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.
Taradactyl
I woke up yesterday with a desire to drink, which is not entirely new to me, but it usually doesn't come on that early or that strong. I knew it was going to be a doozy. I just wanted to share about it - maybe someone else can relate. This is my insanity.
I do not need a reason to drink. I don't need stressors in my life. I have a great life full of people who love me, a great job, and a home. I am blessed beyond measure. I can't point my finger at any triggers for my urges. They just happen and seem to come out of absolutely nowhere. They do seem to start mild (a few weeks ago) and then get stronger and stronger until I am consumed.
So yesterday, by the time 10am rolled around, I already had plans to sell my house. I was fantasizing about my husband leaving me - maybe I could even drive him away by being a total bitch. I thought about how I could free myself of all responsibility, or maybe it would be okay if the bank just came and took everything. I thought about being homeless and what I could do to afford my booze. I thought about where I could go "live" and not freeze to death. Maybe I could save enough for a motel or maybe I could break in different abandoned houses. I thought all day about how I could just get rid of everything and drink myself to death Leaving Las Vegas style.
(Leaving Las Vegas was my favorite movie ever since it came out. I can't watch it anymore if I want to stay sober because seeing it makes me want to drink.)
The most disturbing thing of all is that I thought about all my friends and my family and how hurt they would be if I drank again. I thought about how hurt my mom and husband would be and how disappointed my bros and sis would be if I drank myself to death. I made a decision in my head that I was willing to hurt them all in order to drink. I didn't actually want to die, but just wanted to drink by myself forever where no one would have to watch. I knew I would die that way eventually, and that was okay with me.
For me, drinking IS suicide. It IS absolute craving for self destruction. I have thought it is even beyond being just an alcoholic, but I'm not sure. I don't care to control it, never did. I don't care about maintaining a buzz anymore. I get shitfaced as fast and as hard as I can, and I get angry and reckless and hurtful and the whole process is just excruciating for everyone involved. I honestly think I would die in a short period of time if I picked up. I don't think I would last more than a few months. THAT is why I am afraid to drink again. And how powerful this insanity is... I STILL want to drink. I swear I don't want to die. It's just about the booze.
(THIS particular "style" of self destructive drinking only really started a couple years ago when I began trying to control it.)
I got through most of yesterday by telling myself I could drink this weekend. I ratted myself out to an AA friend and my sponsor. I told someone on here in a chat. I told someone in a txt. And FINALLY, I sent someone a message near midnight and my desire started to lift. I then got on my knees and prayed God would take this away.
Just before I went to sleep around 3am, my insanity broke. I cannot believe the thoughts that went through my head and the things I said. That is NOT what I want at all. I want to be happy. I want to love and be loved. I AM happy. I AM grateful. I can do this. I just can't believe how crazy I got yesterday.
Moral of the story. It passed. The insanity passed. I'm not sure what kept me from picking up yesterday. I was mindfucked and incapable of rational thought. I couldn't think straight, but I just knew it wasn't CORRECT to drink. I didn't know for sure it would pass. I don't know for sure that it's gone. It may come back today or tomorrow. I pray NOW that I somehow can get through that insanity. I will take more steps today to deter it from coming back. Ultimately, I have HOPE and I have PRAYER because my self will is NOT a factor when I get insane. The insanity robs me of my self control. It tells me I WANT to drink when I don't. It tells me I need to drink. It tells me nothing else matters. The insanity IS my powerlessness. The insanity is why I need a miracle. The insanity is why I need AA.
Today is a new day. I feel good this morning. I am relieved to get this out. Right, no one said it would be easy. If you struggle like this, you aren't alone. In fact, I would love to hear that I'M not alone, so please share.
I do not need a reason to drink. I don't need stressors in my life. I have a great life full of people who love me, a great job, and a home. I am blessed beyond measure. I can't point my finger at any triggers for my urges. They just happen and seem to come out of absolutely nowhere. They do seem to start mild (a few weeks ago) and then get stronger and stronger until I am consumed.
So yesterday, by the time 10am rolled around, I already had plans to sell my house. I was fantasizing about my husband leaving me - maybe I could even drive him away by being a total bitch. I thought about how I could free myself of all responsibility, or maybe it would be okay if the bank just came and took everything. I thought about being homeless and what I could do to afford my booze. I thought about where I could go "live" and not freeze to death. Maybe I could save enough for a motel or maybe I could break in different abandoned houses. I thought all day about how I could just get rid of everything and drink myself to death Leaving Las Vegas style.
(Leaving Las Vegas was my favorite movie ever since it came out. I can't watch it anymore if I want to stay sober because seeing it makes me want to drink.)
The most disturbing thing of all is that I thought about all my friends and my family and how hurt they would be if I drank again. I thought about how hurt my mom and husband would be and how disappointed my bros and sis would be if I drank myself to death. I made a decision in my head that I was willing to hurt them all in order to drink. I didn't actually want to die, but just wanted to drink by myself forever where no one would have to watch. I knew I would die that way eventually, and that was okay with me.
For me, drinking IS suicide. It IS absolute craving for self destruction. I have thought it is even beyond being just an alcoholic, but I'm not sure. I don't care to control it, never did. I don't care about maintaining a buzz anymore. I get shitfaced as fast and as hard as I can, and I get angry and reckless and hurtful and the whole process is just excruciating for everyone involved. I honestly think I would die in a short period of time if I picked up. I don't think I would last more than a few months. THAT is why I am afraid to drink again. And how powerful this insanity is... I STILL want to drink. I swear I don't want to die. It's just about the booze.
(THIS particular "style" of self destructive drinking only really started a couple years ago when I began trying to control it.)
I got through most of yesterday by telling myself I could drink this weekend. I ratted myself out to an AA friend and my sponsor. I told someone on here in a chat. I told someone in a txt. And FINALLY, I sent someone a message near midnight and my desire started to lift. I then got on my knees and prayed God would take this away.
Just before I went to sleep around 3am, my insanity broke. I cannot believe the thoughts that went through my head and the things I said. That is NOT what I want at all. I want to be happy. I want to love and be loved. I AM happy. I AM grateful. I can do this. I just can't believe how crazy I got yesterday.
Moral of the story. It passed. The insanity passed. I'm not sure what kept me from picking up yesterday. I was mindfucked and incapable of rational thought. I couldn't think straight, but I just knew it wasn't CORRECT to drink. I didn't know for sure it would pass. I don't know for sure that it's gone. It may come back today or tomorrow. I pray NOW that I somehow can get through that insanity. I will take more steps today to deter it from coming back. Ultimately, I have HOPE and I have PRAYER because my self will is NOT a factor when I get insane. The insanity robs me of my self control. It tells me I WANT to drink when I don't. It tells me I need to drink. It tells me nothing else matters. The insanity IS my powerlessness. The insanity is why I need a miracle. The insanity is why I need AA.
Today is a new day. I feel good this morning. I am relieved to get this out. Right, no one said it would be easy. If you struggle like this, you aren't alone. In fact, I would love to hear that I'M not alone, so please share.
I envy your strength!
Thanks for sharing.
I'm glad:)
Billy
It doesnt matter if there are no good reasons to drink, it doesnt matter if I know that terrible things will happen when I drink, it doesnt matter that I love the people around me and know I will hurt them if I drink, it doesnt matter if i know I will die if i drink. At certain times the obsession and insanity will override all of this.
As you say that is why I too need AA. Avoiding "triggers" doesnt work reliably for me, winding the tape forward doesnt reliably work for me, reminding myself how bad drinking is or how much better it is to be sober doesnt reliably work for me, wanting to be sober doesnt reliably work for me. I need something that doesnt rely on my thinking in order to stay sober because at certain times my thinking is insane, rational thought is overriden, and I can end up drinking again when it is the last thing that I want to do. And I never know when these times will be - i might stay sober for 10days by remembering how bad drinking is but on the 11th day my defenses could fail and remembering how bad it will be to drink just wont stop me.
That is what i get in AA, a solution that doesnt rely on my efforts to stay sober. By putting all my effort into the 12 step program rather than into staying sober I have actually found a solution that works. I have not had the obsession to drink for quite a long time now. So I do not have that battle between the rational and the insane. I do not have to make an effort to stay sober. As long as I do what I need to do to maintain and grow my spiritual condition then the desire to drink does not come into my thinking no matter what is going on in my life.
I know it will work for you too if you do what is suggested. I too had to go through some really tough times before I had taken the steps where I felt as if I was staying sober a minute at a time and had to do anything I could to get some temporary relief. But as I went through the program the obsession lifted and I got release rather than relief. It is worth everything i have gone through to have the freedom that I have now.
You'll make it, keep going and if the urge hits again, repeat what you did, thats all you can do.
Thanks for the honesty and reminder of how strong cravings can be . I am sure you've helped someone else by writing......
CONGRATULATIONS Anna on 106.
you are doing an amazing job! i am so proud of you!
Peace!
Lots of good responses here. Good for you for reaching out. The steps you are taking are good. The work that is coming up for you, now that you've got a sponsor, will be amazing I think. Effort. Action. Commitment.
I'm just really glad you are here.
xoxo
~Chris
WORKING WITH OTHERS
PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. It works when other activities fail. This is our twelfth suggestion: Carry this message to other alcoholics! You can help when no one else can. You can secure their confidence when other fail. Remember they are very ill.
From my own experience, when I have been a lengthy time without working with another alcoholic, those old ideas have a tendency to creep in. Working iwht others keeps me on my AA toes and assists in my own recovery. Its how this program got started. Bill needed another alcoholic to talk to. Thank God for that day! Other service jobs assist also. I know now that I need growth to stay sober. If Im not moving forward, I get stagnet. Running water is clean water. I prefer to be a steady stream....lol. We all go through this n our recvovery. There are lessons and opportunity for growth in the dryer spells.Im here if you need me
Love in Service
Nanc
I knew early on in my sobriety that just getting sober was not going to be enough to KEEP me sober. I had to create a new reality - a whole new life - for myself if sobriety was going to stick. I set about getting involved in several things I'd always wanted to do but didn't because they would've interfered with my drinking. Making commitments that I never would've considered in the past.
The last time the compulsion hit me, I was so busy during that week that there was literally no time to drink - and I was PISSED! I finally told myself that as soon as I completed the final commitment of the week, that I would get a bottle and drink until it was gone...played out the entire 'plan' in my head so that I 'had something to look forward to'. Fortunately for me, once I got through the obligations of the week, the compulsion had subsided...go figure! ;)
It's amazing how we can be doing so well and all of a sudden - BAM! It hits us like a ton of bricks. Man does it suck!
Thank you again for letting us into the darkest recesses of your addiction. You are a courageous woman and I admire your honesty.
BTW right after I read your post we had a call from the hospital. My daughter rolled over her car on the way home from a concert. Yes DUI..my heart breaks for her. I know the road she travels. Fortunately she and boyfriend wern't seriously injured and no one else involved. Car totalled and of course the legal issues. I don't know if this will be HER wake up call. I hope it is.