Ten Months In.
Hi, I have not posted on here for a while. I still get on and catch up with others, it has been a great place to gain support and reassure myself that I am not the only one.
I binge drank for years, occasionally exercising control, but frequently getting myself into a real mess. I didn't get to the point of daily drinking, but I had plenty of hangovers which lasted a week, plenty of blackouts and I had some serious baggage from things going wrong.
I know that underneath the drinking there were issues, and I have worked on them as best I could. The biggest problem, with hindsight, was an absolute lack of self esteem. The thing which has made me proud, and been the biggest building block in trying to change the way I am, has been getting out and socialising with others, and not drinking. I can actually enjoy it! I drive my wife or myself home at the end of it, and have had the buzz I get around people, without the booze.
I still fancy a glass of wine now and then, but the cravings have diminished pretty much. I have to be careful, I suspect my weakness may be wine with a meal....."just one" I occasionally tell myself.
I knew I had an issue with alcohol 20 years ago, and I just kept in the cycle. More intense binges, worse hangovers, lowering self esteem.
I see folk on here struggling to get out of the cycle, it can be done. If it helps, my tip would be get a therapist, or do some work on what lies beneath the drinking. Shyness? Childhood issues? They need sorting.
I am still putting effort into not drinking, I see folk on here who struggle and fall off and then get back on, and doubt themselves. You can do it!