So Frustrated Right Now
Recovered from Hopeless State
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 2,156
Originally Posted by CaptainWhip 
Alcohol was great at first but now it's gonna kill me. I'm gonna stop today and use the benzos for help.
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Originally Posted by CaptainWhip
First of all sorry Sudz No More for offending you.
It has been a long hot day and I'm exhausted. Saw my therapist. Mentioned if I should just stop and as expected he said it's not a good idea and told me about the bad stuff that can happen. We talked for a while, then he moved on to make a tapering plan that lasted two weeks. I did not like it at all. I said I want to stop drinking full stop, I'm sick of it. I mentioned stopping fully and detoxing my self in the past. Told him I have the benzos to help.
He was very understanding and said at the end of day it's your choice. He said I cant recommend it because of NHS policy but off the record if you think you can do it with the benzos it's up to you. I told him i am adament to do it and the benzos will help. He gave me some off the record advice and that he will be calling me everyday to check up on me. He said any sign of problems I should get help immediately. He's a really good guy and I feel like I don't want to let him down.
The liver test at the clinic isn't going to happen. I'm going to my GP to get that done. Also I am going to look into groups that I can go to for help. I don't know much about AA and have heard opposing views about it but maybe I will try it out.
I'm still scared about going through treatment and this whole process, but I can't live like this any more. Alcohol was great at first but now it's gonna kill me. I'm gonna stop today and use the benzos for help.
It has been a long hot day and I'm exhausted. Saw my therapist. Mentioned if I should just stop and as expected he said it's not a good idea and told me about the bad stuff that can happen. We talked for a while, then he moved on to make a tapering plan that lasted two weeks. I did not like it at all. I said I want to stop drinking full stop, I'm sick of it. I mentioned stopping fully and detoxing my self in the past. Told him I have the benzos to help.
He was very understanding and said at the end of day it's your choice. He said I cant recommend it because of NHS policy but off the record if you think you can do it with the benzos it's up to you. I told him i am adament to do it and the benzos will help. He gave me some off the record advice and that he will be calling me everyday to check up on me. He said any sign of problems I should get help immediately. He's a really good guy and I feel like I don't want to let him down.
The liver test at the clinic isn't going to happen. I'm going to my GP to get that done. Also I am going to look into groups that I can go to for help. I don't know much about AA and have heard opposing views about it but maybe I will try it out.
I'm still scared about going through treatment and this whole process, but I can't live like this any more. Alcohol was great at first but now it's gonna kill me. I'm gonna stop today and use the benzos for help.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 182
The way it works here is that when you see a doctor they refer you to an alcohol clinic. Then the alcohol clinic refers you to appropriate help. I was taken to an organisation by a friend that offers one to one support in the form of basic counselling. They sent me to the alcohol clinic who sent me to therapy where I am now. I will see a doctor for a full medical and be frank with them, but I've already gone through the channels that the doctor would have sent me to.
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 182
Originally Posted by ScottFromWI
You mentioned yesterday that you were going to come clean with your GP today after the lab results came back. I would suggest that you make that phone call now just so he is aware as well, it sounds like you are getting some questionable advice from your therapist. At the very least he needs to know that you are stopping today so that he can make sure the prescriptions you have are appropriate.
My therapist does know I'm stopping today and he knows I have 1 mg diazepam, and that's what they prescribe over here in the UK for alcohol withdrawal.
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 10,912
EndGame, would you elaborate on this more?
I find this disturbing. A psychiatrist can recommend a tapering type of detox, while a therapist could be sued for doing the same? How does it work in practical terms, then? I thought in quite a few cases a patient would see both a psychiatrist and a therapist. If they are dissonant in their methods, where does that lead to?
Originally Posted by EndGameNYC
I don't know how it's different over there, but your therapist shouldn't be either condoning or recommending a tapering regimen, unless he's a psychiatrist.
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Originally Posted by CaptainWhip
The way it works here is that when you see a doctor they refer you to an alcohol clinic. Then the alcohol clinic refers you to appropriate help. I was taken to an organisation by a friend that offers one to one support in the form of basic counselling. They sent me to the alcohol clinic who sent me to therapy where I am now. I will see a doctor for a full medical and be frank with them, but I've already gone through the channels that the doctor would have sent me to.
EndGame
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 4,677
Originally Posted by haennie
EndGame, would you elaborate on this more?
I find this disturbing. A psychiatrist can recommend a tapering type of detox, while a therapist could be sued for doing the same? How does it work in practical terms, then? I thought in quite a few cases a patient would see both a psychiatrist and a therapist. If they are dissonant in their methods, where does that lead to?
I find this disturbing. A psychiatrist can recommend a tapering type of detox, while a therapist could be sued for doing the same? How does it work in practical terms, then? I thought in quite a few cases a patient would see both a psychiatrist and a therapist. If they are dissonant in their methods, where does that lead to?
In consultation with a psychiatrist or other MD, a therapist is on solid ground in participating in the detox regimen. On his or her own, however, (and knowing that the patient will not consult with an MD) recommending either tapering or an at-home medical detox is beyond the purview of their legal competency.
If the patient follows the therapist's recommendations -- again with the therapist fully aware that the patient is not and will not be consulting with an MD -- and something goes wrong in the detox, then the therapist is thereby legally liable for the consequences that the patient may have suffered.
Recovered from Hopeless State
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 2,156
Originally Posted by CaptainWhip
My therapist does know I'm stopping today and he knows I have 1 mg diazepam, and that's what they prescribe over here in the UK for alcohol withdrawal.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 11,426
I'm glad you are ready to quit CW--please let your GP know if you are stopping cold turkey just as back up.
My last detox was very scary and I didn't know how dangerous it could be.
That's how I found SR actually--Googling for severe detox reactions.
Please take care and keep posting so we know you are OK
My last detox was very scary and I didn't know how dangerous it could be.
That's how I found SR actually--Googling for severe detox reactions.
Please take care and keep posting so we know you are OK
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 182
I should just say my therapist did not encourage detoxing alone. He was pushing me towards tapering. With the NHS you have 3 options: detox in hospital, detox at home under supervision or tapering. He kept asking me are you sure this is what you want to do? Its only after he knew how adamant I was that he gave me advice on how to stay safe because obviously he cares about my well being.
EndGame
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 4,677
Originally Posted by haennie
EndGame, would you elaborate on this more?
I find this disturbing. A psychiatrist can recommend a tapering type of detox, while a therapist could be sued for doing the same? How does it work in practical terms, then? I thought in quite a few cases a patient would see both a psychiatrist and a therapist. If they are dissonant in their methods, where does that lead to?
I find this disturbing. A psychiatrist can recommend a tapering type of detox, while a therapist could be sued for doing the same? How does it work in practical terms, then? I thought in quite a few cases a patient would see both a psychiatrist and a therapist. If they are dissonant in their methods, where does that lead to?
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