VitaminB6

Hello all. I posted on here briefly last year and failed to quit drinking & left the forum (which I shouldn't have done to all the people who took the time to give me advice so I apologise for that). I forgot my log in and password so I signed up again. Would like to start again, I'm determined to quit this time.

I'm posting this hungover & w/ insomnia. I've realised I really have to stop drinking now. I am a 24 rear old lad and am very depressed & suffer from social anxiety, which I had prior to the drinking. I've noticed recently partaking in binges more & more regularly that last for up to 4 days and a lot of the time it's to block out what's really going on in my life. I drink mostly lager and will do 8 or 9 in a session but if I run out I will drink anything. I'm not one of those people who can have one and then stop, I will drink until I fall asleep or black out. I don't even like the feeling of being drunk.

I drink on my own in my bedroom (social anxiety) so nobody knows how bad it is. I'd say I started binge drinking when I was 12 but didn't notice it becoming a real problem until I was 21, this was brought on by a split with my girlfriend at the time and I've never really managed to nip it in the bud since then although I would like to point out I did 6 months completely sober December 2009-June 2010 as I was really into fitness & weightlifting then. Also if it helps, both of my parents have had issues with mental health and alcoholism.

Every time I have these bad hangovers, muscle twitches & depression and tell myself I will stop, I go sober for 5/6 days then get the urge to drink, it's a weird feeling as well, I feel almost excited and as if I can't control myself. I know I'm doing myself harm & it has to stop now.

Thanks for reading.

LindaLou

Welcome back B6! I did the same thing (failed to quit and left the forum). But here we are, back again. That's what's important...to keep trying. I'm determined to really quit this time. Checking in here at SR daily has helped to keep me on the sober path. Good luck and keep posting. One day at a time!!!!

Johnston

Welcome back. This is my second time around too.

VitaminB6

Thanks LindaLou. Yeah, I did want to post again before but kept putting it off.

I'll add myself to the November 2013 class.

Cheers mate, nice to know there are other people who did the same.

FourSeasons

Trust me VitaminB6! You are certainly not alone. Many folks here have had many dry rehearsals at sobriety. Just keep trying to stop. Eventually you will get it!

Welcome back to SR! Hope you stay around reading and posting.

Best to you!

ZeldaFan

Welcome back! I wouldn't say I have social anxiety but I'm definitely not an overly social person. I'm perfectly content with being on my own in my house most of the time. I started drinking in college as a way to open up the social side of myself and go out more. After my girlfriend broke up with me about four years ago, I started drinking even more and usually alone. Of course, that spiraled into me drinking alone every night in my house to the point of blacking out and passing out. It took me a few years of the 5-day sober sessions that never worked before I finally got on the right path. I found once I got a few weeks under my belt I started to feel better about my decision and it helped me to keep going. You can do this and we are here with you for the ride!

Hawkeye13

Hi B6 and welcome back!

So since the fitness/ health thing worked for you in the past, will it be part of your current plan for quitting? (once you are through detox and feeling better that is)

I commend you for realizing at a young age that this is no way to spend your life. It's taken me most of mine to finally get it, and I will be 50 next year. Well done!

VitaminB6

Cheers mate. that's very similar to me then plus I'm also a Zelda fan.

Yeah, I hope so, when I was at my physical peak before I wasn't tempted to drink at all, once I got into that habit and saw gains each week I only had a desire to better myself. I keep stopping/starting which is not good for motivation but for now I'm mostly concerned with just being healthy.

Thanks a lot mate, means a lot.

Dee74

Welcome back Vitamin B6

D

stevie88

Welcome back buddy....I see we have the same interests , I'm a huge fitness and bodybuilding fan too....The gym has helped me big time in my recovery.

least

Glad you're back at it, giving it another go.

Hevyn

Welcome back Vitamin! It's great to see you wanting to try again. You're among friends who really understand how you feel. Sounds like you're determined this time. You can do it!

firstymer

Welcome back, B6. I am glad you are here with us.

Correy

It's normal - your body recovers from poison in these several days and your brain starts asking for its fix, as soon as bodily discomfort subsides. As you "ponder" drinking, the brain fires up, its neural paths get all excited as the addicted mind's looking forward for a "reward", booze, and you're vulnerable for getting back to the said poison and feel like you have no choice.

The trick is to act BEFORE the addicted mind starts playing you.

Today we're aware of neuroplasticity and work in neural rehabilitation is not Sci-fi anymore, i.e. we're able to rewire our brains, using various techniques like SNAG for Stimulate Neuronal Activation and Growth by Dr. Daniel Siegel, and many more. Even Aristotle believed that “recognition is a change from ignorance to knowledge," so whatever helps to recognize the patterns and discover remedies should be tried.

You may wish to pick up Siegel's Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation book and occupy your brain with learning instead of suffering over its shenanigans.

Good luck!!

Croissant

Welcome back VitaminB6.

There's no shame in leaving and coming back!

Hopefully at least you have learned more about why you want to stop and what you don't like about drinking. Sounds like you've had enough.

Good luck with the journey ahead and look forward to hearing more from you.