again

I am so scared right now. I can't seem to stop drinking. I had a DUI accident in July. That scared me and I stopped drinking. Then 2 weeks ago, it started up again. I feel sneaky and ashamed. My hubby came home yesterday from work (I had taken the day off to clean the house), and I was drunk. He's so sad. I am going to go to an AA meeting on Saturday night. I don't have any physical signs when I don't drink... I just have horrible cravings... How do you stop the craving?

Magichappens

Hi again,
Welcome to SR. Admitting there is a problem is the first step to solving it. Reaching out for help is the next.
There is a lot of support and help here. I am not an alcoholic, so I can't help you with the specifics, but others will be along soon that have experience, strength, and hope to share with you. In the meantime, feel free to browse the sight. Check out the Alcoholism forum and the AA forum. You will find that others are going through similar situations and how they are learning to change and become sober.
Again, welcome. You have found a great source for help. Hugs, Magic

boop64132

Hi and welcome again!

Can you do something to take your mind off the cravings?Like read write or walk?
Something...anything to keep your mind off it!
When I was trying to curb the cravings,I read alot!And I havent done that in years.
It did help.And I also would walk....alot of walking.
Drink alot of water and juice!!!!! Alcohol robs your body of needed fluids and vitimins.

One of the best books I read was "Under The Influence"by James Milam.You should get this book if possible.It will help you tremendously!!It did me!
It helps us understand alcoholism alot better.

I hope that this has helped a little.If you cannot find anything that helps you...maybe you can go see your Dr. and see what they suggest.

Praying for you!!

lulu70

Hello Again--Welcome to SR!! I am Laura and I am an alkie/pothead with 6 1/2 months of precious sobriety. Doing something to take your mind off the cravings is a fabulous suggestion. Also, going to AA (if you are willing and open-minded) will definitely help. I could not have made it this far without the help of AA. It is a wonderful program with many people who know exactly where you are coming from.

Hang in there and keep posting. Let us know more about you!!

Hugs--

Dan

Hi again, and welcome
Even after I did some very stupid things while intoxicated, and promising myself I would never go there again, I'd somehow always find a way to get loaded again after a short while.
It wasn't until I was able to understand that cravings pass, and that the belief I needed a drink (that always turned into ten or twenty five) was a wrong belief, that I was able to consider abstinence as a possibility for me.
I found help in AA, and I hope your meeting Saturday brings you some of the answers you need.
Glad you're here.

Tracy

Hi, again.

It's painful to keep making someone you love unhappy.

Maybe try taking it in smaller pieces. Just don't drink for today. Lot's of good advice on how to distract yourself from the craving. Try to eat well too. Avoid letting yourself get hungry and having blood sugar drop.

I'm glad you're here.

Tracy

1Marty

Hello Again. I had a similar situation to yours. What I did was pick up the phone and call for a referral into an outpatient treatment program. I needed to start seeing a therapist to help me with my drinking as well as all the anxiety and distress the accident caused me. My therapist introduced me to AA. I have found it vary helpfull. When the cravings come up, hit a meeting, or at least call a friend and talk to someone. The key early on for me was change of routine. Just commit to a program of recovery, be strong and give it time, to cravings will lesson.

David 1

Hey Again, I guess I wish I had an easy answer! I am an alcoholic with 11 months sobriety and it sounds like 1Marty and I took a similar path. We don't develop a drinking problem overnight and there is no reasonable explanation for our seemingly destructive behavior. I have a disease and I had to accept that and understand that I needed help to recover, and recovery is a process.

It started for me with our Employee Assistance Plan and a chemical dependency evaluation. I then started a long journey (six weeks) of nightly outpatient treatment. After a few weeks, the cravings subsided, but I also learned to not drink day by day!!

I am surprised your Attorney did not recommend a similar course of action, but he/she for sure would have if it had been your second or third DUI.

Your family is also important for providing support.

Recommendation #1 - Eliminate ALL alcohol from your house and ask your husband to support you by not drinking. I found this was critical early on in my recovery. It can be very hard to watch others drink!!

I m not sure if I helped, but there are a lot of very compassionate people here and at AA meetings that would be glad to try!!

Take care,

Dave

degadar

Hi Again, the only cure for cravings is time, and he only way to get time is to find ways of avoiding that first drink.

You've already had loads of good advice, and if you scour this place you'll find loads more. The best advice I have is to get ready for the next time you're likely to fail. Where will it be? what would you drink? - and put measures in place to stop it happening. I went to my local landlady and told her NEVER to serve me alcohol - EVER. Several times I got close - I knew she would serve me if I asked, but I would have looked very stupid!

Make a diary of past failures and eliminate the situations they arise in, one by one. Eat well, drink loads of liquid (no alcohol - D'oh!) and get regular exercise.

Those measures will help if you're really commited to stopping, if you're not then the booze will win.

Deg.

1Marty

Yep same here. I was really grateful that my employer offered the "EAP". I did not know AA, I did not Know SR. I put aside my ego and pride, picked up the phone and asked for help.

again

I am doing much better. I have not had anything since thursday and actually have not had any cravings. I have an appointment with a counselor tomorrow. I went to AA on Saturday, but I'm not sure if that's the place for me. I'm going to see what the counselor has to say. I really just started drinking recently (my mom died in march) and know that if I don't do something soon, I would be worse off than I am. I think that I have some issues that need to be addressed. I'm not opposed to going back to AA...just not sure about it now.

Thanks again (from again

Actually, the name's Karen

Sandy Marie

Hi Karen,
I'm sorry to hear about your mother's death. You have been through a lot. I support you in attending AA meetings and going to a counselor. You're trying very hard and you're out there looking for answers. Keep up the good work and let us know how things are going for you.
Sandy

Rowan

Hi Karen
I'm Rowan, alcoholic, and I'm glad you're here. This is a wonderful place for support, as you have already seen. I'm sorry that you lost your Mom. I'm glad you're going to
see a counsellor and are considering attending AA. However you do this, I urge you to
not do it alone. Reach out and ask for help. I had a really hard time asking for help
myself but was amazed and grateful for the scores of people who were willing to put their hands out to help me. This can happen for you, too. Open your mind and your heart and believe that you can get well. Keep coming back, we need you here!
Love Rowan

kckman

Karen, I am glad you have stopped drinking and you are feeling better.

again

Thanks Everyone!!!! I appreciate all the support. I am going to the counselor tonight. I'm really looking forward to starting this process. (Although quite nervous at the same time). Still not having cravings....still not drinking. Feel great actually.

Karen

Dan

Great news Karen!
It's all about doing something, and moving forward.
I hope you have a good experience with the counselor.

again

Thanks everyone for your support, it's great.

The couselor was really good. I think this is what I needed. I got lots of homework last night. 50 partial sentences that I have to complete. This is really tough (ex. I am ahsamed... or I feel peace....) Out of the 50, I might have gotten 5 done. This is going to take some time, but I really feel that this is what I needed.

Just wanted to update everyone.

Karen

3legacy

(((((((Karen)))))))

kenman

Not that im in better shape, but i do understand the cravings,
I am a hardcore pothead, ive smoke , well forever, and now i want to get clean , but the first thing i think of each day is to take a big hit off the pipe.
i think about it all day each day. but I WANT TO BE CLEAN, i just cant keep smokin,
folks have been telling me to do it one day at a time, well i do it an hour at a time, when i feel like getting ripped ive be working out in the yard or on the truck, at least the house looks better then ever.....
just keep trying,

MaryP

I suggest just going to AA meetings. as for kenman, i used to smoke like you but then all of a sudden i started getting paranoid and anxiety attacks. i would think about what other people were thinking about me and it just freaked me out. just stick with it