alcoholism

jon/jon · #1 24th October 2009, 20:23

has anyone here run in to problems with using alcohol as a solace to loneliness & isolation periods due to SA,then ended up with further problems, ie,depression,,that alcohol in excess brings,

Wheelie Bin Bird · #2 24th October 2009, 20:34

Yup on more than one occasion too I might add - though not proud to.

It's a very easy thing to fall into and a much tougher one to climb out from. Everyone one at some stage in their life has partaken in the old 'Duch courage' whether or not they suffer with SA and for the most part it's ok, a one off.

But I think from the SA perspective it's an easy get out clause. You think " Fuck yeah, this is great I can have a coupla stiff drinks before doing 'X' an I'm normal I'm one of them. I'm at ease. no SA resrictions ect ect" Whereas in actuail fact your doing more harm than good. As we all know alcohol hightens depression/anxiety espescially the next day and there lies the problem because in order for you to eliviate those symptoms you have another drink...so on and so fourth...Till your on that slippery slope to nowhere.

Fast.

Errm just realised that prolly didn't make much sense but I know what I ment..

Nikkos · #3 24th October 2009, 21:52

Am not in club 30 yet 25 but ive had alot of problems due to alcoholism and been to rehab etc i've got a alcohol worker who is trying to get me CBT not am off the drink to deal with the problems SA thats causing me to drink but most people wont take me because i've had a drink problem for CBT you have to wait for a period of time it sucks.

As thats what i need to keep me off the drink.

jon/jon · #4 24th October 2009, 22:02

yea well put, yet even though i may know this in my head so to speak,when 'emotionally' in that place of maybe,stress,or isolation & loneliness,that slide of old past avoiding/escapism is there,having a support lifestyle around me for periods is & was a major bonus,but when thats not there,& increasingly more so,then theres big vulnerability to that slippery slide,yep it seems obvious 2me here now,but so easily overlooked,good reply,thanx,helped me clarify bit clearer,

Nikkos · #5 24th October 2009, 22:21

Have you got anyone supporting you goverment help?

jon/jon · #6 24th October 2009, 22:32

no,im too proud,too ashamed,to admit my underlying SA,used to think i was brave, but realise i was only running away & fooling myself,

artist23 · #7 24th October 2009, 22:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikkos

Am not in club 30 yet 25 but ive had alot of problems due to alcoholism and been to rehab etc i've got a alcohol worker who is trying to get me CBT not am off the drink to deal with the problems SA thats causing me to drink but most people wont take me because i've had a drink problem for CBT you have to wait for a period of time it sucks.

As thats what i need to keep me off the drink.

ever thought of aa? or is it the problem not that bad...

Nikkos · #8 24th October 2009, 22:38

I know took me ages to tell my worker why i was really drinking but its the only way you can get help is by being truthful if you look at it the way you are just means its going to take longer but i totally know where you are coming from alcoholism is a illness and there's treatments out there and help i don't know how bad your drinking is but i d know from experience it doesn't help.

Might feel like it at the time but the next day its back to either drinking or facing your problems while feeling even more ran down an the process follows more drink more bad feels more drink to stop that and so on.

Nikkos · #9 24th October 2009, 22:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by artist23

ever thought of aa? or is it the problem not that bad...

I've been off alcohol for the last two months thanks been to AA didn't work for me to much religion are you speaking from experience? Also i am not a alcoholic i was really close to becoming one tho not everyone with a drink problem is an alcoholic.

artist23 · #10 24th October 2009, 22:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikkos

I've been off alcohol for the last two months thanks been to AA didn't work for me to much religion are you speaking from experience?

i used to drink a lot, but gave it up, didnt get to the AA stage but felt better drinking coca cola.

Nikkos · #11 24th October 2009, 22:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by artist23

i used to drink a lot, but gave it up, didnt get to the AA stage but felt better drinking coca cola.

Yep agrees cant beat cola lol

jon/jon · #12 24th October 2009, 23:17

you know its so difficult when u have SA,alcohol is everywhere in social situations,& unless u r 100% all the time u only need to start to feel that sense of ease & comfort drink brings & its hard 2 stop,,the 'problem' is in me not in the glass,maybe AA& 12steps is wat i should do,ive read a bit about it,but its all or nothing is'nt it?

Nikkos · #13 24th October 2009, 23:21

If your not religious i would not recommend AA that's just my thoughts tho its all very much based on god etc

Wheelie Bin Bird · #14 24th October 2009, 23:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikkos

If your not religious i would not recommend AA that's just my thoughts tho its all very much based on god etc

^^Agreed.
A really good friend of mine is on AA on the web I track his progress on it an it's all about having a 'Higher power' and 'ODAT' 'Serenity prayer' bullshit. And apparently at AA meetings you all stand in a circle and hold hands at the end and say the Serenity Prayer

He in actuail fact finds it quite patronising

jon/jon · #15 24th October 2009, 23:42

i believe in a god, but yea i know wat u mean,some people hard 2 get on with when they r preaching at you,its just if i sit there sober! & and then explain my underlying SA was largely the cause,am i in the wrong place for that? & also id prefer go into the ring with mike tyson than admit that,really i would,but like you bravely said if i dont face it?? i just keep on ,difference is i know now im fooling myself,before i 1/2 believed my own build up,

jon/jon · #16 24th October 2009, 23:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikkos

I know took me ages to tell my worker why i was really drinking but its the only way you can get help is by being truthful if you look at it the way you are just means its going to take longer but i totally know where you are coming from alcoholism is a illness and there's treatments out there and help i don't know how bad your drinking is but i d know from experience it doesn't help.

Might feel like it at the time but the next day its back to either drinking or facing your problems while feeling even more ran down an the process follows more drink more bad feels more drink to stop that and so on.

i really liked & respected this post,,

Nikkos · #17 24th October 2009, 23:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by smog

Might have misunderstood but... you mean they won't give CBT if you're a drinker?

Yep you need a certain amount of time off the drink as they cant work with you otherwise.

jon/jon · #18 25th October 2009, 00:30

to think that i would rather drink myself to death, or live a lie doing some other 'big thing'than admit or tell other people who know me exactly how ive suffered with SA,? shows me now what how arrogant & proud ive always been in a wrong way,its taken me to my knees 2 beat that out of me,i hope its my rock bottom,cause i dont respect the lie i know ive become,,not all doom/gloom though eh,glad i get it now,with help of others openness,courage/desperation,a new goal to aim at,,thnx all,,,out..

Nikkos · #19 28th October 2009, 03:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by jon/jon

to think that i would rather drink myself to death, or live a lie doing some other 'big thing'than admit or tell other people who know me exactly how ive suffered with SA,? shows me now what how arrogant & proud ive always been in a wrong way,its taken me to my knees 2 beat that out of me,i hope its my rock bottom,cause i dont respect the lie i know ive become,,not all doom/gloom though eh,glad i get it now,with help of others openness,courage/desperation,a new goal to aim at,,thnx all,,,out..

Hope your still hanging in there and that's a good way to think there are people out there that can help but you need to make the first step and contact them after that it will get easier.

jon/jon · #20 28th October 2009, 14:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikkos

Hope your still hanging in there and that's a good way to think there are people out there that can help but you need to make the first step and contact them after that it will get easier.

went AA,met with a couple good people who its working for,(while avoiding the other ''preaching types'',quiet spirituality yes,preaching soundbites & mantras at me noo! its really given me a help 'at present anyway' hearing (one or two),who have got it right, honesty,courage&facts about themselves,12 step,higher power, God,like everything else ie, religion,politics etc ,can be used wrongly,like a baton to hit 'every1 else with'! ,but the 1's who seem to follow it right,it seems to save them where nothing else ever did?..i 2 was a hard nut2crack,they say 'pain' is the touchstone 2 spirituality,,ive been beaten in2 into a state of reasonableness,my pride & arrogance& self centred fear will always be ready2emerge,i need the spiritual tools daily 2disspell that,

asweeney · #21 28th October 2009, 20:38

yeah i drink more than i should an i haven't got a problem with it,
not to sure about my liver and kidneys though.

tevian · #22 23rd December 2009, 23:56

I drink way more than I should. I've turned to spirits recently. I really should stop.

Problem is, the person I live with buys alcohol almost daily, and shares it with me. It was great at first, but the last month I've been drinking almost daily.

Ugh.

indiegirl1980 · #23 21st March 2010, 12:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wheelie Bin Bird

^^Agreed.
A really good friend of mine is on AA on the web I track his progress on it an it's all about having a 'Higher power' and 'ODAT' 'Serenity prayer' bullshit. And apparently at AA meetings you all stand in a circle and hold hands at the end and say the Serenity Prayer

He in actuail fact finds it quite patronising

Someone else told me that about AA. All that he really needed to do was find something else to do to fill in the time he would've spent drinking. The meetings and quasi-religious bits were a bit of a smokescreen.

Sandyjw · #24 23rd March 2010, 20:23

I had a problem with drinking about five years ago when I thought the drink would help my anxiety and I went for months drinking about 70 units a week. I did go to the avalon centre for help and they helped me cut down gradually as there is a danger that you can have a fit if you just go cold turkey. I have been told by my therapist that I am still allowed to drink 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks per week but found I had odd weekends where I still drunk beyond that amount and the hangovers the next morning were horrible. I rarely drink anymore as im on the slimming world diet so that is a good excuse not to drink and yes I love diet coke. I am also very worried about the damage I have caused to my liver but I know if I do not have another drink for a while that will give my liver time to recover if there has been any damage.

cog · #25 17th April 2010, 14:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lilly

its not god as such. they refer to a higher power which has more spiritual emphasis, there is big difference between religion which has lots of rules and can be very rigid and spirituality which is more to do with the potential in all of us as human beings. i would not rule out AA because its has outstanding results and is thee most successfull route for this type of problem.

Agreed. I think most people I met when I was there used God as their higher power, but for others, it was 'the group', 'the good' etc. God wasn't really mentioned (directly) very much - although there are more references in the original literature. I certainly never saw anyone pray.

It worked for me when nothing else would, so I wouldn't write it off. A good friend of mine back then was an atheist, and he managed with the 'higher power' thing ok.

I should lay my cards on the table though, and say that I did go back to drinking after 15 months of AA, but that wasn't their fault (my father died etc etc), but there we are. Some years later, I did stop again for 3 years, and I now (strangely) drink a couple of pints 2-3 times a week. Can't understand it really, maybe an age thing, I don't know. Just don't have the desire for it like I used to.

Snowdrop73 · #26 17th April 2010, 16:58

I don't drink because it messes up my moods - and then I don't know if i'm coming or going. I can't make good choices.... like I'll have a few drinks then go to a party and halfway through the door think Oh Shit!!!

I've never been very good at getting so drunk that I don't notice my anxiety. I seem to go from being stone cold sober and anxious to being tipsy and anxious to being sick.

My Mum was an alcoholic. I don't seem to have inherited her taste for Vodka.

!>Y\e5l-%h-NMw>cH · #27 17th April 2010, 17:07

For the past six months Ive been drinking more.

Before that I didnt give a shit about it tbh.

I had a drink last night though and I'm already thinking about getting some more.

Mark_One · #28 17th April 2010, 18:50

Although Ive posted (what seemed a positive reply at the time) recently in another alcohol-related thread on here, I can see myself returning to my old habits.

Maybe the 2 threads could be merged?

cog · #29 18th April 2010, 17:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark_One

Although Ive posted (what seemed a positive reply at the time) recently in another alcohol-related thread on here, I can see myself returning to my old habits.

That is at the back of my mind a bit. I know that if it stays at a lowish level, I don't develop a craving (which kicks off the whole addiction cycle). The more I drink, the more I want to drink, and the more I need to, to achieve the same effect. It is totally self defeating once that starts, as it just snowballs, and I would just have to stop again anyway. I'm tired and bored of that whole drama.

It doesn't do a great deal for me at the moment anyway, so I'm in two minds whether its actually worth it. The whole crappy business with it is a chapter of my life that is in the past, I never want to go back there. Maybe I should just leave it in the past where it belongs.

Lord Lucan · #30 30th May 2010, 19:06

I've had a lot of problems with alcohol. I've always used it as a way of overcoming my anxiety but it just creates it's own problems and makes things worse in the long run. I've done a lot of stupid and regrettable things due to drinking too much

I've recently decided to try and control my drinking more but its not easy.