Originally Posted by
newlyaddicted 
Hi,
This is all new to me so don't know where else to turn for advice.
I had never been addicted to alcohol previously. I got drunk now and then but nothing extreme. After a stressful period, I went through a month of pretty heavy drinking, like regular blackouts etc.
This is the first comment that is very concerning to me. It is just really hard for me to believe that your drinking was "nothing extreme" at all, but then you had "regular blackouts" all of a sudden when you all of a sudden decided to heavily drink for a month. That must have come from somewhere. Perhaps a growing dependence you hadn't recognized? Please don't get me wrong. I'm not implying you are lying. I am wondering if perhaps you actually were becoming a more extreme drinker with time but not actually realizing it? That is kind of the way alcoholism often goes - it creeps up on you.
[/QUOTE]after the month of straight drinking, I woke up one morning shaking. Didn't think too much of it, but it got gradually worse and worse until I was going through a pretty severe bout of withdrawals. Shaking, could barely use my hands to grip anything, waking up with saturated sheets, really high blood pressure and pulse, among other things. I thought I was going to die..[/QUOTE]
To go back to my last point. At first, with the shaking, you "didn't think too much of it". That shows a real denial going on that a problem exists. People who wake up shaking generally would be very concerned by such a fact. You weren't. It makes me think your drinking issue is worse that you realize. Denial is a very real thing.
[/QUOTE]just want to go back to being normal before all this started. Is it possible? [/QUOTE]
I don't want to bum you out, but I doubt you've been drinking like a "normal" person for a very long time. Also, think of it this way: "Before all this started" would actually be BEFORE you ever picked up an alcoholic beverage. THAT actually is a "normal" state. I see why you want to "go back to being normal", but maybe try to reframe in your mind what is actually "normal"?
[/QUOTE]Because I would miss having wine with dinner or getting drunk in social situations, since I'm still relatively young, and would prefer to not go through a life of not drinking at all if possible. Thanks for your advice.[/QUOTE]
I 100% understand why you'd miss wine with dinner or in social situations. But, as you explained, you are relatively young. From your description, I just don't think you were born to drink (and, from my research, 1/8 people weren't...so you're not alone). I am 42. I lost a good 20 years of my life to this. I just really don't want the same for you. Rather than thinking of it as being stuck with a lifetime ban on drinking, maybe try to think of it as being gifted with a lifetime of freedom. I assure you, you get to the point where you miss it less and less and less.
I know you won't love my advice. Obviously feel free to ignore it. But since you asked for advice, I wanted to be honest with you about what I see in your words. I hope this helps.