Hello all
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 4
Hello all
I've come to the realization after a 1 week bender I had in Berlin where I drank 5 drinks every day that I have a problem. Berlin was the peak of it, but this has been building for months. It all started when I moved to the Netherlands from my native Canada. I was dealing with the culture shock, but more importantly, the idea that I could get a 24 pack of beer for 3.50 euros ($5!). I'd have people over at my place every day, and we of course, would drink. It started as one drink, but the tolerance built, and it turned to 2, then 3, then 4....
I didn't think I had a problem until I started to cut back and then tried to stop. I was able to stop for 36 hours, but temptation arose again from all of the same people who came over and drank with me. It isn't easy to be serving beer and thinking of all the good times I have had while sipping on a coke. so I drink with them, the 4 drinks every night for 6 months. I haven't had any major problems, I am a functioning alcoholic, and I am a new one (I am only 22) but it is something I am losing control of. I appreciate the guidance and will need your support while I get through the withdrawals. In the mean time, I am going to go on bike rides. It's just that almost everything fun I love to do involves drinking.
I didn't think I had a problem until I started to cut back and then tried to stop. I was able to stop for 36 hours, but temptation arose again from all of the same people who came over and drank with me. It isn't easy to be serving beer and thinking of all the good times I have had while sipping on a coke. so I drink with them, the 4 drinks every night for 6 months. I haven't had any major problems, I am a functioning alcoholic, and I am a new one (I am only 22) but it is something I am losing control of. I appreciate the guidance and will need your support while I get through the withdrawals. In the mean time, I am going to go on bike rides. It's just that almost everything fun I love to do involves drinking.
everything is already ok
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Melbourne Victoria Australia
Posts: 19,793
hi mscott, welcome to SR 
I remember walking down teh street and quitting for the 3rd time that day only to pick up again a few minutes later.
Glad you found us take a look around at the stickies at the top of each forum and keep posting.
Kevin
I remember walking down teh street and quitting for the 3rd time that day only to pick up again a few minutes later.
Glad you found us take a look around at the stickies at the top of each forum and keep posting.
Kevin
Illegitimi Non Carborundum
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Old Home Terra
Posts: 4,272
Welcome to SR! You found the right place...
Its good that you're seeing the progression and tolerance build-up. That alone can be very hard to admit while you're in the middle of it. Its almost as though you "trained" to be a daily drinker, and now you are one.
You say that everything you love to do involves drinking. By the time I finally admitted that I had a problem, almost everything *conscious* that I did involved drinking. Either I was actively engaged in putting some pints down my throat, or I was still hungover from the previous night, or I was thinking about my next drinking bout, or I was asleep. That was pretty much my life at that time, and things like work were there simply to provide money for beer.
I've learned that there are three recognized stages to alcoholism: the early "adaptive" stage; the middle "progressive" stage; and the late "deteriorative" stage... I've also since learned that there are four phases to addiction...
First is the non-addictive phase. For example, people get together for the sake of socialization. Alcohol may or may not be present, and no one really cares either way if it is.
The second phase hits when people get together simply for the sake of drinking. "Watching the game" is the *excuse* to get together and drink. No one really cares about the game. Drinking *is* the activity.
The next phase is characterized by alcohol becoming more embedded in one's life. Beer t-shirts and clothes, modifying your 'fridge to install a beer tap, etc. It has become the central thing. Getting together to drink is about the only "entertainment" activity one does.
The final phase is full addiction. Drinking isn't just the only "entertainment" activity -- it has become the *only* activity, period.
I know for me, at the end there, using alcohol had become my primary "coping mechanism"... I drank if I was happy. I drank if I was sad. I drank if I was bored. I drank to "add something" to whatever I was doing... If I wasn't drinking, then I was thinking about how "good" it would be to *be* drinking, or how miserable I was feeling because of my drinking... If I was awake, then one way or another, I was thinking about beer. It was at the center of my life and the bottle was drinking me.
This didn't happen overnight. It was a steady progression that took years for me. My denial was strong, and protecting my "right to drink" was very important.
Its very good that you are recognizing the progression in yourself, and that you have the courage to be honest about it, to face it and to do something about it *now* before it goes any further, especially as young as you are... I know this sounds trite, but you really do still have your whole life ahead of you. Don't give it to alcohol.
There is so much more to life than the bottle... You are not alone!
Its good that you're seeing the progression and tolerance build-up. That alone can be very hard to admit while you're in the middle of it. Its almost as though you "trained" to be a daily drinker, and now you are one.
You say that everything you love to do involves drinking. By the time I finally admitted that I had a problem, almost everything *conscious* that I did involved drinking. Either I was actively engaged in putting some pints down my throat, or I was still hungover from the previous night, or I was thinking about my next drinking bout, or I was asleep. That was pretty much my life at that time, and things like work were there simply to provide money for beer.
I've learned that there are three recognized stages to alcoholism: the early "adaptive" stage; the middle "progressive" stage; and the late "deteriorative" stage... I've also since learned that there are four phases to addiction...
First is the non-addictive phase. For example, people get together for the sake of socialization. Alcohol may or may not be present, and no one really cares either way if it is.
The second phase hits when people get together simply for the sake of drinking. "Watching the game" is the *excuse* to get together and drink. No one really cares about the game. Drinking *is* the activity.
The next phase is characterized by alcohol becoming more embedded in one's life. Beer t-shirts and clothes, modifying your 'fridge to install a beer tap, etc. It has become the central thing. Getting together to drink is about the only "entertainment" activity one does.
The final phase is full addiction. Drinking isn't just the only "entertainment" activity -- it has become the *only* activity, period.
I know for me, at the end there, using alcohol had become my primary "coping mechanism"... I drank if I was happy. I drank if I was sad. I drank if I was bored. I drank to "add something" to whatever I was doing... If I wasn't drinking, then I was thinking about how "good" it would be to *be* drinking, or how miserable I was feeling because of my drinking... If I was awake, then one way or another, I was thinking about beer. It was at the center of my life and the bottle was drinking me.
This didn't happen overnight. It was a steady progression that took years for me. My denial was strong, and protecting my "right to drink" was very important.
Its very good that you are recognizing the progression in yourself, and that you have the courage to be honest about it, to face it and to do something about it *now* before it goes any further, especially as young as you are... I know this sounds trite, but you really do still have your whole life ahead of you. Don't give it to alcohol.
There is so much more to life than the bottle... You are not alone!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: California
Posts: 358
Thanks for the post, mscott. I really understood what you meant by "It's just that almost everything fun I love to do involves drinking."
That was the case for me before I quit (35 days now), and even these past few weeks, my favorite times have been in bars and restaurants where people are drinking, even if I'm not.
It's making me realize that I have to do more than simply just stop drinking (although in and of itself, this is huge). I have to find other new outlets where I can cope and enjoy myself.
Finding it hard to do in these early stages. Bike riding does work for me as well. Let me know what else you come up with, and I'll do the same.
That was the case for me before I quit (35 days now), and even these past few weeks, my favorite times have been in bars and restaurants where people are drinking, even if I'm not.
It's making me realize that I have to do more than simply just stop drinking (although in and of itself, this is huge). I have to find other new outlets where I can cope and enjoy myself.
Finding it hard to do in these early stages. Bike riding does work for me as well. Let me know what else you come up with, and I'll do the same.
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,502
Hi Mscott,
Welcome to SR and I'm glad you're seeking help for your drinking problem. There is lots of information here and support too, so keep posting.
I like your idea of bike-riding. When I stopped drinking I got back to my habit of walking/hiking a lot and it helped.
Welcome to SR and I'm glad you're seeking help for your drinking problem. There is lots of information here and support too, so keep posting.
I like your idea of bike-riding. When I stopped drinking I got back to my habit of walking/hiking a lot and it helped.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 4
Alcoholism runs in my family. It skipped a few generations. My grandmas siblings (all 6 of them) were all alcoholics, my grandma wasn't, but that doesn't mean the genes weren't there. My dad skipped it too, but the genes are still there. Most of these uncle are in their 70s, and all of them have cleaned up, but I have heard the stories, and had always worried about the Irish in me coming to haunt me. I am only 4 days into this detox, and the temptation was there. I almost broke down last night when I grabbed a beer, but right before I downed it I drained it, and then the entire case down the drain. It felt so good doing that. It'll be good when I get back to Canada, the land of 12 packs costing $25. It
Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Europe
Posts: 1,361
heya mscott,
Im from the Netherands too and i sorta understand ur problems about our little country. Not only drinks are cheap, but everything that can be harmfull. Weed, XTC, Coke, booze u name it. Therefor it is really important to stay in control, and that includes the people we hang with (i'm 24), I had a lot of stoner friends go, because they did not understand my problems, or they just did not care.
take care,
Im from the Netherands too and i sorta understand ur problems about our little country. Not only drinks are cheap, but everything that can be harmfull. Weed, XTC, Coke, booze u name it. Therefor it is really important to stay in control, and that includes the people we hang with (i'm 24), I had a lot of stoner friends go, because they did not understand my problems, or they just did not care.
take care,
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 4
Really I am not feeling too bad about avoiding the drink, it's just this persistent headache that I have got that is driving me crazy. Tylenol isn't an option, my liver has already had enough, nor would it work anyways.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: austin, texas
Posts: 11
hello mscott,
thanks for your post. i know exactly how you feel. there isn't that much to do that doesn't involve drinking. i wish you the best with detoxing. be careful though. i know all about those dt's and they are not fun. take care
thanks for your post. i know exactly how you feel. there isn't that much to do that doesn't involve drinking. i wish you the best with detoxing. be careful though. i know all about those dt's and they are not fun. take care
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