are going to swap from beer to water in midstream!
If you are going to drink and shoot pool I would be sure to have water with me before I start. Water first, then beer if you feel you must, hopefully back to water. If you can get beer in a bottle so you can cap it helps too. Just having to put the cap back on after every drink and take it off before each one breaks the flow and will let you think if you really want to drink beer right now or you are really thirsty and the water will do just fine. A coozie from your pool cue case can keep the beer cold.
Not saying it is easy and my advice might not be right for you. We all have to find our own paths through life and what works for one is not guaranteed to work for another. One path to try if it sounds good.
Hu
Thanks sir. I want to play at a high level and not drink. I hope I can get things figured out. I'll be reporting back in 30 days.
Just do it until it becomes a habit. One game at time.... and one more ... and one ..etc
i am an old guy and all and i mean all of the old friends and people i knew are dead or very sickly . and those are the ones that smoked and or drank.
that is what is awaiting for those that think they are indestructible.
get help with being addicted to bad things.
that is what is awaiting for those that think they are indestructible.
get help with being addicted to bad things.
Take control of yourself.
I wish you the best of luck! Many of us have been on similar paths and managed to change. Nobody who has been in your shoes will claim change is easy but it can be done. I am looking forward to your report in thirty days. Hopefully success, but even improvement is progress.
Hu
You should drink more to make up for the drinking youve missed