Aa
Really need help
Hi,i am here to ask for serious advice, i am 32yr old and have been drinking heavily for the past ten years,its got to the point where i am scared,to cut to the chase i had a family who i no longer have and now have moved with my new girlfreind thinking it would help,i was working 6am till 6pm before i moved and only drank after i finished,normally 50cl of vodka,now with the move and no employment at the moment im drinking more,most times a litre a day.When i was working i didnt feel any affects,maybe a bit sluggish some mornings,but now i sleep later because i have no job and i shake like hell when i get up,i cant roll a cigarette its that bad,it only stops when i get a drink which is normally not long after i get out of bed.Im ashamed of myself,my family is worried to death but i keep lying telling them ive cut down and i dont want to lose my girlfreind,she knows about it and trys to help but silly me if i want more i go buy it.
I have been to a GP and the best advice he gave me was "cut it in half"(this was before i moved and drinking more now)
I never classed myself as an alcoholic,i never felt the need for a drink when i got up morning till now.
The thing is i know this is going to kill me soon if i dont stop,but the thing is i enjoy it.
Can anybody help?
I have been to a GP and the best advice he gave me was "cut it in half"(this was before i moved and drinking more now)
I never classed myself as an alcoholic,i never felt the need for a drink when i got up morning till now.
The thing is i know this is going to kill me soon if i dont stop,but the thing is i enjoy it.
Can anybody help?
Yer not alone with what you're going through. I too enjoyed the drinking. I didn't enjoy the stuff that went along with it though: The loss of family and friends, hallucinations, not eating right, not taking care of myself(showers, cut hair, exercise, cutting nails etc.) my dog was afraid of me, loss of job, failing health etc. I suggest getting into a rehab or detox facility along with AA mtgs. I did intensive outpatient therapy along with AA and doing ok today. People told me that drinking was not a good idea anymore and I believe them. I've seen folks pick up again only to come back in worse shape than when they came in the first time. I personally don't want to go through all that. In the end it's a decision that you will have to make for yourself. I still have a sick brain that can tell me at anytime that drinking is ok. I try to keep a one day at a time mentality and just try to stay sober today. The whole "not drinking for the rest of my life" type of thinking makes the whole thing seem overwhelming and can stop me from getting sobered up right in my tracks.
Try to keep things simple. Understand that today the best thing to do is be sober and the rest will fall into place. Good luck and God Bless!!
Try to keep things simple. Understand that today the best thing to do is be sober and the rest will fall into place. Good luck and God Bless!!
Get your liver checked out. I was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver at the age of 24, a liter is a lot although depending on the circumstances will eventually not be enough. I was going through 1.75 liter in a day 1/2 to 2 days for about year and then my liver failed. Try a meeting. If it's bad enough you will stay. If not keep drinking until it is bad enough, hopefully you'll be lucky enough to get some help before you've fallen too far. It's not an easy journey but it is possible.
COMMUNITY LEADER
well u give a figgypudding:) now so can u get back on the list?check out an AA meeting?one of our regular posters here rod44 hasn't posted in awhile...he lives in ireland!gives great advice and has really been thru the mill w/his alcoholism!i know if u sent him a note here he'd respond!
I live in the UK,we have free healthcare(NHS) i have moved from my hometown and have not yet registered with a new GP,my last could only recommend cutting down,i went to a addiction centre the same day but after a month when i finally got a letter for a appointment i was still drinking the same and didnt give a @$*K...........i know....very silly.
COMMUNITY LEADER
alcoholics are not social drinkers!going in2 a pub to socialize w/drunks is insanity!an AA friend of mine once told me an alcoholic who thinks they can go in2 a bar to drink a soft drink is like going in2 a bordello to listen to the music!it was more raw than how i just rephrased it or else medhelp would bleep it out!:)do u have insurance?do u live in the UK?i'm not sure how your healthcare system is set up over there..many detox programs differ!will ur doctor refer u 2 a detox facility?
Thankyou all for your replys.Can anyone recommend the kind of detox i need?,the doc i went to see told me that if i just stopped drinking that it could harm or even kill me(that was when i was drinking half iam now) it scared the hell out of me.Im so determined to do this but i dont know which way to turn.
One more question if i may,when i get through this will i be able to go out for social drinks(i only drink cider in pubs) or do i have to give it up for ever?
One more question if i may,when i get through this will i be able to go out for social drinks(i only drink cider in pubs) or do i have to give it up for ever?
It only gets worse as you keep doing it. This is a progressive problem, and it simply depends on how far down you want to go before you've had enough.
In regards to cutting your quantity in half, it makes sense from a purely logical standpoint, but this is not about logic. If you were logical, you wouldn't be drinking this much to begin with. This is what some people (who are not alcoholics) do not understand about the concept of alcoholism.......if we could control it, we would!
Most people will say that "only you can decide if you're an alcoholic", but based on your quantity and time drinking, I think it's safe to assume you've reached that level. If you're ready to quit, your doctor can help by prescribing meds that will keep you from shaking or getting DT's. If this Doc won't help you, go to another one. Detox can be dangerous if your level of consumption is high.
Now, the good news. In 7-10 days, you can be past all the worst physical symptoms. And the first 3-5 are the worst. If you can deal with that period of discomfort, you can begin the process of recovery and put all of this behind you.
In terms of being ashamed, I have nothing but respect for alcoholics who realize they have a problem and actually do something about it. It's a lot to overcome. Recovery issues come after you wean yourself off the booze though. Get yourself a little medical help, and make this day 1 of sobriety, okay?
In regards to cutting your quantity in half, it makes sense from a purely logical standpoint, but this is not about logic. If you were logical, you wouldn't be drinking this much to begin with. This is what some people (who are not alcoholics) do not understand about the concept of alcoholism.......if we could control it, we would!
Most people will say that "only you can decide if you're an alcoholic", but based on your quantity and time drinking, I think it's safe to assume you've reached that level. If you're ready to quit, your doctor can help by prescribing meds that will keep you from shaking or getting DT's. If this Doc won't help you, go to another one. Detox can be dangerous if your level of consumption is high.
Now, the good news. In 7-10 days, you can be past all the worst physical symptoms. And the first 3-5 are the worst. If you can deal with that period of discomfort, you can begin the process of recovery and put all of this behind you.
In terms of being ashamed, I have nothing but respect for alcoholics who realize they have a problem and actually do something about it. It's a lot to overcome. Recovery issues come after you wean yourself off the booze though. Get yourself a little medical help, and make this day 1 of sobriety, okay?
Hi Tez1,
I used to drink like you. I would only do it after work until I lost my job. Once I was out of work I, like you, had lots more free time and would drink pretty regularly throughout the day. Jack Daniels was my favorite. I would wake up and put it my coffee just get going. It took about six months of this type of drinking to get me to a point where I was having hallucinations, I was angry and getting uncontrollably violent. I couldn't look in a mirror anymore because of the shame and guilt over who I had become. I no longer liked who I was. I didn't realize that it was the alcohol that was causing me to feel this way. I thought that the alcohol was still taking these feelings away and helping me feel better. It was actually making me worse. That is the tricky thing about it. The thing we think we need the most to feel good is actually the thing that kills us. I like what you said about alcohol going to kill you but you still enjoy it. I can totally identify with that. It always amazed me how willing I was to put my drinking ahead of my health or anything else for that matter. I didn't realize it then but today I understand that that is how our disease twists our brains into continuing to drink. We become totally selfish in regards to our drinking. The day finally came when I found out that my drinking brought absolutely nothing into my life. The question became how much nothing do I want?
I understand there isn't anything I can say or do that will get you to stop. Many people tried to talk to me. People that cared and loved me, people that I care about and loved and still I kept on drinking. One night I got scared so bad something inside of me changed and I wanted to stop and became willing to do anything to get better. I can't really explain it but it happened. I'm not saying this has to happen to you or even that it will. Lots of folks go on drinking until it kills them. I am one of the lucky ones. Many folks stop and get better at any point in there lives. The common thing is that we wanted to stop and became willing to do what is necessary. It was no longer about doing what we like, it is about doing the next right thing. It is about learning to love and be loved, it is about appreciating what we have and being happy and serene. Today I am able to do these things. Life is far better than it has ever been. Letting go of my old friend alcohol freed me to be able to have new friends. Freinds that actually care and support me. I wish you all the best of what life has to offer. Take care!!
I used to drink like you. I would only do it after work until I lost my job. Once I was out of work I, like you, had lots more free time and would drink pretty regularly throughout the day. Jack Daniels was my favorite. I would wake up and put it my coffee just get going. It took about six months of this type of drinking to get me to a point where I was having hallucinations, I was angry and getting uncontrollably violent. I couldn't look in a mirror anymore because of the shame and guilt over who I had become. I no longer liked who I was. I didn't realize that it was the alcohol that was causing me to feel this way. I thought that the alcohol was still taking these feelings away and helping me feel better. It was actually making me worse. That is the tricky thing about it. The thing we think we need the most to feel good is actually the thing that kills us. I like what you said about alcohol going to kill you but you still enjoy it. I can totally identify with that. It always amazed me how willing I was to put my drinking ahead of my health or anything else for that matter. I didn't realize it then but today I understand that that is how our disease twists our brains into continuing to drink. We become totally selfish in regards to our drinking. The day finally came when I found out that my drinking brought absolutely nothing into my life. The question became how much nothing do I want?
I understand there isn't anything I can say or do that will get you to stop. Many people tried to talk to me. People that cared and loved me, people that I care about and loved and still I kept on drinking. One night I got scared so bad something inside of me changed and I wanted to stop and became willing to do anything to get better. I can't really explain it but it happened. I'm not saying this has to happen to you or even that it will. Lots of folks go on drinking until it kills them. I am one of the lucky ones. Many folks stop and get better at any point in there lives. The common thing is that we wanted to stop and became willing to do what is necessary. It was no longer about doing what we like, it is about doing the next right thing. It is about learning to love and be loved, it is about appreciating what we have and being happy and serene. Today I am able to do these things. Life is far better than it has ever been. Letting go of my old friend alcohol freed me to be able to have new friends. Freinds that actually care and support me. I wish you all the best of what life has to offer. Take care!!
So what exactly is it that you enjoy about drinking? I ask, because that is the excuse you are giving for not stopping.
A litre a day of vodka is an exceptionally heavy consumption of alcohol. It takes much less than that to do serious damage to the body. As Denise posted, just because you don't feel sick doesn't mean you aren't doing damage.
Like Denise, I only drank at night when I got home from work. I'd nurse 4 or 5 drinks until I went to bed.
About 8 years ago, I started developing neurological symptoms. To make a long story short, about a month ago, I sought a second opinion from a neurologist at a teaching hospital. My brain has shrunk from years of drinking. I will always have balance problems. I have problems with language and memory. It is possible for some of the damage to be repaired over time, but there is no guarantee. The shaking that you experience right now is an example of alcohol damaging your brain, specifically the cerebellum.
Detox and rehab would be the best thing for you right now. You will need detox with the amount that you are drinking.
If you can't make that move right away, the best thing to do is not stay home and drink all day. Get yourself up in the morning and go out and do something, like volunteer work and the occasional AA meeting. Keep yourself busy so that you don't have the time or excuse to drink all day.
A litre a day of vodka is an exceptionally heavy consumption of alcohol. It takes much less than that to do serious damage to the body. As Denise posted, just because you don't feel sick doesn't mean you aren't doing damage.
Like Denise, I only drank at night when I got home from work. I'd nurse 4 or 5 drinks until I went to bed.
About 8 years ago, I started developing neurological symptoms. To make a long story short, about a month ago, I sought a second opinion from a neurologist at a teaching hospital. My brain has shrunk from years of drinking. I will always have balance problems. I have problems with language and memory. It is possible for some of the damage to be repaired over time, but there is no guarantee. The shaking that you experience right now is an example of alcohol damaging your brain, specifically the cerebellum.
Detox and rehab would be the best thing for you right now. You will need detox with the amount that you are drinking.
If you can't make that move right away, the best thing to do is not stay home and drink all day. Get yourself up in the morning and go out and do something, like volunteer work and the occasional AA meeting. Keep yourself busy so that you don't have the time or excuse to drink all day.
P.S.Just because you don't need or feel like a drink in the morning doesn't mean you don't have a problem.I only ever drank after 5pm I don't know why, I think, like you, I felt that because I could function all day and not need a drink then I couldn't be an alcoholic,that is so far from the truth,
I enjoyed drinking every day as well
I became a grandma and still enjoyed drinking every day,then my doctor did a routine blood test and in less than 2 years from my last blood test my liver test results had more than tripled,suddenly I didn't enjoy drinking anymore,I wanted to see my grandchildren grow up.
Have you had your liver or other organs checked for damage,you need to know the state of your health,just because you don't feel sick doesn't mean you are not doing damage.
I'd be getting a full health check and then you need to make a decision,
If you have no health problems you will need to decide if you want to keep it that way.
If there are some health problems you will need to decide if you want to make them worse or try to repair what damage you have done.
Best of Luck and I hope you are ready to make the right decisions
Take Care Denise
I became a grandma and still enjoyed drinking every day,then my doctor did a routine blood test and in less than 2 years from my last blood test my liver test results had more than tripled,suddenly I didn't enjoy drinking anymore,I wanted to see my grandchildren grow up.
Have you had your liver or other organs checked for damage,you need to know the state of your health,just because you don't feel sick doesn't mean you are not doing damage.
I'd be getting a full health check and then you need to make a decision,
If you have no health problems you will need to decide if you want to keep it that way.
If there are some health problems you will need to decide if you want to make them worse or try to repair what damage you have done.
Best of Luck and I hope you are ready to make the right decisions
Take Care Denise
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