Hey there! Welcome to the group, you've come to the right place. In my experience this group has been completely supportive and not at all judgmental so you are safe here. Today marks one week sober for me. I had my first drink in my early teens and at 29 I'm accepting that I am an alcoholic and now I am seeking help. It's really hard to ask for help, I've been there. This is all still new to me. I'm in therapy now, which is what really opened my eyes to my alcohol problem. Tomorrow I'm going to my first AA meeting (I chickened out the last time). One thing I've learned is that you should never feel bad about asking for help. I've been like this for as long as I can remember, I've never wanted to ask for help because I never wanted to be a burden to someone else. But asking for help is completely okay and can help tremendously. I'm here if you want to chat or swap stories or need someone to lean on during this hard time. I'm in the beginning stage of recovery so I know how you feel. Also, there are people here that will tell you their stories of how long they've been sober. They've really helped me realize that it is possible to live a happy, sober life! Hope to hear from you soon!

-C

Hello vemory7357,

You are very welcome to the DS forum and I hope that you will have a positive experience here.

If you can crack this recovery thing at 27, you will save yourself a lifetime of misery. The way ‘not to do it’ is what I did for years. I abused alcohol for 38 years and got away with a lot of bad stuff that other people have experienced, but eventually it became a huge problem.
When everything else failed, I went to an AA meeting, nine years ago, and have not taken a drink since. I do not use the word ‘miracle’ lightly, but that is the only way that I can described what has happened.

The great news is the miracle is available to anyone who desires to stop drinking. Don’t be afraid to look for whatever help that you may need.

Pj54 that made me cry, (good cry) thank you so much. that gives me hope. I have never spoken to other people that have been through this. this is very new to me and that helps a lot.

I hope you are successful at not drinking today. I don't know how many times I said "today I'm not going to drink" only to later on say "okay maybe just 2" and then before you know it, I'm completely wasted.

But, even though I tried so many times, eventually one day, it worked, and I had a good 9 or so months, then again I slipped but now I will be sober 11 months tomorrow. I tried different things (12 steps, AA meetings, reading the big book and 12 step 12 traditions book, daily meditation books, etc etc). I really think any and all things can work to keep me sober, the real trick is remembering that I have to continue working on it everyday.

I can't let myself back into the negative thinking where I hate everyone and everything and then I feel sorry for myself and then I drink. It's effort to stay sober, but it feels amazing and I am more grateful for everything in my life than I have ever been.

I hope you find what works for you. Congratulations on realizing you have a problem and wanting to fix it..........that's an accomplishment in itself and there are many that never get there.

Hello vemory7357!

This too is my first day. I quit at about 3am this morning. I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. Detox sucks, but I am just thinking how sweet it's going to be tomorrow and then the next day and the next day, etc.... I know this WILL get better for us. I am 37 and have been struggling with this addiction for a hair over 20 years. I am ready to retire from being addicted!

I got your back, we can do this! Much love and keep us updated, we are all here for you because you are that awesome!

They didn't recommend an at home detox for me due to the chance of seizures so I went through a hospital detox where they kept an eye on me and kept me medicated to make the withdrawals more tolerable. After 4 days of detox, I was referred to a 3 week IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program) where I was treated for the things which triggered my addiction such as depression and ptsd. I didn't even know I had those problems until my intake where I was asked 3 hours worth of questions. My counselors designed a treatment strategy based on those questions and it worked extremely well! After the IOP I went into 3 months of relapse prevention group counseling where I learned what my triggers were and how to handle them.

Throughout all the treatment I had, regular attendance at AA meetings were a requirement. Through AA, I got a sponsor who kept in touch with me daily and guided me through the first few months when my newfound sobriety was still in a fragile state. I had to be willing to do everything it took to stay sober or I wouldn't be writing this reply. That was over 9 years ago. Today I have a great life and I have never been happier.

My only suggestion is to talk to your doctor who can evaluate you and suggest possible treatment options available in your area. Good luck on your road to recovery.

God Bless

I tried a million times to quit only to be back drinking in a couple of days. Hel at the end I didn't even try to quit. The fact was I couldn't have done it alone. It's like trying to lift myself up by my bootstraps, it's impossible. I needed other people to teach me coping skills and ways to deal with all the emotions that showed up when I quit self medicating. Know this alcohol is a drug. It is the hardest thing I ever quit and I quit some bad juju. I found help in a room of aa and more importantly I keep the thought that I'm an alcoholic up front in my thinking. I haven't had a drink in 5 years but if I had 1 it would be back to the races. The recovery rate of alcoholics is very dismal. Like 1 in 10 so I strongly recommend finding support and getting honest with another alcoholic. The hiding and lying and cheating were keeping me drunk. Today I try to be a good person and so I do t have to run and hide in a bottle. Things get better and quickly, but it's a bit of a trick to stay sober. And more importantly sober AND happy. That's the real miracle that I found.
1is2many

I cant tell you all how amazing this makes me feel. I feel very lucky to have found this site and the people in it.

I’m almost 27. I have been sober for two years. I found out I was pregnant in 2014 after a drunken night. My sons father is a man I barely know. My son was almost three months old when I almost killed myself behind the wheel. I decided I needed to change. Since I have doubled my pay! I got a certification, am still studying for my major, bought a brand new car, and have successfully head my own business on the side! My life changed when I put down the bottle! Now I enjoy going out with friends and being the always DD! It is funny to watch the drunks now since I am not one!