Sorensen

I want to quit so badly but boredom seems to always lead me back to the drink. The last 4 months my drinking has increased greatly, I have been working out of town, so I have been stuck in a hotel room by myself most of the time after work. I usually pick up a 6 pack of tall cans after work and sometimes order up to 4 pints from the hotel bar afterwards. This happens about 2-3 times a week, I usually take the next night off because I don't like to drink again when I'm hungover. The next day I go to work and get a sweat going because I work as a contractor and by the end of the day I am feeling great and want to reward myself with some beers.

It's a cycle I am having a hard time breaking; I am almost done out of town and I am going back home soon to work on a new project.

I have drank the last four nights with last night being the craziest because a friend came over and I drank 11 pints of coors light and 4 shots of vodka... blah

I feel like crap today. I for sure won't drink tonight, tomorrow is the super bowl but I am pretty good about not drinking on Sundays as I have to get up early Monday to drive to work very early... about a 2 hour drive out of town.

So my plan is to stay sober this weekend and approach next week one day at a time.

I am trying to quit Copenhagen snuff as well (again) I quit for over a year not too long ago and started again in August. It fuels my drinking and vice versa. Without the chew I was furthest thing from an alcoholic, I drank maybe once or twice a month and when I did it was 2 beers.

I'm back into the cycle of hell again, I need to break out of it!

Dee74

Hi Sorensen

have you thought about finding more face to face meeting based support?

It might help you to stay focused and committed and help deal with the boredom as well?

abcowboy

Hi Sorensen, I am also in the construction field, have my own business and work long hours. it's when everyone else shuts down for the day and I'm on the job by myself that the AV starts up big time! I just get on my phone and chat a few minutes with one of my AA buddies and I get back on even keel! Dee is right, face to face support is great! I find myself looking forward to my Tuesday evening meetings, and you can bet no matter where you're working, there will be an AA group close by!

Sorensen

I have been to AA before but I have a hard time relating with a bunch of 65 year old men. Have never seen any young people. I am 27 so it would be nice to talk with people face to face in my age range.

abcowboy

I know it's not easy to walk through the meeting doors, I'm up in years in age, but very young as a recovering alcoholic, I got my 2 month coin and figured I had my demon beat, thought 1 beer would be easy..... guess what, 4 beer and a bottle of JD later I knew that I could never touch it again! That was a Monday night, the next night I went to my meeting and gave back my sobriety coins, apologized to my new family, and started over again! That was almost a month ago..... Our group out here in Vermilion is small, most are older, but I don't look at them as old people, I look at them as having the years of experience that is needed to stay sober, and when they share their stories, I always learn from them. Keep going to the different meetings in Edmonton, you'll find a group that has young members as well!

doggonecarl

Maybe the 65-year-old guys get it, and the 27-year-old ones don't.

Taking5

Google is your friend. Specifically "Edmonton Young People in AA". Took me 10 seconds to find it.

Sorensen

I want to explore alternative methods to 12 step programs, I feel like some people think it's the only way.....

doggonecarl

People promote what works for them. For some that's AA. Find what works for you. Just don't keep repeating what doesn't.

bigsombrero

I'd rather sidetrack the whole AA thing here - that's an argument in itself that can take over a thread.

Sounds like you're looking for a way to break this cycle. I was also (in my mind) relatively young when I quit at 36, and hanging out with old people didn't appeal to me either. Of course, nothing about sobriety probably appeals to you - it might sound nice in theory, but what else are you going to do with your time? And how can you quit safely? And how are you going to manage cravings and what the heck is the long term goal here?

The questions I just asked you are exactly why people here are suggesting some kind of help. It's a really challenging road. I drank like you, and I only finally got help when I collapsed into seizures. Sure wish I would have found a better way before that. Sure, AA might not be the answer - but you've got to start somewhere. So answer me this: what are you going to do the next time you get "bored" on Monday and are getting ready to pick up the bottle? If you don't have a plan, then you'll drink, and the cycle will continue...

Taking5

Google is your friend. Specifically "Edmonton Young People in AA". Took me 10 seconds to find it.

You pretty much made comments about not relating to 65 year old men. No mention of not wanting to be 12 stepped. Google is still your friend. Go look for it it will not find you.

2muchpain

I'm on the other side of that coin. I am one of those older folks. Occasionally, mainly for speaker meetings, I will go to a young people meeting. Sometimes I get funny looks why I'm there and not with a baby boomer group but I love the energy and the excitement these young people have about getting and staying sober. I really hope you find a meeting that fits for you, but remember, some of those old folks have been there and done it. I'd still occasionally drop by those meeting if I were you, to pick up some of their wisdom. Good luck.

Sorensen

Good feedback. Last time I quit I did it mostly on my own with some support from my parents but I was successful. I came back to it because I missed the weekend parties, trips out to the bar, football games etc. I had forgot how it impacted my life. Now I am back where I was two years ago. I am high functioning, but I am worried about my health. I was 180 lbs in July and I am now 210. Sure I got promoted to a supervisor so I am in an office a lot more and I eat restaurant food everyday, but a lot of this weight gain is from delicious golden beer. I will miss beer for the rest of my life, there is not a beverage more satisfying.

I am excited to get started, and yes I have a plan.

nicole100

Sorenson...I thought the same thing - that the AA members were too old and wouldn't understand or I would have nothing in common with them, etc. Turns out being in the company of women 10-30 years older than me is teaching me that I don't know everything (like I thought0 and that others have been through the same things I have. It is really working out well. You may be surprised at how much you can relate to a man in their 60's who has gone through recovery.

Good luck!

Sorensen

Regardless of older people being more common at AA, I do not believe in some of their teachings therefore I would prefer to find an alternative method.

I have quit by myself before, I came back to it because I felt too young to quit, I believe now more then ever that it is the best thing for me to stay clean.