pleasehelpmeout

Hi guys,

I feel very ashamed. Six months ago I came on this forum needing help. I had been drinking every single day for 3+ years. With the help of all of you, I went 7 days sober. It was wonderful. I was starting to have a clear head. Then, I slipped. I went back to drinking "just a few beers" to now, six months later, here I am again, drinking every single night. I have a few beers in the evening, and then around 9 or 10pm, I make my whiskey and coke or my vodka and orange juice. I tell myself it's "okay to just have a few." Sad thing is, I'm putting at least 2 shots in a glass, so a "few" is more like "four or five."

This has to stop.

Every morning I am waking with a headache. I can't think properly. I get agitated very, very easily (I assume that's from the alcohol?)...I have no patience.

Well, just wanted to share...I need some support. And I know you guys are great at that.

My name is Frank, by the way. Please help me out. I know I can do this with your support.

What's the very first step I should take?


EDIT: I also wanted to add - another reason I drink so late is because it helps me sleep. The few nights that I've gone with just one beer or simply nothing, I'm wired. Even on a few days I went for a two-mile run and I STILL cannot get to sleep without the alcohol. Any suggestions? I've tried the exercise methods, tried melatonin, no caffeine after 2pm, etc. Also tried prescription meds but quickly got off of those because of the dangers. Any natural methods that you guys know of? :/

freethinking

Are you open to going to an AA meeting? Being around other (recovering) alcoholics is the best medicine for me.

pleasehelpmeout

I really don't want to. I know that sounds like "well, if you don't want to help yourself then what the heck..."

I have a pretty serious fear of being around a bunch of people and discussing my problems. I'm also extremely emotional and would rather not be crying around everyone, haha. I was reading that alcohol increases estrogen levels. so. guess that's why I'm always teary eyed over little things. O.o

jazzfish

Stop drinking.

Your story sounds a lot like mine, except I kept drinking "just one more night" for another 25 years. Eventually, the excessive alcohol intake will give you the worst insomnia you have ever known. You will wake up at 2am either still drunk, hungover, or both, with full knowledge that you will not be going back to sleep until about 45 minutes before you need to get to work.

So the first step is to stop drinking and give your body some time to heal. Normal sleep will return soon.

pleasehelpmeout

This is actually what I do, most of the time. I end up waking at around 4AM and then don't fall back asleep until around 5:30, then have to get up at 7:30.

freethinking

Aw, I'm sorry.

How about trying something like Rational Recovery? I tried that and it definitely helped me for a period of time (I eventually slipped though and decided to do AA...but that's not to say Rational Recovery doesn't work).

pleasehelpmeout

I have never heard of that. I will look into it, thank you

freethinking

No problem!

Here is a thread that you might find helpful:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...questions.html

(I believe AVRT stands for Addictive Voice Recognition Technique)

hopeful4

I know it seems like the alcohol helps you sleep, and it may help you initially fall asleep. However it is proven that alcohol disrupts your sleep patterns.

Have you tried to read at night? Sounds corny if you are not a reader, but I am and have read every night before bed for years. It does make me relax, detatch and wind down for sleep.

Good Luck!

KateL

If I can't sleep, I write til I'm fit to drop. I know that's no use to someone who has to be up early. But drinking actually doesn't give you a beneficial, natural sleep anyway, hence the headaches. I wish you luck and hope you can find some answers here xxxx

pleasehelpmeout

Just ordered "the art of AVRT"

dwightwin

Hi Frank,

My initial sober period only lasted about a week as well, which is when my inner voices said "hey you went a whole week..time to reward yourself"....I'm currently on just a month....you really gotta distract yourself, I find eating something hearty/healthy really or coming here to sr helps kill the cravings. if ya got one, load up your ipod/iphone with music or podcasts and go for a walk, bike ride, etc...Not gonna lie to you this past month has been rough for me and will be rough for you: insomnia, depression, not feeling any joy, anxiety etc BUT knowing you're not alone, (reading posts on sr, etc) and knowing that what your feeling is normal as your body slowly, slowly returns to a normal, healthy status is very helpful. I also am not doing AA or anything, just not my thing, and I'm only at a month BUT i am starting to feel a bit better, more myself, more optimistic...you can do it bud.

TigerLili

Not being able to sleep isn't the end of the world, and it will eventually pass when you stop drinking.

In the interim, some things to try are listening to guided meditations and special relaxation music while you're lying in bed, unable to sleep. THe less you stress about not being able to sleep, the more likely you are to sleep. Make sure your bedroom is quite dark - excluding as much light and sound as possible will help you sleep. Try earplugs or a white noise machine if surrounding noise/sounds keeps you awake.

There are also 'sleep symphonies' designed to help you get to sleep.

huntingtontx

I drink herbal teas at night. Sleepy time is sold everywhere. It just helps you relax. When I first stopped drinking I used sleep meditation music, sometimes guided. You can find it on utube for free. It really helped. The longer you go without alcohol, the better your sleep will be, and no waking up in the middle of the night. Good luck and don't give up. We are all here for you.

pleasehelpmeout

dwight,

thanks for the info and the support. congratulations on your one month mark. stay strong yourself and keep in touch. I'll add you as a friend

pleasehelpmeout

My room is very dark and I sleep with a fan, actually. I have for a really, really long time haha. I know not sleeping isn't the end of the world. Still really hard though because I have my children to cater to in the morning which is rough without sleep

but you are right. this too shall pass

pleasehelpmeout

Thank you

JustSarah

Hey Frank - I don't know which country you're in but you could try some herbal sleeping pills to help you sleep initially - they sell 'nytol' over the counter in the UK and they really helped me initially. I used to drink out of boredom / to help me sleep - actually I had a million excuses to drink - and my intake was increasing daily, but mainly I'm a binger. Not pretty!

Kudzu (you can buy it online) also helps stave off alcohol cravings.

Keep posting and reading on SR too - it's amazing for support - you can do this xx

pleasehelpmeout

Thanks Sarah

Looks like nytol is only sold over the counter in UK and canada (according to wikipedia at least). But drugs.com does say that it's available in the US, so...hmm. I'll hit up a pharmacy this evening to find out. Looks like it could be promising. and thanks for the info on kudzu, I had never heard of that before.

JustSarah

I'm sure there will be something like our Nytol at your pharmacy - I found they helped me relax at night and then I slept like a log - they were a real help in the early days - I was told about kudzu on this site too actually - I wish you all the best - it's not easy, especially with the demands of children added in - my 2 drive me crackers

Good luck - you can do this xx