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Feel like I know you all :)

Old 04-21-2013, 03:23 AM
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Feel like I know you all :)

Hi everyone, I came across this site some weeks ago and have been reading everyone's stories and for the first time in a long time realised I wasn't alone. I am a very responsible girl of 32 years young. Fabulous job that I love, have an amazing family and friends. Live in a beautiful part of the world, financially stable.. It all sounds so perfect? Well my main relationship has been with wine.. I drink a bottle a day, and it's really starting to escalate fast. I simply have to have it. It's amazing there has been no major issues at work but I feel if I
dont get control soon, it will spiral fast. I just wanted to pop in and say hello and to say thank you for sharing your stories! I look forward to hanging around here for a while to come!
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Old 04-21-2013, 03:26 AM
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Welcome LLL It sounds like you're catching your problem just in time. Glad you've joined us!
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Old 04-21-2013, 03:39 AM
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Welcome to SR Lovelivelaugh x
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Old 04-21-2013, 03:49 AM
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Hi there,

A fellow Australian, great place Brisbane You sound like a similar usage as me. Deep down I know I need to stop.
I finally realised I need help I have about 9 beers a night and can function fine in my job (sober during the day that is) Good luck to you I am starting today
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Old 04-21-2013, 03:53 AM
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I'm a 30 year old male with a good job that I have held down for a long time with no problems. I have an issue with alcohol just like you and I have only recently admitted it to myself. So hopefully you, I and others like us can address it together. I must say Ive really found this website very very helpful
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Old 04-21-2013, 03:54 AM
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Thank you! I will tell some of my story. In my late teens/early 20s I was definitely a party girl and was out all the time, would get inebriated but so was the group of friends I was with. We were in college and having a ball! I can't remember when I started drinking at home but from age 22-26 I drank a lot in my bedroom in my parents house where I lived. I can still remember the drive to work every morning absolutely dying and swearing never again.. But then on way home would go to the gym, then go buy a bottle or 2 of wine and drink til I was sick and so it went on for a long time.

I did the weekly drive to the bottle bank with a boot full of empties. One day u came home from work and my mum was really upset as she found my empties hidden in my room, and she did a mini intervention. I think I stopped drinking alone then, but still drank to excess any other chance I could. I moved to Australia when u was 26. I got a great job that I still have and have worked hard to have the life I have. I would always be the one falling around drunk at work functions or nights out, or doing something silly. The drunken guilties the next morning are a plague for me!
The last two years have been difficult for me for a few reasons and did some counseling sessions and eventually was diagnosed with anxiety and I know I've had bouts of depression. I went on medication a few months ago and was determined to get my drinking under control.. Which I just have seriously struggled to. I'd say I can count on one hand how many days in the last 18 months I have not had at least a bottle of wine. On days I don't drink my colleagues say "wow you look great today" which makes me cringe about how I must look most of the time!
I try hard to be a good person but it's taking over my life. I spend my week days hungover trying to get thru the day and my weekends lying on the couch either drinking or swearing off drink. It's tormenting!

Thank you listening and hopefully not too much of a rant! I'm encouraged everyday from reading here and know it is a good place for me to start )
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Old 04-21-2013, 04:05 AM
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You sound very similar to me. I too train in the gym almost daily well only when I'm not hungover but I keep myself relatively fit. I on the other hand spent all my late teens twenties partying and binge drinking. Of late it's become a lot worse I haven't kept my drinking to weekends I could go out any night and binge heavily. I never have problem functioning in work although I do feel like I'm on deaths door. Alcohol has resulted in depression, anxiety, isolation and broken relationships because I would never leave anyone see how bad I felt only my ex girlfriend. To the outside world and my family I was having a great time. My family didn't know the extent to which I was drinking. I finally admitted it to them two days ago and I'm hoping I can sort my life out now for the better. The people on here are great help to me in the last few days I'm delighted I stumbled across this website I'm sure you will find them the very same. And hopefully we can support each other
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Old 04-21-2013, 04:19 AM
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Thanks all! Dark place your story did ring a bell with me too. I used to think I was "highly functioning" but don't make that distinction any more. All my issues have been alcohol related.. The anxiety and depression go hand in hand. Congrats on talking to your family,big step but definitely the right one. It's the support here I'm struggling with. My family are back in Ireland and my partner and I have had issues for a while but when I told him about my drinking (big step for me) it's like he didn't know what to do with the information and just doesn't know how to help. I'm hoping SR can help me. From what I've read people have amazing stories and advice here

G'day OverIt ) brissy certainly is a beautiful place. I feel lucky to live here, and get so angry with myself sometimes for closing the blinds, throwing on the air con and drinking all day instead of being out enjoying life in the sunshine! I'm working on it tho, haven't made a plan yet, but happy to have finally joined SR!
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Old 04-21-2013, 04:28 AM
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Welcome to SR, you'll definitely find a great many people here who will identify with you. And you with them. You're in the fantastic position of knowing the damage/pain that alcohol is causing you, and want to put a stop to it. You said that the doctor diagnosed you with having anxiety and depression, and that you are on medication. Have you considered trying to discover why you have these problems? You may not need to be on medication long term.

I know that my drinking was the result of an inability to emotionally 'cope' with life. I preferred to inhabit that fuzzy warm place where alcohol took me. Where I could be a child again, devoid of all responsibility. Then it stopped being fuzzy and warm, but I kept on drinking, ever trying to relive those soporific feelings. Therefore my life depends upon learning how to live soberly, and cope with the difficult days like a sober adult.

Keep posting and reading here. Plus it would do you no harm to investigate AA. I went for 10 years and found it to be very useful.
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Old 04-21-2013, 04:30 AM
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Well I think there seems to be good support here if your looking for it. I actually can't get over the support people have given me here. I felt I had to tell someone I'd a drink problem as you'll know and have probably done yourself every morning I've woken up hungover in the last few years I'd say "that's it never again" or "I'm off it now for a few weeks". Unfortunately I just could never stick to it. The minute I'd feel relatively ok again I'd be out drinking and heading to nightclubs and parties god I'm just not able for it anymore. I really hope I can just stop now and I think there is good support here. And initially it can be easier when you can be annoyomous. People can really open up. Feel free to message me at any stage I'm sure we can be of support to each other. The weather in ireland is amazing at the moment!!!!!!! It's lashing rain but it feels good not to be hungover on a Sunday morning. First in a long time
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Old 04-21-2013, 04:35 AM
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Welcome and congratulations with your insight, it’s a good start. The concept of being sober is not picking up the FIRST drink, which some have difficulty with. The next important thing for me was being honest with MYSELF. I found AA my lifeline even if “I’m not that bad” YET. These forums help also. Probably my biggest help was the expression ”KEEP COMING” which I often repeat. I needed to remember that it works if WE work it. BE WELL
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Old 04-21-2013, 04:40 AM
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Hi Shaun! Thank you for taking the time to reply.. With the anxiety I think to be honest I've always had it, a real worry wart! I resisted meds for a long time and did counseling which was good. To be honest, I think it's a self esteem thing from childhood, but I went in really low dosage a few months ago and doc said because I responded so quickly to a low dosage indicated a chemical imbalance. The funny thing is I'm quite a bubbly person but behind closed doors I just go into the black hole (

DP13 ~ rain? In Ireland??! Never! Haha.. I have a huge hangover today and was out with work on Fri.. Have anxiety about going into work tomro as no doubt made a holy show of myself! Aaah!!! Hopefully we can help each other! Trying to navigate this site for the first time! But you're right I can't believe how many supportive people are here. Gives me hope oh and congrats on not being hungover!! Enjoy every minute
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Old 04-21-2013, 04:48 AM
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Don't be worried about work tomorrow. Anyone who judges you isn't worth knowing and probably have their own issues deep down. Well that's what I'm saying to myself anyway now. I've been in that place before and I just hate socializing with people I work with now however sometimes it wouldn't make any difference to me who I was out with. I hope that if we put our minds to it and with support we can change our lives for ye better. Up to two days ago I wouldn't have dreamt ever writing about my experiences but it really does help
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Old 04-21-2013, 05:24 AM
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Welcome to SR, Lovelivelaugh. Nice post, it reminds me/us that we are making a difference in many different ways here.

I'm glad that you decided to join our community so quickly. I had SR bookmarked for a good 5 years before joining, I used to lurk while drinking. When I finally realised that it was time to stop, like you, I felt that I knew everybody already, LOL. Still, SR had many surprises in store, one of them was chat, I got to know many people there. Drop by the chatroom sometime

Anyway, it's good to have you. Yes, it does sound like you need to stop, thankfully you're already aware of that... time to take the plunge! Recovery is enjoyable, don't worry. You know you'll get lots of support here - hope to hear more from you!
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