Well done.

Might signify the beginning of a new life for you.

I found that I could not JUST stop. I needed a lot of support. Friends I made on here were helpful, but I also needed face to face help.

What is your plan?

Hello linda50,

Well done for pouring out the vodka. For a while I thought you meant that you poured it out to drink it, but down the drain is the best place for it.

It looks like alcohol does not agree with you for some reason and as some of the replies to your other post have suggested, it would be a good idea to go to the doc and get checked out. It would probably be best to avoid the vodka or maybe quit drinking if it is causing you so much trouble. If you are not addicted to alcohol you should be able to control your drinking or quit if you want to. If you find it difficult to stop or to cut down or if not drinking leaves you feeling unhappy then you may have an alcohol problem. If that is the case you will probably need some help.

Either way, it would give you peace of mind if you could look at the reasons why you drink and to discover alternative ways of dealing with those things. God will certainly help you in a big way but first of all you need to do some of the footwork. When I was in that sort of situation I went to AA meetings and that has worked for me.

Excellent - if alcohol is troublesome to you, this is a good start.

People make a resolution to stop for different reasons, at different times.

A lot (like me) can't seem to stay stopped without some help, a lot can give it up just with willpower.

Taradactyl asked a good question, which I would echo "What is your plan?" I hope you take a good look at the options for support available to you either now, or should you find it harder than you originally thought, later.

For me Alcoholics Anonymous showed me how to diagnose how far my problem had gone for myself and had a 12 Step programme of recovery for me to follow, should I need it.

I did need it and found it worked for me.

Whatever you decide, I wish you well.

Congratulations !
We couldn't tell how severe your problem is ...
so ... if you need some medical help ... please get it &
keep us posted.
Wishing you well,
Jack / j

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH,I know I must have some type of problem or why would I even want to drink! Im 54 yrs old never did drink until I was in my thirties. very little then but I have noticed in my FIFTIES I HAVE BEEN DRINKING TOO MUCH! It started bc I couldnt sleep then it just made that WORSE! IT MADE MY ANXIETY WORSE! I have a wonderful life a good husband a great job! BUT WHY DO I WANT TO DRINK AT ANYTIME THAT IS MY QUESTION! Only god knows that........... I feel ok now been busy doing things w/o the buzzz or whatever its called and Im very proud of myself! aa is not 4 me I live in small town AND AS CRAZY AS THIS SOUNDS I WORK AT A DETOX CENTER! Im toooooooo afraid to let anyone know that I have a problem!I
I have to do this alone and with the support of all of you wish me luck and I will keep in touch GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU!

Glad to hear that you will keep coming back here while you see how it goes for you. You never know until you have experience quite how some new challenge will turn out.

One thing I have learned through my own journey is that alcohol problems of one sort or another can develop at any time in life and take all prisoners - from all walks of life and professions.

I've shared this recently but will share it again for you - my boyfriend is not alcoholic but has an allergy to alcohol different to mine - when he has had a drink, more often than not, he gets a severe reaction similar to hayfever in symptoms. Still a puzzle, that one and not at all common.

Wow that is just what I needed to hear today. I can't remeber a time in my life I wasn't abusing alcohol..come to think of it I have trouble rememeber alot of parts of my life I lost. Went on a horrible binge the last two days stayed hammered for 48 hours solid. I don't remeber buying it, but apparently I bought a huge bottle of Cuervo, one of vodka, and another of bacardi. I have been trying to built the strength all day to go home and pour them out. You inspired me. Thank you...and you can do it!! Good for you taking the first step.

Linda Thats a great first step.But don't be lulled by a symbolic gesture. Alcoholism is a cunning baffeling and powerful disease for which there is no cure.I have found a solution that works for me. that would be the program of Alcohoics Anonymous. I suggest you try it. We know that alcoholism is bigger than anyone person. but it's not as big as the fellowship and support of other alcoholics. Combined with a program of rigourous honesty we can beat this disease.As the saying goes "I can't, we can" keep coming back. greg

That is one very hard thing to do and you did it!! Congratulations! One step at a time - and what a good step that one was!!

Stick with us.

I was lucky - I got sober in a town where it was almost a badge of honor to be in AA.....odd but true.

When I tell people I am an alcoholic and I don't drink - (when offered a drink, etc) - the only thing I have ever had come back at me is a great deal of respect for having beat the problem.

Linda, I don't think there is the same stigma attached to AA as there used to be.

What I was told about AA is that I would never meet a nicer group of people and that was totally correct. Good luck with your sobriety.

Hi Linda, That is somethin', pouring out a 5th of vodka like that. Good for you! I see you work in a detox..... back in '89 I got a job working in the detox of a Care Unit. I thought I'd be doing some kind of 12 Step service doing that until I saw what went on there. The daily staff meetings usually centered around the administrator going over what kind of insurance the patients had. The detox was part of a 30 day program there. If a person had good insurance the administrator told the staff to encourage the patient to stay longer.

Just about everyone who worked there were recovering alkies and addicts. We referred to the detox as Mott's Landing because patients were given Valium crushed up and put in apple sauce.

You did a good thing pouring that out. The support here is great, I hope you stick around and keep us posted as to how you're doing.

Jim