Being an alcoholic can be a lonely and frustrating experience. Often, you feel like no one else has gone through what you are going through. The fun and buzz that you may have experienced when you first started drinking is long gone, and often all that is left is a feeling of despair and helplessness.

But there are many who have gone through the hard process of quitting. For them, it has been a long and difficult road.

For those of you who manage to reach sobriety, there can often be mixed feelings. Below are some comments made by alcoholics. They are divided into three categories based on how it feels to be an alcoholic, how hard it is to quit drinking, and how good it feels when you do manage to quit.

How it feels to be an alcoholic

1. Alcoholism is lonely

source: https://www.quora.com/What-is-it-like-to-be-an-alcoholic

2. The fun is lost

source: https://www.quora.com/What-is-it-like-to-be-an-alcoholic

3. The misery only becomes more horrible after I wake up

source: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskMen/comments/3j4ukp/what_does_alcoholism_look_and_feel_like/

4. I hate the whole human race when I was drunk

source: https://www.quora.com/What-is-it-like-to-be-an-alcoholic

5. I felt like I was a failure

source: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskMen/comments/3j4ukp/what_does_alcoholism_look_and_feel_like/

It’s hard to quit drinking

6. It can take years. But it pays off in the end

source: http://www.iflscience.com/brain/what-happens-alcoholics-brains-when-they-quit-drinking

7. I can never have another drink

source: https://www.quora.com/What-is-it-like-to-be-an-alcoholic

8. The worst and longest nightmare

source: http://www.drugfreeworld.org/real-life-stories/alcohol.html

9. Talking to other alcoholics helps

source: https://www.quora.com/What-is-it-like-to-be-an-alcoholic

It feels great after quitting drinking

10. It’s miraculous to be a recovering alcoholic

source: https://www.quora.com/What-is-it-like-to-be-an-alcoholic

11. I’m giving my health, looks and reputation a chance to get better

source: http://soberistas.com/page/personal-stories

12. Great thanks to the friend who helped

source: http://soberistas.com/page/personal-stories

13. Busy work can help

source: http://soberistas.com/page/personal-stories

If you have experienced being an alcoholic and have managed to become sober, then the feeling of a life regained is a reward in itself. If you are still drinking, quitting may seem like a daunting task. It may feel like you are beyond help or too far gone, but as you can see from other people’s comments, there is a way forward. It is possible to take that step and embark on the road towards recovery.