Please help
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 6
Please help
Hello...
I'm a 21 year old female alcoholic and I am ready to stop drinking. I have had addiction problems in the past with other things, but I am now realizing that my drinking is getting dangerous.
I have been getting intense bouts of the shakes about about five hours after drinking and I've been seeing bugs and weird hallucinations during the day. I get terrible mood swings, insomnia and anxiety. My question is, is it safe for me to stop drinking by myself? I am scared enough to stop on my own, but I know from working at a CD center that you're not supposed to quit drinking on your own because the withdrawal can be deadly.
I REALLY don't want to go to rehab because I don't think it's necessary. I have strong support from my fiance in quitting. I have a family that would not accept me if they found out I'm getting any kind of treatment for alcoholism.
I drink about a bottle of wine a day, give or take. Will I be okay to just stop on my own? Do I need to taper off?
This may not be the right place to look for help, but I don't know who else to ask. If I should be posting this somewhere else, please let me know where to go. Thank you so much.
I'm a 21 year old female alcoholic and I am ready to stop drinking. I have had addiction problems in the past with other things, but I am now realizing that my drinking is getting dangerous.
I have been getting intense bouts of the shakes about about five hours after drinking and I've been seeing bugs and weird hallucinations during the day. I get terrible mood swings, insomnia and anxiety. My question is, is it safe for me to stop drinking by myself? I am scared enough to stop on my own, but I know from working at a CD center that you're not supposed to quit drinking on your own because the withdrawal can be deadly.
I REALLY don't want to go to rehab because I don't think it's necessary. I have strong support from my fiance in quitting. I have a family that would not accept me if they found out I'm getting any kind of treatment for alcoholism.
I drink about a bottle of wine a day, give or take. Will I be okay to just stop on my own? Do I need to taper off?
This may not be the right place to look for help, but I don't know who else to ask. If I should be posting this somewhere else, please let me know where to go. Thank you so much.
Guest
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 4,580
I drank a bottle of wine a today...sometimes less..sometimes a LOT more. At 39, I've been drinking a lot longer than you. I had no physical withdrawals...emotional YES. I would strongly suggest AA to help with the emotional stuff. It's heartening to be with those who understand where you're coming from. I get so much out of listening and hearing that I am not alone.
Love, luck and bright blessings to you,
Tracey
Love, luck and bright blessings to you,
Tracey
Guest
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 4,580
P.S. No matter how wonderful your fiance is...unless he's been where you are..it will be difficult for him to support you in the way you need. The problem doesn't just go away by quitting drinking. You need to work out the roots as to why you are finding refuge in alcohol. It is much too much to ask of your relationship that he be your only support. I know you are young and that going against the wishes of your family is difficult...but the second part of AA is anonymous...no one need know.
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Hi and Welcome to SR!
And Yes! You are in the correct place for
information and support. Glad to see you.
I suggest you read the top two sticky post at the top of the page.
It is always a wise move to see a medical professional
especially since you are having withdrawal symptoms.
That does not always mean a treatment center
De Tox takes 3 days usually.
Keep in touch...Blessings
And Yes! You are in the correct place for
information and support. Glad to see you.
I suggest you read the top two sticky post at the top of the page.
It is always a wise move to see a medical professional
especially since you are having withdrawal symptoms.
That does not always mean a treatment center
De Tox takes 3 days usually.
Keep in touch...Blessings
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Livonia, MI
Posts: 675
All the shaking, the pain, the hallucinations,.....all that, can be eased to almost nothing if you just go to the doctor or hospital. Yes,....a solo alcohol detox can be deadly. 1 out of 33 people die of alcohol withdrawal detox. Dont do this alone. Besides,.....what happens if you do get through it? You havent dealt with any of the reasons you drink. You will go right back to it. How can you have drank so much and so often to be getting hallucinations, severe shakes, the sweats,...and to the point you cannot sleep, but, still think that rehab isnt necessary? You drank yourself right into Third Stage Alcoholism. That is rehab territory if there ever was one!
Guest
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 4,580
Apologies
At three weeks sobriety, I am still space cadet. I did not read your post correctly. I somehow missed the serious withdrawal symptoms already afflicting you. I probably came off rather flippant.
I DON'T think you should try to do this alone and without medical attention at all...there is no good reason for that....the repercussions could be deadly.
I DON'T think you should try to do this alone and without medical attention at all...there is no good reason for that....the repercussions could be deadly.
Gold Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: It's raining again!
Posts: 2,494
I know for me after about 6 months sober I was freaking out. I had to go see a shrink and correct what was also something I thought was related to alcohol. Just a thought,you might need more than just a detox at your young age and the amount you drink. Talk to your doctor and perhaps they can point you in the right direction. It just sounds like your tripping more from a mental imballance than DTs to me, but I'm no doctor and I could be wrong.
Mental Clarity
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 7
Great Advice Given By All
It is rather surprising that you're showing signs of a well seasoned alcoholic at such a young age, and not really putting away that much booze. However, it works differently on everyone. Age, weight, consumption, as well as a multitude of other factors play into this equation.
Without doubt seeking out medical attention is the best route to go. They can evaluate you, check out your history, and prescribe the best meds for your particular case. Again, everyone is as individual as a set of finger prints. Different meds work differently on everyone. Usually they'll have you wait to make sure you don't have any bad reactions as a precautionary measure. So it really is the safest plan of action around.
By all means be up front with them as well as they question you. The more accurate take they have on your background/history the easier it will be for them to make a diagnosis. The whole idea is that you want to get better the fastest way you know how. Let the professionals handle it...they are the experts.
Extra bonus that your fiance is in your corner. As for the family's views I'd say put the pride aside & think about YOU for a change. Once you're in control & responsible they'll eventually come around.
Best of luck.
Without doubt seeking out medical attention is the best route to go. They can evaluate you, check out your history, and prescribe the best meds for your particular case. Again, everyone is as individual as a set of finger prints. Different meds work differently on everyone. Usually they'll have you wait to make sure you don't have any bad reactions as a precautionary measure. So it really is the safest plan of action around.
By all means be up front with them as well as they question you. The more accurate take they have on your background/history the easier it will be for them to make a diagnosis. The whole idea is that you want to get better the fastest way you know how. Let the professionals handle it...they are the experts.
Extra bonus that your fiance is in your corner. As for the family's views I'd say put the pride aside & think about YOU for a change. Once you're in control & responsible they'll eventually come around.
Best of luck.
Illegitimi Non Carborundum
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Old Home Terra
Posts: 4,272
Milwaukee: That's a tough question...
Alcohol withdrawal can kill, as you know, but it is somewhat rare if you aren't already deep into the late deteriorative stage.
Something I noticed in my later drinking years was that occassionally, after a hard night of binging, the next day at some point I would feel like I was going "...though an invisible wall...". My heart would beat faster, I might feel a head rush, I'd become pretty naseous for about a minute... severe weakness... sweats... maybe a second or two of tunnel vision... a little vertigo...
It would pass after about a minute or two and simply sitting down calmly while it passed over me was enough to recover... Then I'd wash my face, maybe get something to eat and try to take a quick nap if I could. I'd almost feel like a different person -- back to my old self again -- after it passed, sort of like materializing from a "bad transport". It would only happen once during a given hangover, following a heavy binge.
In retrospect, I now know that it was the cells of my body and brain readjusting themselves to again functioning with the level of alcohol in my system below a given threshold value. Its these withdrawal transitions that can be deadly. The whole thing involves a very complex coordination within your body in order to "make the jump" back to functioning without alcohol, (or with a much lowered level of alcohol), as the metabolic processes progress. Sometimes your cells and tissues and organs are so damaged from your use that the coordination doesn't happen correctly.
Someone experiencing these kinds of effects over a bottle of wine a day at age 21 isn't common, but it isn't necessarily "rare" either. We're all different. The same general cellular/genetic blueprint may be used, but the details -- the individual parameters -- are all different.
As an extreme example, there's a condition known as "pathological intoxication" -- after only one or two swallows of alcohol (extrememly low levels in the system), the person is immediately in a black-out state and out of control, (the movie "The Final Analysis" is based on it).
Other examples include people who quickly break out in red splotches after only one or two drinks. (People who break out in handcuffs after drinking have a different mechanism in play). Allergies to things like shellfish, peanuts or strawberries are another example of different individual parameters applied to the same general blueprint.
My point is that hitting late stage issues at your age and level of use may be unusual but its certainly not unheard of or even rare. Finding out about it as young as you are, and coming to the realization that alcohol use is going to be an issue for you -- realizing it at your age -- is rare, and its something to be thankful for. You can avoid a lifetime of misery by taking action now, and it sounds like you are ready to do so, so that's a good thing.
Seeking medical help would be a good suggestion, but I hear you on not wanting to deal with all the "baggage" that would come with it. Consider the following though... Isn't your LIFE worth a little embarassment and hassle from your family? They'll get over it eventually, and you'll still be heathly. Isn't that a better alternative to them not being temporarily estranged but you dead? This is a decision which only YOU can make.
None of my family knows that I'm a member of AA. It doesn't stop me from going to meetings.
I think for you, right now, getting past the physical stuff is the important part. Please keep in mind that the terrible mood swings, insomnia and anxiety are all effects of your body having to switch back and forth from functioning with and without a certain level of alcohol in your system. Forcing your cells to "make the transition" all the time is like putting gasoline on a fire -- it FEEDS the mood swings, insomnia and anxiety.
Once you've gotten your body accustomed to again functioning entirely without alcohol, some of those issues will still be there for a while, but you won't be "encouraging" them. With help, (such as AA), they'll eventually calm down and go away as your mind processes through all the emotional damage you've sustained. So again, I think getting past the physical stuff is the most important thing for you right now.
It sounds like you have a reliable resource available to you in your fiance. As Carol said, the alcohol usually leaves your system in about three days, and you might still be pretty "raw" for a few more days after that while your body starts to heal.
One thought that comes to mind is both you and your fiance taking off of work/school for about week. Find somewhere quiet where you won't be disturbed, where you can go through the physical withdrawal while your fiance keeps an eye on you ready to call an ambulance if need be.
Hope this helps. Keep coming back and let us know how things work out.
You are not alone!
Alcohol withdrawal can kill, as you know, but it is somewhat rare if you aren't already deep into the late deteriorative stage.
Something I noticed in my later drinking years was that occassionally, after a hard night of binging, the next day at some point I would feel like I was going "...though an invisible wall...". My heart would beat faster, I might feel a head rush, I'd become pretty naseous for about a minute... severe weakness... sweats... maybe a second or two of tunnel vision... a little vertigo...
It would pass after about a minute or two and simply sitting down calmly while it passed over me was enough to recover... Then I'd wash my face, maybe get something to eat and try to take a quick nap if I could. I'd almost feel like a different person -- back to my old self again -- after it passed, sort of like materializing from a "bad transport". It would only happen once during a given hangover, following a heavy binge.
In retrospect, I now know that it was the cells of my body and brain readjusting themselves to again functioning with the level of alcohol in my system below a given threshold value. Its these withdrawal transitions that can be deadly. The whole thing involves a very complex coordination within your body in order to "make the jump" back to functioning without alcohol, (or with a much lowered level of alcohol), as the metabolic processes progress. Sometimes your cells and tissues and organs are so damaged from your use that the coordination doesn't happen correctly.
Someone experiencing these kinds of effects over a bottle of wine a day at age 21 isn't common, but it isn't necessarily "rare" either. We're all different. The same general cellular/genetic blueprint may be used, but the details -- the individual parameters -- are all different.
As an extreme example, there's a condition known as "pathological intoxication" -- after only one or two swallows of alcohol (extrememly low levels in the system), the person is immediately in a black-out state and out of control, (the movie "The Final Analysis" is based on it).
Other examples include people who quickly break out in red splotches after only one or two drinks. (People who break out in handcuffs after drinking have a different mechanism in play). Allergies to things like shellfish, peanuts or strawberries are another example of different individual parameters applied to the same general blueprint.
My point is that hitting late stage issues at your age and level of use may be unusual but its certainly not unheard of or even rare. Finding out about it as young as you are, and coming to the realization that alcohol use is going to be an issue for you -- realizing it at your age -- is rare, and its something to be thankful for. You can avoid a lifetime of misery by taking action now, and it sounds like you are ready to do so, so that's a good thing.
Seeking medical help would be a good suggestion, but I hear you on not wanting to deal with all the "baggage" that would come with it. Consider the following though... Isn't your LIFE worth a little embarassment and hassle from your family? They'll get over it eventually, and you'll still be heathly. Isn't that a better alternative to them not being temporarily estranged but you dead? This is a decision which only YOU can make.
None of my family knows that I'm a member of AA. It doesn't stop me from going to meetings.
I think for you, right now, getting past the physical stuff is the important part. Please keep in mind that the terrible mood swings, insomnia and anxiety are all effects of your body having to switch back and forth from functioning with and without a certain level of alcohol in your system. Forcing your cells to "make the transition" all the time is like putting gasoline on a fire -- it FEEDS the mood swings, insomnia and anxiety.
Once you've gotten your body accustomed to again functioning entirely without alcohol, some of those issues will still be there for a while, but you won't be "encouraging" them. With help, (such as AA), they'll eventually calm down and go away as your mind processes through all the emotional damage you've sustained. So again, I think getting past the physical stuff is the most important thing for you right now.
It sounds like you have a reliable resource available to you in your fiance. As Carol said, the alcohol usually leaves your system in about three days, and you might still be pretty "raw" for a few more days after that while your body starts to heal.
One thought that comes to mind is both you and your fiance taking off of work/school for about week. Find somewhere quiet where you won't be disturbed, where you can go through the physical withdrawal while your fiance keeps an eye on you ready to call an ambulance if need be.
Hope this helps. Keep coming back and let us know how things work out.
You are not alone!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Murrieta, Ca
Posts: 2,683
Withdrawl sucks. I thank God that I made it through my solo de-tox. Which, BTW, I would not suggest
Remember though, once you get through it, you've got a long road of recovery in front of you.
The two times I went through medical de-tox (inpatient) didn't help. I used to think that "if I can only get through the withdrawl, I'll be OK". That wasn't the case, at all.
What I needed, and finally found, was to ask for help, and realize this could not be done solo. God got me to AA and found me a sponsor. I've got 69 days today, after more than a decade of heavy drinking.
Remember though, once you get through it, you've got a long road of recovery in front of you.
The two times I went through medical de-tox (inpatient) didn't help. I used to think that "if I can only get through the withdrawl, I'll be OK". That wasn't the case, at all.
What I needed, and finally found, was to ask for help, and realize this could not be done solo. God got me to AA and found me a sponsor. I've got 69 days today, after more than a decade of heavy drinking.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Somwhere over the rainbow
Posts: 1,175
Hi and welcome to SR. Glad you found us. This is the right place to go if you want to quit.
I think that you can likely withdraw, depending on your body weight, without help. I am 220 lbs and drank a mickey (13 oz) a day and sometimes a lot more and I was able to withdraw without medical help. IT really does depend on each person's own body and their reaction to withdrawal.
If you are finding that you are experiencing severe symptoms then immediately seek help, otherwise, lots of rest, lots and LOTS of water and keep going to meetings and coming here.
Peace, Levi
I think that you can likely withdraw, depending on your body weight, without help. I am 220 lbs and drank a mickey (13 oz) a day and sometimes a lot more and I was able to withdraw without medical help. IT really does depend on each person's own body and their reaction to withdrawal.
If you are finding that you are experiencing severe symptoms then immediately seek help, otherwise, lots of rest, lots and LOTS of water and keep going to meetings and coming here.
Peace, Levi
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 6
*sigh*
Thank you all so much for your input. I now feel like I have a place to turn when I need it.
Green Tea, thank you for your opinion... you seem to understand where I'm at right now. Luckily, the new year's arrival has been the best time to quit for me. I didn't exactly plan it that way, but the shaking and intense pulse/blood pressure swings scared me into quitting at the perfect time. That "invisible wall" feeling you described is the scariest feeling in the world to me and yesterday was full of that. I've always been an anxious person and I can't stand the feeling of my heart racind/cold sweat/nausea... especially when it comes without warning. Luckily, I am off of school and work until January 8th thanks to my college's winter vacation. My fiance has had a three day weekend and has been helping very much. He has dealt with his own addiction issues for many years and understands what I'm going through. He has decided to quit drinking too.
I've had addiction issues in the past (eating disorder for five years, which was replaced with vicodin and then replaced with alcohol)... I know there are a ton of underlying issues that come up and are yet to come up, but I'm in a very good place right now with my fiance for support, my classes to keep me busy and my job that is interesting and not too stressful (I'm a medical assistant at the clinic on campus). I am ready for the depression and anxiety (which I deal with when I am drinking anyway, just not at their full intensity), and I know that it comes and goes. Last night was hard... I hadn't slept at all the night before (the night I originally posted here asking for help) and was an emotional wreck... but I rang in the new year with my fiance, cried a lot and hurt a lot, drank a ton of water, allowed myself to eat whatever my body was craving, and then actually slept about seven hours last night. The intense depression and mood swings always pass eventually... I just have to keep telling myself, not matter how intense and hopeless they feel, I usually feel better the next day.
And Levi, I think you're right. I'm 5'7" and weigh 127 lbs. I guess on a typical afternoon/evening, I would drink more than a bottle of wine. But not much more. The last night that I drank, it was a bottle of wine and two shots of gin. Really, it was whatever I had in the house to drink until I went to bed. I stopped keeping track of my intake about a year ago.
Thank you guys again... so far so good.
Green Tea, thank you for your opinion... you seem to understand where I'm at right now. Luckily, the new year's arrival has been the best time to quit for me. I didn't exactly plan it that way, but the shaking and intense pulse/blood pressure swings scared me into quitting at the perfect time. That "invisible wall" feeling you described is the scariest feeling in the world to me and yesterday was full of that. I've always been an anxious person and I can't stand the feeling of my heart racind/cold sweat/nausea... especially when it comes without warning. Luckily, I am off of school and work until January 8th thanks to my college's winter vacation. My fiance has had a three day weekend and has been helping very much. He has dealt with his own addiction issues for many years and understands what I'm going through. He has decided to quit drinking too.
I've had addiction issues in the past (eating disorder for five years, which was replaced with vicodin and then replaced with alcohol)... I know there are a ton of underlying issues that come up and are yet to come up, but I'm in a very good place right now with my fiance for support, my classes to keep me busy and my job that is interesting and not too stressful (I'm a medical assistant at the clinic on campus). I am ready for the depression and anxiety (which I deal with when I am drinking anyway, just not at their full intensity), and I know that it comes and goes. Last night was hard... I hadn't slept at all the night before (the night I originally posted here asking for help) and was an emotional wreck... but I rang in the new year with my fiance, cried a lot and hurt a lot, drank a ton of water, allowed myself to eat whatever my body was craving, and then actually slept about seven hours last night. The intense depression and mood swings always pass eventually... I just have to keep telling myself, not matter how intense and hopeless they feel, I usually feel better the next day.
And Levi, I think you're right. I'm 5'7" and weigh 127 lbs. I guess on a typical afternoon/evening, I would drink more than a bottle of wine. But not much more. The last night that I drank, it was a bottle of wine and two shots of gin. Really, it was whatever I had in the house to drink until I went to bed. I stopped keeping track of my intake about a year ago.
Thank you guys again... so far so good.
Spiritual Engineer
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Sugar Land, Texas
Posts: 7
Anxiety
Hello Milwaukee
This is my FIRST virtual internet "12 Step Call". I noted that you suffer from ANXIETY.
Anxiety disorders are one of the reasons we alcoholics drank in the first place. We wanted to change the way we feel right? It's a condition known as co-morbidity. In other words a fundamental nervous system disorder forced us to self medicate and then we wound up with two problems. The anxiety and the alcoholism. Alcohol is a mild anxiolytic and for 33 years was my sole approach to dealing with anxiety.
Here are a couple suggestions that worked for me.
-- Adopt a holistic approach
-- Research pyroluria a condition prevalent in 40% of alcoholics due to a B6 and zinc deficiency. The result. A serotonin imbalance that can create anxiety.
-- Remember that mood disorders are caused by imbalances in one or more of the following neurotransmitters; serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. "Learn everything you can about your disease as it knows everything about you."
-- You might ask your Doctor about an SSRI. For example Zoloft. It's very effective in reducing or eliminating anxiety.
-- Try taking Montmorency Cherry Extract Concentrate in the afternoon and just before bed time. It is all natural and has a very calming effect. I take one tablespoon dissolved in club soda twice daily.
-- Observe good sleep hygiene. You'll have trouble sleeping during the first couple weeks of early sobriety. That's normal. Go to bed at the same time. Get ample rest. Take 600mcg (no more) of Sundown brand Melatonin just before bedtime with Montmorency Cherry Extract Concentrate. You'll sleep like a baby.
-- Find a Sponsor that is knowledgeable.
-- Work and live the "12 Steps in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous". When these principals are practiced in all of your affairs, they ensure that we minimize stress and anxiety.
How do I know this? Because it worked for me :-) Feel free to e-mail me directly if you have questions.
PS: I got sober at La Hacienda Treatment Center in Hunt, Texas and it was a great and safe experience. If you want to avoid the time and expense of treatment, tell your Doctor what you are trying to do and see if he/she will prescribe you a mild sedative to help you detox safely. La Hacienda put me on Ativan (Lorazepam) for 4-5 days and I was fine after 3+ decades of hard drinking.
Warmest regards,
gibbonsm
Sugar Land, Texas
This is my FIRST virtual internet "12 Step Call". I noted that you suffer from ANXIETY.
Anxiety disorders are one of the reasons we alcoholics drank in the first place. We wanted to change the way we feel right? It's a condition known as co-morbidity. In other words a fundamental nervous system disorder forced us to self medicate and then we wound up with two problems. The anxiety and the alcoholism. Alcohol is a mild anxiolytic and for 33 years was my sole approach to dealing with anxiety.
Here are a couple suggestions that worked for me.
-- Adopt a holistic approach
-- Research pyroluria a condition prevalent in 40% of alcoholics due to a B6 and zinc deficiency. The result. A serotonin imbalance that can create anxiety.
-- Remember that mood disorders are caused by imbalances in one or more of the following neurotransmitters; serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. "Learn everything you can about your disease as it knows everything about you."
-- You might ask your Doctor about an SSRI. For example Zoloft. It's very effective in reducing or eliminating anxiety.
-- Try taking Montmorency Cherry Extract Concentrate in the afternoon and just before bed time. It is all natural and has a very calming effect. I take one tablespoon dissolved in club soda twice daily.
-- Observe good sleep hygiene. You'll have trouble sleeping during the first couple weeks of early sobriety. That's normal. Go to bed at the same time. Get ample rest. Take 600mcg (no more) of Sundown brand Melatonin just before bedtime with Montmorency Cherry Extract Concentrate. You'll sleep like a baby.
-- Find a Sponsor that is knowledgeable.
-- Work and live the "12 Steps in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous". When these principals are practiced in all of your affairs, they ensure that we minimize stress and anxiety.
How do I know this? Because it worked for me :-) Feel free to e-mail me directly if you have questions.
PS: I got sober at La Hacienda Treatment Center in Hunt, Texas and it was a great and safe experience. If you want to avoid the time and expense of treatment, tell your Doctor what you are trying to do and see if he/she will prescribe you a mild sedative to help you detox safely. La Hacienda put me on Ativan (Lorazepam) for 4-5 days and I was fine after 3+ decades of hard drinking.
Warmest regards,
gibbonsm
Sugar Land, Texas
Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Walden CO
Posts: 151
I was able to detox at home, under the supervision of my doctor and with the support of my husband. I was drinking a lot more than you, but as said previously, it's different for everyone. I tapered off over a period of about 5 days, and 3 days after than had all the alcohol out of my system. If I got scared or had questions, I called my doctor. My doctor explained to me that before the days of medications, etc. in rehab, tapering off was the way it was done. It worked for me and I'm glad I did it that way. As long as you can do it safely, I don't see anything wrong with it (especially if your fiance' can be with you). The one downside I see is that you don't get the counseling and support that you receive in rehab; however, I'm still glad I did it on my own, at home. Am now working a program (Women For Sobriety) and using the forum as an awesome means of support. Good luck!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 6
Nanita, I'm glad you were able to do it at home! Congratulations! That is encouraging to me. I couldn't agree with you more about needing more support in the form of counseling.
Unfortunately, I don't have a doctor (or health insurance at all...).
I DO have a friend and co-worker who has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is an addictiove behavior specialist. I can meet with him on the 10th (that's as soon as I can meet with him, he's out of the country now). I plan to see if I can meet with him regularly (although he has a full load of clients (patients?) already... or if he can refer me to someone else to touch base with a few times a month.
The nightmares have started as of last night... Ugh... This is where I have a hard time quitting. They are so awful and I become afraid to get the sleep I need.
Thank you all so much for the support. You are great people!
Unfortunately, I don't have a doctor (or health insurance at all...).
I DO have a friend and co-worker who has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is an addictiove behavior specialist. I can meet with him on the 10th (that's as soon as I can meet with him, he's out of the country now). I plan to see if I can meet with him regularly (although he has a full load of clients (patients?) already... or if he can refer me to someone else to touch base with a few times a month.
The nightmares have started as of last night... Ugh... This is where I have a hard time quitting. They are so awful and I become afraid to get the sleep I need.
Thank you all so much for the support. You are great people!
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