Ready to quit for good.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Central,Wi.
Posts: 8
Ready to quit for good.
Just joined this site and don't know where to start really. Have been an alcoholic for the past 5 years for sure, but given my lineage, it may be something that has been in my family for decades. I have all the motivation in the world to quit, but biologically it seems, there is the need for some amount of alcohol everyday. I have been working on getting away from the booze for the past year and now I only have 6 beers or less before bedtime. This may seem like alot, but when I think back on half a bottle of Jack before bedtime, I know I've started towards the light. Now what scares me are the night terrors and the lack of a safety net that alcohol gave me. I know that other alcoholics can relate when they are on their way to quitting. Tell me your stories please and help me to confront my demons so I can do the same. I've already quit several times and have almost freaked out the first few nights when I try and sleep. What was it like for you and how do you cope with the terrors?
Philippines/Canada
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Left Coast
Posts: 454
Welcome to SR CountryBoy!!!
You will find everything you will need here. I am just signing out now but check out this thread http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html
There is also a sub forum on sleep/nightmares etc. http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ia-nightmares/
More fellow addicts(those who are or have suffered from addiction) will be along to help shortly, probably once the sun starts to rise
See ya around
You will find everything you will need here. I am just signing out now but check out this thread http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html There is also a sub forum on sleep/nightmares etc. http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ia-nightmares/
More fellow addicts(those who are or have suffered from addiction) will be along to help shortly, probably once the sun starts to rise
See ya around
Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: my room in ct.
Posts: 58,110
CB, welcome to the gang...
CB its just a matter of time before that net gets a hole it it...
might be a litle tear at first, then a huge hole...
for me, the night terrors was nothing more then king alcohol saying...
i wont let you sleep, i will bring you nightmares, til i get more!
once i stoped, and the compulsion to drink lifted...
i can sleep with peace...
good wishes CB
rz
CB
the lack of a safety net that alcohol gave me.
might be a litle tear at first, then a huge hole...
for me, the night terrors was nothing more then king alcohol saying...
i wont let you sleep, i will bring you nightmares, til i get more!
once i stoped, and the compulsion to drink lifted...
i can sleep with peace...
good wishes CB
rz
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Yes....those de tox days can be most difficult.
That is why it's wise to have
an honest talk with your doctor.
I use God and AA to stay sober.
works quite well.
Welcome to SR!
That is why it's wise to have
an honest talk with your doctor.
I use God and AA to stay sober.
works quite well.
Welcome to SR!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: 49 degrees north
Posts: 1,036
CB
Welcome. First of all, you lucked out, as I did. You found a really good place to begin your journey.
First, Your "story" like many raises my eyebrows. 6 beers or less before bedtime. Wow. Far more than my routine. I'd down 2-3 after work, and maybe one/hour on weekends. After6-8 I'd fall asleep.
Is that minimizing my addiction? Used to be, I guess. It was my downfall, actually. I'd compare myself to others in AA and decided that I might not be an alcoholic, but simply stupid. So I reembarked on my "career." I was going to not be stupid. I was going to drink moderately with my new fiance.
Hah! Worked for a year. Soon the old "drill" reappeared exactly as it had. I feel strongly now that a person can be "diseased" regardless of the amount. I was powerless and my life was unmanageable. Alcohol was steering my ship. Thus, I firmly believe that "amount of consumption" is only a factor in the degree of withdrawal one has. I feel fortunate there (nearly 3 weeks), but I'm still there.
Second, I have nightly "nightmares." I wrote about this just the other day on another thread. They vary in intensity and type, but they are all dream that do not involve sunny days.
But, I have learned to not only accept them, but value them. Really. A rather famous author and Public Television presenter, Dr. Wayne Dyer, helped me with a quote. He said, "The more we change the wat we look at things, the more the things we look at change." Simple on the surface. But one can take that and run with it to the depths of one's soul.
So, I look at my dreams as "mental floss." Emotional housecaleaning. I wouldn't be dreaming that sh*t if it weren't there and need to be addressed. Thank god I'm doing it while unconscious and not at work!
I really would not choose to make them go away with a pill or whatever. It is necessary work that my subconscious is doing and I really don't need to understand what or why. Let it be.
M'lady, who has frequent nightmares, cannot understand my approach. She walks around all day sometimes, affected by her dreams of parents gone, and god knows what other stuff. Not me. I wake up feeling perhaps worn ut, but cleansed in way. I feel like I "done some work last night." Work that my puny mind cannot do while conscious.
Don't know if any of this makes sense to you. I don't know if you might be able to change the way you look at such dreams. As necessary. As doing ultimate good. If you can however, it may help alleviate at least oneof your fears. Or accept them, anyhow. We do wake up. And it sounds like you are waking up in other ways, too. You are to be commended for that.
Best to you!
We can focus on peace and serentity while we are awake. That is what this place is for.
From another "country boy"
warrens
Welcome. First of all, you lucked out, as I did. You found a really good place to begin your journey.
First, Your "story" like many raises my eyebrows. 6 beers or less before bedtime. Wow. Far more than my routine. I'd down 2-3 after work, and maybe one/hour on weekends. After6-8 I'd fall asleep.
Is that minimizing my addiction? Used to be, I guess. It was my downfall, actually. I'd compare myself to others in AA and decided that I might not be an alcoholic, but simply stupid. So I reembarked on my "career." I was going to not be stupid. I was going to drink moderately with my new fiance.
Hah! Worked for a year. Soon the old "drill" reappeared exactly as it had. I feel strongly now that a person can be "diseased" regardless of the amount. I was powerless and my life was unmanageable. Alcohol was steering my ship. Thus, I firmly believe that "amount of consumption" is only a factor in the degree of withdrawal one has. I feel fortunate there (nearly 3 weeks), but I'm still there.
Second, I have nightly "nightmares." I wrote about this just the other day on another thread. They vary in intensity and type, but they are all dream that do not involve sunny days.
But, I have learned to not only accept them, but value them. Really. A rather famous author and Public Television presenter, Dr. Wayne Dyer, helped me with a quote. He said, "The more we change the wat we look at things, the more the things we look at change." Simple on the surface. But one can take that and run with it to the depths of one's soul.
So, I look at my dreams as "mental floss." Emotional housecaleaning. I wouldn't be dreaming that sh*t if it weren't there and need to be addressed. Thank god I'm doing it while unconscious and not at work!
I really would not choose to make them go away with a pill or whatever. It is necessary work that my subconscious is doing and I really don't need to understand what or why. Let it be.
M'lady, who has frequent nightmares, cannot understand my approach. She walks around all day sometimes, affected by her dreams of parents gone, and god knows what other stuff. Not me. I wake up feeling perhaps worn ut, but cleansed in way. I feel like I "done some work last night." Work that my puny mind cannot do while conscious.
Don't know if any of this makes sense to you. I don't know if you might be able to change the way you look at such dreams. As necessary. As doing ultimate good. If you can however, it may help alleviate at least oneof your fears. Or accept them, anyhow. We do wake up. And it sounds like you are waking up in other ways, too. You are to be commended for that.
Best to you!
We can focus on peace and serentity while we are awake. That is what this place is for.
From another "country boy"
warrens
member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,433
Welcome to SR CountryBoy,
You'll find lots of support and encouragement here, so please stick around Withdrawal can be horrible for most people, it's best to do it under a docs supervision. The good news is, it does get better.
I can relate to feeling that switching from Jack to beer is an improvement; it kind of is. My body could no longer handle the hard stuff so I toned down my intake but the problem is I got "stuck" on my nightly improvement of a few beers and a bottle of wine for several years. Then came the point I could no longer handle that either (hangovers that lasted for days, constant panic), but I kept on drinking anyway.
This is what I felt:
I kept waiting for my demons to appear so I could have a showdown; I figured that would usher in my sobriety. As usual, I had it the wrong way around. Two weeks ago an angel showed up and I suddenly knew deep down, for the first time in my life, that I'd had enough. As it turns out I'd been having tea - and booze - with my demons for a decade.
Keep posting, read a lot, reach out
Matt
You'll find lots of support and encouragement here, so please stick around
Withdrawal can be horrible for most people, it's best to do it under a docs supervision. The good news is, it does get better.I can relate to feeling that switching from Jack to beer is an improvement; it kind of is. My body could no longer handle the hard stuff so I toned down my intake but the problem is I got "stuck" on my nightly improvement of a few beers and a bottle of wine for several years. Then came the point I could no longer handle that either (hangovers that lasted for days, constant panic), but I kept on drinking anyway.
This is what I felt:
Originally Posted by 1CountryBoy 
help me to confront my demons so I can do the same.
Keep posting, read a lot, reach out
Matt
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