Time2Focus

I keep thinking I have this under control, that I'm just drinking b/c it's the weekend, or b/c I'm off work for a couple of days, or.... you name it. Almost every time I drink, I know I'm above the legal limit, but I think I'm FINE, I won't get pulled over.

It is absolutely amazing that this has not happened, or I have not wrecked my car (I almost have a couple of times). I'll go to a friend's house and on the way there have a couple of beers, have a six pack at his house, then get a couple more for the road and drive 90MPH-100MPH down the interstate drinking a beer and blasting music. Then the next day when I wake up with a headache, I think to myself...hmmm... 90-100MPH in a 60MPH zone while drinking beer in the car and already being over the legal limit. How can I be SO STUPID?! Then I say, I'm glad I'm home safe, I'm NEVER doing that again! Ha! Until I do it the next time and the next time.

I have a wife, I have a son, I have a good job and a clean record. Why the hell do I keep putting ALL of this at risk? *Sigh* I need help, but I'm scared to admit to my family, friends, my Dr., etc. that I not the strong person they thought I was

lilgolden73

I have never been plastered and driven, well if I did it was very rare and SHAME ON ME!! I am with you, I must have angels over me because I should have been arrested or worse when I was drinking!! It was so selfish and awful of me to do such a thing. I am so embarrassed!

KissMyTiara

Trust me. It's just a matter of time. Unless you stop.

FamilyMan2153

I was a lot like you. Drinking, driving but never getting in trouble. What's the problem?? Now I have 2 drunk drivings and am going to jail for 40 days. It never gets better when you are drinking, just worse. I admitted my problem, got help and have been sober for 4 months. If the people you want to tell are close to you, they may already know.

Davestwincam

You should also be thankful that everyone else sharing the road with you made it home safe.

Time2Focus

Not really sure how to take that comment.

AnotherPaul

Forget about the legal limit and think about your wife having to bury her husband or spending the rest of her life caring for a crippled husband. Think about your son growing up without a father. Most importantly, think about all of the innocent people on the road you're putting at risk. They all have families too and they didn't make a bad decision.

You may think you're okay to drive and the only risk is getting pulled over, but it just isn't so. Have you ever had a really close call while driving sober because someone else did something monumentally stupid like pulling out directly in front of you in such a way that it took swerving to avoid an accident? Of course you have, probably dozens of times or more. Well, when that happens and your reaction time is slowed even slightly, what's the result going to be? It may be tempting to say that a wreck like that would ultimately be the other idiot's fault, but it wouldn't have happened had you not been driving drunk and if you're both seriously injured it really doesn't matter whose fault it was.

I don't mean to sound preachy. I certainly drove when I shouldn't have hundreds of times and that's my single biggest regret about all of the stupid things I did while drunk. It's a miracle no one got hurt. Be smarter than I was.

Well, many people recognize how much courage it takes to get help with a problem like this. They may see you as stronger for taking action, not weaker. And you said yourself that you "need help". If you had a broken leg, I'm pretty sure you'd go to a doctor for help rather than try to just walk it off lest people think you're not as tough or strong as they'd thought. This really isn't much different. If you need help quitting, it's available through many different channels. Find the one that's right for you and don't worry about telling friends or family right away, or at all for that matter. You'll figure all of that out as you go.

Best of luck to you.

lilgolden73

It means that if I hadn't stopped, I would eventually make it to jail, and the same will happen to you. Not a mean statement at all!

Time2Focus

I wasn't commenting on your statement.

Time2Focus

You're absolutely right about everything you said. I feel like a piece of s***.

Elisabeth888

If you keep on doing it, something will happen.

Davestwincam

Not to mention if you happen to get in an accident while under the influence and someone else involved dies, you could be charged with vehicular manslaughter. Sorry to be harsh but it is something to think about.

Auvers

The worst outcome would have been if you hurt someone else while driving drunk. Getting arrested would have been a good outcome because it might have produced a decision by you to quit driving drunk. If you can't quit drinking, at least make a pledge not to drive drunk.

FreeFall

You will feel so much better if you stop-you'll never have to worry about flashing blue lights or hurting someone! You can do this! As for telling people, easier to tell them you're struggling and want help than to tell them you've been arrested or hurt someone.

Time2Focus

I feel like there is a whole lot of "stating the obvious" going on here. Of course I know something will eventually happen. The problem is, when I'm drinking, I'm not thinking about these kinds of things. I thought this was a place to come to get some encouragement. Feel like I'm being kicked while I am down right now. If this is the kind of stuff I'm going to hear going to meetings, I'm not even going to bother.

AnotherPaul

Well, here's the thing: even if you aren't ready to get help with the drinking yet, you can definitely stop drinking and driving. Make that your first step toward a healthier life.

Ohio1

Well no one is ever sympathetic toward drunk drivers and I'm sure people get pretty hypocritical about it as well- even on a recovery forum. A buddy of mine got a DUI a few years back and my other buddy was just jawing about him and how could he be so stupid etc.... Well that buddy who was jawing used to drive across campus practically blacked out to get a McChicken from Mcdonalds at 2:30 AM he just got wildly lucky and never got caught.

It is kinda stupid to warn about the dangers of drunk driving and jail etc... I watched a person fairly close to me slowly lose body parts to diabetes while never quitting. No doubt people all over die all the time while being told explicitly that they will die if they don't stop yet they don't. No one ever thinks they will kill someone in a car wreck and spend 20 years in prison or get sued for 400 grand.

Time2Focus

"people get pretty hypocritical about it as well- even on a recovery forum". I think you hit the nail on the head with that comment. Like I said before, if this is the kind of thing that happens in a AA meeting, I will just pass it by.

IndaMiricale

All those YETS are waiting for you if you keep drinking!!!

You dont have to have all the things happen like myself.

4 dui's
Jail
Pancreatitias
Wet Brain
Lost contless jobs
Lost love ones
Lost home and cars.
Most of all lost my own soul and moral, physically, and mentally..

You can be free.

TTBABP

There's you answer - stop drinking. No one is trying kick you while you are down they are just trying to help you think about the worst case scenarios right now while you are sober. You need to think your actions through and you need to be strong enough to admit the problem and get some help. True weakness lies in doing the same things over and over and not makeing the hard but necessary changes.

I wish you luck. Please continue to look for support here or elsewhere!