rushbettersober

Hi all, no clue what to expect. Really just want to talk to ppl in the same position and get advice... I only started drinking consistently about a year ago, but I'm hooked. I need the feeling of being numb, so I drink and the anxiety and last few years of personal hell go away. But to spite being able to deal with life thanks to alchohal I am also finding that I am no longer reaching goals, I am putting important things on hold and missing events that used to matter to me. Drinking socially became drinking regularly alone and now I'm lost in a cycle of coping that's more discructive than my problems. I don't think I am an alchohalic but I might be, I am concerned I am making things worse, but the thought of becoming completely sober and not having what helps me cope is scary. I don't know if I am one of those ppl who needs to never drink again or somone who just needs to limit how often I drink. Kind of embarrassed and worried, so glad I'm here...

PhoenixJ

WELCOME.
I started with
SR- perhaps for you the Class of Sugust 2017 thread in Newcomer's
Get support- counsellor, go to AA meetings, see your doc about physical health, a counsellor about addiction, a psychologist about the past
Make a recovery plan- what to do, when and why. Lots of info in the Sticky's.
Keep a journal.
Change your lifestyle to replace booze- from the bottom (action) to how you think.
Empathy and support to you.

teaorcoffee

Welcome.

Better to try and stop now than let it carry on. I think that having identified that you are having a problem with drinking, trying to stop and deal with it now is the best first step. It only gets harder the longer you leave it.


There's a bunch of us in the August class all trying the same thing, some for the first time and some of us are returners. You would be very, very welcome to join in. We're all just trying to get through this a day at a time.

Dee74

Welcome rushbettersober

I think a lot of us thought we were dealing with things by drinking....but ultimately I think drinking was really us running away from those problems.

Nothing ever got solved - just pushed to one side...

and, over time...I needed more and more drinks to get that numb oblivious state.

I've learned a lot about myself by staying sober...I'm more capable than I ever thought I was...and 'straight' reality is fair from being the nightmare I convinced myself it was.

I know how daunting the first step is and I know the fear and the what ifs ...but there's a motherlode of support wisdom and understanding here.

You're not alone

D

D122y

It doesn't take long to become addicted to booze. I guess maybe a few weeks of steady drinking.

After that, we think we use booze to cope, but we are using booze to cope w using booze.

Addiction = alcoholic

Some can learn this and flip the switch, suffer the anguish, recover, and learn life booze free.

Others need meds.

Others never make it out.

Believing we are in the fight of our life is a great first step.

Thanks.

january161992

how are you today rushbettersober ?