New Alcohol self help

andipandi_2

ac wrote: »

P.S.........

do you think the people in an 'AA' metting feel 'normal' (wotever that is)

they most probably feel as weird as you would

no such thing as normal ac,average maybe;)

andipandi_2

woodandnails wrote: »

I hope no one minds if I butt in here.
I'm a long term member of MSE forums but because family members know my username I have created a new one to post here.
I've known I've had a problem for some time now. For the past few years I have been drinking alcohol for the wrong reasons (mainly as a way to cope with my social anxiety, depression etc) but over the past year it has really got out of hand. I get drunk every day. My grades have failed badly and I am poorly performing at work. I even got to the stage where I couldn't go to classes without having a couple of drinks before (my depression had got really bad then and I could barely leave my flat).

I've been burying my head hoping this will sort itself out but it just gets worse

I don't know where to go for help, I don't like my doctors (I have been to loads but not found one I like yet) and don't even know if that is something you can bring up there. Also I scared if I tell them this it will affect what drugs they prescribe me (atm I am on an anti-depressant and a beta blocker for my physical anxiety symptoms).

Where do I turn??
I would feel really weird going to an alcoholics anonymous meeting.

ETA: I have REALLY tried to stop drinking but I can't. I really don't know how to start. And tbh I am in my early 20s. A life of sobriety scares me , I don't even know if I want that (bad thinking I know but I am trying to be honest)

Hi woodandnails,
welcome to the thread,try AA it works for many,otherwise depending on where you live you can access help through community alcohol teams,other agencies(check around)or through your gp where you can get referred to local authority mental health teams for your depression also,sounds like you would benefit from talking to someone about it,

Andy

ps anti depressants and alcohol don't mix,becomes a war zone really

edit,i'm not sure you would feel weird as such going to an AA meeting ,more likely nervous which is understandable,you know everyone has to get out of their comfort zone from time to time and test the temperature of the water so to speak

lewt

andipandi wrote: »

Hi ac,my point to state here is i like drinking,i have a good social life around the stuff,i quit playing competition pool because i didn't want to drink sometimes but if i'm in the pub i drink alcohol,i always will,when i'm not drinking i stay away from the pub,

i don't like the physical effects of being knackered the next day or the fact my brain is like mush,i don't suffer hangovers because my body is used to the stuff,

until everything came on top i was drinking 2 nights a week which i was quite content with( i was also suffering hangovers which to me is a good sign)

now as you may know AA works with the disease model,ie you drink you don't stop then it will kill you which is very true but not in all cases,every liver function test i have had has been fine thus far but there are no warning signs apart from yellow eyes and back ache.(and the jaundiced look common to drinkers)

what does one say to someone like me in anycase,lungs with asbestos in,worked in preservation using horrid chemicals that are now banned,
bottom line is if i want to drink i will,if my body wants to drink and i don't i won't,just like last night,hellish experience but i didn't want to drink,

its the poor sods i know that when i say i'm an alcoholic they say oh what are you going to do about it,yet these people are mutilated on the stuff,they don't eat, take vitamins or drink water.

oops gone on a bit lol

Just reading the first line shocked me andi, you like drinking even after what it does to you on what seems to be a regular basis.. ?

What i would say to someone like you is that the chances of stopping for one and all if you still enjoy drinking are not to good. i stopped because the alcohol had stopped doing what i drank it for. the socail thing with me ended maybe 4 years before i stoppped drinking. but at the end of my drinking the alcohol may have been getting my body p1ssed but my mind was always in the same state all tthe time with no relive from drinking... so i went treatment detoxed in a medicated way and have maintained soberity by using the the tools of the 12 steps which i learnt in AA amoungst other fellowships.

Just a quick question andi do you think you can lick alcoholism by eating good food drinking water too and taking vitamins?

lewt

woodandnails wrote: »

I hope no one minds if I butt in here.
I'm a long term member of MSE forums but because family members know my username I have created a new one to post here.
I've known I've had a problem for some time now. For the past few years I have been drinking alcohol for the wrong reasons (mainly as a way to cope with my social anxiety, depression etc) but over the past year it has really got out of hand. I get drunk every day. My grades have failed badly and I am poorly performing at work. I even got to the stage where I couldn't go to classes without having a couple of drinks before (my depression had got really bad then and I could barely leave my flat).

I've been burying my head hoping this will sort itself out but it just gets worse

I don't know where to go for help, I don't like my doctors (I have been to loads but not found one I like yet) and don't even know if that is something you can bring up there. Also I scared if I tell them this it will affect what drugs they prescribe me (atm I am on an anti-depressant and a beta blocker for my physical anxiety symptoms).

Where do I turn??
I would feel really weird going to an alcoholics anonymous meeting.

ETA: I have REALLY tried to stop drinking but I can't. I really don't know how to start. And tbh I am in my early 20s. A life of sobriety scares me , I don't even know if I want that (bad thinking I know but I am trying to be honest)

Hi do you find that witht the anxouity has got worse with the drinking? one of the geezers i was in rehab with had this prob too and it was a visous circle of drink to remove the feeling and then when he didnt have a drink then he was auxsious.

i saw him change though and it was amazing to watch really. his arms used to jup round on there own from it. but all that stopped during his time their and after going throught he steps. i did my step 4,5,6,7,8 and learnt about 9 with him and that night when we had finished 2 days of intense looking at our selfs he just sat relaxed when before he had been bouncing off the walls.

He said he just felt calm. and he seemed it too.

really you should try AA i look at it like its the alky in me that dont want me to go if i ever feel like not going to a meeting for this or that reason. as the alky thats still in me behavoir wise dont want me to stay well as he wants feeding. the confusing thing about him is that he has the same voice in my head as i have and can be more powerfull. hope that makes sense.

brodev

Hi woodandnails, glad to meet you. I was 23 when I joined AA. I too was terrified of a life without drink, I was more terrified, however, of carrying on the way I was. I was at a total loss not knowing what to do. It was suggested to me by people in AA that I tried staying off drink for a while and see if it was as bad as I thought it would be. I did and I discovered that by doing it one day a a time it wasn't too bad. Eventually it wasn't bad at all and now it is really great. There is a lot of sober water under the bridge now and I have lived an ordinary life with an extraordinary wife(she is looking over my shoulder;) and 4 children. All pretty normal, but for me it would not have happened if I drank. If alcoholism gets you when your young then the prognosis for a long and happy life just doesn't exist alongside drinking. I wish you good fortune.
Andi, I have never been able to persuade a problem drinker to stop. I won't even attempt with you. If you discover that you cannot continue drinking and want help to stop then let me be first to help.

andipandi_2

lewt wrote: »

Just a quick question andi do you think you can lick alcoholism by eating good food drinking water too and taking vitamins?

the point i was making that these people don't even eat or drink water,i never inferred that eating and drinking meant one could continue drinking to excess,take the alcohol of the picture,if you don't eat or drink water you don't !!!!!! or pee and you die ,end of

lewt

andipandi wrote: »

the point i was making that these people don't even eat or drink water,i never inferred that eating and drinking meant one could continue drinking to excess,take the alcohol of the picture,if you don't eat or drink water you don't !!!!!! or pee and you die ,end of

true, true. i wasnt having a go mate dont get me wrong its just hard for me to put feelings with my words on a forum sometimes u know? <

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could use those a bit more i spose though:)

hi brodev......! hows the sale going? off to do a share tonight at northampton primary purpose meeting... was asked today as it was my year on sun........

andipandi_2

lewt wrote: »

true, true. i wasnt having a go mate dont get me wrong its just hard for me to put feelings with my words on a forum sometimes u know? <

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could use those a bit more i spose though:)


no worries ,bit touchy today me is:eek:

woodandnails

Thanks for all the replies guys. I don't have time to reply right now but I read them all

And congratulations lewt on your success.

brodev

lewt wrote: »

hi brodev......! hows the sale going? off to do a share tonight at northampton primary purpose meeting... was asked today as it was my year on sun........

congrats Lewt. The house is sold but I want the money NOW and not to have to wait for the lawyers. My impatience is driving me mad. Perhaps one day I'll be restored to sanity.