I need/want to STOP this madness, and now! I need some help. (1st Post)
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1
I need/want to STOP this madness, and now! I need some help. (1st Post)
Hi all,
This is my first time posting and I would like to give a brief reason why I am here.
I am here because I need a support group to help end my alchoholism. It dawned on me recently that I am an alchoholic and I need to stop for the sake of my health, safety, my future and for those around me who love me.
I never thought of myself as an alchoholic until the last few months. I turn 26 this month and have been drinking heavily for the last 3-4 years. It has gotten progressively worse over time. My family or long-time girlfriend do not know I have this problem. I keep little "stashes" in various places and often feel like I MUST have an alchohol supply near me just in case I need it as I often will get anxiety for various things.
At the present time I drink every day - multiple times a day in most cases. I feel like I need a drink every time I go out somewhere. I even drink before I go do everyday activities. I "pre-drink" before going out with friends. I also can't sleep without a drink. At some point I stopped even getting hangovers unless I consumed massive quantities. It has gotten to the point where I feel imprisoned by alchohol.
I was on a trip this weekend to the beach and drank like crazy. I woke up today hung over - bad nausea, cold sweats, jitters. Usually when this happens I just sleep it off or hell even drink more to cure it. I'm still hung over right now as I type this at 4:30a.m. I haven't been able to sleep all night because of the sweating and nausea. Under normal circumstances I would just throw down a few shots of rum or whiskey or whatever is around and then crash out but I refuse to do it any more.
I tried having a little wine earlier to help me fall asleep but it didnt sit well with me. I can tell it is my body's way of telling me to stop! I can't stand not being able to sleep like a normal person. Every time I feel like I can fall asleep right now I lay down and get the sweats and it is cold and uncomfortable.
Tomorrow will be miserable because I have work and school. This sucks and I know this process will be a struggle because I have thought about cutting back / quitting before but then always go back to my same habits.
Are nights like I am experiencing normal for someone with alchoholism? Have you guys had similar experiences in the past? Also, what are your initial words of advice?
Thank you for any input and I hope this website will help me through this and improve my quality of life. I look forward to your support and hope I can do this.
This is my first time posting and I would like to give a brief reason why I am here.
I am here because I need a support group to help end my alchoholism. It dawned on me recently that I am an alchoholic and I need to stop for the sake of my health, safety, my future and for those around me who love me.
I never thought of myself as an alchoholic until the last few months. I turn 26 this month and have been drinking heavily for the last 3-4 years. It has gotten progressively worse over time. My family or long-time girlfriend do not know I have this problem. I keep little "stashes" in various places and often feel like I MUST have an alchohol supply near me just in case I need it as I often will get anxiety for various things.
At the present time I drink every day - multiple times a day in most cases. I feel like I need a drink every time I go out somewhere. I even drink before I go do everyday activities. I "pre-drink" before going out with friends. I also can't sleep without a drink. At some point I stopped even getting hangovers unless I consumed massive quantities. It has gotten to the point where I feel imprisoned by alchohol.
I was on a trip this weekend to the beach and drank like crazy. I woke up today hung over - bad nausea, cold sweats, jitters. Usually when this happens I just sleep it off or hell even drink more to cure it. I'm still hung over right now as I type this at 4:30a.m. I haven't been able to sleep all night because of the sweating and nausea. Under normal circumstances I would just throw down a few shots of rum or whiskey or whatever is around and then crash out but I refuse to do it any more.
I tried having a little wine earlier to help me fall asleep but it didnt sit well with me. I can tell it is my body's way of telling me to stop! I can't stand not being able to sleep like a normal person. Every time I feel like I can fall asleep right now I lay down and get the sweats and it is cold and uncomfortable.
Tomorrow will be miserable because I have work and school. This sucks and I know this process will be a struggle because I have thought about cutting back / quitting before but then always go back to my same habits.
Are nights like I am experiencing normal for someone with alchoholism? Have you guys had similar experiences in the past? Also, what are your initial words of advice?
Thank you for any input and I hope this website will help me through this and improve my quality of life. I look forward to your support and hope I can do this.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,588
Hi Thirteenth
Yeah everything you said sounds pretty much usual to me - but it's often a good idea to see a doctor if you can. Detox can sometimes be problematic for some of us.
You'll find a lot of support and ideas here - are you looking for face to face support as well?
D
Yeah everything you said sounds pretty much usual to me - but it's often a good idea to see a doctor if you can. Detox can sometimes be problematic for some of us.
You'll find a lot of support and ideas here - are you looking for face to face support as well?
D
Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: The Present
Posts: 425
ThirteenthStep
There are quite a few young people like yourself on this forum who were in pretty desperate straits with their alcohol consumption, who have managed to stop and turn their lives around. The conventional (for me the safest and most effective) strategy if you really want to stop is to see a good doctor, preferably an addicition specialist. Someone gave me this same advice once, and it saved my life.
Good luck!
There are quite a few young people like yourself on this forum who were in pretty desperate straits with their alcohol consumption, who have managed to stop and turn their lives around. The conventional (for me the safest and most effective) strategy if you really want to stop is to see a good doctor, preferably an addicition specialist. Someone gave me this same advice once, and it saved my life.
Good luck!
Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 385
Hi 13th, and welcome.
I agree that it would be prudent to consult a physician before trying to stop drinking. Alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs and one of the few that can actually cause serious harm or even be fatal in the process of withdrawal. Medical attention may be necessary, and medical consultation is advised.
Beyond simply stopping, do you have any plans to stay stopped? My biggest challenge wasn't stopping, but remaining sober over the long term. I needed a plan and lots of support to do that.
Have you given this any thought? While the support you'll find here is extraordinary....and powerful, for me it doesn't eliminate the need for face to face support. there's lots of it available, and it's important to not believe that voice in my head that ever tries to convince me that I can do this on my own.
blessings
zenbear
I agree that it would be prudent to consult a physician before trying to stop drinking. Alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs and one of the few that can actually cause serious harm or even be fatal in the process of withdrawal. Medical attention may be necessary, and medical consultation is advised.
Beyond simply stopping, do you have any plans to stay stopped? My biggest challenge wasn't stopping, but remaining sober over the long term. I needed a plan and lots of support to do that.
Have you given this any thought? While the support you'll find here is extraordinary....and powerful, for me it doesn't eliminate the need for face to face support. there's lots of it available, and it's important to not believe that voice in my head that ever tries to convince me that I can do this on my own.
blessings
zenbear
Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Bali, Indonesia
Posts: 645
Hey ThirteenthStep
I was 27 when I gave up drinking (22 months sober now)
Im not part of an official recovery program apart from SR....
It might seem like youll be missing out on a lot socially, but I can assure you when youre strong enough to revisit 'old' social situations - they wont be as fulfilling as they seemed to be. I still go to bars but you know what, theyre pretty boring after a while. Youll find lots of people here with different beliefs about how to do recovery......just keep posting, its a helpful place to be
I was 27 when I gave up drinking (22 months sober now)
Im not part of an official recovery program apart from SR....It might seem like youll be missing out on a lot socially, but I can assure you when youre strong enough to revisit 'old' social situations - they wont be as fulfilling as they seemed to be. I still go to bars but you know what, theyre pretty boring after a while. Youll find lots of people here with different beliefs about how to do recovery......just keep posting, its a helpful place to be
A work in progress
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
Thirteenthstep (lol, do you know what that means in AA? ),
I know exactly how you feel--I drank the same way you do. Your body is accustomed to keeping a "normal" amount of alcohol in it. You are obviously very physically dependent.
Under these circumstances, a medically supervised detox is by far the safest. Zbear is right, withdrawal can literally kill a person. Heart can stop, seizures can occur. The medical professionals can also administer medications that will make it less painful and difficult.
My suggestion is that you call a detox and make arrangements to go in for at least a short stay. Detoxing will probably take less than a week. Before you leave (or, if you have a friend that can help, while you are in), get rid of ALL the alcohol you have hidden away. Best to get it out of the house entirely.
And my strong recommendation that you either get hooked up with an intensive outpatient program or plan on going to AA or another support group daily for awhile.
Believe me, I know how desperate and hopeless you feel right now. The thing is, you NEVER have to feel this way again. There IS help--take it.
),I know exactly how you feel--I drank the same way you do. Your body is accustomed to keeping a "normal" amount of alcohol in it. You are obviously very physically dependent.
Under these circumstances, a medically supervised detox is by far the safest. Zbear is right, withdrawal can literally kill a person. Heart can stop, seizures can occur. The medical professionals can also administer medications that will make it less painful and difficult.
My suggestion is that you call a detox and make arrangements to go in for at least a short stay. Detoxing will probably take less than a week. Before you leave (or, if you have a friend that can help, while you are in), get rid of ALL the alcohol you have hidden away. Best to get it out of the house entirely.
And my strong recommendation that you either get hooked up with an intensive outpatient program or plan on going to AA or another support group daily for awhile.
Believe me, I know how desperate and hopeless you feel right now. The thing is, you NEVER have to feel this way again. There IS help--take it.
12-Step Recovered Alkie
Join Date: May 2010
Location: West Bloomfield, MI
Posts: 5,797
Yup, yup, yup, I have to agree with everyone above. Stopping in the first place, as absolutely ludicrous and impossible as that may sound, is really a small part of the issue (at least it was for me). I "quit" 100's of times and stayed "quit"......until I changed my mind, got a drink, that turned into another drunk, then I'd start all over again with even MORE guilt, shame, self-disgust, etc etc...
STAYING stopped is key (obviously). I realized that maybe I could quit and maybe even make it last for a while, but it was 100% crystal clear to me that there was NO WAY in hell I was going to be able to do that forever....and it was also obvious to me that I needed to stay stopped forever lest I go back into that crumby cycle again.
Getting a plan is key to staying stopped. Having the compulsion to dink removed is the best way I know but the decision and the path you choose is up to you.
Good luck to you. Admitting there even IS a problem is a huge step.....make sure it wasn't taken in vain - keep moving forward.
STAYING stopped is key (obviously). I realized that maybe I could quit and maybe even make it last for a while, but it was 100% crystal clear to me that there was NO WAY in hell I was going to be able to do that forever....and it was also obvious to me that I needed to stay stopped forever lest I go back into that crumby cycle again.
Getting a plan is key to staying stopped. Having the compulsion to dink removed is the best way I know but the decision and the path you choose is up to you.
Good luck to you. Admitting there even IS a problem is a huge step.....make sure it wasn't taken in vain - keep moving forward.
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