CoSprings417

Hi All -
I'm brand new to the forums and new to this altogether.
I don't have the courage to talk to really anyone about my struggles with Alcohol strictly out of embarrassment and shame. I can't talk to my husband (who currently deployed about 2weeks ago), my family or doctor.

I know I have a problem and I think it stems from several things. We lived in Europe and the life style there is different and I know thats when I started drinking more. Not only for "pleasure/socially" but also to deal with stress and anxiety. Now that we live in the states again I've found myself drinking even more heavily this past year & very uncertain of my ability to quit all together.
I feel overwhelmed with it all & I'm afraid that I'm just heading down an even worse path if I don't get help or figure out a way to stop. This has been going on for the past 2 1/2 years.

I only drink at night and tonight I'm home alone and really feeling like I want to drink just to alleviate the boredom. I use to drink & in my mind it was to help me sleep. I've been trying to ween myself away from that but there are still nights when I just want to drink to relax and have something to do.
I guess I'm just reaching out for support & suggestions on what I can do to keep myself from feeling the need to drink nightly?

I desperately want to stop drinking. For myself, for my family & for my health. I've gained weight & drinking just makes me feel horrible the day after. Yet I still do it just to get through the night.
I don't want that for myself anymore but when nights like this roll around it feels very easy to just grab my keys and run to the store.
Any suggestions, words of wisdom, and support would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks everyone

Dee74

Hi CoSprings - welcome

you'll find a lot of support and encouragement here - feel free to post and read as much as you need to.

If you want to, join our December thread - it's for everyone quitting this month
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...art-2-a-4.html

we also have a moms club thread:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...art-2-a-4.html

D

Dollyangel17

Hi there and welcome!

I am a mommy to a 7 year old girl, and I used to drink only at night too, but it eventually progressed to drinking in the morning every day!:-(. I think when it got to the point that I was drinking to cope with stress etc., it was only a matter of time before it took complete control, because let's face it...stress and anxiety are not on a strict PM schedule...they can hit at any time.


I have been sober almost 8 months now, and am so much happier now! I am slowly getting better at dealing with life and my emotions head on, and that is making all the difference in the world!

Hugs to you, and just commit to not drinking tonight...you wil see how nice the morning is:-)

LDT

Hi CoRings417. Welcome to SR...Lots of good folks here. I use to drink only at night, too. I began looking forward to when My H would go hunting for the weekends .....60 days a year of me drinking by myself. That eventually moved into drinking during the day, every day. It was a dead end. I became quite ill......I'm a year sober now, and finally at peace . I hope you will keep posting and reading. Best wishes!

least

You've come to the right place for support in giving up drinking. We are here to encourage you in your journey to sobriety. Keep reading and posting. We are always here.

Hevyn

It's great to meet you CoSprings This place helped me find the courage to change and stop drinking. The support is amazing. I think you'll fit right in. Keep talking to us - it really helps.

oak

Welcome! Hope you find lots of support here.

One thing that helped me was to find things to do that did not involve alcohol. Like reasons to be sober, and also activities to do that kept me away from alcohol for the evening.

I can relate to feeling shame and embarrassment. I had that very strongly. It does get easier!

Croissant

Welcome CoSprings.

It's nice to hear when others begin their journey and know that there must be a better life than one filled with alcohol.

Those first days are hard....getting toward the end of the day, not knowing what else to do, other than drink. Come here, post and share when you aren't sure how to cope. There's always new ways to look at things and get through it.

We've all been there and understand how hard it is.

Well worth the journey though!

Marcher13

Hi CSprings and welcome. My story was so like yours: I only drank in the evenings except for occasional social lunches, my worst habit was being moderate in the company of others and then hitting the bottle/s when I got home.

I promise you you can stop this and feel great. My health has improved enormously even though I was a "functioning" alcoholic -- I've learned that "functioning" seems to be a code word for getting up in the morning and going to work. I haven't lost weight (not particularly overweight) but the weight has redistributed itself, my jeans are a size smaller, the bloating has gone and my skin looks great. It can be the same for you.

Ptcapote

Hi CoSprings and welcome! So glad you found us.

I completely understand where you're coming from. Although not deployed I lived in a part of Eastern Europe for a couple of years where drinking was basically the main social activity. I went from an occasional drinker to a nightly drinker and found it impossible to cut back down when I got home to the US later on. I wish I had tried harder as it led to another ten years of progressively worse drinking.

Good news is, as others have said, you have found the right place! It is a lot about finding other things to do during the times when you would normally be drinking or tempted.

I've been sober now over ten months and I never, ever thought I'd be able to stop. So there's definitely hope and you are totally on the right track.

So happy to have you on board and welcome again!

Ruby2

I have a hard time being alone in an empty house. I used to drink at night. Every night. It was worst when I didn't have anyone here with me. Or when the kids were in bed. Now I still have trouble while home alone but I find things to do other than drinking. My husband is working tonight. the kids are sound asleep. I've baked two batches of cookies, thrown in a couple of loads of laundry, typed on here a lot. Anything to keep occupied. It beats waking up feeling miserable and anxious for my next drink.. Hang in there and welcome.

LadyinBC

Hi Cosprings. This place is awesome and you will get lots of support and help here. You definitely are not alone in this.

Also there is a great tool called chat! They have online meetings every Tues & Fri starting at 9:00 EST. There is always a topic, however you can talk about anything you need to. I have been posting about the chat a lot lately as I haven't been able to attend since I started working and realize how much I really need them. I definitely find them very helpful!

FeelingGreat

Ho Cosprings. Yep I was a night drinker too. I found stopping completely was the only choice for me as i couldn't moderate. It's taken a while, but I've adjusted well and am an expert in mixing interesting non-alcoholic drinks.
I found my own new rituals for relaxing, see the tea pot avatar!

Hellome

I can completely relate to your story - you are SO not alone. Hugs.

tootsl1

Hi CoSprings,
As you see not only are you not alone, but there are people here who understand you and what you are going through completely.there is a thread, class of December 2013 where those giving up this month help each other.,also, the one year and under thread is what it says. A warm welcome awaits any thread you join, I wish you well

ExWinoMom

I hear ya! I have two little sons and I go to AA. I'm thinking about going to another meeting tonight and dragging the kids along! X

KateL

I began with night drinking and it soon became an every night thing. Then as I drank more and more the hangovers became worse and I began to drink in the morning to alleviate them. This went on for some time, so I tried to cut down and began to binge instead. The binges turned into benders that could last for a week. I wish I had had the foresight to do something about it when I was just a night time drinker. You have done well to come here at this point and be concerned. I hope it helps you to stop and I am sure that it will. Good luck xxx

flutter

Welcome!! I'm a mama and I live in CO too (Denver area). Glad you found us!!

CoSprings417

Thank you everyone for all of the kind words and support! I know I can get there it just like everything is going to take time and more will power on my part. I need to find more ways to stay occupied and better reasons not to drink.
I'm grateful for this site & hope to stick around for a while.

Dee74

It wasn't actually will power for me CoSprings. Part of my will still wanted to drink.

Instead I had to accept I could drink, or I could be who I wanted to be - but I couldn't do both.

D