camelguy

Hi,
I'm 29 years old, and I've basically been drunk since I turned 21. I got into a little trouble about 7 years ago, and a probation officer made me quit totally for a year and a half. You'd think it would have stuck, but the day I was let off I was back at the bar with a margarita in hand.
I was lucky for a long time, I had my own business that basically ran itself while I drank myself into oblivion all day. I would buy 2 jugs of bourbon at a time, and often, would be back at the grocery store for another 2 in 4-5 days, sometimes less. A couple of years ago, I was convinced to start therapy and finally, after a lot of hard lessons, I was convinced to give it up as my life wasn't going anywhere and I had a couple of health scares.
I am lucky, I have a very supportive psychiatrist and health insurance, I made it through the first few days of intense insomnia and crazy random involuntary limb jerks...and of course, the crazy night sweats. My psychiatrist gave me remeron to counter the insomnia and a few pills of xanax (he doles them out 5 at a time so he can monitor how many I take) and since the first few days, it's been a breeze. I haven't needed the xanax but twice, but the remeron has been a godsend. I was awake for 4 days straight before I started taking it, since then, I get a solid 8 hours a night.
I managed to dodge a couple of invitations out to a bar and have been pounding lots of water all day. I almost feel guilty for posting here, my experience has been pretty easy so far compared with some of the horror stories I've read here about terrible withdrawals.

I've been thinking about AA, but so far I've been doing fine without it. I'm just scared one night I won't be able to get to sleep and the liquor store will be open and then it's back to feeling like **** all the time and head in the toilet...

Weasel1966

C...I find your post interesting. You use words like lucky... And convinced....

No drunk I know is lucky. We simply defy the odds sometimes but they will and do come to us.

Convinced? You are already by being here. Go to AA. Read about AVRT. There are many ways to get and stay sober.

None of them require luck.

Glad you are here. And congrats on the two weeks!

FredG

How long you drank isn't relative. What you're like today is!

I've seen so many that like to do it their way, without some sort of structured program and about 1 in 500,000 actually do it. Of those that do, there are few that I'd like to associate with. As my sponsor used to tell me, "you can take the drunk out of a 'drunken SOB' but you're still left with an SOB"

As has been stated already - go to AA (my preferred method) or check out SMART or AVRT (don't know much about these, but others here do)

2granddaughters

Have you now ......

I suggest you Google and read AA's "The Doctors Opinion", "How It Works" and "The Promises of Alcoholics Anonymous".

The pills and scrips are going to run out and then you will know if you need AA or not.

All the best.

Bob R

fgo

welcome camel guy.. dont kid yourself, like everyone is going to say you need a plan and be aware. If you dont make yourself aware of the beast it will get you again before you know what happened. I wish I knew at you age what I know now. SR is an amazing resourse read all you can and figure out what is going to work for you.. But do the work

sugarbear1

Welcome to SR!

Yeah, being "made" to stay stopped doesn't work, we have to do it for ourselves! Sounds like you are doing well, so far.

It wouldn't hurt to go to a few meetings just to make some sober friends and get some phone numbers you know you can call to chat, then if you get to that place where "one night I won't be able to get to sleep and the liquor store will be open" you can call a person and talk it through....they key is to call a few times before that scary night so you won't feel like you are disturbing anyone, it's part of how it works.

Read about Rational Recovery, AVRT, SMART, SOS, or LifeRing and make a real plan. You have the time now, so do it! You'll be happy later when or if you get to a scary place. In 25 years of attempting sobriety, that scary place certainly has crept up on me and I wasn't prepared.

Glad you are here! Two weeks is an accomplishment! Keep moving forward!

IreLander

Classic!

hypochondriac

Don't underplay what you've been through Camelguy, sounds like you had a rough time.

I guess it couldn't hurt to have a few tools to help you should the cravings hit. I know that the type of cravings I got were totally different after a few months.

Welcome to SR x

ashbert13

Keep it up Camel! Sounds like you are doing an amazing job!!! hug

Dee74

Welcome Camel
Congrats on two weeks

Regardless of whether you end up doing a recovery programme or not, I think support is very important, so I'm glad to see you here

I've used no recovery programme apart from SR, and you'll find a few of us here.

You'll also find many who are using AA, and many who use non 12 step alternatives.
The thing is, I think, to check everything out - don't discount your options.

There's many different approaches and methods of recovery around - here's some links to some of the main players:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...formation.html

I recommend you visit the Secular Connections forum if you think you may benefit from a non 12 step approach

D

camelguy

Thanks all for the kind words! I've been reading a lot of people's experiences on here. Seems like some things are the same and some things are different for everyone.

Lots to look into, thanks for all the suggestions. I know I'm just starting out, but I am looking forward to seeing what life is like again without the bottle always waiting for me.