yogachic

Sorry you're feeling down. I live with someone & often feel like if I lived alone I wouldn't see his wine & liquor bottles & I'd be able to keep my alcohol-free weekend plans more easily! Guess either living alone or living with roommates can trigger. Having drinks in the house brings on the idea of drinking for me too... and drinking makes my lonliness worse after drink #3 or so, and usually brings my mood low the next few days after drinking.

Maybe dump the alcohol & treat yourself to some food or non-alc drink that you really enjoy.

Great advice on here, I just found this site and reading has helped a lot already. Wishing you strength, you can do this.

instant

Alcohol is a powerful toxin. In my view no-one can thrive when drinking heavily on a consistent basis. Diminished performance over time is par for the course. It gets worse. In retrospect I now see that the erosion of my emotional life and capacity was in full swing.

It is an addiction. I was dependant on it. Trying to stop set in train a complex reaction that went on for some time. Stopping is unpleasant- part and parcel of unwinding an addiction.

I tried all the easy options- they didn't work.

I don't believe in God either. Through this process I have come to respect the powerful forces in the Universe. I do not go to AA.

The Big Book is free online. It may open your eyes, or at least you might find it helpful.

IndaMiricale

AA and SR help this alcoholic stay sober for today..

hypochondriac

I live alone and my drinking was secret from everyone too. I couldn't think how the hell I was supposed to quit when my danger zone as it were was my own home. I could happily be out and not drink out of control but as soon as I was safe behind closed doors...

The biggest thing which helped me was coming here and realising that actually I wasn't alone. I have been aware that I was an alcoholic for some time but self awareness didn't help matters because try as I might I couldn't seem to quit. But seeing other people here who had managed it really gave me the inspiration to try harder. It still wasn't easy, I felt like I really had to pry the drink from my hands and just get whatever support I could to not drink again. SR provided a really good distraction and I learnt a lot by being here. And AVRT was a really critical thing for me because I always seemed to give in to that voice which told me to drink. It just really helped me to make the decision to quit and stick to it. There have been ups and downs since but I haven't once regretted quitting and now my home is my safe place

Glad you're here Alco x

Dee74

Hi and welcome Alco

I lived alone and drank for many years - now I live alone and don't drink...the difference is support...and my commitment to staying sober

You'll find a lot of support here - SR has helped keep me sober

You'll find it in the real world too if you think you need more support - I know non 12 step programmes like SMART and Lifering are making inroads in some parts in Ireland these days - maybe you can track those down if AA is not your thing?

D

Alco

I appreciate all the comments today. I logged off and went for a walk. I was physically and mentally worn down from the last few days. Anyway, i didn't drink anything tonight, just juices so that's something. To be honest i couldn't physically drink even if i wanted to so not sure whether i achieved anything just yet. Now im going to head to bed with a clear head and read for a while... thanks again to all and good luck with your own abstinence