sober period

[sable1]

Hey, I'm new to this forum.

I've had alcohol issues for some years now. I always drink friday, saturday and sunday, pretty much binge drinking, going on from the point where I wake up, untill I fall asleep. Then I will usually have a day in the middle of the week where I drink as well.

I manage to get through what I have to do so far, when it comes to school and stuff (I'm 21). But of course it's becoming a problem, otherwise I wouldn't have written here.

Like the other day I was very hungover on a monday, so I thought, the only way to get me through the day would be to take a drink. (I had a bottle of whiskey). Only, I ended up drinking the entire bottle throughout the day. I was hungover for days after that.
It was not the first time something like that happened.

Of course nobody knows about this stuff, and I feel ashamed of it and always promise myself that it won't happen again, wich it does, sooner or later.

Like I said, I have realised that it's becoming a problem, it really messes up my life. I can't focus on school properly because I'm tired or hungover so much of the time. I allso have panic-attacks and they become worse when I drink.

I was thinking that I would have a long sober period now, to get myself back together. I haven't had anything to drink in almost a week now, wich is a lot to me.

Anyway, I have nobody to talk to about this, so I just wanted to vent.

[Freedom1990]

Welcome, and I am so glad you posted!

I was a binge drinker too, and didn't get sober till I was 28.

I hope you keep posting, and please know you are among friends who understand. :ghug

[sable1]

well, thanks for the warm welcoming, I have been looking for a forum like this for a while, but didn't find it until now. It helps to know that there are people out there in similar situations sort of...

[lizw]

Welcome. I began attending AA at 19 and had my last drink a few months before I turned 21, so I can relate.

[Anna]

Hi and Welcome,

We do understand!

Alcoholism is a progressive disease and it will get worse if you don't stop. There is lots of support here, so keep reading and posting.

[gneiss]

I'm in college, too and can definitely relate. Part of the problem is that so much of college is built around drinking, and it can be hard to stop because you're in a culture where people sort of look up to the drinkers and "everyone" seems to think they are sooooo cool.

[Freedom1990]

I'd also like to add I started my drinking as soon as I went off to college and within 3 months I walked away from that and an academic scholarship. There was no way I was going to be able to even pass my classes.

My AA sponsor has often told me that I would have consequences to my drinking long after I sobered up.

Well, here I am at age 50 and finally in college full-time. Because of the choices I made in my life, I ended up raising two girls by myself, and never got my degree.

I did squeeze classes in there and there over the years, and have 33 credit hours that transferred.

You have a bright beautiful future in front of you if you make the decision now to get help. :ghug

[gneiss]

Freedom1990--

Congratulations on taking classes. I'm 27 and I feel the age gap between myself and the other people in my classes (luckily to look at me, most of them guess I'm about 21 or 22 so I do pretty well blending in). That said, there are a couple of women in their late 40's and early 50's in my major and they have been amazing. I count one of them among my best friends and miss her soooooo much since she had to take a semester off. My experience is that "older" students add a dimension to school that would be very much lacking if everyone did college at age 18.

[Freedom1990]

Originally Posted by gneiss

Freedom1990--

Congratulations on taking classes. I'm 27 and I feel the age gap between myself and the other people in my classes (luckily to look at me, most of them guess I'm about 21 or 22 so I do pretty well blending in). That said, there are a couple of women in their late 40's and early 50's in my major and they have been amazing. I count one of them among my best friends and miss her soooooo much since she had to take a semester off. My experience is that "older" students add a dimension to school that would be very much lacking if everyone did college at age 18.

Thanks! Actually I'm taking my courses all online at home because I have degenerative disc disease, but I did take a tour of the campus and there were a lot of non-traditional students there the day I toured!

Most of the people in my online classes are older too, anywhere from 30-50, so it's really kind of cool!

Today I can appreciate the value of an education, but boy oh boy do I have to take copious notes in my classes to retain anything!

[gneiss]

Originally Posted by Freedom1990

Today I can appreciate the value of an education, but boy oh boy do I have to take copious notes in my classes to retain anything!

Better than me. I have a horrible tendency to fall asleep in class this semester, partly from the drinking, I think. But also because since I started my major-- geology-- this is the only semester where I really have not liked the majority of my classes. I'm only taking 3 classes. One of them I should have completed the 1st year of my degree but it just didn't fit in my schedule until now, and the other two are in a field of geology far removed from my area of interest. Makes it hard to concentrate in class and I find myself checking my email instead of taking notes. Blah. Last semester though, so it's almost over.

[gneiss]

Sorry. Back to what you were saying...

[Horselover]

Ah Sable that could have been written by me 20 some years ago. I was in high school when I started though, but I remember it well. I would drink on Friday nights and would be so sick (flu like) that I couldn't go to school on Monday. It happened over and over again. I continued to do this until my 20s and then I got sober and then I relapsed. I am 42 years old and I am sober 6 months and plan on it being my new life. I wish I could turn back the clock and have known then what I know now. I know that's cliche, but its the truth. Its a hard road your on to travel and I am glad you are seeking support now. You can do it hon. Do whatever it takes! We are here for you.

[sable1]

Originally Posted by gneiss

I'm in college, too and can definitely relate. Part of the problem is that so much of college is built around drinking, and it can be hard to stop because you're in a culture where people sort of look up to the drinkers and "everyone" seems to think they are sooooo cool.

well, that's not really the issue for me. I have never been a "party girl" in that way, allthough I go out to, but when I really drink the most is when I'm alone. If anything, I feel like I have to control myself around people because they would think that I'm a bit weird if I drank as much as I really would have wanted to.

It's hard to say when this became a problem, I mean, I began drinking when I was 15-16 but didn't drink that much back then. I think probably 18 was when I started drinking a lot.

But like I said, it was never a "party-girl- thing" for me. Even when I was younger I drank a lot by myself.

Anyway, thanks for the support

[DSodaNow]

Hi Sable- I just wanted to let you know that your story sounds very similar to mine. I also did not drink much before college, but when I got there I started my drinking career similar to what you have described.

I also started my day drinking the same way. Big meeting... quick fix for a hangover. I then did that everyday for almost 2 years.

I turn 30 next month and have been sober for almost 7 months now. I commend you for recognizing this now. Good luck to you.



P.S. I also was never really a party girl thing, especially not the last six years.