Living Sober Sucks
United States
Mark


For me, the answer is YES. Does my life suck? NO. Please allow me to expand on these answers.
I liked getting drunk, smoking pot, doing narcotics and taking the occasional pill. I liked getting high. Knowing that I will never catch a buzz again sucks. Knowing that I will never drink again sucks.
At over 6 years sober, I can honestly say that many areas of my life are far better and I dont ever want to go back to drinking. I respect myself and my body more. I respect my mind and my willpower more. I have closer friendships. I don't have debt and unnecessary drama in my life.
The areas of my life that still suck are things like: lowered self-confidence, frustration at self-imposed limitations, loneliness, boredom or depression. My problems, self-pity and depression like to tempt me into drinking again. But I know that drinking will not fix my problems, cure my depression or relieve self-pity. It would just make things worse.
So not ever being able to get high, buzzed or drunk again sucks, but the rest of my life doesnt suck. This is a very strange position to be in.
I'm touching on this subject because I have been asked this question by quite a few people.
I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of people I have met through this site. I have discovered that there are a lot of brilliant, intelligent and wise drunks in the world. They are smart, caring people who just drink too much for their own good. These people have confirmed my belief that: All drunks are not jerks. Some are actually pretty damn smart.
Why the title
Living Sober Sucks?
Regardless of whether youve been drinking for only a short time or for years, it is going to suck when you first sober up. Many things will improve in your life but some will not. There will be added challenges and struggles that you will have to face - and you will have to face them sober. This is not to say that it isn't worth doing. I believe that your chances of maintaining sobriety and learning to enjoy living sober are heightened by accepting certain realities.
Here's how its going to suck: If you have been using alcohol as a crutch to avoid or alleviate stress, drinking for the pursuit of pleasure, or misusing alcohol to free yourself of inhibitions, it is really going to suck when you eliminate this crutch from your life. You are going to have to handle stress, seek pleasure and face social situations completely sober. That can be scary, tough and it will suck.
Reality is the enemy of drunkenness. Living sober will improve your chances of enjoying a happier, healthier and more engaged life. (Watch video)
Check out my completely ridiculous daily writing on my facebook page for Living Sober Sucks:
Feel free to join me as a friend on facebook.
I am not anti AA
Some people are under the impression that I'm anti AA. Absolutely not. If you are serious about sobering up, then I suggest that you attend some meetings and read the materials. I also recommend that you go to a few different locations. You might find a perfect group for you and find that AA is just the right thing for you.
As for me, attending AA meetings helped me realize that this is an antiquated system. Because of AA, I discovered that the only way I could stay sober and lead a normal life, in our more modern society, was if I did it myself.
During my first months of sobriety I attended more than 50 meetings at 4 different locations. AA only depressed me. I heard the same stories of desolation over and over again. I was constantly being reminded that I am weak, flawed, filled with defects, I'm a despicable person. I heard the same stories again and againand was never allowed to ask questions or question the program in general (cross-talk isn't allowed). Other attendees belittled me, threatened and assured me of failure if I didn't follow their way, work the steps, accept a higher power and give my power over to a god. I felt more like drinking after I left a meeting than before I got there.
So I credit AA with being my catalyst to developing my own plan and using my own willpower to stay sober (without a single relapse) for more than6 years.
As society changes (electronic social media) and our own personal level of understanding and absorbing new knowledge improves, many of the old, unquestioned belief systems must improve and change. Throughout history people have believed crazy things, but knowledge and information changed many of those beliefs. For thousands of years nobody considered or believed that the heart pumped blood, but now its common knowledge and seems only logical.
Too many systems and programs are antiquated. I will agree that there is some validity in the core of the ideals, but they were started at a time when people were not so socially connected. They also happened to be started by white, Christian, males.
That may not work for everyone today. Today we have the opportunity to connect up with other individuals who are in similar situations as we are. We can connect and learn from reading their writing, chatting online or just following their examples. Read, learn, educate yourself and discover what will be best for you, because only YOU will live your life. Your sponsor, your group, your HP will not. I wish you the best in whatever you decide.
Forget Recovery
Reinvent yourself!
Recovery is the accepted or recognized term for us drunks, as in: Im in recovery; Im a recovering alcoholic, Recovery Program, etc. For simplicity and to avoid confusion, I use the word recovery in my book. But this term makes me uncomfortable.
Someone recovers after surgery, an accident or from a hangover.
I wasnt recovering from any of those things during my sobering up process, I was reinventing myself.
This is why I prefer to say that I'm Reinvented, because I've had to reinvent myself as a sober person. I had to discover ways to live without alcohol, uncover lost feelings and deep desires. I found new passions, activities and rewards. I had to radically change my view regarding how I respect alcohol, other people and how I approach social dealings.
The only thing I am recovering from is my own mistakes. And just because I no longer drink doesn't mean I don't make mistakes. I still fuck-up plenty of things, but at least I'm sober when I make those mistakes.
I will continue to use the term recovery because it's accepted and less confusing. But in reality, I have reinvented myself. That's all I did.
Welcome "Newbies"
If you are in the early stages of sobriety or are just starting to think about quitting drinking, then you are a "Newbie" and I want to welcome you to the hilarious world of sobriety. Youre going to learn all sorts of fun new terms and experience all sorts of fun new sensations during your first 90 days sober.
I do a lot of one-on-one and group recovery work. I have to hold back from laughing out loud when dealing with "newbies." They tell me how wonderful everything is, how great they feel and they wonder why they didn't do this sooner -they're so excited about this new found sobriety. Then I ask, "So how long have you been sober?" "Im going on four days, this is great!"
Ya, well fuckin' wait... By next week you wont be able to sleep. You'll probably lose your appetite and you'll have headaches. Let's not forget that you might get the shits because your digestive system isn't used to eating good food. Then in about a month when your car won't start, your kids mouth-off, your boss insults you, your spouse gets angry at you, the toilet backs up and your friends want to go out drinking - then tell me how fuckin great it is. Because I guarantee that at some point, your mettle will be tested.
But when you make it through some of those tests and your body starts feeling good again, you'll be so proud of yourself and you'll know that the early struggles were well worth it. I'm not trying to talk you out of living sober. I would rather be honest, that way you know what to expect and you won't get disenchanted. This will help you take control of your urges and reduce your chances of relapse. You think living sober sucks? Relapsing and starting over again sucks a lot more.
All I can do is hope that in some way, the sharing of my experiences will help and someone else's life will be better than they ever imagined.
No Guarantees:
Quitting drinking doesnt guarantee shit! There is no guarantee that your marriage, relationship or friendships will be rekindled. No guarantee that your kids will love or respect you again. No guarantee that you will become happy, wealthy and find true bliss.
But don't be discouraged by my words, life can improve and it can be better than you ever imagined. But YOU have to be an active participant in your sobriety.
The first thing I ask people is, "What do you want to accomplish with your sober life?"
Most answer with, "Well, I want to stay sober." That's a great answer, but it doesn't help with your future growth and it doesn't eliminate the possibility of relapse. If you don't visualize how you want your life to be, how you will act, what you will do, what you want out of living sober, you will just stay stuck. You must be able to answer that question in graphic detail of what you desire, or you will simply be sober. And then at some point, one, two or three years later, you will become disenchanted wondering, What was the point?
That's why I present the concept of Marks Reward System in my book. I give examples of how to expand your creativity and how to see yourself as a sober person. Reward yourself and others, for the effort you put forth at living sober.
Okay,,, so maybe I can guarantee two things about sobriety:
#1 It will be different.
#2 You can't get arrested for drunk driving.
Just a few words:
A scientific study regarding the effects of alcohol on speech has been released by M.I.T. - Milwaukee Institute of Teachin. As B.A.C. (Blood Alcohol Content) increases, the following words become more difficult to say.
Words that are DIFFICULT to say at .05-.09 B.A.C.:
1. Innovative
2. Preliminary
3. Proliferation
4. Cinnamon
Words that areVERY DIFFICULT to say at .10-.16 B.A.C.:
1. Specificity
2. Anthropomorphism
3. Prestidigitator
4. Transubstantiate
Words that are IMPOSSIBLE to say at .17-.25 B.A.C. (DRUNK):
1. No thanks, no more booze for me, I have to drive.
2. Sorry you're not my type.
3. No I can't,,, I'm married.
4. Good evening officer. Isn't it a lovely night for driving?
5. Sorry I'm not interested in fighting with you.
6. No one wants to hear me sing karaoke.
7. Thank you for asking, but I won't make any attempt to dance as I have no coordination and I'd hate to make a fool of myself.
8. No thanks, I'm not hungry.
9. I must be going home now, as I have to work in the morning.
Okay, so this is a joke. We drunks have to laugh at oureslve's once in a while.
Alcoholism ISN'T a disease it's a choice
(legally speaking):
I interviewed a Defense Attorney for this article. My question to him was, "Can alcoholism be used as a defense in court?" His answer, Ha ha. "Now thats funny! Of course it can't, could you imagine how many millions of cases that would be thrown out of court or would have to be reopened?"
Now keep in mind that this is a Defense Attorney talking - the person who would use ANY excuse they could to get you out of being responsible for a crime.
"Using alcoholism as a defense for ones own actions doesn't work. You cannot use the disease of alcoholism to benefit you in any way for being responsible for committing a crime. It (alcohol and alcoholism) can be considered as an element in the commission of committing a crime, but you are still responsible for your own reckless actions. In fact, depending upon the egregiousness of the crime, alcohol may make matters worse. For instance, if you run over and kill a pedestrian with your car you will be charged with reckless driving and then wrongful death in a civil case. But if you are drunk when this occurs, you are going to be charged with a criminal offense; homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle."
"Claiming to be an alcoholic or being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the occurrence of a crime may be a mitigating factor in sentencing or a restating of charges. Such as First degree intentional homicide lowered to Involuntary Manslaughter."
"The law does not see alcoholism as something that you can't control. You made the decision to drink and regardless of whether you were drunk (or an alcoholic) when committing an offense, YOU are still responsible for your own actions and of course your own decision to drink in the first place."
I believe that his answer supports my own personal position that alcoholism is a choice. It is your choice to introduce that first drink into your body. What happens after that first drink is in your bloodstream is anybodies guess. For the person who has no control over how much alcohol they drink once they start, abstinence is your best course of action (or would it be inaction?).
If the law doesn't allow the excuse of, "I couldn't help it, I'm an alcoholic" or "I didn't know what I was doing, I was drunk at the time," why should it be any different when it comes to inappropriate actions, abhorrent or reprehensible behaviors towards other people? Drunk or not, you are still solely responsible for things that occur in your own personal life and relationships.
The temptation and desire to drink may exist, but it is ultimately your choice whether to drink or not drink. There are ways to beat these temptations and reward yourself for the choice to live sober. They are detailed in the book Living Sober Sucks (notice my not so subtle sales pitch?).
Disclaimer: This is not to be construed as legal advice. As with any legal opinion, it is up to the interpretation of the court in a given situation, depending on crime and circumstances.
To Be or Not To Be
An Alcoholic
Excerpted from the book Living Sober Sucks:
ALCOHOLIC- what a wonderful title to hold. For us problem drinkers, being an alcoholic is a badge of honor. It gives us a sense of being part of an elite group or club. Other drunks welcome us in with open arms. Then, if we stop drinking, our new title allows us membership into another exclusive group - the recovering alcoholics. We're special, not everyone can be a member of either of these groups but I have been a member of both.
When I was actively drinking, I wasn't embarrassed to admit to other drunks that I was an alcoholic. After I quit, I had to deal with the stigma of, He's a recovering alcoholic, and people treated me differently. But now, I'm just someone who doesn't drink. However that stigma keeps some people from being willing to share their struggles. They are worried about the embarrassment that their friends, family or partner will have to endure. Well, chances are good that your friends, family or partner is already aware that drinking is causing problems in your life. And which is worse? The stigma of being a recovering alcoholic or letting alcohol run your life?
I believe that the title "Alcoholic" is overused as well as misused. Someone does not have to be clinically deemed an alcoholic to have problems in their life due to drinking. Sometimes people want to belong to this exclusive group to gain sympathy or attention, so they call themselves an alcoholic. Or they like holding this title so others will show them compassion and forgive their behavior. Calling ones self an alcoholic also allows us the opportunity to offer an excuse for our behaviors such as, "Oh I know I'm such a fuck-up, but I can't help it... I'm an alcoholic." Or, "I can't quit drinking. I've tried but I'm an alcoholic." We often use the title "Alcoholic" so we don't have to accept responsibility for ourselves and our own decisions.
Its nice to be able to blame something else for our mistakes, indiscretions and failures. "I'm normally not like that, it was the alcohol," or "I was drunk, I didn't know what I was doing" and "I can't help it, I'm an alcoholic" are great excuses. And the nice part about using alcohol as an excuse, alcohol can't defend itself.
The harsh reality is that "I'm an alcoholic" is not a valid excuse and you don't have to be an alcoholic for drinking to adversely impact your life. (continued in book)
Suggested Reading:
Reading books has helped keep my mind off of drinking, it has furthered my knowledge and has been helping me become a better person. Here's a list of some books that I suggest reading. They are not directly related to alcoholism or addiction but they have helped me to understand how to accept personal responsibility for my own thoughts and actions. Some are very thought provoking - some are just fun to read. I hope you enjoy them.
"Mistakes Were Made (but not by me)." -Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson
"How to Win Friends and Influence People" - Dale Carnegie
"Blind Spots"-Madeleine L. Van Hecke
"Blink" - Malcolm Gladwell
"Outliers" - Malcolm Gladwell
"Why We Suck" - Denis Leary
"Why Your Life Sucks and What You Can Do Aout It" - Alan H. Cohen

If you think this website is useful and entertaining, wait until you read the book. Loaded with great ideas on how to live sober. Just by following one of my strategies in Chapter #13 (The Reward System) you will end up with $300 in the bank.
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Living Sober Sucks!
But your life doesn't have to suck
My name is Mark Tuschel. I'm not embarrassed to tell you my full name. My family and friends are proud of what I've done - I sobered up on my own. No rehab, no program, no meetings (I did attend AA AFTER I had sobered up, with hope of learning how to handle my new sober dilemmas - those meetings just made me want to drink again).
As you read through the site you'll discover that I'm NOT anti-alcohol, anti-AA or a kitten stomping athiest. I just speak openly and honestly. I hope that my style arouses emotions within YOU and gets YOU to do some thinking on your own and come to your own conclusions.
I recently made it 6 years, 3 months sober, and for me living sober sucks! I would rather be drinking beer or Scotch right now. I liked drinking and I liked getting drunk. I'm honest about my feelings, which is a key part of my philosophies. But I will stay sober - and no one can ever take that away from me.
This site is dedicated to helping those who want to stop drinking and live a normal life - sober. Be forewarned, I am profane, I say a lot of crude things. I have a wild sense of humor but I do take sobriety very seriously. And I truly care about other drunks. Watch videos to get a better idea of my personality and philosophies.
What do YOU want out of sobriety?
When you don't know what you want you are susceptible to accept anything that comes your way.
I want to ask you, What do YOU want out of sobriety? I had never been asked this question at a meeting. It was never discussed. It doesnt seem to fall in with any of the traditional 12-steps. Sure, your sponsor may tell you, If you work the steps the steps will work and youll regain things that you have lost. But to me thats giving someone false hope and its far too vague. You need to know and see in concrete terminology and form EXACTLY what you want to gain, regain, have or do. None of the steps ask you to do this. So I would like you to humor me. I would like you to write out EXACTLY what you want and dont want out of sobriety. Knowing what you dont want is equally as important as knowing what you do want. In fact, knowing what you dont want may actually be more important to some of you. Its worth the effort to make both lists. Ill be giving you examples of actual lists shortly.
What you want out of sobriety and What you dont want out of sobriety are completely selfish questions and they will be the most important questions you will ask yourself in your Re-Invention. Once you have answered these questions in detail, you then have the core of what you will do after sobering up. It will also make staying sober a bit easier; in fact, it may make it fun. The previous sentence might come as a surprise to you, because as you may have already guessed, I am a hardened realist. I offer no false hopes that this is going to be either easy or fun. But when you know what you want, you have direction. You will establish values, desires and principles to fall back on when you are tempted to drink. When you dont know what you want you are susceptible to accept anything that comes your way.(continued in book)
(These two paragraphs are excerpted from my latest book: Okay, I quit. Now what? Chapter #2. Questions and worksheets at the end of each chapter.)
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Do what you want!
Look, I'm not going to try and talk you into quitting drinking. I don't care if you drink your nights, weekends or your life away - YOU have to care. If you're viewing this page it's because something inside of you said, "This aint working for me. I need to get this under control."
It's never too early to start. If you're waiting for just the right moment or the right sign, they're right in front of you, you're just not seeing them. I share a lot of information and ideas on this site. Go ahead and browse the pages, check out some of my podcasts. But the decision is yours. You are not powerless, unless you say that you are powerless (and keep repeating it to yourself), and then behave in a powerless fashion.
I wish.....
I wish I could tell you that everything will work out fine. I wish I could offer you a guarantee of sober happiness. I wish I could tell you that it gets easier with time, that the temptations go away, that the struggles disappear, that all memories fade. They don't, at least not for me they haven't - but maybe this will be easier for you.
I wish I could spare you some of the pain that you will go through. But you will have to walk this path in your own shoes. We can walk it together, you can lean on me and others, but you will have to make this walk yourself. (Read: The 1'st year sober)
My method doesnt work... for everyone.
My belief that alcoholism isn't a disease is not always popular. My philosophy and strategy for maintaining sobriety doesn't work for everyone. (Actually, no system works for everyone.) Some people function best under a regimented plan or step system. That doesn't mean they are weak; they just need a pre-established structure to follow. I suggest that anyone who is going to undertake a sober lifestyle spends the time to research all systems. I suggest that people DO attend some AA meetings.
But many of us can't afford rehab or don't have time to attend daily meetings. Some of us don't feel the need to relinquish our power over to an invisible god of our choosing. And is it constructive to constantly remind yourself that you are weak, flawed, a despicable piece of shit? All drunks are not worthless jerks. If you are an abusive drunken jerk, then do something about it.
If drinking is a problem in your life, then YOU will have to change YOUR drinking habits but you probably don't have to change who you are. Some of the changes you will undertake may not be fun - sorry. Many of the changes may not turn out how you plan or expect - sorry. But here's a crazy twist; some things may turn out better than you ever expected. But you won't know until you try.
You CAN have a 100% success rate - no matter what plan or program you follow -as long as you don't drink. So at least give it a try. I assure you, it'll be different.
My dogs keep me sober!


New study reveals that drinking is linked to alcoholism:
A highly complicated scientific research study; funded by some branch of our government that felt it necessary to spend money profited by bailing out Citi Bank, has retained Dr. Sydney Winebladder, Professor Emeritus of M.I.T. (Milwaukee Institute of Teaching). This research was done over a real long period of time and conducted on a whole bunch of people.
Prof. Winebladder tells us, "Case after case shows irrefutable proof that drinking causes drunkenness, which then appears to lead to alcoholism." Prof. Winebladder further went on to say; "Do you have any idea how much money was spent on this research? Because I dont."
Many people at the Stumble Inn Tavern who were interviewed appeared shaken (not stirred) by this revelation. Bar patron Jim Joblonski said, "What fuckin genius figured that out?" Another guest said, "No shit? When did that happen?" A random customer named Karl belched out, "Fuckin-A right doggie!"
Dawn Bryzckevich, a bartender said, "Ya, well they also say that cancer is linked to death... so what do they know?"
Finally, Frank Blutowski, owner of the Stumble Inn said, "Hey you asshole get the fuck outta here before I kick the shit out of you! You're scaring my customers away."
Results of this scientific study have a 40% (80 proof) accuracy rate, give or take a few. Prof. Winebladder could not be reached for further comment as he is currently in rehab.

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More on my Philosophy:
On this website I bare my soul to you. I share all of my feelings of depression, guilt, temptation and anger. However, if you were to meet me in person you would never know that I suffer from these feelings - and more important - you would never know that I don't drink. I share my private emotions and struggles with you here, on my website, because this is the place to do it. I talk openly about the difficulty of trying to live a sober life, and it can be a daily struggle.
I was under the foolish belief that once I stopped drinking I would be happy and everyone would love me more, especially the people that I love. WRONG! Life is not filled with flowers, fuzzy bunnies and the sun does not shine out of your ass just because you quit drinking.
When I first quit drinkingI attended a few "meetings" and listened to people say how much better my life will be if I follow the steps and find a higher power. What a crock of shit! Sobriety sucks. Listening to "read the book" rhetoric just doesn't work for me - that's not how real life is - especially if you enjoy drinking. Sobriety is NOT always fun and it's NOT always easy. Just try to live a normal life in America and not drink or be tempted to drink.
I have had to learn how to stay sober using my own willpower. I live a normal, fully engagedlife. I don't hide from the real world.I go to parties, concerts, sporting events, etc. - and I stay sober.
The hard part about sobriety is that you have to deal with life and other people as they really are, and you have to do this SOBER! When you're a sober man, huge ugly women stay huge and ugly all night. Its the same for sober women - fat, dumb drunk guys don't start looking good as the night goes on. Boring, stupid people get even more boring and stupid. (Continued on About me)
Too cool dogs - Greta & DeeDee
Little Eva (left) Dee Dee (standing) Berkley & Frau Greta (right)
Respecting Alcohol:
By Mark Tuschel.
Everything doesnt always turn out for the best, but you can make the best of how things turn out.
A smart person learns from their mistakes, but a smarter person learns from everyone else's mistakes.
I don't think I was all that bad, but I didn't have to deal with me as a drunk... I was me!
This is fucked up!
Alcoholism isn't a disease, it's a choice.
I am paying the price today for what I did yesterday.
You never know how you look through someone else's eyes.
Let go and let gravity! - Some things fly, some don't.
The day I needed help from God, She called in sick.
If you think you have a problem, you probably do have a problem
As long as I do something, something will happen.
Sometimes life is fair and justice is served - be patient.
Life can get better, if you let it, and help it along a bit.
Hey, this may suck, but at least Im still sober!
I don't care what YOU want to put into YOUR body. I care about what I put into MY body.
I don't care if YOU want to drink or do drugs. I care whether I drink or do drugs.
I don't care how YOU treat people. I care how I treat people.
I don't care how YOU want to act or live your life. I care how I act and how I live my life.
I don't care about who YOU hang out with. I care about who I hang out with.
I don't care how many randoms YOU go home with. I care about who I give my love to.
I don't care what you might think or say about me. I care what I think and say about me.
It isn't that I don't care about people. In fact, I care deeply about the important people in my life and I care about YOU, but I can't care about what they do or what you do. I have to pay attention to what I do, what I say and how I react to others. If friends do things that I don't like or that aren't good for me or them, then I must decide if I want to hang out with them. All I can control is ME, and all you can control is YOU. I believe that this attutude will help you pay attention to your own sobriety.
People have done some pretty rotten things to me. I've been cheated on, tormented, humiliated, laughed at, belittled, emasculated, lied to, and emotionally hurt. I've had people die in front of me, had good friends die in my arms, been robbed, lost money, made money, had my ass kicked and kicked a few asses. I have been loved and hated. While I was a drunk I had probably done some of those same things to people that I love and I must live with that guilt, but that isn't an excuse or a reason for me to drink. It doesn't matter what you've been through or what anyone has ever done to you,,, no one forces you to drink but YOU! There are NO excuses, no good reasons, there is no rationalization! Im not superhuman and I'm nothing special,,,, Im just honest with myself and with you. Try living sober for a while. What's the worst that can happen?
Let rehab come to you!
I came across a very interesting rehab service. Theyre called Safe Passages and they work as sober escorts and sober companions. Im a firm believer that to fully enjoy a sober lifestyle you need to be able to engage in all aspects of your world.Safe Passages works with individuals in their own home environment and as a companion at social events to learn how to live a normal, fully engaged sober life. I really like their approach and concept. This is NOT a paid endorsement, I truly support their methodology.
Thank you to all of my family and friends that have stuck by me and helped me stay sober. Special thanks to my crazy friend Jhennifer.
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Living Sober Sucks
United States
Mark