Camperboy

Thanks for this site, I`m so glad I found it......I just need to vent......51 year old male, 5ft6" 189.2lbs......should be 155lbs......been drinking heavy for as many years as I can remember....well for at least ten years. no less than 4 beers a night but more often like 3 or 4 beers and straight shots of whatever is in the house....only at night, not a morning drinker and not an afternoon drinker. A antisocial drinker really,. It angers my wife because most times when we go out I try to come home early so I can have my drinks plopped in front of my laptop with my drinks.......if thats not enough I began taking zanaz NOT prescribed by my doctor, my 80 year old mother gave me some to get some sleep while i went through a super stressful time in my life so needless to say I am hooked on them and thats 6 months now.....I am super anxious so they helped me sleep. I take half of a .5 mg pill in the morning, a half pill just before leaving work and another half pill with my booze at night so I have two addictions to overcome. Today I have decided that last night is hopefully my last drink for some time, if not for good. I have decided that I will quit the booze while staying with the zanax in hopes of me not laying awake at night with heavy anxiety and when the booze withdrawls are gone I will then deal with the zanaz with the help of my doctor, I will come clean with her on the zanax in hopes she can help me with that. I just wanted to say thanks for the site, I read tons of posts prior to registering and posting this tonight.........24 hours since my last drink but is going to be my first time going to bed without a belly full of booze in it so lets hope I don`t just toss and turn all anxious tonight......take care...oh, I should add that I have joined weight watchers oct 24th and am down 12.2 lbs.......lol, I switched from beer to red wine on the day I joined but then it became 3/4 bottle of wine each night and a few shots of straight rye or rum or whatever I have in the house...........thanks for listening

Cwbugycody

Congrats on 24 hours. One day at a time. Easy does it. Find a AA meeting in your area if possible ..

Camperboy

thanks Cwbugcody.......I honestly think I can do it without AA, I hope I can anyways. I am very strong willed when I put my mind to it but my biggest fear are the insomnia and unclear thinking during the day where I have to make business decisions. I am a business owner and really worry about feeling like a zombie while at work dealing with customers.

Dee74

Hi and welcome Camperboy
You'll find a lot of support here

I'm strong willed too but when part of my will wanted to drink, that strong will wasn't always a good thing - so keep connected to the community here.

I'm glad you're seeing your Dr about the Xanax. Good move.

D

Bondi123

Good luck camper boy
There is so much support on this site, you will have some rough days & nights but I'm sure your business decisions won't be any worse than those made with a hangover & foggy brain, you'll get there, call on that strong will!

Quackquack23

CONGRATS! We're in this together, quite literally.

Man the emotions and realizations are just welling up in me. but I know in the end it can only lead to good.

Camperboy

thanks so much for the kind words and ligitimate advice. I made it through the first night but like mentioned in original post I`m sure the little pink Zanax played a roll in my decent nights sleep. I am off work today so I am headed downstairs to hit the treadmill for 30 or 40 minutes then back up for a healthy breakfast..........thanks folks,,,,,now lets see how night two goes...lol

duane1

I am no expert on this, but I would consider holding off on going into a full fledged diet before you have your alcohol addiction under control. Chances are you will lose weight just from not having the extra beer calories in your diet. You will probably also crave food like crazy without the beer. Particularly sweets.
Welcome and listen to the people that have been sober for a while. They offer some great advice.

Mafalda

Hello! I'm on day 3 of not drinking and you hit the nail on the head because its all about your will power and resolve. The more you have of it the greater your chance of success. I'm a business owner too ( unfortunately for me alcoholis a part of my business ) but believe me you will think more clearly during the day without a hangover! And as Far ass AA I'm not going either but I did seek therapy, I know it's hard to find the time owning a business and all but it really helps to talk to someone. My therapist says alcohol is not the problem , it's the symptom of your problems and you may want to delve into what those might be? For many alcohol and drugs are just the self medication to mask other things.

Camperboy

Agreed on all aspects, my underlying problem is anxiety which would keep me up all night tossing and turning with my mind racing. So of course drinking before bed helps me to fall asleep right away but as I research "alcohol and sleep" I find that yes it sure does help one fall asleep initially , but then all bets are off in terms of a proper nights sleep and that it actually makes it worse.....hence the addition of the Zanax to help with sleep and I just got used to the booze every night. I did try an AA meeting this summer but ran into 3 or 4 people I recognize from the small town I live in and found that not to be what I was looking for. Not a slight at AA in any manner, just not for me. I can and will beat this I just hope I can do it without making everyone around me hate being around me with the mood swings I fear come with withdrawl.

Anna

That was me. I didn't have the Xanax, but I fell into the trap of self-medicating with alcohol, only to find that I was an alcoholic. Good for you for making the decision to stop drinking.

I still have insomnia, and anxiety, but for the most part, both are manageable. Meditation is a great way to help with anxiety.

Camperboy

Hi Duane, I joined Weight Watchers Oct 24th and I`m not sure if you are familiar with weight watchers but it a simple system on how they teach us to eat the foods we like and eat every day but every morsel of food has a point value for example.....since I have started WW I have eaten heathier and more than I have in years. I am now eating a heathy and filling breakfast, a mid morning snack, a lunch and a supper......with my daily points left at the end of the day I still had enough for two big glasses of wine so instead of eating my points to lose weight I would save what I could to have the wine....The beer I stopped in Oct and for the most part the hard booze as well but just last week after returning from a trip to Florida I stopped at Duty Free and bought a bucket of rum, well needless to say that bottle is half gone........but in a nutshell being on the ww program has helped me because before there was no way I would eat breakfast, shoot out at lunch and eat some fast food garbage. then come home have dinner, then sit at the coffee table at around 8 pm and get into the juice, then around 11 pm or so decide I needed to make a BLT on the sandwich maker with 8 or 8 clices of bacon, two or three slices of cheese and half a jar of olives and pickles..........lol......so in my case the WW program is not a diet but a system where I am eating so much healthier and more often. As far as a straight up "diet". I totally agree with you that it would be the wrong time...thanks Duane