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how to beat long term alcohol abuse?

started dinking small amounts at 23 but by the time I was 30, was consuming much more and now that I am 44, I drink about a liter a day of vodka. Really don't know how to get a handle on it but with a wife I love and a 10 year old daughter, I have to find a way besides alcoholics annymous. any suggestions?
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Avatar universal
my memory loss from before my surgery was imediate except for all the bad stuff, but as far as vacations , birthdays ,xxxx, they are all gone. But after that it was my short term memory that was damaged. My neuro made me do a psychological/memory evaluation before he would make a determination and sign off on my disability certificate, On that certificate he specificly mentioned that even mild stress would be detrimental to my well being. But as for my memory, if you tell me something many times through the day, i will remember it, but you tell me once and I don't do it right then, it's gone. But as far as worsening over time, that depends on your meds and how much you take, some affect your cognitive abilities more than others.
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1475202 tn?1536270977
It sounds like you went through a lot at a young age. (17) So was it expected that your memory could get worse over the course of the last 27 years? I did some reading about it but didn't see anything it was progressive but I may have over-looked it, it mentioned memory loss as an immediate side effect. I just thought it to be strange to be capable for twenty years and then not. To manage the whole department was a big responsibility and something you surely must have worked hard for. Sorry you had to go through so much.

It seems like you will need to be especially carefully with alcohol since peripheral neuropathy or alcoholic neuropathy is quite common for those who abuse alcohol long-term. Simply put damage to the nerves that carry information to and from the brain and spinal cord.

You can read more on peripheral neuropathy:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001619/

or alcoholic neuropathy:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001733/

After my diagnosis I knew there was no more time for putting it off, I needed to stop drinking immediately. I began tapering off and before the weeks end I knew I had it under control and never again would I need it in my life after what I let it do to me and the people that loved me. I thought about my loved ones and knew I could not let them down. I suggest you think about the people you care about and how continuing to drink would affect them. Having a good support system in place is key to reaching your goal. Sneaking it would only be fooling yourself.

Randy
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Avatar universal
Yes I do realize the value of AA to most ppl, but let put it this way, at a big party, I would be the guy standing against the wall watching everyone else and just minding my own business. Very welcoming to those who come to me, but never walk up to someone and just strike up a conversation. Beside's, as I say, posting here and another site is doing all I need so I see no need for me to do AA. Of course, monday will be the test. My daughter is doing VBS with my mother all week and my wife will be an hour and a half away at work. So, if I was going to give in, I would have ample opportunity. But I really don't see that happening.
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Avatar universal
oops, meant to say I do work on the house through the day
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Avatar universal
well Randy, I will tell you what I don't tell many, although I guess I guess Iam now, but my medical condition is epilepsy, had right temporal lobectomy at 17 which means they removed the right temporal lobe of my brain. Did me no harm except that my short term memory is very bad. I worked as a produce manager for Kroger and when management would come to me with 4 or 5 special projects they wanted done that day on top of the normal work I had to, I would remember 2 or 3. The next day they would come in and be all up in my... and I would go home that night and have seizures in my sleep.Since retirement, no seizures. But my union has disability retirement for those who can no longer perform the duties of their current position. So after jumping through some hoops with the doctors I got my pension which I had worked for 22 years to get. But as for my not wanting to be in the spotlight, I have been that way all my life, in any group setting, when it's my turn the face goes red, the voice quivers, and the knees shake. It is just a phobia I have always had. But don't have to worry about any futher damage to the body from drinking, went from one litre of vodka a day to none since I found this site.But yeah, contact me anytime, I do work on the through the day but I stop at my comp. ever now and then just to see if I have any post.
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Avatar universal
COMMUNITY LEADER
the value of AA is the social interaction of ppl trying to stay sober like u!it was invaluable to me.....as was NA...i qualified for both programs!
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1475202 tn?1536270977
Well I'll sure chat with ya Akev! I am always looking for a way to pass the time too.
Cool about your old house. I recently bought some land and am having one built.
I see you’re not far from me either, less than an hour since I’m here in Nashville.

So in a way we have a lot in common since I get disability for some medical issues too and I don't mind telling ya what they are either. End stage cirrhosis. Diagnosed 03-23-10 age 38. See I spent a lot of time drinking just to past the time too!

My point is be very careful not to end up in my shoes. It sounds like you have a problem with anxiety also.. "I don't like being in the spotlight so to speak, it make's me very nervousand it's very easily noticed by others" You should know that drinking is a commonly the direct cause of anxiety. At one point I was no longer able to drive or go to a movie with my wife, large groups of people just made me too nervous. I was unable to write during weekly department head meetings at work because my hands would shake so bad. I knew people would notice. I eventually found out anxiety medication is available to treat this and it is very effective. Once my dosage was set by my doctor all of these problems went away. Being an alcoholic you need to be careful what medication is prescribed so make sure your honest with your doctor about how much and how often you drink. Xanax is a type of anxiety medication that needs to be avoided by alcoholics or anyone with and addictive personality.

Take pride in doing your house exactly how you want it to be, you will do a much better job without the drink and accomplish a lot more. Your wife and daughter will really enjoy the new you much more! I hope the best for you, take care.

Randy
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Avatar universal
well due to medical conditions and the extreme stress at work which worsened my medical condition, I am now on disability retirement through my company and it is permanent.at age 43, it sounded good cause I would then have time to work on my 1938 home. Only problem is that I no longer have any interaction with others because I work on the house, don't have a boss and therefore I can work and drink at the same time, which gradually grew out of control. But, that is why I am now on 2 different forums, just to keep contact with others so I don't pass my time drinking.
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495284 tn?1333894042
What are your reasons for drinking?  Your internal organs will not survive much longer if you keep this up.  Please keep talking to us~~
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Avatar universal
OOPS! meant to say: but am just really  looking for someone to chat with, not a very good typer so you might see typo's in my comments quite often.
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Avatar universal
But not looking to come off as anti-social with my response, but am just really for someone to chat with in this community as noninteraction with others since my retirement is what really kicked up my drinking. And if you really think about it, having discussions on here is not much different than AA as long as you stay in contact with people. I am actually on 2 different site's so as to hear from more people. Hope to keep hearing from you.
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Avatar universal
No, I have not and will not because I don't like being in the spotlight so to speak, it make's me very nervousand it's very easily noticed by others. But as far as withdrawls, I have gone without for weeks and never had any problem with that. But I do know a family member who went to AA and she was very into it and found sucess.
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Avatar universal
Hello

Does AA not help you? Have you been before? I would certainly not advise stopping drinking a litre bottle of vodka without medical help. Alcohol withdrawal is very bad and can be extremely dangerous. There are alternatives to AA if it is not your thing, but theses are harder to access I should think. AA is such a huge community and have meetings in the smallest of towns!

Please keep posting it helps :-)
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1970885 tn?1435860428
Why not AA? I stopped drinking 27 years ago. I did it with my wife's support, and a lot of AA meetings. That's it. Maybe if you can afford professional rehab; someplace to dry out & then professional help.
Or just stop drinking. You're killing yourself. Sooner or later you will lose everything. From one boozer to another. The withdrawal isn't bad. Your choice.
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