Day 1, no drugs or alcohol
 

Hello to all, I'm new to the forums and today is my first day at sustaining from using alcohol or drugs. I have already caused many issues because of my addictions. I'm cutting back on drinking because I'm afraid I will go through the shakes etc, if I stop drinking altogether.

I was addicted to heroin, oxycode, and cocaine. After a few years of snorting oxycodone, I turned to injecting it, which was a bad idea because I decided to share a needle. I was in bad withdrawal and snorting just didn't do it anymore. I found out 9 months later that I had hepatitis c.

So cutting down on alcohol and then quitting would be my best option. If I keep drinking excessively my liver will have problems later on down the road. I'm not deciding to quit just because of that. I also want to get my life together and continue with my education.

Any tips or pointers would be great from recovered addicts. Thanks and hello to all! :)

I've been to plenty of AA meetings. I was required to go to outpatient rehab when I was arrested last year, and they required atleast 2 AA/NA meetings a week. I went to 2-3 meetings weekly and I was sober for 3 months, I felt great.

But I relapsed a few months ago and I feel my addiction to alcohol and other drugs will get to where it used to be before I was arrested.

Hello and welcome! Congrats on your first day. I'm not able to 'cut back' on alcohol - for me there was either sober or totally drunk and no in-between. Once I had one drink, I had to have lots more, there was no way I could control the amount I drank, and that's why I have to stop drinking entirely and not touch another drop again. How are you cutting back? Are you able to say "that's enough now?" I think it's great that you're trying to cut back, don't get me wrong, I just would never be able to do that! Good luck with your journey and all the best!

Welcome Markus :)

You're in a great place for support. Are you going to go back to NA or are you getting some other type of help? x

I've been able to cut back before, even just have a drink 2-3 times week. But I eventually fell back into getting very drunk daily. The past 2 months have been stressful and my drinking became out of hand again.

But if I set it as a goal to cut down, then once I'm down enough, I will stop entirely. But I have told myself to cut down before and I just keep on going. I'm just going to go to meetings and take it from there.

Welcome to SR!

Have you returned to the meetings yet? If it helped then, it might help now, along with actually working the steps and using the tools....

Glad you are here!

I totally agree. My doctor has been our family Dr for years. He delivered my sons and has seen it all! When I went to him to discuss my problem I broke down crying like a baby. It was very emotional for me but I knew it could get better.

Welcome Markus!

Congratulations on deciding to get sober again.:ghug3 Good luck on tapering (I had mixed results myself). The support here is great! I've learned a lot, too.... Good to have you with us!:ring

Welcome Markus :)

The best tip I can give you right off is get as much support as you can and use it - you'll find a ton of that here :)

D

Welcome to the site people will help you with their advice. Withdrawling from alcohol is no laughing matter, hoopefully you can find the proper help and not do this on your own but if you can my hats off to you! There was no middle of the roed solution one to two drinks/drugs always lead back to that drunking state eventually. They have medications for alcohol withdrawls which is more healthier than detoxing yourself!

I will pray for you God bless!!!

Craig is totally right! Alcohol is dangerous to get off of. PLEASE see a DR! PLEASE do not detox alone! The first time I did it I did not follow the advice I was given and my muscles locked up. I felt like I had a spasm all over my body.

Well the tapering down worked for like 3 days then I snapped and decided to go on a 2 week bender. Today I haven't touched a drink and I went to an AA meeting. So I'm just gonna take it one day at a time. I might buy a beer at the store just in case I get shaky and anxious tonight.

I am pretty much going through detox right now, I am on my 38th hour. I am being dumb and not doing it medically supervised, but I have a good friend that is willing to sleep on an air mattress for the next few nights and keep an eye on me.

Its a good thing you are taking a stand, Hep C its self can destroy your liver and an alcohol problem sure wont help.

good luck and be safe!

Sorry to hear about the bender, Markus, but don't get down about it; it happened, you analyze it and try not to fall into another bender next time around the wheel. Like most things, it can take some practice.

Glad to see you back. You can do it, and you will be glad you did.


Oh and good for you Woot, you're fighting the good fight now. Another day or two and it's all downhill, baby. :c011:

That's usually how it works for most of us Markus. To be honest most people tend to give up on the idea of tapering altogether and go to the doctors to get something to help with detox. There is absolutely no shame in admitting that tapering will not work for you.

Please go to see your doctor. Please x

It's been over 24 hours since I've had a drink and I'm just bored and a little irratated, I guess it's because I'm used to being intoxicated almost all day.

One thing that is really bothering me though is my mother, who is a methadone addict. I went to my first AA meetings in months today, and she has been being so mean to me since I started talking about recovery and since I've stopped drinking. Today my stepfather drove me to a meeting, since he doesn't trust me to drive.

I have AA meeting sheets I told my mom and stepdad that I'd get signed to prove that I was at the meetings. But he still drove me, which I didn't really mind and didn't argue about.

But after the meeting and me arriving home I tell my mom that tomorrow when my stepdad is at work that I will be driving my car to a 4pm meeting. She said "no, I will drive you." But in the past when she has driven me she will take hours to pick me up once the meeting is done. So instead I told her that I would ride my bike, she still said no.

She is purposely making my attempt at sobriety very difficult. In a way I think she wants me to remain an alcoholic or a junkie so I can live at home and be her little errand boy. I started using in high school to make living with my mom and stepdad easier.

By the way, my stepdad is a psychiatrist and he took my pulse and asked how I felt earlier today, and I felt fine. He said if I get really sick to take some Campral, which I have in my medicine cabinet. He said Campral won't take the sickness away but it will help my brain function normal without alcohol. If I was really sick he would most likely help me.

I feel like I can't handle this and I almost want to cry. My mom is being very rude and calling my homosexual friend a ****** behind his back, to me. She's pointing out my past and talking crap. She used to give me money to buy me and her painkillers like 1 1/2 years ago. She's been supportive most of the time but she has major issues. Idk what to do sometimes.

Glad you have someone looking out for you on the medical side Markus.

Quite frankly, mums can be a pain in the arse. It sounds like your mum has her own addiction issues to deal with too. I hope you won't let any of her issues interfere with your sobriety. You need to do this for yourself x

Thanks. I just woke up 20 minutes ago and I feel ok, but not 100%. I feel out of place and anxious, but I really do think that's the worst of it. My mom called and said since we have no Valium that she'd give me a tiny amount of liquor if I was really sick. She doesn't want me going to the store in fear I'll buy too much alcohol.

I'm roughing it out and I'll be ok. I've been really thirsty and I've been craving sugary drinks. Plus, I'm talking multivitamins, so that has to help a bit.

Welcome Brandon. Perhaps you could get back to an Inpatient, get away from everyone and focus on you.