22 year old really needs help to stop drinking- 3 litres of cider a night!
 

Hello

Chanced across this website this morning, after waking up hungover again, and decided enough was enough. I've said this many times.
However, although I've always been very scared and too embarrassed to research alcoholism, today was the first time I'd decided I needed help from an outside source. I went into a search engine and typed: 'my drinking is scaring me.' Up came this wonderful website. I've spent all morning browsing and have even printed some posts people have written about their successes, and how they're feeling. It's a real, genuine inspiration.
I feel disgusting admitting to this- but it is certainly something to be ashamed of. Over the past 4/5 years my drinking has slowly got more and more frequent, with higher volumes of drink being needed to attain the level of drunkenness I wish to achieve. It's got to a stage now where I buy a £3 bottle of 3-LITRE 7.5% nasty cider, and drink it in one evening. Yet, I'm finding this isn't enough now, and I'm drinking more than this.
I think most outsiders would be absolutely astounded to hear the volume I drink.
I'm 22. This isn't right. It's absolutely ruining my life.
I'm starting today.
I've made some changes in my mind. I'm deciding to join a gym (something I've always been too tight to even consider!). I'm going to plan to spend a few hours an evening there, trying to take my thoughts away from wanting a drink. I need more suggestions from people, as I get very bored in the evenings, and I feel as though the only enjoyment I derive is from drinking.

I really need some words of encouragement. I want people to ask how I'm getting along- I know that if I've got people somewhat 'monitoring' my progress, that I'll bear this in mind should my body be pushing me towards having a drink. I'll feel extremely ashamed to log back into this site and report that I'd given in. I can't do it. I must stop this constant binge drinking.
Please help.

Thank you! ! !

Awesome post! Glad you found SR!!

You can stay stopped!! Let us know how your day/night is going!!

Big hugs,
~SB

Welcome you've come to the right place. Im 20 and I too am done with alcohol. I remember getting those bottles of nasty cider (they are so cheap!) and boy do they make you feel ill the next day.

If you'd like, pop over to the class of march thread, there are a bunch of us there all trying to stay sober (and mostly winning might I add!). Best of luck, i know how embarassing it can feel when you first realise drinking may not be a healthy choice anymore. You can do it :)

I'm glad to hear we came across this site in a similar way. I typed into google, "is cocaine going to kill me" and I found this site (along with various different ways to die from cocaine usage, that I had no idea about.). I signed up about 6 hours ago and I haven't done a line since. Let March 15, 2013 be our first day of sobriety! Best of luck to you and fingers crossed. We can do this!

Hi and welcome Don - there's a ton of support here :)

Just to be safe I really recommend you get yourself checked over by a Dr - I know you're young and probably bulletproof, but that's still a lot to drink nightly.

D

hey Don....welcome to SR...i too came across this site after googling "recovery" and i have been here ever since...ive had lots of support and made some great friends here.

i tried many many times to give up drinking...swore blind i would never touch the stuff again...right from a very early age.....i couldnt do it on my own and a few years ago when i was totally done decided to give AA a go.

AA is not for everyone and there are as many ways to recover.....i wish you all the best but if you find yourself struggling then maybe this could be something to investigate.

best wishes.

Hi and welcome to the forum. There are lots of people here, just like you who woke up after yet another night on the poison and decided enough was enough. This place has been a great inspiration to me in the last few days - I only found it on Sunday morning as a nursed another hangover and was too tired/ill to have a nice day out with my kids somewhere for Mother's Day.

Getting rid of what ails you can be done, and having support whilst you do it is even better. I recommend you check out some of the other threads and see what comes up in terms of ways to help you kick your habit. The secular recovery threads might be of use? Good luck!

Welcome, I am in the UK and happy you have found us!

I understand about the increasing tolerance when you drink and you wonder how much your going to end up drinking in the end.

My life is better without booze. I have over 390 days now. Bit AA and lots of time here.

I agree with you about keeping busy.
I drank in the evenings (or the minute the clock hit 6pm!) and I needed to keep busy. I did exercise, projects round the house. Some nights I even went for a long drive with music to clear my head.

I wish I had known what I know when I was younger.
It would have saved a lot of heartache and anxiety in my 30"s.

Don't let booze make you miss out on life.
It is not worth it.
Get together some sober time and I am sure you will see your life start to turn around, like I have.

I know you can do this and I really wish you the best.

Really, very touched and overwhelmed by peoples' responses. Everyone seems so incredibly genuine on here! I think it's because we're all in much the same boat, and so can somewhat sympathise and understand one-another.

Thank you everyone! :thanks

I was 45 when I got serious about not drinking. Within a couple of weeks of being in AA I heard a chair by a 25 year old and all I could think was that it was a real shame somebody had to give up drinking so early on.

Within a couple of months I heard another chair by somebody of 22 and found myself almost envious that they had managed to get sober so young.

Sobriety really is that good. It took me a little while to get it but now I wish I never picked up a drink in the first place. I go to one AA meeting that has a reallly strong cadre of younger members and to see these people with so many years to enjoy their sobriety, well its amazing.

Drinking offers nothing. Nothing at all.

And dont feel shy about going to AA meetings. We love to see young people coming through the door and all people want is for you to find out how to get, and then stay, sober. Bloody hell, if I could have got this at your age then I know my life would have been a lot more fufilling than it has been and whilst I aint moaning about what I have got now, it fills my heart with joy to see bright youngsters realising what a throughly nasty confidence trick alcohol really is.

Go for it. You have nothing to lose what so ever.

Welcome to SR Don.

Welcome to SR Don :) This really is a great place for support.

It is amazing what we find the money for once we quit drinking. I know the cider you are drinking is cheap but it is still not that cheap and is something you pay for everyday. When you quit drinking living becomes a lot less expensive. I always used to complain I couldn't afford things but I was spending nearly £20 a day on booze and a gym membership isn't much more than that a month! And I could always find booze money. It wasn't something that motivated me though, I think the financial gains are nothing compared to the increased self respect and better health, both mentally and physically, which comes with sobriety. Glad you're here x

Hi Don, i joined a gym as well as soon as i quit the booze, day 50 sober today as it happens, i do an hour in the morning and a couple in the evening 6 days a week, keeps me busy, im also looking into joining a football team , maybe you like footy? Started reading a lot as well and getting into cooking a bit more. these types of things keep my busy and of course playstation !!! Good luck mate

Hello Don,

Welcome to the forums. I'm 23 and I live in Kent, so I'm pretty close to you. That white cider is jank. It's never too early to get cleaned up. I started my journey of recovery at the age of 21. Best thing I have ever done. Wish you the best of luck mate.

Natom.

Welcome to the family Don! When I joined here, I felt my anxiety lessen. I'd been drinking my whole life & couldn't imagine a way out. I found hope and encouragement here - and the courage to change the way I was living. No one else in my life understood what I was going through like the people here.

We're here to help you change your life. We know you can do it. You're not alone, Don.

HELLO EVERYONE !

I very swift update.... it's Saturday morning here in the UK, and I've awoken feeling wonderful! Yesterday was Day 1, and long may it last. I think I'll make it!
I've discovered that the feeling of being sober and not hungover far exceeds the feeling being drunk brings for a short period of time. For the hell it causes, it's really not worth it!

Everyone's comments are really, sincerely appreciated! I will be back later on today to read all the new lovely comments from people, and I'll reply with an update!

Thank you so so much everyone !

:You_Rock_

Welcome Don,well done on getting through day 1:You_Rock_

Good man Don! I was into Frosty Jacks at the end lol. Poison!

You've got your whole life ahead of you man. Good decision!

Big welcome Don

Embrace how good you feel today...carry that feeling with you...check in with it often.

Alcohol is very patient...I like knowing my opponent ;)

Thanks for the update, Don. It's great to know you are so positive and upbeat. Look forward to hearing more later. :)