Vinificent

Thought it would be interesting to share any stories of self injury that have occurred when drinking. You know - something to reference when the little AV starts saying to you it's just one drink...what harm can it do?

I'll start - a couple years ago I was baking a pie while polishing off a bottle of wine. Of course I passed out, only to be awakened by the smoke alarm. So I bolted up from the couch, ran into the kitchen, slid on the tile floor and face planted the marble countertop. Next morning I had a HUGE black eye but kept a doctors appt I had made weeks earlier. She thought I was in a domestic violence situation, noted it in my file, asks me about it every time I go there.

One of these days I will admit to her that I was in an abusive relationship with myself! 😂😂😂

Delizadee

I hurt myself plenty more than I'll ever remember. I did have a solid connection with a wall that did a number on my hand. I didn't go to the Dr because not sure how to explain that one to the Dr. But it took about six weeks for me to able to use my right hand again and for the colours to disappear.

It is worth noting that I am just as clumsy sober as I was drunk. Walking into walls, dropping things, falling up stairs, choking on my spit etcall happen on a daily basis

Fabela

I am not clumsy when I drink, so I don't get injured. But I have on more than one occasion had to go to the ER to get stitches thanks to my wallpaper cutter.

I guess you didn't want to hear those kinds of stories. Sorry.

Jsbodhi

I fell and twisted my ankle so badly I tore two major ligaments, couldn't walk for 2 weeks and 8 months later it's still not healed!!!
I can walk, run on it etc, but I have to wear an ankle brace and it feels weak still.
That was one of my " hasn't happened yet" that happened.

Vinificent

Don't be sorry - stuff happens - sober too!

Vinificent

Jsbodhi thanks for the reminder that what hasn't happened yet likely will happen eventually!
Sorry you are not fully healed but it's a good reminder that you will never regret not drinking.

Delizadee

Fabela that was me too. Usually injuries that occurred to me were the result of superhuman feats I'd try or outright anger. People couldn't usually tell I was drunk unless I was binging and when I hit reverse tolerance, people would think I was drunk when I was more on the sober side.
Other than that I could walk, and conversate straight as an arrow. That was the worst part. Knowing I was half in the bag and others couldn't tell.

And when they could tell, I could tell they could tell. But I didn't care.

I break glasses a lot while sober too. Accidentally. And without fail I always miss one little shard that ends up in my foot.

Jsbodhi

People couldn't tell how drunk I was either most of the time.
But then I just started blacking out all the time and couldn't remember anything.

Acheleus

I have cigarette burn scars from a bad time of daily all day drinking when I was 20. I did self-injure with other things. When I was drunk I fell down stairs. I woke up one morning with a huge cut on my shin. The scar is still there. I am so grateful I do not have to feel that way anymore but I do have scars. They are not too noticeable but they remind me of a time when I did not care about myself at all. It hurts to think of all this.

Jsbodhi

Have burn scars from cooking drunk on wine too.

least

The worst self injury I did to myself was destroying my self respect and self esteem. Fortunately I have regained both since staying sober.

JeffreyAK

I woke up one morning with abrasions on my forehead that are still faintly visible as scars, and a blood spot on my rug. I presume I fell, but I don't remember.

Another time I woke up to find a glass table lamp completely destroyed, glass pebbles in a pile, twisted metal tubes... I presume I fell on it, but I don't remember.

Another time I woke to find a hole in my bedroom wall. Wife told me I got up to go to the bathroom, stumbled back and bashed my head into the wall. That can't be true because I would have felt it the next day (she was drunk too), but I still have no idea how it got there because I don't remember.

Around the house accidents, incidentally, are one of the common ways alcohol addicts die, others being strokes and heart attacks, and organ failures, including obviously liver failure.

Berrybean

One that my partner won't let me forget ... Walking home from the station in a torrential downpour, I decided that the rain wouldn't go in my eyes if I kept them shut and just followed where everyone else was walking by holding my partners arm. They were walking quite fast and I matched their pace, so when I walked into a big old metal lamp post, not only did it really, REALLY hurt, but it also *dong*ed really loudly, causing everyone to look round and see me yowling. Yep. That was my best thinking. Doh.

MesaMan

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Rented a ~24' Ford Motorhome RV outta San Leandro CA; right across the Bay from San Francisco Airport. Dropped off MesaMate in Napa Wine Country. She drank with Gal Pals at a Rented House in some Vineyard. One Gal passed out cold during Dinner into the Guacamole. Meh...

After seeing a College Pal + his Wife nearby, up the CA Coast we went off-peak ~4 Days later. Had wonderful Sea-side Campsites almost to ourselves. Park. Set up. Get Hammered.

So, I'm snoozing and snoring on the Bed up over the Driver's Seat. There's an uber-steep 'Ship's Ladder'-type of Stair to climb down in the middle of the Night while Hammered. I slipped. Caught my Calf on the very sharp side of the Dinette Back; made from Masonite. I'm wondering Why D. Hell are my Feet sticking to the Floor. Flip on a Light. I'm standing in a Family Pizza-sized Pool of my own Blood pulsing out a slit Artery ripped open on the sharp Masonite edge. Alcohol thins Blood. Radically. I'm woozy and bleeding out. Fast.

Via direct pressure, I stop the Blood loss from a ~3" gouge in my Calf. I kinda recall closing the Wound with Duct Tape from under the RV Sink. Then, I get a bunch of Utility Rags, and sop up the Blood. LOTS of it. Rinse out the Rags. Do my 'Business' outside; the reason I clambered down in the first place. MesaMate, sleeping in back, never knew. Woke up with my usual, righteous Hangover. Packed up. Drove on up the Coast. BAC unknown.

Didn't change my Drinking Behavior one bit. This, at age 56. Sobered up at 60.

Almost fatal...
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