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've been struggling with alcoholism for many,many years. My biggest problem is once I start drinking I won't stop until I pass out. And these situations are happening much more frequently. I've even stayed home from work just to enjoy a bottle of vodka for the day and "relax". I started hiding alcohol from my significant other and things were going down hill. I recently had an episode where I was flying home from a business trip and when my girlfriend came to pick me up- I was a mess! I don't even remember getting off the plane. She was so upset and called my mother to tell her she thinks I have a serious problem. I do recognize my problem has escalated a lot over the past 6 months. What do you suggest? I want to be able drink socially with friends (without over doing it). How or can I get that point? I'll take any insight or advice you might have so please share. I'm feeling ashamed, lonely and scared. :(
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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...
I recently admitted that I was an alcoholic after realising that I can not just have a drink socially. I cant just have one! Its like flipping a switch and I have no control and I turn into a nasty drunk. For me total abstinence is the only way for me to be in control. Maybe looking at any issues that may be causing you to drink and lose control would be a starting point for you.
Best Wishes
The good news is that countless people who were where you are now have turned their lives around and freed themselves from slavery to alcohol. The other news is that if you are an alcoholic, you cannot control your drinking and attempts to do so will lead to endless misery and possibly an early death.
It is not the sixth, tenth or the ‘passing out’ drink that is your problem but the first one. When someone crosses the line into alcoholism, a change takes place in both the mind and body. The physical change occurs in the way that the body breaks down alcohol and a result of this change is that a small amount of alcohol such as one drink sets off a craving for more. Each subsequent drink increases the craving and there is often a feeling that no matter how much drink is taken, one more is required. There is presently no means of curing or reversing this physical change so anyone who has progressed to this stage cannot drink safely now or in the future. Therefore, to answer your question, no, it is not possible for you to control alcohol and as things stand, it will not become possible in the future either.
This news may seem like a huge disaster but although you will not see it as such right now, it can be a blessing in disguise. What you need to work on now is the other part of the alcoholic problem, the mental obsession that drives an alcoholic to take the first drink. This will require a big shift in your way of thinking and it is something that often requires outside help. One place where you can find that help is at meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous.
You are dealing with a serious problem and one that cannot be ignored as alcoholism is a progressive condition and it will get worse with time. Do not be ashamed because alcoholism is recognised as an illness. It is also a condition that separates the alcoholic from other people and leads to lonely isolation. You will be amazed at how quickly you can cure that loneliness simply by talking to other alcoholics at AA meetings. It is also natural to feel scared as your life gets out of control. Many alcoholics come to a point where they cannot live with alcohol or live without it. Fear of the unknown is your enemy and therefore I would suggest that you educate yourself about alcoholism. The one thing that I would urge you to do today is to watch the video below from beginning to end.
Not being able to have a social drink with your friends will seem like a big deal right now but you will see it differently later on. You are at the point of closing one chapter of life and opening up a new one. The future can be happy, exciting, hopeful and sober if you are prepared to take the necessary action. I wish you well on your journey and don’t ne afraid to ask if you have any questions or concerns.
I forgot to include the video link. Here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMC62Y_5dyE
If it were me, and I cherished my relationships with friends, family, and business associates, I would get out of the denial phase and face the cold hard facts that I will never be able to drink normally again!
You can talk to your doctor who can point you in the right direction or you can google the nearest AA meeting!
You are on a train riding on an unfinished track that's guaranteed to crash when it reaches the end of the line! Will you get help now, or will you wait until it's too late! Alcohol killed both my parents so don't be another victim, be a survivor!
I will pray for you!
God Bless
It didn't end well, I ended up passing out, being sick and waking up with a hangover so bad I had the shakes the moment I woke up. The booze brain was well alert desperate for its next fix..... so I gave in again the next day just to take the hangover away - so as the drinking commenced so did the excuses ....... see its still there nothing changes! A bender started - sleep was fitful tossing and turning, sweating, no motivation to go to the gym, healthy eating became sugary fatty stodgy food and my concentration went downhill at work. Anxiety and depression rocketed!!!!
My first and only relapse but I've been fortunate enough to have the support and strength to pick myself up again with more determination than ever to stay sober, abstain and never chance accepting or picking up a drink again it is the only way.
So I'm back to being one week sober instead of 13 months +
I'm an alcoholic 1 is too many 10 will never be enough xxx
Good luck xxx
The second thing is. I don't know of any alcoholic who can drink socially and I have been sober for over 20 years. But it doesn't mean you have to give up your social life. There are ways to deal with social situations.
Third. I think you need to talk to someone face to face about what you are going through. Withdrawal can be tricky so I would suggest you talk to a doctor or someone who specializes in alcoholism or go to an AA meeting.
You are in my thoughts. Good luck and give up posted.
Koyu
So ask yourself if you are prepared for it to get worse -- and if so -- then there you have it. I just was listening to a speaker on NPR talking about the addicted mind. He's an addiction specialist, who focuses on behavioral addiction. So his definition of addiction is anything we continue to do, despite knowledge/ evidence that it is doing you harm.
He said ask yourself instead of "should I moderate" ask "why not do/ eat/ drink more" ? when you think of it in that context it becomes so blatantly obvious.
You sound like you drink alcoholically. Normal drinkers don't stay home to drink; they don't black out; they don't make excused for their drinking. Do you need to stop? That is up to you.
Not today, today I will choose to not hide my feelings and I will deal with life. Its pretty good once I had removed the poison that I was pouring in me every night.
1is2many
God Bless
I've tried all my life to find a way to just drink like other people. It just doesn't work. When I did try with them it just really irritated, or frustrated the hell out of me because they never drink like me. They might have one or two drinks over two hours, where I want 6 or 8, just to feel good.
No, I had to learn the hard way over many years that I just can't drink. Too much bad shit always comes around sooner or later.
It's a chronic disease that eventually will kill you, or anyone else that is alcoholic, or you can end up with wet brain. But I gaurantee that eventually you will lose anything that you ever cared about. If you live long it's a very lonely, miserable road.
You need to stop, and if you find you can't do it alone, then get some help.
Wish you all the best. James
I'm just going to write a bit about my experience. I'm not good at advice I just want to share with you.
I tried to control my drinking for about a year and that year was so messy I would drink to rest just to fail at my 1 or 2 wake up feeling more tired and sick. I would be plagued with cravings all that day not sleep and be distracted for a few days after. obsessing with the time I would allow myself alcohol.
it was like every time I drink I get this irritated energy for more inside me and when I tried to keep drink every time that burn dwindled and I started to get over it I would introduce alcohol into my system and spark off that aggression and cravings all over again. I was keeping myself in a loop.
I don't know about people controlling it or not everyone's different I just feel like pulling myself back put me in a place where I have an iron grip on my self control. it was exhausting so I'm telling myself just a brake taking bite sized periods of time at a time it's NO for now maybe I can try to introduce it in the future but I might not even want to risk it who knows.
hope things work out for you