Drinking a fifth of vodka every night
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Midwest US
Posts: 157
Drinking a fifth of vodka every night
"Drinking a fifth of vodka every night" is what I googled several weeks ago when I found SR. I have been lurking here and soaking up every piece of knowledge that all of you offer in the forums since that night. I am so impressed by the level of insight and compassion that I have seen! You all are amazing!
My drinking has progressed over the past 10 years and honestly the progression is somewhat a blur, but to provide a summary: I had a long phase where I drank a couple of wine coolers or glasses of wine a couple of times a week, a phase where I drank a bottle of wine 2-3 nights per week, and a phase where I drank about a half of a bottle of vodka several nights every week. But for the past year or so I have been drinking a fifth of vodka virtually every night with very few "off" nights. Obviously, not good!
I have a fairly normal life. I have great, active kids. I have a full-time, long term job (although I work from home and I don't think I could handle the hangovers if I had to go into an office). Me and my husband also own a fairly successful business. But, every night when we are done with our activities and home for the night I sit with my husband and watch movies or TV and drink a whole freaking bottle! Sounds so ridiculous when I type it out!
Drawing strength from what I was reading on SR and also horror stories that I was reading about people dying young and painful deaths from liver failure I was able to put together 6 sober days a couple of weeks ago (from Thursday to Thursday right before Memorial Day weekend). I (very surprisingly) had no physical symptoms of withdrawal. So, I am going to start again today and this time I am going to make it permanent! Bottom line is I want a nice long life, and I want to live up to my full potential and live out the plan that God has for my life. I am going to use SR as a support system and an activity to fill the time that I usually drink. I am going to drink sweet drinks and eat ice cream if I need to to curb the cravings. I once heard a doctor that worked in recovery say that in all of his 30 years treating alcoholics he had only met 2 that were not also hypoglycemic. Very interesting to me.
Anyway, thanks for reading. Thanks for all of the insight you all have already provided me during my weeks of lurking. I will post or jump on chat if I start thinking of taking a drink.
My drinking has progressed over the past 10 years and honestly the progression is somewhat a blur, but to provide a summary: I had a long phase where I drank a couple of wine coolers or glasses of wine a couple of times a week, a phase where I drank a bottle of wine 2-3 nights per week, and a phase where I drank about a half of a bottle of vodka several nights every week. But for the past year or so I have been drinking a fifth of vodka virtually every night with very few "off" nights. Obviously, not good!
I have a fairly normal life. I have great, active kids. I have a full-time, long term job (although I work from home and I don't think I could handle the hangovers if I had to go into an office). Me and my husband also own a fairly successful business. But, every night when we are done with our activities and home for the night I sit with my husband and watch movies or TV and drink a whole freaking bottle! Sounds so ridiculous when I type it out!
Drawing strength from what I was reading on SR and also horror stories that I was reading about people dying young and painful deaths from liver failure I was able to put together 6 sober days a couple of weeks ago (from Thursday to Thursday right before Memorial Day weekend). I (very surprisingly) had no physical symptoms of withdrawal. So, I am going to start again today and this time I am going to make it permanent! Bottom line is I want a nice long life, and I want to live up to my full potential and live out the plan that God has for my life. I am going to use SR as a support system and an activity to fill the time that I usually drink. I am going to drink sweet drinks and eat ice cream if I need to to curb the cravings. I once heard a doctor that worked in recovery say that in all of his 30 years treating alcoholics he had only met 2 that were not also hypoglycemic. Very interesting to me.
Anyway, thanks for reading. Thanks for all of the insight you all have already provided me during my weeks of lurking. I will post or jump on chat if I start thinking of taking a drink.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 425
This is a really incredible post. I am on day 6 and I had some slight withdrawals throughout this week (and I was drinking wayyyy less than 1/5 per night!) So you are very very lucky you haven't been having withdrawals! Tonight I got my first craving for alcohol. I've been equipped with HALT. Hungry. Angry. Lonely. Tired. Seems to me every time I get a craving to drink it's actually HALT. Was I hungry? Yes! For what? Ice cream? I don't think I've eaten Ice Cream in 2014 or 2013! All my money has had to go to beer. So I went and ate ice cream. NEXT Angry? Nope. Lonely? Yes. so I came on SR. Now I'm not lonely. Craving Gone.
Last edited by Dee74; 06-13-2014 at 08:05 PM. Reason: rule 9
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,564
Welcome JJ9! I'm so glad you've been helped by SR - and very happy you decided to post.
I was drinking insane amounts too when I finally quit. It was a relief to finally let go of it. We're glad you're here - you can do it.
I was drinking insane amounts too when I finally quit. It was a relief to finally let go of it. We're glad you're here - you can do it.
Left the bottle behind 4/16/2015
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 1,416
Wow! A 5th/night?! I drank a 5th/day but stretched it over the entire 24 hour period - slow IV drip alcoholic as a friend of mine put it - and I started going through terrible withdrawals. It took a while, though. I drank for 26 years but didn't really notice withdrawals until 8 years ago. It sounds like you are at a good stopping point, that place where you wanna quit while you're ahead before things get really outta hand. You've come to the right place to help you do just that. Welcome!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 476
Originally Posted by JJ9
"Drinking a fifth of vodka every night" is what I googled several weeks ago when I found SR. I have been lurking here and soaking up every piece of knowledge that all of you offer in the forums since that night. I am so impressed by the level of insight and compassion that I have seen! You all are amazing!
My drinking has progressed over the past 10 years and honestly the progression is somewhat a blur, but to provide a summary: I had a long phase where I drank a couple of wine coolers or glasses of wine a couple of times a week, a phase where I drank a bottle of wine 2-3 nights per week, and a phase where I drank about a half of a bottle of vodka several nights every week. But for the past year or so I have been drinking a fifth of vodka virtually every night with very few "off" nights. Obviously, not good!
I have a fairly normal life. I have great, active kids. I have a full-time, long term job (although I work from home and I don't think I could handle the hangovers if I had to go into an office). Me and my husband also own a fairly successful business. But, every night when we are done with our activities and home for the night I sit with my husband and watch movies or TV and drink a whole freaking bottle! Sounds so ridiculous when I type it out!
Drawing strength from what I was reading on SR and also horror stories that I was reading about people dying young and painful deaths from liver failure I was able to put together 6 sober days a couple of weeks ago (from Thursday to Thursday right before Memorial Day weekend). I (very surprisingly) had no physical symptoms of withdrawal. So, I am going to start again today and this time I am going to make it permanent! Bottom line is I want a nice long life, and I want to live up to my full potential and live out the plan that God has for my life. I am going to use SR as a support system and an activity to fill the time that I usually drink. I am going to drink sweet drinks and eat ice cream if I need to to curb the cravings. I once heard a doctor that worked in recovery say that in all of his 30 years treating alcoholics he had only met 2 that were not also hypoglycemic. Very interesting to me.
Anyway, thanks for reading. Thanks for all of the insight you all have already provided me during my weeks of lurking. I will post or jump on chat if I start thinking of taking a drink.
My drinking has progressed over the past 10 years and honestly the progression is somewhat a blur, but to provide a summary: I had a long phase where I drank a couple of wine coolers or glasses of wine a couple of times a week, a phase where I drank a bottle of wine 2-3 nights per week, and a phase where I drank about a half of a bottle of vodka several nights every week. But for the past year or so I have been drinking a fifth of vodka virtually every night with very few "off" nights. Obviously, not good!
I have a fairly normal life. I have great, active kids. I have a full-time, long term job (although I work from home and I don't think I could handle the hangovers if I had to go into an office). Me and my husband also own a fairly successful business. But, every night when we are done with our activities and home for the night I sit with my husband and watch movies or TV and drink a whole freaking bottle! Sounds so ridiculous when I type it out!
Drawing strength from what I was reading on SR and also horror stories that I was reading about people dying young and painful deaths from liver failure I was able to put together 6 sober days a couple of weeks ago (from Thursday to Thursday right before Memorial Day weekend). I (very surprisingly) had no physical symptoms of withdrawal. So, I am going to start again today and this time I am going to make it permanent! Bottom line is I want a nice long life, and I want to live up to my full potential and live out the plan that God has for my life. I am going to use SR as a support system and an activity to fill the time that I usually drink. I am going to drink sweet drinks and eat ice cream if I need to to curb the cravings. I once heard a doctor that worked in recovery say that in all of his 30 years treating alcoholics he had only met 2 that were not also hypoglycemic. Very interesting to me.
Anyway, thanks for reading. Thanks for all of the insight you all have already provided me during my weeks of lurking. I will post or jump on chat if I start thinking of taking a drink.
A fifth a night and no withdrawal symptoms?? Sounds rather odd to me.......... but i guess everyone reacts differently to the stuff.
For the lion's share of my drinking "career" i was drinking mainly beer, and i had a rather UN-pleasant and ROUGH withdrawal with severe insomnia that lasted weeks and weeks. Also, i was only at it for a handful of years. What a strange and mysterious ailment this is............
Perhaps it has something to do with age?
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 425
Originally Posted by grubby 
Welcome aboard
A fifth a night and no withdrawal symptoms?? Sounds rather odd to me.......... but i guess everyone reacts differently to the stuff.
For the lion's share of my drinking "career" i was drinking mainly beer, and i had a rather UN-pleasant and ROUGH withdrawal with severe insomnia that lasted weeks and weeks. Also, i was only at it for a handful of years. What a strange and mysterious ailment this is............
Perhaps it has something to do with age?
A fifth a night and no withdrawal symptoms?? Sounds rather odd to me.......... but i guess everyone reacts differently to the stuff.
For the lion's share of my drinking "career" i was drinking mainly beer, and i had a rather UN-pleasant and ROUGH withdrawal with severe insomnia that lasted weeks and weeks. Also, i was only at it for a handful of years. What a strange and mysterious ailment this is............
Perhaps it has something to do with age?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Midwest US
Posts: 157
Thank you for all of your welcoming words. I was very surprised I did not have major withdrawals. (Thankful and surprised). I am 36, so not a spring chicken. After all of my reading I was fairly convinced that a seizure was in my immediate future, but I didn't experience any of the things I was expecting.
I love your thought process Serper! I am going to follow those steps when the cravings hit.
I love your thought process Serper! I am going to follow those steps when the cravings hit.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Strailya
Posts: 8,021
Welcome to SR, JJ9 !
In the last years of my drinking, I was focusing on spirits with vodka being my fave. At my peak, I was drinking almost a fifth every day and at least half a fifth every night. So, I know what those hangovers are like. Stay close to SR and post as much as possible. SR is a fabulous support forum. For me, it was important to have a recovery plan as I had tried being a dry drunk before. It never lasted very long before I was back on the bottle again. Try as many options that are available to you and see what works. It may take a few months (and in my experience it will morph as time goes by) but once you have found a plan that, stick to it religiously. Eventually, it will become habit and not difficult to adhere to.
We are here to support you !
In the last years of my drinking, I was focusing on spirits with vodka being my fave. At my peak, I was drinking almost a fifth every day and at least half a fifth every night. So, I know what those hangovers are like. Stay close to SR and post as much as possible. SR is a fabulous support forum. For me, it was important to have a recovery plan as I had tried being a dry drunk before. It never lasted very long before I was back on the bottle again. Try as many options that are available to you and see what works. It may take a few months (and in my experience it will morph as time goes by) but once you have found a plan that, stick to it religiously. Eventually, it will become habit and not difficult to adhere to.
We are here to support you !
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 4,225
Welcome JJ9. Apart from sleep and appetite disturbances, I did not experience withdrawal symptoms of note, either when I stopped drinking last July.
Do not let that lull you into a false sense of security. I cannot stress that enough.
I have had two slips since then and DID have withdrawal symptoms, scary ones and only after minimal dalliances with alcohol.
Our response both to alcohol, and response to taking away alcohol, becomes more and more unpredictable. Just warning you, as an easy withdrawal can trick us into thinking we can do this again ok when we are tempted to drink again.
Do not let that lull you into a false sense of security. I cannot stress that enough.
I have had two slips since then and DID have withdrawal symptoms, scary ones and only after minimal dalliances with alcohol.
Our response both to alcohol, and response to taking away alcohol, becomes more and more unpredictable. Just warning you, as an easy withdrawal can trick us into thinking we can do this again ok when we are tempted to drink again.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: C.C. Ma.
Posts: 3,697
Welcome JJ9 and continue to hang in there. I found, after drinking like you, that getting sober and staying sober are two different animals.
After being sober for a short period It was explained to me that the intake of alcohol was akin to an iceberg where the majority is below the surface. It took awhile for me to understand but slowly it cleared and I started to work on the underlying things to focus on. For me the biggie is feelings I had that I reacted to and needed to defuse, the only way I knew was by drinking. The list depending on the person can be long. It might include: Low Self-esteem, Anxiety/Fear, Perfectionism, Shame, Self-pity and on and on.
Recognizing these triggers for me has been great but they hang out somewhere in the brain and can suddenly, months or years later, come back and I wonder where this came from which makes this disease insidious.
BE WELL
After being sober for a short period It was explained to me that the intake of alcohol was akin to an iceberg where the majority is below the surface. It took awhile for me to understand but slowly it cleared and I started to work on the underlying things to focus on. For me the biggie is feelings I had that I reacted to and needed to defuse, the only way I knew was by drinking. The list depending on the person can be long. It might include: Low Self-esteem, Anxiety/Fear, Perfectionism, Shame, Self-pity and on and on.
Recognizing these triggers for me has been great but they hang out somewhere in the brain and can suddenly, months or years later, come back and I wonder where this came from which makes this disease insidious.
BE WELL
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 219
I never had withdrawals either. I was averaging a bottle and a half of wine per day. Went on some two day benders without one sober moment and still no hangovers or withdrawals afterward unless anxiety counts but I think that was from realizing I have a serious problem. Yep we're all different
A Day at a Time
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Grand Rapids MI
Posts: 6,435
I was at a fifth a night too. Be very careful about withdrawal. If you start feeling bad get to an ER. I almost died. Just because you did OK last time does not guarantee it will be OK this time. My symptoms came on very fast
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 120,872
Welcome, JJ9; glad you found SR and that it has helped you.
Wine was my demon; when I quit alcohol, ice cream/chocolate chip cookies/tons and tons of M&Ms/Godiva ice cream bars, etc. all became my best buds. They truly helped with the cravings.
Don't forget to lean on SR at any time, with any thought or issue. It's open 24/7.
Wine was my demon; when I quit alcohol, ice cream/chocolate chip cookies/tons and tons of M&Ms/Godiva ice cream bars, etc. all became my best buds. They truly helped with the cravings.
Don't forget to lean on SR at any time, with any thought or issue. It's open 24/7.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Midwest US
Posts: 157
Thank you all so much for your kind and thoughtful responses!
Croissant--Thanks for sharing that experience. I was wondering if my short "break" from alcohol a couple of weeks ago might make this time worse for me. I had some sleep disturbance last night (woke up in a couple of bad dreams that felt like they were still occurring for a minute after I started to wake). I know only one day down is no indication that I am not going to have other withdrawal symptoms but, so far so good.
IOAA2--Spot on! Every feeling that you listed that may be lying under the "tip of the iceberg" are feelings that I have. Some occasionally and some constantly. Thanks for pointing that out. I think some time with a therapist might be in order.
MIRecovery--Good advice, thanks! I will be careful and will get to the ER if I start to feel bad. I have a portable blood pressure monitor too so I will monitor that and get help if it starts to elevate.
Croissant--Thanks for sharing that experience. I was wondering if my short "break" from alcohol a couple of weeks ago might make this time worse for me. I had some sleep disturbance last night (woke up in a couple of bad dreams that felt like they were still occurring for a minute after I started to wake). I know only one day down is no indication that I am not going to have other withdrawal symptoms but, so far so good.
IOAA2--Spot on! Every feeling that you listed that may be lying under the "tip of the iceberg" are feelings that I have. Some occasionally and some constantly. Thanks for pointing that out. I think some time with a therapist might be in order.
MIRecovery--Good advice, thanks! I will be careful and will get to the ER if I start to feel bad. I have a portable blood pressure monitor too so I will monitor that and get help if it starts to elevate.
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