I'm new and may have an alcohol problem
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 151
I'm new and may have an alcohol problem
Hello I'm Matthew, I'm 25 years old and I live in Australia. For the last 2 years I feel like I have an Alcohol problem but it only got bad about 1 year ago. Basically I had an operation to my ankle and was in hospital for 5 days but when i got out I was unable to walk and was in a lot of pain. So I started drinking because of boredom, you know because not being able to walk makes me go crazy. After the ankle recovery I still didn't quit drinking because now I rely on alcohol whenever i get bored and also for some wack reason I drink to make things more interesting, like I can no longer sit around sober watching a movie anymore, I have to be drinking.
At the moment I drink around 6-12 beers a day and I have put on a lot of weight. I used to only weigh around 81kgs but now I weigh 101 kgs. I also have anxiety so maybe its the medication i take that makes me put weight on but i don't think the alcohol abuse can be any good.
So my question is how do i quit and not get bored of doing normal activities while sober like watching movies?
At the moment I drink around 6-12 beers a day and I have put on a lot of weight. I used to only weigh around 81kgs but now I weigh 101 kgs. I also have anxiety so maybe its the medication i take that makes me put weight on but i don't think the alcohol abuse can be any good.
So my question is how do i quit and not get bored of doing normal activities while sober like watching movies?
Canine Welfare Advocate
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 10,962
Welcome to SR. You've gone most of your life doing stuff without drinking and not being bored. The drinking is fairly recent. It's only your addiction telling you that you can't, that you'll be bored. It wants you to keep drinking.
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,784
Welcome to the family. 
You might want to find a hobby or other activity to keep your interest. Also suggested, is volunteer work in your community. A good way to give back, and make new friends.
I thought my life would be boring if I didn't drink. Turns out my life is anything but boring. And waking up feeling good never gets old.
You might want to find a hobby or other activity to keep your interest. Also suggested, is volunteer work in your community. A good way to give back, and make new friends.I thought my life would be boring if I didn't drink. Turns out my life is anything but boring.
And waking up feeling good never gets old. Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 68
Welcome to Sober Recovery. This is a great place where you'll find lots of information and support - it is a truly wonderful group of people. We're all united for the same reason.
Your story sounds very familiar to mine, except in that I'm a couple of years further down the track from where you are now. I'm a 31 year old guy, have put on ALOT of weight over the past year (up from a healthy 97kg to 122kg today), also in Oz, except my heavier drinking started when going out to nightclubs in my 20's, where I'd drink heavily 3-4 times/week when going out. Over time that progressed to drinking the next day, to the point where in late 2014, I went on a two month binge where I drank every single day after having lost my job. Since then I struggle almost daily not to drink, and regularly fall hard.
It truly is a slippery slope that doesn't happen all at once - one day you're having a few drinks with friends when out, the next you're having a few 'pre-drinks' before the drinks, to starting a few drinks the day after, and so on. In my case it was a period of several years during which I descended into that hell, all throughout it thinking I was in control. 2015 was a year during which I didn't work at all, had no relationship, experiencing large financial issues, all whilst I was on the constant roller coaster of going on several day binges, before going through withdrawal for 4-5 days, staying clean for short periods, and falling again.
Feeling the way you do about alcohol at the moment - that you can't have fun or that it's necessary to give a boost to whatever activity you're doing, is very indicative that you've got a problem with alcohol. It's good that you've caught onto it at such a relatively young age. Please, take it from me, take control of it now, don't put it off thinking you've got all the time in the world. Evetually you may find yourself in your 30's down a far deeper and darker hole than you could have imagined. There are some people here who I find incredibly motivating who abused the booze for 30+ years and have since managed to stay clean.
We're all here because we have an AV (addictive voice) inside that for us is very hard to control. That's your AV telling you that you need to have a couple of beers whilst watching a movie. Life (over time) becomes much more enjoyable and validating once you've knocked it off.
Read the experiences that are written throughout this forum, post and share some of your own - you'll find no judgement whatsoever (I've done some truly apalling things and all I've ever received here is love and support). Get a handle of it now mate.
Your story sounds very familiar to mine, except in that I'm a couple of years further down the track from where you are now. I'm a 31 year old guy, have put on ALOT of weight over the past year (up from a healthy 97kg to 122kg today), also in Oz, except my heavier drinking started when going out to nightclubs in my 20's, where I'd drink heavily 3-4 times/week when going out. Over time that progressed to drinking the next day, to the point where in late 2014, I went on a two month binge where I drank every single day after having lost my job. Since then I struggle almost daily not to drink, and regularly fall hard.
It truly is a slippery slope that doesn't happen all at once - one day you're having a few drinks with friends when out, the next you're having a few 'pre-drinks' before the drinks, to starting a few drinks the day after, and so on. In my case it was a period of several years during which I descended into that hell, all throughout it thinking I was in control. 2015 was a year during which I didn't work at all, had no relationship, experiencing large financial issues, all whilst I was on the constant roller coaster of going on several day binges, before going through withdrawal for 4-5 days, staying clean for short periods, and falling again.
Feeling the way you do about alcohol at the moment - that you can't have fun or that it's necessary to give a boost to whatever activity you're doing, is very indicative that you've got a problem with alcohol. It's good that you've caught onto it at such a relatively young age. Please, take it from me, take control of it now, don't put it off thinking you've got all the time in the world. Evetually you may find yourself in your 30's down a far deeper and darker hole than you could have imagined. There are some people here who I find incredibly motivating who abused the booze for 30+ years and have since managed to stay clean.
We're all here because we have an AV (addictive voice) inside that for us is very hard to control. That's your AV telling you that you need to have a couple of beers whilst watching a movie. Life (over time) becomes much more enjoyable and validating once you've knocked it off.
Read the experiences that are written throughout this forum, post and share some of your own - you'll find no judgement whatsoever (I've done some truly apalling things and all I've ever received here is love and support). Get a handle of it now mate.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 166
Dear oz, your story relates to mine very closely. I was in three bad accidents all spaced six, six, and nine months apart. My body was broken and I could not run or exercise or continue my work. The self pity, boredom, and fear led me to crawl into a bottle for a few years and I am making an attempt at recovery. I have struggled along the way, I had nine months clean at one point and it greatly enhanced my life. Using drink to cope with my problems seemed like an easy solution but made things much, much worse. I wish you the best and keep coming back here for support. John
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,512
Welcome, Oz,
I'm glad you see that you have a problem with alcohol and that you want to change things. I think it's good to know that stopping drinking is the first step and after that it takes continued work to change habits and lifestyle and to deal with underlying issues. If you believe you will be bored, then you will have to get out there and find things to do that are fun and interesting.
I'm glad you see that you have a problem with alcohol and that you want to change things. I think it's good to know that stopping drinking is the first step and after that it takes continued work to change habits and lifestyle and to deal with underlying issues. If you believe you will be bored, then you will have to get out there and find things to do that are fun and interesting.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 120
Welcome. I think the reason a lot of us feel like tv without alcohol is boring is because in actual fact TV is boring!
Its ok for occasionally zoning out, but really that's what TV is , zoning out, not living our lives. I could have gotten so much more done in my life if I had not watched tv all these years. Lately I prefer to read most of the time.
A lot of research has shown that the more TV we watch the more anxious and depressed we are likely to become. Its true of me.
Good luck.
Its ok for occasionally zoning out, but really that's what TV is , zoning out, not living our lives. I could have gotten so much more done in my life if I had not watched tv all these years. Lately I prefer to read most of the time.
A lot of research has shown that the more TV we watch the more anxious and depressed we are likely to become. Its true of me.
Good luck.
You can have reasons, or you can have results, but you can't have both.
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Syracuse, NY
Posts: 1,232
Drinking over time fries our "pleasure" neurotransmitters so when we stop, nothing seems very interesting or fun at first. I'm in this predicament too.
It takes some time, but our brain chemistries eventually return to normal. We just have to be patient, and keep on trying new activities. I think it's a good idea to seek out activities with other people or outside the home so you won't just be sitting home alone feeling the call of the booze.
It takes some time, but our brain chemistries eventually return to normal. We just have to be patient, and keep on trying new activities. I think it's a good idea to seek out activities with other people or outside the home so you won't just be sitting home alone feeling the call of the booze.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 324
Originally Posted by lisatryingagain 
Welcome. I think the reason a lot of us feel like tv without alcohol is boring is because in actual fact TV is boring!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 151
oh and i forgot to add I was doing a civil construction course certificate III which was an 8 week course but after about 3 weeks I was up drinking too late then i slept in and couldn't make it. The day I didn't go was an important traffic management practical day, so yeah that stuffed me up so now i need to quit before considering starting again. The course is like $1800 course but its government funded but i don't think they will give out many chances to people that stuff up.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 68
If you only missed one day, do you think you might be able to make up for it if you attend the remainder of the course? Ask the other participants about what they learnt on the day, maybe look up some theory online on the subject - teach yourself. Could be that armed with that, and regular attendance for the remainder of the course, you can still pass.
Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 14,934
Welcome to SR!
So my question is how do i quit and not get bored of doing normal activities while sober like watching movies?
After I got sober I had to rent a bunch of movies that I had already seen. The problem was, I would be drinking while watching and later I would't remember how they ended. Being sober has it's advantages.
So my question is how do i quit and not get bored of doing normal activities while sober like watching movies?
After I got sober I had to rent a bunch of movies that I had already seen. The problem was, I would be drinking while watching and later I would't remember how they ended. Being sober has it's advantages.
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