Hi, all, I am the new kid in town

[sieglindek]

Hi there!
I am a 33 year old woman and I am thinking really hard lately about the effects of drugs and especially alcohol on my life. I quit smoking back at the beginning of August and I have been using an online support page for that and it has been great. I am not going to get much help on the homefront on this because my partner is pretty dependent. So... I am trying to line up some support before I jump.

I am a habitual drinker, I drink almost every day, and on the weekends I will start at noon or earlier sometimes and carry on til I go to bed. I hardly ever feel drunk, but I sure feel the hangovers, and I can barely function at all then. If drugs are involved the hangovers are horrible. I am an engineering student and I really can't afford the wasted days, money and brain cells. You know?????

I found when I quit smoking that it really helped me to be able to support others and talk about how hard it can be with folks. Who is there? I would really appreciate some responses.

Sieglinde

[Paulie]

Hi and welcome to the Sr forum -

this is a great place for support and fellowship.

Have you thought about attending meetings at all. This site is an addition to face to face meetings for my recovery.

Please stick around and share with us, we are all here to help and support each other.

[NoSnowHo]

Hi,
Congratulations on your success with quitting smoking. Tell me more about how you did that.

I can relate to where you're coming from, I think. I'm 33 and I don't drink daily but I've smoked pot daily for years. Pot is my drug of choice. In the last week I've only smoke one small joint so I think I'm doing pretty good.

I also didn't like how I felt coming down from pot and for a couple of days. And of course more pot would make those feelings better for a while. Ultimately, I don't want to waste my life in a haze. I don't want to be addicted to anything.

I agree when people say that drinking and drugging is a symptom of a deeper issue. Life is hard sometimes. It's normal to want to escape bad feelings. I use to escape my anger at being poor, having to work all the time, getting frustrated with my life. What are your triggers?

Don't quit quitting! We're behind you.

:council:

[zoomer]

insanity is when you keep doing things over and over and exspecting different results. If you could drink just one or just do drugs recreational you would not be here. I do commend you on coming here. It's Ok to want to test the waters. I'm doing the same thing. I'm not sure if I want to jump back in the meeting thing, but I have found love and suport here. I want to live sober and smart and it's my recovery, so I am looking though every open door and window. Some I will like, and some I will not. Recovering is the key word. If I was recovered, then i would not be looking still right?
Every question you ask is part of recovering, every question you do not ask keeps you in the dark. I will not judge you, but I will share what road I have traviled and if you share with me or all of us we will learn from you too. I think people forget (please no one get mad please) that when Bill shared his story an amazing thing happened. As with the bible, it's all how you interpert it and how you share it. You also can be as smart as anything, but be as dumb as a post if you keep knocking you head on a brick wall!
Zoomer

[sieglindek]

Thank you so much for the replies. That's what I'm talking about! I think I have found the support I was looking for.

NoSnow Ho, That is exactly where I am coming from. It's like I am way more worried about missing out on life, and not feeling like I can be moderate than about things I do while drunk. I am not getting in fights, or doing things I regret the next day (other than regretting the hangover). But I obviously know I have a problem, and I suspect it is rooted in just not coping with life well.

When, I quit smoking it was the strangest thing. I woke up at 5:30 AM one day and felt energized and deeply thoughtful. I started journalling and suddenly I just knew if I was really going to quit, that was the day, no reason to wait any longer. Then I called this QuitLine number off of a fridge magnet just to make sure I could get to a meeting or something if/when I started slipping from my resolve. Then I checked out the website and I swear that has been the biggest help because I used to smoke at the computer a lot. So, here's how to reach those folks...
1-800-639-QUIT and co.quitnet.com. What I really like about it is it's completely funded by donations so no ads, kind of like this place.

The behaviors that I had to change told me a lot about why I had a hard time smoking before. I had to get really "come what will" with things, and get lots of sleep and not worry about staying focused on any one thing for very long. My stress level went way down for a while. Then when I would get stressed out, I discovered B vitamins. Wow, that really would calm me down. Tension Tamer Tea from Celestial Seasons has B added and I was drinking a quart of it iced every day for like a month.

Zoomer,
Thank you for your support. I am not ruling out meetings, and a friend of mine goes to a lot of them and would probably even go with me. But I will try all the other little tricks that I have used with myself frist and keep those as emergency measures. I have been to meetings before, a long time ago when I had an alcoholic partner, who would get abusive and I was looking for answers. I am here because I tried twice last summer to not drink for a week and didn't get through the week due to irritability. When I quit smoking, well you know alcohol weakens will-power. So I did go exactly one week then. But I would like to get alcohol out of my lifestyle for lots of reasons. I am overweight, short on money, uncomfortable drinking around children, AND feeling very ridiculous about the weekly hangovers. I know I use it as a crutch and I am about to graduate and feel like positive change at this point will manifest tenfold right now.

Wow, I didn't know I had so much to say. Thank you and I really feel the strength of your support.

[zoomer]

Ha, Tawanda! Have you rammed any sluts car yet? Just had to ask!~~~~~~~~~~~~`snicker~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My drug of choice is smoking cigs! I have cut way back, but have not stopped yet. I went to winstons because they have no additives, so when I do get up the nerve to stop I will not be detoxing the other stuff too. O and I like my coffee too! You have what I call collage brain. I went through it as a returning adult student. Although I did not drink until almost the end of my time, it sure helps to make your brain slow down! But then again it made me stupid too. I was a happy drunk too and did all the things I needed to do, but I was bitchy and tired all the time until I could numb myself. I'm still bitchy and tired all the time, but feel proud that I don't drink just for today
Zoomer