Jedward

New to admitting I am an alcoholic. Very scared by that. I have anxiety, and worry about the pain I will feel. Alcohol is an instant cure. Any advice would help. Thank you.

Dee74

It's a leap of faith for sure Jedward - alcohol was the only solution I had to a lot of my physical and emotional problems too...but the cost just go too too high.

You will find other solutions - and you won't be alone - there's a lot of support here

It's not always easy to do, especially in the early days, but I've never regretted quitting drinking, and me and my life are immeasurably better for it...

I'm sure you'll look back one day and feel the same

Welcome to SR

D

DisplacedGRITS

Welcome to SR! Anxiety is something many of us deal with, especially while withdrawing. Have you seen a doctor regarding your alcohol abuse and your plan to quit? Getting with a therapist can really help. Many of us find relief through meditation, 12 step programs, holistic approaches, medications, counselors...i personally suffer from bipolar disorder that i'm being treated for and see a psych and a therapist and that helps. AA has helped a lot with my social anxiety because it's a safe place for me to interact with people. Helps me deal with my addiction too! A lot of times, simply remembering to breathe helps. I know when i get upset and basically start to mentally freak out, taking a few breaths helps me to calm down and evaluate the situations and often it's not as bad as i was making it out to be.

Rory23

Welcome friend! The first step in recovery is first to admit the problem. Never be afraid to admit a problem when you have one. I find it very admirable when someone admits a problem and moves forward to correct it. One thing you need to realize is that anxiety is an emotion and emotions are a part of our basic survival instincts. If we step back and think about it anxiety is a motivator for getting things done. Don't fear your anxiety, harness its power. Know that everyone deals with it everyday including myself. I am notorious for pacing around back and forth when i'm waiting for something or someone. Something important to think about; After doing many hours of research on emotions, over 2/3rds of all Americans have no concept of control of their emotions. I am not saying act like a zombie and don't feel fear or sadness, that is impossible. What I am talking about is the behavior following the emotion. We see many angry out of control people everywhere almost everyday. A huge example is the amount of people that suffer from road rage. I have found happiness now that I am aware of my emotional state of mind. I used to be that angry person, I have gotten into fights and have been arrested for battery, disorderly conduct, criminal damage to property. I have also taken corrective action. Now when faced to face with an angry person, I smile and think to myself NO I will not become a victim of your anger. I am the one in control and you are not. I am strong and you are weak. With this self talk I am able to walk away with pride. Hang in there... your not alone buddy!

MrsKing

Welcome to SR, Jedward (do you like Jedward? They're my guilty pleasure ) and congratulations on admitting that you have a problem. That's definitely a step in the right direction. As is coming here - there is so much knowledge and experience on these boards and you are definitely in the right place if you are looking for support and motivation.

Alcohol only appears to be an instant cure. I used to think alcohol made everything better - it made me relax, made me happy when I was down, made me happier when I was happy, it calmed my nerves and made that anxiety disappear. The truth is that this is just not the truth - it may seem to help at first, but over time it only causes more problems. My depression and anxiety have almost disappeared since I have been sober. Being free of alcohol will allow you to deal with issues in life properly - through drinking we are only hiding. What worries/stresses/saddens us doesn't go away when we drink, it just seems less prominent for a short period of time. When the alcohol has worn off we are back to square one and we've done nothing productive to deal with the real issues.

My advice would be to stick around here and research recovery methods to see if anything suits you. Good luck and remember that you CAN do this. You deserve to be sober and with effort you will achieve it. All the best.

hypochondriac

Welcome to SR Jedward

For me, alcohol caused the majority of my anxiety, at least the unmanageable part. Alcohol is only ever a temporary fix. I was amazed how much anxiety drinking was really responsible for!

Glad you're here x

sugarbear1

Welcome to SR!

Glad you are here!

Sobriety, it's doable! yeah, some pain, but it changes and gets a whole lot better than it was when I was drinking and had no life!!

Live2Run25

Alcohol and seems like the right answer. I can assure you, it's not. In fact, it's actually just a catalyst for making everything a lot lot worse. When you accept you aren't going to drink ever again, life becomes awfully nice.

Hevyn

Welcome Jedward! I agree with Britt - it only seems like your friend, like an answer. It will turn on you in the end. I became totally dependent on it in my final drinking years - had one by my side all the time, believing I couldn't get through the day without it.

My anxiety was through the roof just before I quit, and my behavior was irrational. I was numb and foggy all the time. That's what happens when you drink for over 30 yrs. You're doing the right thing by admitting there's a problem - you will never regret kicking that poison out of your life. A brighter, happier life is ahead for you.

Anna

Hi Jedward,

Welcome!

Yes, very briefly, it seems like alcohol is an instant cure. But, before you can blink an eye, alcohol has taken over your life and won't let go.

We do understand how hard this is.