Alcoholism Support Group
Alcoholism is the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages, even when it is negatively affecting your health, work, relationships and life. If you think alcohol is causing you to lose control, it's time to seek help. Our group is a safe place to vent, check in, get back up if you fall, and reach sobriety.
I'm 16 and I feel like I have a drinking problem. The longest I've gone without drinking had been three days in the span of 3-4 months. Before that it was every weekend. No one knows except for a friend that I thought I could tell but they now just joke about it. I always drink at home. Since it's summer I've been getting drunk almost everyday. Sometimes if I wake up I'll start drinking as early as 8 in the morning. I do it when I'm bored, happy, sad, etc. There's no reason I just do it because I hate being sober and it helps with my depression and anxiety. I started to become worried about myself after throwing up this black/brown sticky substances. I was in pain and just felt sick. I also kept blacking out and not remembering how I had gotten where I was and how things ended up in my room. For some reason drunk me loves to go through my window at 5 A.M. And walk around my neighborhood bear foot in my PJ's. I've laid in people yards and gone in my pool but luckily always made it back home to where I don't remember anything else. I'd wake up confused and bruised up. I've had conversations with people and haven't remembered. I've been looking up things to do and I've come upon AA meetings. I don't fully know what they are but a lot of people online say it's good to go to one even just to see if you like it. I just feel like I'm not bad enough to go and I'm not saying this to be disrespectful it's just I feel like compared to others my problem is nothing and I could be wasting time for someone who has bigger problems. Not only that but me being 16 means I still live with my parents and I don't have my own car to just go to one of these meetings. I would have no way to go to one. I can't tell my family because they aren't that helpful. I feel stuck and I don't know what to do. All I know is that I need help before I get worst.
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check out that smoke ring. It tasted really good. I smothered it with Maulls BBQ sauce which is Local to St. Louis and one of the best I ever had.....
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I was recently separated from my wife of 33 years and it's complicated. Anyway I rented a room about 15 minutes away and I see my kids about once a week. I see the people who own the house I live in once in a while but other than that I stay in my room where I do my cooking, wash dishes in the shower, read, color, and sleep. I get out at least once a day. I grocery shop and I attend 2 meetings...
First of all, you are very welcome to the DS forum and I hope that things get better for you soon. You are dealing with an extremely serious problem but the good news is that you can recover from it and go on to have a great life.
I started drinking many years ago when I was around the age you are now and while I loved the buzz from getting drunk, it caused all sorts of problems for myself, for my family and for other people. I have not taken a drink now for nine years but I had to get help to be able to get sober. I have learned a lot about alcoholism and would like to share some of that information with you so that you will know the best thing to do.
You feel that you have a drinking problem but you don’t know exactly what is happening to you and why that is happening so I am going to suggest that you do one important thing today. Pick a time when you will not be disturbed and watch the video at the link below. Watch it right through to the end and watch it again tomorrow. You may not agree with everything that the guy in the video says and you may think that it is old and dated but it is important to keep an open mind.
You are the only person who can decide whether or not you are an alcoholic but based on your post, my guess is that you are. An alcoholic is not necessarily the old guy in the park who is drinking out of a bottle hidden in a paper bag, although that is how alcoholics are often portrayed. Anybody can be an alcoholic and they are often well dressed and respectable looking people with good jobs. What then makes someone an alcoholic?
Well, alcoholism is now accepted as an illness. It is an illness that hits people in two ways, with part of it being in the mind and part in the body. It is also progressive, meaning that it keeps getting worse until something is done about it. The part that is in the mind has different names but obsession is a good word for it. Someone who has become obsessed with alcohol will always find reasons to drink, as you are now doing when you are bored, happy etc. Very often, a person who has become obsessed with drinking will not be able to stop on their own and will need help so that the obsession can be removed.
Alcoholism also affects the alcoholic physically. The body develops an abnormal reaction to alcohol and the result is that once the person takes a drink, there is a strong craving for more, with each drink making the craving stronger. You seem to have that craving once you start drinking in the morning. The only way to avoid getting this craving is to avoid taking the FIRST drink.
That is a little bit of information about alcoholism. The big question now is, what should you do next? Well, as I have said, you are dealing with an extremely serious problem so you are going to need help. Being HONEST with other people is very important. You need to tell some adult person the whole truth and ask for help. I am sure that your parents are worried about you and that they would do anything to help you. If you are reluctant to talk to your parents, could you confide in a trusted relative, maybe an aunt or cousin, or a teacher at your school?
Once you bring the problem out into the open, you can decide on what is the best way for you to get help. Alcoholics Anonymous is a group of alcoholics who come together at meetings in order to help each other to recover from alcoholism. I think that at sixteen, you are a little bit young for AA meetings but then again, maybe not. There is a similar group for teenagers called Alateen (al-anon.org/for-alateen) and maybe they would be more suitable for you. You could call or send an email to AA and they can advise you on the best thing to do. Counselling is another option. However, since you are drinking so much, it may be necessary for you to go to a rehab centre for a few weeks so that you can get the proper help. Be careful about stopping suddenly as that can cause serious health problems so it is better done under medical supervision.
You are probably scared as well as confused right not but I promise you that you can get this problem sorted out and go on to have a great life. You have made a good start by posting here and I beg you to keep going now. Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed but instead, take positive action.
You are welcome to send me a private message if you have any questions or concerns. Don’t forget to watch the video at the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMC62Y_5dyE
I see that they have chat meetings and that may help you.
God Bless
You've been given some excellent advise here, please please please seek some help, talk and confide in someone - anyone and if you feel that you can't approach anyone then please ring the Samaritans, or child line.
What bigger problem is there than drinking from 8am in the morning and being constantly drunk for 3-4 months with only a handful of days sober..... you need the help and support of AA or such other programme that is available to you and you are worthy and deserving of it.
Katrina, sweetheart you are only 16 years old, you have your whole life ahead of you and by making the decision to stop drinking right now puts you one step closer to living a happy sober life.
As a mother I would like to think I would notice if my child was drinking to the extent that you are. My daughter knew I was drinking even when I denied it .......
How are you managing to get the booze? You haven't said how your drinking affected school prior to the summer break - is there any staff member you could talk to at school?
My heart is breaking for you and i truly hope you find the courage and strength to speak to someone.
Much love to you xxx