therose75

Hi

I'm new to this forum and wanted to share my story and seek advice.

I'm 37 and have been a relatively heavy drinker for most of my adult life.

I've estimated that I'm drinking around 50 units per week. I've managed to 'control' the problem by abstaining for 3 days of the week. Mon, Tues and Wed.

Bizarrely, apart from my alcoholism I am very healthy. I play football twice a week at a decent level which adds up to around 5 hours of pretty intensive exercise. I'm also a vegetarian (eat fish) and eat very well without almost any processed food. I avoid sugary foods.

I've noticed over the years that during my non drinking days I'm pretty miserable and feel a sense of anxiety or craving (similar to nicotine withdrawal or hunger). The only thing that seems to help is exercise - anyone else experienced this?

Usually this feeling starts at roughly 6pm and hangs around until bedtime - which, by the way, is a struggle during those days.

I'm the type of alcoholic that can easily not drink even if there's alcohol in the house. But as soon as I start I really struggle to stop.

I'm not sure I want to stop completely. I would just like to know if there are things I can do to cut down and to reduce the withdrawal symptoms during the days I'm not drinking. Most of my friends are drinking the same as me but don't seem to have the cravings and discomfort I have. However, they smoke so maybe that's filling the void.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

doggonecarl

Welcome to SR.

Fifty units over four days is a lot. You could very well be suffering the anxiety and craving of alcohol dependence.

If you have gotten to this point in your drinking you may find "controlling" it a futile exercise. Why don't you try to quit for a couple months and see how you feel? There's much to be learned in the struggle to stay quit.

Good luck.

therose75

Just to clarify, that's 50 UK units which is apparently 28 US units.

I stopped for one month last year as a test- after the first week is wasn't that difficult. Just missed enjoying a cold beer - the problem is that it was never just the one!

doggonecarl

No off switch. A problem for a lot of us. I found it easier to have none than to have one.

Sounds like you are on that "slippery slope" of alcoholism. You are in a position to get the upper hand by quitting now while you can.

Sobriety, as a goal, gets more difficult as the drinking progresses.

madfatcat

rose75, please be very careful about your decisions at this point in time. I am the same age but female and drink about 90 units a week (10 bottles of wine). My tolerance has doubled in the last two years and I can really feel the effects of the alcohol now - tired, anxious, feeling stupid all the time, memory issues. Be realistic about whether you can be the person who can just have one glass with their meal and think nothing of it. I would say why not take time off alcohol for a manageable period of time - like 10 days and see how you feel. You might just find out that you are not missing it and decide to stay off booze entirely in the future. Take care that the quantities you drink don't creep up, as once your tolerance start increasing you are on a very slippery slope... Stay well