New here.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 9
New here.
Hi everyone. I'm a man in my late 30s and new to a support site like this.
I've been sober for two weeks now, and it's going okay. I haven't had the easiest life - I suffered from depression and drank a lot from time to time in my 20s, and in my late 20s I suffered a serious infection, possibly related, possibly not. In any event, I stopped drinking at that point. I recovered. In time, my life improved, and once I was in my 30s I experienced real happiness, maybe for the first time in my life.
I didn't really intend to start drinking again regularly. I moved to a new city and didn't really know anyone. I was still happy, but just lonely, sometimes...and having a few drinks on a Friday night when I wasn't able to find anything to do passed the time, I met a great woman after several months here, and she had a couple beers from time to time. I wanted to be able to do the same.
Does it make sense to say I did it not exactly to escape, or because I was depressed really, but because I thought I could enjoy things "more" with a few drinks?
I didn't notice any effects immediately, the most I ever had was maybe 4 or five drinks two or three nights a week, but the hangovers got worse, and longer, my performance at work slipped, and I started feeling run down and terrible a lot of the time, and even worse the morning after after just a couple drinks. I tried to deny it, but I have no doubt now what it means.
One night my girlfriend had to babysit me until 3 AM on a night where she had to work early in the morning, because I had five gin and tonics, was too drunk to drive, and was sitting there babbling away like a moron. In the morning I felt like a complete fool. What the F was I thinking? Just one turned into five, threw back two in the kitchen when she wasn't looking, I couldn't stop.
I thought maybe I could just be "a little bit" drinker - I can't, my body is telling me that in no uncertain terms. I think the party's over for good, this time. I'm an alcoholic, for sure!
I've told my girlfriend, my therapist, my PCP and a few close real-life friends that I had been drinking more than I let on, and they're supportive of my decision. I've been going through some withdrawal; anxiety, insomnia, and headaches that I can manage but are pretty unpleasant.
It was clearly a mistake to open this door again, and I want out!
I've been sober for two weeks now, and it's going okay. I haven't had the easiest life - I suffered from depression and drank a lot from time to time in my 20s, and in my late 20s I suffered a serious infection, possibly related, possibly not. In any event, I stopped drinking at that point. I recovered. In time, my life improved, and once I was in my 30s I experienced real happiness, maybe for the first time in my life.
I didn't really intend to start drinking again regularly. I moved to a new city and didn't really know anyone. I was still happy, but just lonely, sometimes...and having a few drinks on a Friday night when I wasn't able to find anything to do passed the time, I met a great woman after several months here, and she had a couple beers from time to time. I wanted to be able to do the same.
Does it make sense to say I did it not exactly to escape, or because I was depressed really, but because I thought I could enjoy things "more" with a few drinks?
I didn't notice any effects immediately, the most I ever had was maybe 4 or five drinks two or three nights a week, but the hangovers got worse, and longer, my performance at work slipped, and I started feeling run down and terrible a lot of the time, and even worse the morning after after just a couple drinks. I tried to deny it, but I have no doubt now what it means.
One night my girlfriend had to babysit me until 3 AM on a night where she had to work early in the morning, because I had five gin and tonics, was too drunk to drive, and was sitting there babbling away like a moron. In the morning I felt like a complete fool. What the F was I thinking? Just one turned into five, threw back two in the kitchen when she wasn't looking, I couldn't stop.
I thought maybe I could just be "a little bit" drinker - I can't, my body is telling me that in no uncertain terms. I think the party's over for good, this time. I'm an alcoholic, for sure!
I've told my girlfriend, my therapist, my PCP and a few close real-life friends that I had been drinking more than I let on, and they're supportive of my decision. I've been going through some withdrawal; anxiety, insomnia, and headaches that I can manage but are pretty unpleasant.
It was clearly a mistake to open this door again, and I want out!
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,369
Welcome FarAwayTimes 
I think a lot of us can identify with feeling drinking gave us a little more sheen, a little more edge - maybe even access to a little secret level to life that the man in the street didn't know about.
That's what drinking promised...of course it never delivered that in any real way....but the dream persisted....
You'll find a lot of support here - glad you found us
D
I think a lot of us can identify with feeling drinking gave us a little more sheen, a little more edge - maybe even access to a little secret level to life that the man in the street didn't know about.
That's what drinking promised...of course it never delivered that in any real way....but the dream persisted....
You'll find a lot of support here - glad you found us
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 9
Originally Posted by Dee74 
Welcome FarAwayTimes
I think a lot of us can identify with feeling drinking gave us a little more sheen, a little more edge - maybe even access to a little secret level to life that the man in the street didn't know about.
D
I think a lot of us can identify with feeling drinking gave us a little more sheen, a little more edge - maybe even access to a little secret level to life that the man in the street didn't know about.
D
But then it starts slipping its way into everything...
Blue Belt
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Soberville, USA
Posts: 4,174
Far,
Great job on 2 weeks. Wanting to quit is at least half the battle.
In my experience..at 2 weeks you are nearly physically clean.
Healing begins. Before that your poor body is in a constant state of survival from the toxin.
You will begin to become more aware of the brain damage booze causes.
It took me well over a year to really settle down. I had many mental hurdles to deal w. I did it med free except for a multi vit and a b supp.
The hellish suffering I endured staying clean now reminds me of why I will never pour alcohol down my throat again. I dealt w horrid lingering anxiety, paranoia, spatial disorientation, insomnia, and cravings in the beginning. I thought I was going insane until I found SR.
Alcohol, the way addicts drink it, is as bad as crack or meth,
We are all addicts for life. Relapse lurks.
Don't fight the addiction as much as embrace the sobriety.
SR and the internet saved my life as I know it. I was sitting at home 80 days clean and freaking out. I googled, how long until I feel better after quitting booze...I found SR.
If I went to a Dr and got diagnosed as an alcoholic, I would have lost my job.
Once diagnosed, for me, everything would have changed. So that is why annonimity is so important.
This site, while obviously not annonimous to the FBI etc, allows us drunks to fix ourselves if we can. It helps by empowering us w the information we need to embrace our sobriety and fight our addiction.
Thanks.
Great job on 2 weeks. Wanting to quit is at least half the battle.
In my experience..at 2 weeks you are nearly physically clean.
Healing begins. Before that your poor body is in a constant state of survival from the toxin.
You will begin to become more aware of the brain damage booze causes.
It took me well over a year to really settle down. I had many mental hurdles to deal w. I did it med free except for a multi vit and a b supp.
The hellish suffering I endured staying clean now reminds me of why I will never pour alcohol down my throat again. I dealt w horrid lingering anxiety, paranoia, spatial disorientation, insomnia, and cravings in the beginning. I thought I was going insane until I found SR.
Alcohol, the way addicts drink it, is as bad as crack or meth,
We are all addicts for life. Relapse lurks.
Don't fight the addiction as much as embrace the sobriety.
SR and the internet saved my life as I know it. I was sitting at home 80 days clean and freaking out. I googled, how long until I feel better after quitting booze...I found SR.
If I went to a Dr and got diagnosed as an alcoholic, I would have lost my job.
Once diagnosed, for me, everything would have changed. So that is why annonimity is so important.
This site, while obviously not annonimous to the FBI etc, allows us drunks to fix ourselves if we can. It helps by empowering us w the information we need to embrace our sobriety and fight our addiction.
Thanks.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Western New York
Posts: 2,440
Welcome farawaytimes! I spent almost 20years trying to find some control and balance in my drinking. Turns out being sober was the answer all along, not to mention its much easier and much more rewarding in every way. Anxiety early on seems to be the norm but it gets better
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