steveW

Hi everyone!

This is the first place I have found & looked for help about my drinking. I know I have a problem drinking and I need to get it under control. I started drinking heavily about a year ago when I lost my job. I was well liked at my job, but we hired a new employee above me. He decided he didn't like me and wanted me gone.

When I was let got I started drinking at home alone. I think it was out of boredom. Now I find myself drinking every day.... even, just now as I type this...

I am currently finishing my bachelors degree, and I am feeling my drinking is affecting my studies. I want to get control of my drinking. I never had this issue before.

Thanks for your help.

Steve

Sapling

Welcome to SR Steve...If you are anything like me...I was beyond getting control of my drinking...I needed a program of recovery with support to give it up for good. There is great online support here...Glad you found the place!

Pondlady

Welcome Steve. Have you tried to stop drinking? You'll find a lot of information and support on this site.

trikuza

hey Steve, i went sober a few weeks ago because it was affecting my studies as well (along with several other reasons to quit.) You've already taken a big step by acknowledging that you need to change. We're both lucky to have found this site..

Hevyn

Welcome to the family, Steve! I know you'll find comfort and hope being here. SR helped me get sober after drinking all my life. You're right, you need a clear head to get your life back on track. It's good that you realize that - it took me a long time to admit what I needed to do.

Congratulations on making this important decision. Please keep posting and let us know how it's going.

DisplacedGRITS

Hi Steve. Now is as good a time to stop as any. As in right now. I've found a ton of support on this site. Every journey starts with a first step. SR has been with me even before my journey really began. Congrats on making the big decision to quit. You're changing yojr life for the better in so many ways. I used my drinking to cope with a lot of things. Sobriety has taught me how to cope with them without the bottle. It's a hard journey but you'll find it chock full of rewards you never imagined. Remember that it's a one day at a time thing. We all have a sober day in us. So start giving youself a chance and come here often for support. AA helped me a lot too and so did therapy. There's a lot of options out there to check out. Just don't feel you have to do it all alone. Welcome and lets get this going!

Dee74

Welcome to SR Steve - good to have you here
Drinking and school are not a good mix, no.

Do you have any kind of a plan?

D

Anna

Welcome!

I hope you decide to stop drinking. We offer lots of support and information.

Taking5

Not too many people here are trying to control drinking - for the most part we are stopped, try to stop or trying to stay stopped. I gave up trying to control drinking a long time ago.

steveW

I love going to the gym. It is a place I go to work my frustrations out and just feel good about myself. However drinking has impeded my love of going to the gym and it frustrates me because I love it! I have a wonderful wife and family, but I can't let them know about my strife... It's my burden. I feel I need to beat this with out the help of AA or therapy.

I know I can beat this! I just need determination.

Steve

freshstart57

Hi, Steve, glad to have you here. There are great people and plenty of experience, strength and hope to go around.

Don't dismiss AA out of hand, it works for a lot of people, so you owe it to yourself to check it out and see what it offers. There are other options too that you can learn about that are completely the other direction from AA, and they work for a different sort of people. Still other folks have quit for good just by receiving the support they find here on these forums.

No matter what you choose, 12 Step or alternative to 12 Step, or just some solid education and resolve, you need to come to the place in your head where you accept that you no longer drink. At all.

You have the ability inside you to make this decision to choose sobriety and stick to it, but you need to make a plan. Are you ready to make your plan about continuing to use alcohol?

2granddaughters

Good luck.

All the best.

Bob R

B1j2k3

You have acknowledged that it is a problem. That is the first step. It is very difficult to manage alone. You are moving in the right direction.

least

Welcome to the family! I'm nearly three years sober with the help of my addiction counselor and this site. There's lots of support here and I hope we can help you as much as this site has helped me.

Alcofribas

Keep coming on here Steve, I've found that this is a really helpful and encouraging community, a very nice space.

I wish you the best of luck!

Delilah1

Welcome Steve!

This is a great site. I think the hardest thing for me to do was to admit that I had a problem and I wasn't able to solve it on my own. I have had too many day ones in my past. Tomorrow will be 14 days without alcohol. I am a mom, wife, and work full time.

I know I am better at each of these roles without alcohol. Keep reading and posting. You can do this!!!

DisplacedGRITS

determination is great and all but if it came down to willpower alone, i probably wouldn't be an alcoholic. i've got plenty of willpower but i often found myself broken by the loneliness of trying to quit on my own. if the support you get on SR isn't enough for you, don't shut the door on programs like AA or on therapy. get the help you need to get sober. it's worth it.

also, i failed for a long time because i wanted to control my drinking. i was trying to put a leash on a wild animal. it just didn't work. i had to come to understand that the only control i have over alcohol is by not taking that first drink. any other attempts at control always ended up the same with alcohol holding the leash and me on the other end. moderation is often a pipe dream. it sounds depressing at first but once you free yourself of trying to control your drinking and simply commit to not taking that first drink, you'll find yourself a lot more free.