Just got out of the hospital, ready to become sober
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Iowa
Posts: 25
Just got out of the hospital, ready to become sober
Hello everyone, my name is Peter.
Like the thread title says, I was just discharged from the hospital this afternoon. Last Saturday night I continued my nearly nightly ritual of binge drinking by breaking into a 12 bottle pack of beer (after I had drank about an entire bottle of wine earlier). I remember about half a dozen of those beers before I blacked out. When I started regaining consciousness, I realized that I was in the emergency room. Well, it turns out that during my blackout I had had a seizure. I have no history of epilepsy, so it's pretty safe to say that the alcohol was the culprit. My wife found me at about 5AM Sunday morning lying in my own waste and called 911. My binge drinking has been going on for about 6 months and had been gradually getting worse with each passing day. Considering these recent events I can definitely say that I've reached rock bottom. Sorry about the rant, it just really seems to help to talk about it.
While I was recovering in the hospital, I was amped about getting help. Counselng, AA, church, etc. But when I got home, it suddenly got real. I was no longer in the safety of the hospital, I was out in the real world again. Every other thought that went through my mind was along the lines of "good God, could I use some scotch." I came close to having a panic attack. I think the only thing getting me through this ordeal is the support of my loving wife whom I can only thank God for being here with me. Anyways, I guess what I'm trying to say is that it was really easy to talk about getting help while I was in the hospital, but now since I'm out definitely looking to be a whole lot harder than what I had anticipated.
So...
What can I do? I looked at AA's website and found all of the meetings in my area, but there are so many. How do I know which one is right for me? I am a twenty-four year old by the way. How much should I rely on the support of my wife? I know that she's more than eager to help, but what if I start to depend so much on her that it might actually harm her or our relationship? Is that even possible? I'm just super overwhelmed right now and could really use a helpful nudge towards the direction of sobriety.
Anyway, sorry about the novel just now. Thank you in advance for any wisdom you have for me.
Like the thread title says, I was just discharged from the hospital this afternoon. Last Saturday night I continued my nearly nightly ritual of binge drinking by breaking into a 12 bottle pack of beer (after I had drank about an entire bottle of wine earlier). I remember about half a dozen of those beers before I blacked out. When I started regaining consciousness, I realized that I was in the emergency room. Well, it turns out that during my blackout I had had a seizure. I have no history of epilepsy, so it's pretty safe to say that the alcohol was the culprit. My wife found me at about 5AM Sunday morning lying in my own waste and called 911. My binge drinking has been going on for about 6 months and had been gradually getting worse with each passing day. Considering these recent events I can definitely say that I've reached rock bottom. Sorry about the rant, it just really seems to help to talk about it.
While I was recovering in the hospital, I was amped about getting help. Counselng, AA, church, etc. But when I got home, it suddenly got real. I was no longer in the safety of the hospital, I was out in the real world again. Every other thought that went through my mind was along the lines of "good God, could I use some scotch." I came close to having a panic attack. I think the only thing getting me through this ordeal is the support of my loving wife whom I can only thank God for being here with me. Anyways, I guess what I'm trying to say is that it was really easy to talk about getting help while I was in the hospital, but now since I'm out definitely looking to be a whole lot harder than what I had anticipated.
So...
What can I do? I looked at AA's website and found all of the meetings in my area, but there are so many. How do I know which one is right for me? I am a twenty-four year old by the way. How much should I rely on the support of my wife? I know that she's more than eager to help, but what if I start to depend so much on her that it might actually harm her or our relationship? Is that even possible? I'm just super overwhelmed right now and could really use a helpful nudge towards the direction of sobriety.
Anyway, sorry about the novel just now. Thank you in advance for any wisdom you have for me.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 859
Good luck.
Great you have a supportive wife.
The time will pass and it will get easier.
Here is a very helpful place.
I'm from the UK but someone will be along who knows more about things for you.
AA is good for many people.
John.
Great you have a supportive wife.
The time will pass and it will get easier.
Here is a very helpful place.
I'm from the UK but someone will be along who knows more about things for you.
AA is good for many people.
John.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,435
Hi CorgiDad
I'm not an AA member but you could always call the local AA office and talk to someone - or just head for the nearest soonest meeting and see what you think
You'll find a lot of support here too
D
I'm not an AA member but you could always call the local AA office and talk to someone - or just head for the nearest soonest meeting and see what you think
You'll find a lot of support here too
D
Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,422
Hey dude, and welcome to SR
I'm not AA either, but you will definitely get a lot of responses and guidance from them, so keep this thread awake. It's always a bit quiet this time of day, cos most of America's asleep, and Europe's supposed to be at work :P
(Dee's let off - Australia must be ready for tea by now heh heh.)
As for panicking about the load your wife can bear, why not talk to her about that? We're little, but we can handle more than you think, and generally speaking if we know what's goin on in those crazy men brains we can help. Isn't that how you would feel if the tables were turned?
...and stop feeling superoverwhelmed. (awesome phrase btw, even better as one word. I am going to steal this, I hope you don't mind...) Yeah, this is big, but you're not going to deal with it all in one go, you're going to do it in little chunks. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
You've taken the first bite, deciding to clean up. Cool.
Finding the right meeting was too hard, so you came here. Double cool.
Now sit back and wait for the AAers to spot your thread. I promise, you will have a lot of people ready to guide you through that - they are zealous in the very best sense of the word
And... breathe. You're okay. Keep posting
I'm not AA either, but you will definitely get a lot of responses and guidance from them, so keep this thread awake. It's always a bit quiet this time of day, cos most of America's asleep, and Europe's supposed to be at work :P
(Dee's let off - Australia must be ready for tea by now heh heh.)
As for panicking about the load your wife can bear, why not talk to her about that? We're little, but we can handle more than you think, and generally speaking if we know what's goin on in those crazy men brains we can help. Isn't that how you would feel if the tables were turned?
...and stop feeling superoverwhelmed. (awesome phrase btw, even better as one word. I am going to steal this, I hope you don't mind...) Yeah, this is big, but you're not going to deal with it all in one go, you're going to do it in little chunks. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
You've taken the first bite, deciding to clean up. Cool.
Finding the right meeting was too hard, so you came here. Double cool.
Now sit back and wait for the AAers to spot your thread. I promise, you will have a lot of people ready to guide you through that - they are zealous in the very best sense of the word
And... breathe. You're okay. Keep posting
So it goes
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Manchester UK
Posts: 1,620
Hi Corgi dad
Each AA group is made up of people exactly like you. They may have arrived into the meeting from the boardroom, or the gutter, be a young man or a sweet silver haired old lady, but they have one thing in common, they have a problem with drink, and want to solve it
Choose a meeting near you if you want, it will have people from your area in. If that doesnt suit choose another. You will soon find one where you feel at home (probably the first you attend, because of paragraph one)
Stick around SR, there are lots of people like you. I used to drink one to two bottles of wine a day, and used to pass out on the sofa. Going to AA and using SR gave me the strength to stop, the tools are out there , use them
Each AA group is made up of people exactly like you. They may have arrived into the meeting from the boardroom, or the gutter, be a young man or a sweet silver haired old lady, but they have one thing in common, they have a problem with drink, and want to solve it
Choose a meeting near you if you want, it will have people from your area in. If that doesnt suit choose another. You will soon find one where you feel at home (probably the first you attend, because of paragraph one)
Stick around SR, there are lots of people like you. I used to drink one to two bottles of wine a day, and used to pass out on the sofa. Going to AA and using SR gave me the strength to stop, the tools are out there , use them
Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 282
Hi there, I looooove your pic!! Your pooch looks just like my boy! I've been sober 8 weeks and he loves it as his walks have gone from 30 mins to 60 mins plus an hour at the dog park! Helps to be out the house in the late arvo.
For me it took a month of pure determination! It was possibly the hardest thing ivd ever done but it's gotten a lot easier. The natural highs are stronger, better and more often too. I started seeing an addiction counsellor, have been to a few AA meetings and read on these forums daily.
All the best Corgidad! U are so lucky to have the support of your wife as do I my husband. I was completely honest with him about everything. We are becoming closer and closer again the longer I'm away from drinking. Good on u for getting help now and not before it is too late. Once u get thru the first month it is so much easier!
For me it took a month of pure determination! It was possibly the hardest thing ivd ever done but it's gotten a lot easier. The natural highs are stronger, better and more often too. I started seeing an addiction counsellor, have been to a few AA meetings and read on these forums daily.
All the best Corgidad! U are so lucky to have the support of your wife as do I my husband. I was completely honest with him about everything. We are becoming closer and closer again the longer I'm away from drinking. Good on u for getting help now and not before it is too late. Once u get thru the first month it is so much easier!
instant
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 5,711
Corgidad welcome to SR. I don,t go to AA but I read the big book several times and did the online course at rational recovery. There are some SMART Tools that are also useful to me. The is info about these things on the site.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Iowa
Posts: 25
DoinThis
I'm sure my corgis (I have another one too, a black headed tricolor) are thrilled about me getting sober too. When I started panicking earlier today, I left the house to go for a walk and get some fresh air. I took my corgis with me and we had a good one hour long walk. I haven't seen them that happy in a long time and my anxiety really subsided. Ya know, I think I found a good outlet to control urges.
I'm sure my corgis (I have another one too, a black headed tricolor) are thrilled about me getting sober too. When I started panicking earlier today, I left the house to go for a walk and get some fresh air. I took my corgis with me and we had a good one hour long walk. I haven't seen them that happy in a long time and my anxiety really subsided. Ya know, I think I found a good outlet to control urges.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,422
Originally Posted by DoinThis 
U are so lucky to have the support of your wife as do I my husband. I was completely honest with him about everything. We are becoming closer and closer again the longer I'm away from drinking.
B0llocks
He was amazing, said he hadn't realised how I was feeling, and stopped drinking too to support me through it. What a gem. Am on day 24 now, thanks especially to BillyPilgrim and KellyToronto (thanks guys...) and am stronger every day.BTW, DoinThis, my H = melbourne, says this arvo too, made me smile
Sober Alcoholic
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,539
The first week, find a different AA meeting to go to EVERY SINGLE DAY. The second week go to a different AA meeting for each one you did not like so much the first week and go back to the ones you liked. Keep your eyes open for people that seem to have their s**t together. People you think you might be able to learn something from, and people who have been going to AA for a while (years). You might want to ask them for more help down the line.
Just listen to what people say. You don’t need to talk unless you want to. Things will fall into place.
BTW this is the time when you SHOULD be counting on your wife. Sounds like you can. She hung in there to this point.
Do EXACTLY what your doc tells you to do. My best to you.
Just listen to what people say. You don’t need to talk unless you want to. Things will fall into place.
BTW this is the time when you SHOULD be counting on your wife. Sounds like you can. She hung in there to this point.
Do EXACTLY what your doc tells you to do. My best to you.
AA member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: United Kingdom.
Posts: 3,007
Welcome to SR corgidad,good idea to phone your local AA helpline,they will know all about the meetings in your area.I wish you well.
Love the dog,going over the fields with mine now then an AA meeting.
2
Love the dog,going over the fields with mine now then an AA meeting.
2
Last edited by heath480; 03-27-2012 at 02:00 AM. Reason: spelling.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 282
One thing they say at AA, look for similarities not differences. I was only a nightly drinker and there were people there that put vodka in their morning coffees, there were also people that drank less than me. Remembering this helped me loads
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 66
Hi and welcome to the site. I'm a newcomer myself and went to my first AA meeting last night. It was a beginner's meeting and it was an excellent experience. A couple of women took me under thier wing and introduced me around. I left there with a list of phone numbers to use.
I suggest finding a beginner's meeting and checking out a few before you settle on a home group. That's what I intend to do.
I've tried everything to quit drinking but I've avoided AA because of a negative past experience. I'm so thankful that last night was positive!
Good luck!
I suggest finding a beginner's meeting and checking out a few before you settle on a home group. That's what I intend to do.
I've tried everything to quit drinking but I've avoided AA because of a negative past experience. I'm so thankful that last night was positive!
Good luck!
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Between Meetings
Posts: 8,997
Originally Posted by CorgiDad
What can I do? I looked at AA's website and found all of the meetings in my area, but there are so many. How do I know which one is right for me?
Your First AA Meeting<
The text of Alcoholics Anonymous
You have a lot of support on this site....Be sure and use it. I'm glad you went to the hospital for detox...It's the smart way to do it....Any questions you have....Just ask.
Powerless over Alcohol
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Trudging the Road to Happy Destiny!
Posts: 4,018
Hello and Welcome aboard
I know I would be back in the hospital or maybe worse again if I did not find the rooms of AA. Like it was said earlier just simply go with a open mind and you will find a lot of open hearts.
I also went to many different meeting at first , still try to switch them up. And definately felt so nervous walking into each new one by myself only to be there a minute and felt at home . I am lucky to have 1,200 meeting a week to choose from .
I hope you go and find you like it also.
Keep us posted.
I know I would be back in the hospital or maybe worse again if I did not find the rooms of AA. Like it was said earlier just simply go with a open mind and you will find a lot of open hearts.
I also went to many different meeting at first , still try to switch them up. And definately felt so nervous walking into each new one by myself only to be there a minute and felt at home . I am lucky to have 1,200 meeting a week to choose from .
I hope you go and find you like it also.
Keep us posted.
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