Alec

Hi, I came across this website and have found it extremely helpful in learning about overcoming withdrawal symptoms. I am in my mid 30's and had been binge drinking/drugging very consistently since 14 years old. I always thought because I could stop during the week that I wasn't an addict/alcoholic. I recently learned otherwise. I had gotten laid off recently and forced myself to stay clean until I got a job. I suddenly realized I was sleeping much better and my mood and overall health was much better. I think not wanting to admit it, I equated it to taking vitamins which I was also doing. Nevertheless, I started drinking/drugging again and needless to say my overall health slowly began to decline. I thought maybe it was just the alcohol I had a problem with, so I quit the drinking and just smoked pot. Sure enough after a while I figured out that wasn't going to work for me either. Anyway, since my initial more-than-a-week detox, I have had three other detoxes (I am 60 hours into one right now) and must say that I now notice the withdrawal symptoms much more than I have previously. Mostly for me, it is extreme irritibility, anxiety, insomnia, hot flashes and cold sweats. Initially I thought I might have diabetes due to the hot flashes but have since realized that is not the case. I am hoping they diminish within the next few days because functioning at work is proving to be a challenge and I want to keep my job. I joined this site because I just recently relapsed and am looking for support as I DO NOT want to fall off the wagon again. I hadn't had a drink since November 2010 (it's May 2011) and didn't plan on it but made the mistake of going to my cousin's bachelor party. Try going to a bachelor party and not drinking.. I lasted about 30 minutes into it. Any words of wisdom would be GREATLY appreciated.. Thanks!!!!

Dee74

Hi Alec

I think it's always a good idea to consider seeing a Dr - detox can be tricky sometimes.

As far as staying sober goes - I found I had to change a lot of things about my life...I had to pass on things like bachelor parties and the like for a while because I didn't have the knowledge, the skills, or the strength to say no.

They all came to me eventually, with some work - but I had to learn to walk before I could run, ya know?

You'll find a lot of support here - are you thinking face to face support like AA or SMART or some other recovery group too?

the more support the better is my advice

Welcome aboard
D

OklaBH

Welcome! You will find immeasurable support here! Lots of us (like me) have fallen off the wagon. Just jump back on. That is my only advice for relapses! They make you realize real fast what you dont want (sickness, depression, dry skin, red skin, alcohol odor, paranoid thoughts)

petiot

I've been binge drinking since my mid twenties, I too have a difficult time stopping. I think the longest I've been without drinking in the past 6 years was maybe 8 days. Here recently I can't seem to go more than 48 hours without drinking or binge drinking.

I hope you can give it up....I'm right there with you and I really want to break this pattern as well.

Lipitor

Alec....my name is Lip.. Im a long term sufferer..I have appreciated a bit of reprieve in the last few weeks......May I just give you a hint of who to listen to ?

Not me.

Dee74 has many words of wisdom

PM a guy called reggiewayne his a bit of a yoda..

Anna is also lovely

Emeraldrose is great

Reset....has alot of good stuff and great advice

New wings....is a very wise person

Bikeguy75 also has his **** together.

Lafemme is the most empathetic person ive ever chatted with

Ring....is definitely worth talking to


They are the people that helped me

Im here if you need to chat....but im not that good at long term recovery ...im just a day to day bloke..

take care

I believe in you

hang in

dont be discouraged

and bugger the consequences ...

If you dont drink....there are NO consequences..

Kind regards
my friend

L

Lipitor

one person I forgot....OKlaBH...is a person with their head screwed on quite well...

consider every post they put on your thread...

kind regards again

from the kangaroo dodging , koala hugging, wild pig avoiding bloke from down under

L

IamAlcoholic

Hi Alec,

I'm only 48hrs sober myself after a huge binge session last weekend. It resulted in me drinking solidly for two days straight and falling down some stairs on to the pavement.

The next day I found this site and have been comforted in the fact that I am not alone.

I am 33 and have been binging for a long time as well. I too never considered myself and alcoholic but the definition is much different from what I thought. When it starts affecting your life and the ability to function like a normal person, that's when you know you have a problem.

I hope you can find some good advice on this site and know that we're all here in a similar boat.

Bikeguy

Every bachelor party needs a sober driver, actually every party of any kind involving alcohol needs one. Next time step up and volunteer, you might be surprised how much fun you can have NOT drinking, not to mention how good you will feel the next morning.

least

Welcome to the family. I hope we can support you in your sober journey. I've gotten so much support here and it's really helped me in the last 17 months.

farmer

This where treatment really helps. Yes it is expensive but we are talking about your life. We can die from our disease but we don't have to. At the least you need a good sponsor and AA every day maybe two or there times a day. I met a guy who did 500 meetings in 4 months. 90 meetings in 90 days is a good start. You have to attend all of the local groups before you find the right group and the person who might be your sponsor. Mine has 20 years sobriety and lives in AA to keep him sober. I got his name in treatment. It takes days and weeks and months to get away from the pain and foggy brain. A good doctor and treatment center can help ease the pain. You have to want sobriety more than anything on earth and admit you are powerless over your disease and that your life is unmanageable, will become much more unmanageable if you use and will eventually kill you early. It's that serious but it is not our fault, our genetic code. We can accept it and deal with it or let it run and ruin our lives. I am trying to and not much farther along in sobriety than you are but I know we can do it if we really want it. I have to change everything in my life that kept me drinking and deal with every emotion when it pops up. This is where a sponsor and AA really help. The rooms are filled with people like us who have years of wisdom and a desire to help us because it helps them.

Best Wishes.

Alec

I'm just past 72 hours and am feeling better. Still having the hot flashes, but the anxiety is on the decline. I know it is only going to continue to get better at this point. My motivation to stay sober is remembering how great I felt when I stayed sober. It is so nice to have such a support group, I am so glad I joined. Thank you all for your very kind words and support. Thank you Thank you!!!!

EmeraldRose

Welcome Alec. Glad you're here.
That's awesome that you didn't drink from November till May. I consider that a good stretch. I'm only 100+ days in coming off a 30 year binge. But I understand the dissapointment in yourself for letting yourself go back to your old ways. So you know it can be done, you know your heart is in it and you know you want it more than anything, right? Glad you are starting over. This is a great place for support.
And just one word of advice...stay away from bachelor parties!
Wishing you peace and strength.

artsoul

Glad you're starting to feel better. Welcome to the forum!

littlefish

AA is faith based and suggests that once we quit drinking, we seek a spiritual solution for our problems.
I use AA as a program because it is very accessible, meetings everywhere, my sponsor doesn't charge a fee to give me the best psych advice I have ever found, (she has a degree in psychiatry though she has chosen another occupation), and I have found new friends in AA. And I can define "God" anyway I want in AA.

I like AA because it is like McDonald's: you get the same hamburger no matter where you are. You should get the same meeting no matter where you are, and I have found that to be true about 99% of the time.

That said, AA is not the only way. Even my sponsor says that: AA is not for everyone.
So, there is Smart, there is the Minnesota method, there are lots of outpatient and inpatient programs just waiting for you to sign up.

It sounds like you are in the phase of needing a little structure and support, so maybe more AA meetings and getting a sponsor would be in order, or if you would like something else than AA, then follow the guidelines of another program.
Fantastic job on your sobriety and keep coming back to SR!

FNB3

Lipitor, I'm insulted! jk...

OP, it's amazing how the min works. I found it really easy to quit during the week or even months when I had it in the back of my mind that I would get to use again soon. I swear I never had any withdrawals until I had decided that I was done with using.