I want to stop drinking
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 1
I want to stop drinking
Hi, I'm a 30 year old male, and I have just signed up to this forum, while recovering from yet another bout of extreme drinking. Today is my day off from work. So I always start drinking on Sunday at lunchtime, and continue until I pass out. Monday is spent recovering.
On other nights I still drink, but I cannot go to work drunk/badly hungover.
Sometimes in the week, I plan a time when I can work from home from 10am, and I just drink. If I start drinking at 10am, I will be OK for work the next morning.
Few people know about my drinking. I hide it. I am never drunk publicly. I live alone. But I have sent stupid messages when drunk, which I later really regret, because it exposes my secret. Some people know about my drinking and look down on me.
I drink to get drunk, which blocks out feelings I have of inadequacy and depression. My doctor is excellent, but won't prescribe me any pills for depression until I sort the drinking out.
Thanks for reading.
On other nights I still drink, but I cannot go to work drunk/badly hungover.
Sometimes in the week, I plan a time when I can work from home from 10am, and I just drink. If I start drinking at 10am, I will be OK for work the next morning.
Few people know about my drinking. I hide it. I am never drunk publicly. I live alone. But I have sent stupid messages when drunk, which I later really regret, because it exposes my secret. Some people know about my drinking and look down on me.
I drink to get drunk, which blocks out feelings I have of inadequacy and depression. My doctor is excellent, but won't prescribe me any pills for depression until I sort the drinking out.
Thanks for reading.
Friendly Folk
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Powers Lake, Wisconsin
Posts: 21,717
Welcome to SR. You will find that you are not alone here. Many of us can relate to your behaviors and I am one of them. Drinking is a temporary escape and hides the real problems inside of us. It is also a depressant so you may be even more depressed because of alcohol.
Keep posting your feelings because someone is always listening! You will find lots of support here! Glad you found us! ♡CR
Keep posting your feelings because someone is always listening! You will find lots of support here! Glad you found us! ♡CR
Guest
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 52
My first two days I stayed in bed! Which was lucky really.
I've failed before from pushing myself to do too much at once. Just concentrate on getting through the day without drinking
I'm sorry but having suffered from depression for 7 years I completely disagree with your doctor. In an ideal world you'll stop drinking but it's a vicious cycle. Explain to them that if you felt better mentally you might be able to fight the urge to drink more!
I've failed before from pushing myself to do too much at once. Just concentrate on getting through the day without drinking
I'm sorry but having suffered from depression for 7 years I completely disagree with your doctor. In an ideal world you'll stop drinking but it's a vicious cycle. Explain to them that if you felt better mentally you might be able to fight the urge to drink more!
Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Posts: 28,663
What can work (based on me only0- a sobriety plan, support on a daily basis- SR, AA/SMART meetings, AA sponsor. Professional support- counsellor. Getting physically healthy- regular doc check ups. Keeping a daily journal to plan, set goals, learn and grow. Filling in the drinking time with something productive (at first a real effort- but worth it).
Doing different things outside my comfort zone. Such as high ropes adventure day. WAS terrified of heights. Not now- I gained confidence then to take another risk- art. Then another, etc.
Accepting failure and learning from it. Going to the gym. Accepting life on life's terms. Only concentrating on changing me- not others or the world.
HALTS- Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired, Sad. -if any of those things affecting me- because I FEEL DOWN, WHY? wHAT CAN I DO TO CHANGE THIS. if I CANNOT CHANGE ANYTHING- WHO CAN HELP. fOR EXAMPLE- feeling sad, the doc 9at my request) put me back on antid-s.
Sorry 'bout this caps. Got excited.
Hope helps bit.
Doing different things outside my comfort zone. Such as high ropes adventure day. WAS terrified of heights. Not now- I gained confidence then to take another risk- art. Then another, etc.
Accepting failure and learning from it. Going to the gym. Accepting life on life's terms. Only concentrating on changing me- not others or the world.
HALTS- Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired, Sad. -if any of those things affecting me- because I FEEL DOWN, WHY? wHAT CAN I DO TO CHANGE THIS. if I CANNOT CHANGE ANYTHING- WHO CAN HELP. fOR EXAMPLE- feeling sad, the doc 9at my request) put me back on antid-s.
Sorry 'bout this caps. Got excited.
Hope helps bit.
I could see peace instead of this
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Canada, eh
Posts: 2,360
Welcome, jab!
There's a lot of support and information for you here to help you if you want to stop. You can do it if you're willing to put some work into it.
There is such a freedom in sobriety!
There's a lot of support and information for you here to help you if you want to stop. You can do it if you're willing to put some work into it.
There is such a freedom in sobriety!
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Welcome to SR Jab. You'll find a lot of support and understanding here. Your doctor is right....alcohol is a depressant so there's not a lot of sense in prescribing an anti-depressant until you can stop drinking. Have you considered local support as well like meetings or counseling perhaps?
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
well jab.... you've got all the right ingredients to make a recipe for disaster!!!
the "I want to stop drinking" is a fantastic first step in the right direction, because what you've described almost always leads to a worse, worse, ever-worse place......
this is a great place to begin your journey of sobriety and to open yourself into a life that is new, better, deeper, richer, far more than you can imagine.
Welcome.
the "I want to stop drinking" is a fantastic first step in the right direction, because what you've described almost always leads to a worse, worse, ever-worse place......
this is a great place to begin your journey of sobriety and to open yourself into a life that is new, better, deeper, richer, far more than you can imagine.
Welcome.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: California
Posts: 13,040
Welcome Jab and Lexi,
You will find lots of support on SR. Two great threads are the monthly classes and the 24 hour thread.
You should both join the March of 2017 class, you will be surrounded by others who have also committed or recommitted to sobriety this month. I found it helpful to have others at the same point in their sobriety.
The 24 hour thread is a wonderful community where you can check in each day and commit to the next 24 hours sober. It is a fast moving thread, and you'll find lots of wonderfully supportive people on it.
In the beginning I found it was important to plan alternate activities for the time I would normally be drinking, exercise, reading, plans with my kids, binge watch Netflix. I also use a journal, and read and post here daily. There are many paths to recovery, spend some time reading on this forum, and see what will work for you.
Glad you are here!!
You will find lots of support on SR. Two great threads are the monthly classes and the 24 hour thread.
You should both join the March of 2017 class, you will be surrounded by others who have also committed or recommitted to sobriety this month. I found it helpful to have others at the same point in their sobriety.
The 24 hour thread is a wonderful community where you can check in each day and commit to the next 24 hours sober. It is a fast moving thread, and you'll find lots of wonderfully supportive people on it.
In the beginning I found it was important to plan alternate activities for the time I would normally be drinking, exercise, reading, plans with my kids, binge watch Netflix. I also use a journal, and read and post here daily. There are many paths to recovery, spend some time reading on this forum, and see what will work for you.
Glad you are here!!
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 22
The first step is admitting that you need change, it will come if you want it to. I wish you luck and please keep us posted, I just joined this site yesterday and I find it to be an amazing environment for any addict to seek help.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Oregon, West Coast, U.S.
Posts: 393
Sorry you are going thru this, and I understand because I have done those same things....Planning when to drink, working from home so I could drink, days spent recovering after binges, just feeling depressed and anxious. The drinking never helps though, and it just keeps making things worse. You will get thru it, just keep posting here, and welcome!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: middle of nowhere
Posts: 2,849
It doesn't get better, unless you quit drinking. Then it definitely can and will get better.
Have you thought about seeing an addictions counselor or regular counselor, outpatient therapy, or group meetings?
There are lots of great resources on SR as well. You will find so much support in this community. Welcome
Have you thought about seeing an addictions counselor or regular counselor, outpatient therapy, or group meetings?
There are lots of great resources on SR as well. You will find so much support in this community. Welcome
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,564
It's so good to meet you, Jab. You're doing a great thing for yourself by admitting you need to stop. At 30 I drank like you are - but I did nothing to keep myself from total disaster later in life. When I came to SR I was drinking all day - my life was in ruins. This won't happen to you.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 611
Jab, it sounds like you've identified the immediate problem (drinking) and the emotional issues you'll need to follow up on once sobriety is in place. Knowing this puts you many steps ahead moving forward.
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