Dee74

Hi ihateit

noone can make you stop drinking, either partially or completely - but the longer you drink the more pronounced the effects on you will be. - not just the sleeping and nightmares but a whole host of other physical and mental stuff as well - that's how this dependency and addiction thing works

I hope you decide to go for no drinking (and no toking) at all.

D

Obladi

This doesn't sound right.
Or like the full picture, maybe.

Did you tell them you wanted a new medication and that was that?
Or did you also tell them that you want to quit and haven't been able to do so and need help?
What suggestions did they make for what you can do?

Drinking/smoking less is not going to help your condition at all. It will only make life worse. In my case, my life spiraled slowly and insidiously out of control. That was true regardless of how much I was imbibing; the obsession to keep using despite clear and convincing evidence that it's a very bad idea for me to continue - that was something I lived with for years. That's it's own special corner of hell, for sure. But it's not the worst it can get. You don't have to go there. You can cancel that trip any time you like.

O

ihateit

thank you for your concern but i haven't been prescribed anything, i'm just saying i've struggled with doctors in the past and it might help now i have a few more years on me and i'm being 100% honest with real people that could potentially do real things for me, im only engaging in telephone appointments at the minute ( over the phone because of covid, bummer), but in time there will be further support for me to access hopefully. like i've said, i'm not trying to cold turkey nor am i trying to taper, i'm just trying to decrease my intake by a marginal amount because it's unsustainable for me and i intend to start work soon, i've actually done pretty well with it some days. i agree, i've already made the decision to stop, i just need outside help with it. i can't wait to get away from it all, awful stuff

biminiblue

I would submit that you can quit without outside (medical) help.

I did it.

Lots of people have, even people in countries which tell you to, "Not Quit because it's dangerous." I really think that keeps a lot of people from doing the hard bit and just quitting. I quit after years of over-indulgence. You can too. I didn't use meds, I didn't go to hospital. I went to meetings and I did a three day taper.

Using the "medical" excuse or believing somehow that they have to do it for you is not the truth. You are more powerful than that and in the end it is up to you to do the right thing, regardless of what anyone else says.

Can you call AA and find a meeting today?

Dee74

The beauty of SR is that our experiences are different.

You'll never hear me advise people to withdraw without medical supervision or at least some professional medical input because my last home alone detox was very dangerous and basically I was lucky to pull through.

The flip side to that is that real effective discernible action is needed to get sober and stay that way.
If you're like most of us, trying to control your drinking is pretty much futile.

I would try and do that and within a few weeks I'd be back at my normal drinking levels and behaviors.

If you want to quit, start quitting. If you need help and guidance get that help and guidance.

Don't wait too long.

The rest of your life is waiting :

D

ihateit

i've tried to both quit AND taper more than a few times and i've never made it more than 2 days, and that was quite a good while ago. you're absolutely right i could do it on my own. i could pour all my drink down the sink and white knuckle it for a week if i really wanted to. but 1. it'd be potentially fatal and 2. i am absolutely incapable of it, with everything else i have happening in my life at the minute especially (not an excuse, i just dont want to go into too much detail at the minute) i'm always trying to have a drink or 2 less a day, i'm always trying to make progress. i'm really glad all that worked out for you, and i'm proud of you for being sober without medical supervision, genuinely, but everyone's different and that's not something i can feasibly do on my own and i've come to accept that after a long time and many attempts.

thank you dee, i absolutely agree i'm not using it as any sort of solution, i'm just trying not to let it get any worse so as to make it easier when i DO actually quit if that makes any sense. its taken me a long time but i've finally made that step and started reaching out to people for support, the first of many steps to be able to live something vaguely worth living.