Hi Johnster -
I can't really speak to you about treatment programs because I don't have that much experience with them. I have been going to an outpatient program but I don't think it is really helping me all that much.
My situation sounded a lot like yours in that I functioned pretty well. I had no financial, legal, or work related troubles. My drinking was limited to late at night after all my responsibilities were taken care of. [if you read my very first post you will see what I mean.] I had to sit my wife down and explain to her what was going on.
Can you talk more about your pattern of drinking?
I am early on in my sobrity so I won't claim to have all the answers. Having said that, I can tell you a few things that have helped me or that I experienced. Everyones story is different but maybe by me sharing you can learn something.
1) Confusion is normal. I am going through lots of up and downs. I am just trying to ride it out.
2) I am taking a lot of vitamin B-Complex and C-Complex. Folic Acid is supposed to help a lot too. Are they helping me a lot? I am not sure. I don't think it is hurting me any though. I abused my body for a good long time and I hope the vitamins are at least helping in some small way. Truth be told, eating properly is better than vitamins anyway.
3) Sleep for me has been very hard but I am getting what I can when I can. Insomnia sucks.
4) I relapsed a few times but I have been trying to learn what makes me want to drink. I am trying to break the habit of drinking at a certain time of day. Someone once told me "you drink when you are unhappy". I think, for me, that was true.
When I took the decision not to drink, I just told myself not to pick one up. "Do anything but that." It hasn't been easy but it wasn't as hard as I feared (I had no DT's per se, just a hard time sleeping and generally in a bad mood without warning).
I am sort of rambling here. Keep posting here! You can beat this!!
- Tanis