falko89

I've been a binge drinker this past 15/16 years, In that time I only ever drank at the weekends but it was almost every weekend, I'm not a big drinker really about 6/7 beers in a sitting but the issue is it causes me bad anxiety, the following day I darn't leave the house or I have a panic attack, so I need to quit. Problem is what do I do at the weekends without alcohol?

A few beers at the weekend is like my little reward for an other wise crap week in a career I hate, I look forward to my beers all week, they are in fact the highlight of my week sadly. I am in a min wage job so drinking a few take out beers from the off licence on a sat night is really all I can afford,

I want to give up drinking because of the anxiety which seems to be getting worse the older I get but nothing in life really gives me any joy if that makes sense, at the moment I am looking forward to a few beers tonight, take them away what is there to look forward to tonight? Crap TV? after that what is there to look forward to? Back to work next week? and after that? same crap week in week out.

Xune

1) Stop drinking.

2) Visit your Doctor and tell her everything.

3) Eat healthy, sleep well and exercise.

4) Observe positive changes in your mood and health.

Basically, don't put the cart before the horse and be patient.

Boxguy

Let they say in AA "a day at a time". I think you will find once you've quit drinking you will feel healthier and in general happier. It is tough but you can do it.
Maybe try finding other things you can enjoy? I got in debt thanks to my drinking but I'm trying to go out for long walks - something I've found I a fully really enjoy.

Boleo

I had no trouble stopping drinking... Did it hundreds of times. I had trouble staying stopped because it was my major way of finding POMJSOP (peace of mind, joy and sense of purpose). It was not until I found another way to get some serenity in my life, that I was able to stay stopped. Now I use self-appraisal, prayer and meditation to find the POMJSOP that makes sobriety worth having.

Abstinence is not-drinking and feeling bad about it.

Recovery is not-drinking and feeling good about it.

hypochondriac

Welcome to SR Falko

I reckon if you quit for an extended period of time (months not weeks) then you will start to feel more positive about not drinking.

I had horrible anxiety too but I was also a daily drinker who used alcohol to numb every emotion I ever had and also as a coping strategy for everything. It took some time to see the benefits but it became evident that life sober is much more rewarding and fun.

There are loads of free things you can do and plenty more which will still be cheaper than your drinking.

Glad you're here x

digderidoo

You sound like I did, can't live with it, can't live without it. After such a long time drinking, everything from social life to our interests are revolved around drink.

All I can say is that putting down the drink is the best thing that ever happened to me, it opens so many doors. There is so much to do out there without the drink, but its about founding out who you are and what you are about without alcohol that makes you realise what other interests you have.

zjw

Life goes on I drank like a fish day in and day out to deal with every bit of suck in my life. I also drank like a fish day in an dday out to deal with every bit of awesome in my life.

Quiting was painful initially 1 day at a time was the only solution. as time went on i found other things to entertain me and help me maintain my sanity etc.. I also had ions of anxiety and panic attacks a lot of depression etc..

I dont have those issues any more at least no where near the scale that i did. The anxieyt i do have now i attribute to caffine intake if i take that away i'm clear if i put it back in i have some anxiety again. Not really all that bad in comparison to the anxiety i had from drinking.

I also gave it up strictly because the anxiety / panic was too much to handle anymore. It took me a long time to realize drinking did this to an individual. I'm glad i did and happy i was able to lick the habit.

I got 575 days sober now never felt better in my life. I still have obstacles but i'm learning how to handle things now without booze and drugs etc.. I'm getting my health back as well. The day i quit drinking I smoked 2 packs a day as well. I weighed in at 275lbs. I weigh 150lbs now and run 3-6 miles a day etc..

The key is staying the course 1 day at a time make the /right/ choices dont beat your self up and you cant justify taking a detour gotta stay on the right path as time progresses you'll amaze yourself.

Dee74

Hi and welcome back Falko

I drank for 20 years - I did everything with a beer - beer made my nothing life tolerable....but it turned on me, as it must be turning on you.

by the time I quit, you better believe I had no idea what to do to entertain myself or find that joy in my life again.

I think for a while I was so used to finding my fun in a bottle I didn't even realise I was still living my old life...doing nothing - without the bottle - was really boring.

so I started doing things....you don;t need a lot of money - and you'll be saving money from not drinking anyway...

think of the things you're interested in or hobbies you'd like to pursue...if you need to relax, exercise is great...if you need a reward I'm sure you can use some of that saved up cash and buy yourself something cool...

Have patience - things will get better the more you stick to this life change...
and there's support here and a lot of other places for the rough days.

I never regretted my decision, however difficult it seemed at the start.

Quitting drinking is not the end of your life...it's the beginning

D

whiskeyman

Patience is the hard hard part, we all want instant gratification, especially drinkers.
The hardest part for me was when will I be better, oh look it's two days and I am not better, I am gonna drink.

sugarbear1

It doesn't matter how much or how often we drink. What matters is the effect it has on us. Alcohol both solves and creates anxiety. Sometimes it takes years between the two.

Try not drinking that weekend 6 pack. Find activities you enjoy, join team sports (for fun like bowling), get into a hobby or spend quality time with your family.

Figure out what you enjoy and start doing it.

You can stay stopped, too!

Fernaceman

I dunno. Life with alcohol surely wasn't as glamorous as I played it up to be in my head. I really wasn't living. Work, liquor store, drink till blackout drunk, wake up hungover, repeat. Only difference on weekends was no work...doesn't sound too much fun looking back.

Now I spend quality time with people, enjoy their company, have great new friends, exercise and eat right (most of the time). The greatest thing is not dreading the day and I can look at the future as a bright prospect. Sounds a lot better to me.

oakwood

Respectfully snipped and bolded by me for space.

I so get what you're saying, there. Not a lot of joy in my life, either. Honestly, I've found drinking didn't help that situation. In fact it probably made it worse due to the increased depression that drinking causes.

I haven't had a drink since around Thanksgiving and I can't say I now have "joy" in my life. But I will say this - whatever I think and feel now is pure me (whether I like it or not), nothing is masked by alcohol. That makes it all easier to deal with and accept, easier to make a plan to move forward. It is small, incremental steps for me.

falko, don't be afraid of yourself. Spend time with yourself without alcohol. You'll find your way, I'm sure.

zjw

agree with oakwood. you wont give up drinking and the next day the angels will sing and publishers clearing house knocks on your with your large check. I wish it worked like that!! for me the next day was much like any other day. Slowly but surely things improved. I suppose the next day i felt better not much but a little. I just stuck with it and now I can say things are a lot better. But again i didnt win the lottery and life still isnt some cake walk. Do i wanna go back to the drinken ? Nope Things are much better now in many ways.

I know some would say oh whats the sense in quiting if you still got problems etc.. Well for one my problems are no where near as bad. I have many of the same ones too but they dont seem as bad. There not as big and scary. I'm happier for what i have and more content. I'm no longer scared of hitting rock bottom with the booze or terrified of the next booze related problem (panic attack, vomit, mistakes made while drunk, death) etc..