Too Young?
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Good to know you are planning for a sober future
Welcome back.....
Here is a link with info....and some of our experiences
Please note that not everyone has the same symptoms
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html
All my best....
Welcome back.....
Here is a link with info....and some of our experiences
Please note that not everyone has the same symptoms
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html
All my best....
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 45
Hi Leek, I don't think it's necessary for you to label yourself as an alcoholic in order to stop drinking. The important thing is that alcohol is becoming a problem for you and interfering with how you function. You may be a problem drinker or an alcohol abuser and not an alcoholic yet--but the result is the same, isn't it? I think people sometimes get hung up on labels, and that can be a stumbling block for many.
I started drinking at age 8, with my mom on weekends. I was a binge drinker by college. I realized I had a problem, and stopped for 13 years. Then later on, after grad school, I started to drink socially again, and within a few years developed a much worse problem than before. If you can change your behavior now, it will save you many struggles later on. Oh, and if you think you do have a problem, don't let anyone minimize it and tell you you're too young to have a problem--people usually say those sorts of things either because they have a problem themselves they're not dealing with, or they're uncomfortable with the info you're sharing and don't know how to respond.
I started drinking at age 8, with my mom on weekends. I was a binge drinker by college. I realized I had a problem, and stopped for 13 years. Then later on, after grad school, I started to drink socially again, and within a few years developed a much worse problem than before. If you can change your behavior now, it will save you many struggles later on. Oh, and if you think you do have a problem, don't let anyone minimize it and tell you you're too young to have a problem--people usually say those sorts of things either because they have a problem themselves they're not dealing with, or they're uncomfortable with the info you're sharing and don't know how to respond.
It`s ok to stay sober
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Central NC
Posts: 20,902
leek,my thinking is like this,if you can quit with out doctors and the medical community ,fine.That way it will not be on your medical record.
Thats what I did.Stuff on your medical record sometimes costs you later on in life.
Thats what I did.Stuff on your medical record sometimes costs you later on in life.
A work in progress
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
Hi, Leek,
I managed a detox at home, and here's how I did it. I'm not recommending it, because everyone is different, but it worked for me.
What I did was to space out drinks about four hours apart. One drink, sipped SLOWLY (I tried to make them last an hour), then wait another 3-4 hours to have another one. IF you can manage it, this might keep just enough alcohol in your system to prevent an extreme reaction.
I did this for three days--started on Tuesday and planned to have my last drink Thursday evening. Wednesday I threw out every drop of booze in the house except what I needed for the last day--I measured out what I needed. The rest got dumped.
Thursday evening I had my last drink, as scheduled. By this time, it was medicine to me--there were no fond feelings of farewell. When I finished the last drink, I made myself some herbal tea and posted to some friends that I was done. I went to bed with a cup of tea and my AA Big Book, and read for awhile. The next day I went to my first AA meeting. I haven't had a drink since, and it has been one week short of two years.
I had no severe withdrawal symptoms--some shakiness (not tremors but just feeling shaky all over), I felt foggy in the head, had some sleep problems for awhile. I drank lots of water, ate lots of "comfort food", took vitamins (especially B-complex).
You are giving yourself a great gift. My ex-husband was 21 when he got sober and he hasn't had a drink in over 30 years. He is happy, has a great social life, recently retired from a good career, and is pursuing his love of photography now. We are great friends, and I stay with him and his wife when I go to visit our college-age kids. None of this would have been possible for him without sobriety and AA.
I strongly suggest you give AA a try. There is something called ICYPAA (International Conference of Young People in AA) (pronounced icky-pa), and they have social events and outings that are lots of fun. When I was at the AA International Convention in San Antonio last month, the ICYPAAs had a sober mosh pit, parties galore. There are lot more young people in AA than there once were, and you're likely to find a lot of friends doing the same thing you are.
I managed a detox at home, and here's how I did it. I'm not recommending it, because everyone is different, but it worked for me.
What I did was to space out drinks about four hours apart. One drink, sipped SLOWLY (I tried to make them last an hour), then wait another 3-4 hours to have another one. IF you can manage it, this might keep just enough alcohol in your system to prevent an extreme reaction.
I did this for three days--started on Tuesday and planned to have my last drink Thursday evening. Wednesday I threw out every drop of booze in the house except what I needed for the last day--I measured out what I needed. The rest got dumped.
Thursday evening I had my last drink, as scheduled. By this time, it was medicine to me--there were no fond feelings of farewell. When I finished the last drink, I made myself some herbal tea and posted to some friends that I was done. I went to bed with a cup of tea and my AA Big Book, and read for awhile. The next day I went to my first AA meeting. I haven't had a drink since, and it has been one week short of two years.
I had no severe withdrawal symptoms--some shakiness (not tremors but just feeling shaky all over), I felt foggy in the head, had some sleep problems for awhile. I drank lots of water, ate lots of "comfort food", took vitamins (especially B-complex).
You are giving yourself a great gift. My ex-husband was 21 when he got sober and he hasn't had a drink in over 30 years. He is happy, has a great social life, recently retired from a good career, and is pursuing his love of photography now. We are great friends, and I stay with him and his wife when I go to visit our college-age kids. None of this would have been possible for him without sobriety and AA.
I strongly suggest you give AA a try. There is something called ICYPAA (International Conference of Young People in AA) (pronounced icky-pa), and they have social events and outings that are lots of fun. When I was at the AA International Convention in San Antonio last month, the ICYPAAs had a sober mosh pit, parties galore. There are lot more young people in AA than there once were, and you're likely to find a lot of friends doing the same thing you are.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 5,285
It took me five years and.many attempts to get sober...everyone is different, but for me it was important to learn everything possible about the disease, go through several attempts, read a ton and finally get on SR. Good luck,# we are here for you!
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 36
Originally Posted by LeeK 
That sounds VERY familiar.
And yea, I don't want liver failure or any similar issue in my 20s and 30s, or ever, I appreciate the blunt truth. Textbook signs and opinions from you kind folks are definitely pointing to a problem. I'm not sure if I just wanted a second opinion or if I was too ignorant to see it, or neither. But yea, like many of you said, it certainly seems like a problem to me.
Andthe 'hair of the dog' for the morning after is basically a sign of withdrawal? Damn. I've been doing that since I was 15, and it helps a hangover, or withdrawal, or whatever combination that makes me feel like absolute **** in the morning after getting wasted. I always thought it was just a runofthemill hangover cure.
And yea, I don't want liver failure or any similar issue in my 20s and 30s, or ever, I appreciate the blunt truth. Textbook signs and opinions from you kind folks are definitely pointing to a problem. I'm not sure if I just wanted a second opinion or if I was too ignorant to see it, or neither. But yea, like many of you said, it certainly seems like a problem to me.
Andthe 'hair of the dog' for the morning after is basically a sign of withdrawal? Damn. I've been doing that since I was 15, and it helps a hangover, or withdrawal, or whatever combination that makes me feel like absolute **** in the morning after getting wasted. I always thought it was just a runofthemill hangover cure.
Guest
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 2,013
Originally Posted by Tomm
I truly believe that when you've started regularly indulging in 'hair of the dog' you'll have a seriously hard time ever learning to drink moderately again. I initially done it fairly irregularly with friends when I was 17-21, and generally had a great time. It doesn't last, trust me. From aged 22+ (I'm nearly 27 now) its become a compulsion for me. If I drink heavily the night before, I wake up craving a beer to kill the hangover, virtually without fail. I'm going through it right now. It might be best for you to give up now before you fall any deeper.
I tried to 'moderate' by only having a drinking session limited to a Friday night but just ended up out to buy more booze at 7.30am. I just couldn't help but get drunk again and feel the hangover diminish and the buzz come back on. I always liked the morning buzz as it was a different kind of buzz and used to enjoy waking up at about 5.30am and cracking a can of lager and watching the sun come up from my bed. Most of the first can was usually spewed all over my floor as I couldn't keep it down, but once that was done I could nail the beers again.
It was a total physical and mental compulsion to have to drink. I found the compulsion was made more intense by Cocaine, but it was still strong when just alcohol.
I saw how drinking 24/7 was the natural progression and also I knew without doubt I was alcoholic as most people wouldn;t consider or see the enjoyment of drinking alone at 7.00am. Me however it was the ultimate in many ways.
But it just ended in calamity byt about 10.00am as i was slurring and staggering around the house and out swigging K-cider when most decent people were buying their morning papers. It's all of the shame that drinking in that fashion brings as well. It doesn;t do your self-esteem much good, especially when the rest of your life has gone down the toilet due to drinking and depression.
I knew there was no turning back as i tried many times and failed to limit my drinking to one night and failed everytime. Once you experince the hangover cure of getting wrecked again then you can;t go back. I know i couldn;t anyway.
Peace
Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: London
Posts: 337
Alcoholism isn't an age-limited disease. The only reason younger people are less likely to become alcoholics is because it is harder for them to access alcohol and there has been less time for the disease to take a noticable toll.
I was a problem drinker at 14 and a full blown alcoholic by the time I was 18. I denied it to myself and others fed my denial right up until my late twenties.
Only you can know if you're and alcoholic and ready toi accept that but, generally, non-alcoholics don't self-check for symptoms of alcoholism and join sites like this (except friends and family members)
I was a problem drinker at 14 and a full blown alcoholic by the time I was 18. I denied it to myself and others fed my denial right up until my late twenties.
Only you can know if you're and alcoholic and ready toi accept that but, generally, non-alcoholics don't self-check for symptoms of alcoholism and join sites like this (except friends and family members)
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 432
Leek, brother, I think you've basically grasped everything we are saying here. If you're this worried about it, I think the chances that you'll ever be able to "taper off" or drink normally are basically zero. I just doesn't get better and it's almost impossible to quit on your own with willpower alone. The withdrawal symptoms are too frightening. If you have a doctor, I would march in there and come totally clean about how much you're drinking. He/she can get you into a setting where you can dry out and your brain can start functioning normally again. There will be some ups and downs but the longer you stay off the booze the easier it gets.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 36
Originally Posted by NEOMARXIST
This was my exact experience. Once I began to drink as soon as I woke, or didn't wake but just reached 6.30-7.00ish on a bender, then I found it impossible to not have a total compulsion to drink.
I tried to 'moderate' by only having a drinking session limited to a Friday night but just ended up out to buy more booze at 7.30am. I just couldn't help but get drunk again and feel the hangover diminish and the buzz come back on. I always liked the morning buzz as it was a different kind of buzz and used to enjoy waking up at about 5.30am and cracking a can of lager and watching the sun come up from my bed. Most of the first can was usually spewed all over my floor as I couldn't keep it down, but once that was done I could nail the beers again.
It was a total physical and mental compulsion to have to drink. I found the compulsion was made more intense by Cocaine, but it was still strong when just alcohol.
I saw how drinking 24/7 was the natural progression and also I knew without doubt I was alcoholic as most people wouldn;t consider or see the enjoyment of drinking alone at 7.00am. Me however it was the ultimate in many ways.
But it just ended in calamity byt about 10.00am as i was slurring and staggering around the house and out swigging K-cider when most decent people were buying their morning papers. It's all of the shame that drinking in that fashion brings as well. It doesn;t do your self-esteem much good, especially when the rest of your life has gone down the toilet due to drinking and depression.
I knew there was no turning back as i tried many times and failed to limit my drinking to one night and failed everytime. Once you experince the hangover cure of getting wrecked again then you can;t go back. I know i couldn;t anyway.
Peace
I tried to 'moderate' by only having a drinking session limited to a Friday night but just ended up out to buy more booze at 7.30am. I just couldn't help but get drunk again and feel the hangover diminish and the buzz come back on. I always liked the morning buzz as it was a different kind of buzz and used to enjoy waking up at about 5.30am and cracking a can of lager and watching the sun come up from my bed. Most of the first can was usually spewed all over my floor as I couldn't keep it down, but once that was done I could nail the beers again.
It was a total physical and mental compulsion to have to drink. I found the compulsion was made more intense by Cocaine, but it was still strong when just alcohol.
I saw how drinking 24/7 was the natural progression and also I knew without doubt I was alcoholic as most people wouldn;t consider or see the enjoyment of drinking alone at 7.00am. Me however it was the ultimate in many ways.
But it just ended in calamity byt about 10.00am as i was slurring and staggering around the house and out swigging K-cider when most decent people were buying their morning papers. It's all of the shame that drinking in that fashion brings as well. It doesn;t do your self-esteem much good, especially when the rest of your life has gone down the toilet due to drinking and depression.
I knew there was no turning back as i tried many times and failed to limit my drinking to one night and failed everytime. Once you experince the hangover cure of getting wrecked again then you can;t go back. I know i couldn;t anyway.
Peace
I've long since lost that buzz of excitement from cracking open a beer in the morning after a heavy session the night before but I've kept the habit. I really think there's few worse feelings in the world than when you feel that first drink kicking in, and you realise that you've effectively killed any chance of doing anything useful or even enjoyable with the day.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 64
Trying to quit 
and boy did I underestimate it. This is my 6th night without a drop. Nothing too bad, first few days are like a really bad hangover (guess that explains why a hangover is what it is!). Being shaky and puking and just generally feeling like complete crap. Feeling a lot better now 
and now the hard part begins...temptation. But so far so good. I tried to stop once before and ended up caving after a day and a half 
and getting drunk out of mind a day after that.
Funny how something can creep up on you. I didn't think alcohol meant that much to me, but boy was I wrong.
Hoping to do better this time. To anyone who has done this before, you are ******* amazing!
and boy did I underestimate it. This is my 6th night without a drop. Nothing too bad, first few days are like a really bad hangover (guess that explains why a hangover is what it is!). Being shaky and puking and just generally feeling like complete crap. Feeling a lot better now and now the hard part begins...temptation. But so far so good. I tried to stop once before and ended up caving after a day and a half and getting drunk out of mind a day after that.Funny how something can creep up on you. I didn't think alcohol meant that much to me, but boy was I wrong.
Hoping to do better this time. To anyone who has done this before, you are ******* amazing!
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 861
Congratulations on 6 days sober!
Yes- I underestimated it too. I thought it would be much easier to get sober. Partly, I stay sober because I don't want to have to quit again! And I am starting to enjoy sobriety.
I'm glad you are feeling better physically.
Yes- I underestimated it too. I thought it would be much easier to get sober. Partly, I stay sober because I don't want to have to quit again! And I am starting to enjoy sobriety.
I'm glad you are feeling better physically.
Canine Welfare Advocate
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 10,962
Six days is great. Hang in there. Read about what you can expect and fight off the temptation to relapse...You don't want to have to keep going through the withdrawal cycle. It just gets worse.
A work in progress
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
WB, Leek,
You are over the worst of it. Hang in there--it gets better from here.
Have you checked out AA? I found it helped a lot to be with people who "got" what I was going through.
You are over the worst of it. Hang in there--it gets better from here.
Have you checked out AA? I found it helped a lot to be with people who "got" what I was going through.
Hooligan
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Snowy North-Eastern U.S.
Posts: 321
i understand your story, it hits home pretty hard. It was always fun and games for me, then suddenly it turned into a nightmare when i touched it. And i found the longer you continue drinking the stupider the decisions get. Just keep your head up and push through it
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 160
Leek,
You're a smart guy for recognizing the potential drinking issue AND speaking up about it.
I, myself, may still be in denial but I've been unable to come up with any valid reason why I should drink. It's been 74 days without.
You indicated some of the warning "signs" are applicable to you whereas some may not be. Truly, not everyone becomes an alcoholic. In fact, the percentage, depending upon the cited sources is anywhere between 15 - 20% of people become alcoholics.
To quote the Big Book: "If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely, or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic".
Alcoholism doesn't discriminate by age
You're a smart guy for recognizing the potential drinking issue AND speaking up about it.
I, myself, may still be in denial but I've been unable to come up with any valid reason why I should drink. It's been 74 days without.
You indicated some of the warning "signs" are applicable to you whereas some may not be. Truly, not everyone becomes an alcoholic. In fact, the percentage, depending upon the cited sources is anywhere between 15 - 20% of people become alcoholics.
To quote the Big Book: "If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely, or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic".
Alcoholism doesn't discriminate by age
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