New girl from the UK
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: England
Posts: 70
yes hypochondriac -- I agree that you should seek medical help because it can be dangerous to suddenly stop drinking !! , and the doctor, with help from an addiction agency will maybe offer medication to help. This really worked for me but I realise Fidox that you would prefer not to involve the doctor but I just accepted ALL help offered and it worked for the last 804 days !! I still need encouragement and this is why I joined SR last week and it has helped a great deal ! A problem shared is a problem halved XXX GOOD LUCK x
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 5,678
Glad you got the right help Terry. I found the doctor at the addiction agency to be a lot nicer than my own doctor and a hell of a lot more understanding too. You can often self refer to these places and they offer a wide range of services like one on one support and group meetings.
If you really would rather do it without support though I would recommend checking out AVRT. It is a method that encourages self reliance x
If you really would rather do it without support though I would recommend checking out AVRT. It is a method that encourages self reliance x
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 2,937
Hi
I am in the UK too.
I have over 533 days without a drink, and it is mostly due to this forum.
It sounds like you have a lot of your plate at the moment.
I have had hard times and turned to drink.
I know really that drink will not solve these problems or make them go away.
I will still have to deal with them and doing it with a hangover and full of self loathing just make it worse.
There are a couple of slogans or statements that hold true for me.
1. I have regretted drinking many times. I have never regretted not drinking.
2. If I don't pick up that first drink, I cannot get drunk.
I think the second one is so true, but because for a long time I would say to myself that I was just going to have 2 drinks. Of course once the two drinks were drunk, I wanted more and let myself.
So it was never the 5th, 6th or 7th drink that got me drunk. It was that first one.
I have made changes in my life.
I am a busier, more productive person.
I know my triggers to drink.
I still have temptations - there is a 24 hour garage that sells booze all the time about 2 mins away in a car.
However, I prefer my life now as it is. I could never go back to the blackouts, the cringing with shame, the drunken texts, phone call's, face book etc.
I hated not remembering how I went to bed, waking up still fully clothed, my teeth all feeling like they have a furry lining on them.
My life is a lot more peaceful now.
I also see alcohol in a different light now.
For me it is not a reward or a way to celebrate.
For me it does not make me happy, carefree, sleepy or cheered up.
I don't feel like I am missing out either.
I would rather stick out as a sore thumb for not drinking, then for getting plastered and acting like an ar&e, not remembering anything I did.
For me alcohol makes me hate myself and makes me hurt people I love around me.
Thats enough for me to stop.
I really do wish you the best. XXXX
I am in the UK too.
I have over 533 days without a drink, and it is mostly due to this forum.
It sounds like you have a lot of your plate at the moment.
I have had hard times and turned to drink.
I know really that drink will not solve these problems or make them go away.
I will still have to deal with them and doing it with a hangover and full of self loathing just make it worse.
There are a couple of slogans or statements that hold true for me.
1. I have regretted drinking many times. I have never regretted not drinking.
2. If I don't pick up that first drink, I cannot get drunk.
I think the second one is so true, but because for a long time I would say to myself that I was just going to have 2 drinks. Of course once the two drinks were drunk, I wanted more and let myself.
So it was never the 5th, 6th or 7th drink that got me drunk. It was that first one.
I have made changes in my life.
I am a busier, more productive person.
I know my triggers to drink.
I still have temptations - there is a 24 hour garage that sells booze all the time about 2 mins away in a car.
However, I prefer my life now as it is. I could never go back to the blackouts, the cringing with shame, the drunken texts, phone call's, face book etc.
I hated not remembering how I went to bed, waking up still fully clothed, my teeth all feeling like they have a furry lining on them.
My life is a lot more peaceful now.
I also see alcohol in a different light now.
For me it is not a reward or a way to celebrate.
For me it does not make me happy, carefree, sleepy or cheered up.
I don't feel like I am missing out either.
I would rather stick out as a sore thumb for not drinking, then for getting plastered and acting like an ar&e, not remembering anything I did.
For me alcohol makes me hate myself and makes me hurt people I love around me.
Thats enough for me to stop.
I really do wish you the best. XXXX
Living and Loving Life at Last
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: gods own country
Posts: 12,164
Yet anther Brit here, and I have found SR to be fantastically supportive. I Didnt feel i could go down the AA route, but I did see my doctor and got forwarded to the drugs alcohol unit and offered free counselling. If you are serious about your sobriety, I feel you ought to consider help from every avenue. I too feel I am strong and independent, but I am not beyond asking for help to maintain my sobriety. I wish you all the best.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,733
Hi Fidox! Thanks for posting about your patterns and experience. Some days (unfortunately more and more frequently for me) I forget exactly why I stopped (for good reasons, because I've had a successful month) and I get to thinking I can numb my pain or navigate overwhelming circumstances without falling in the rabbit hole again (get it?). So really, thank you for talking about it in your words because I feel better and stronger having read it.
That's one of the awesome things I've found at SR in my two weeks or so. So welcome! Hope you find the same reassurance
Plenny
That's one of the awesome things I've found at SR in my two weeks or so. So welcome! Hope you find the same reassurance
Plenny
Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Scandinavia
Posts: 1,344
Originally Posted by Fidox 
Those sound like 'excuses' and they probably are. I've been strong enough to get through **** like this before so I should be strong enough again yes???!!!!
Maybe more that you use alcohol as escape when it gets to much, I regretfully kind of recognize that mechanism.
It is a vicious cycle, where we add one more problem on top of the others to struggle with.
You do sound like a person that knows how to go through some hardship – I hope you find the strength.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 9
Firstly, thank you for all your replies. Seems like an age since I last posted but the news is: I finally made the decision to stop the nasty, insidious rollercoaster that I was on. 7 days ago.
Didn't take your advice about going to the docs though (sorry!!) and just went cold turkey. I am on other medication though - strong painkillers for a frozen shoulder (these helped with the headaches) and sleeping tabs/anti-d's which helped with sleeping and generally calming down when I got agitated.
It's been a pretty rough journey though. Withdrawal symptoms were absolute agony. Luckily I don't get DT's or hallucinations, just terrible sweats, headaches, liver pains and stomach cramps. The hardest thing to manage is the psychological aspect of it for me. I'm not craving a drink AT ALL but it's the strange emptiness, dealing with (sometimes) absolute terror and the feelings of guilt for having wasted so much of my life.
I'm lucky in-so-far-as I've 'got away with it' for all these years; hung on to my house, job etc and managed to bring up 2 children on my own. Physically I might NOT have though but I'm NOT going to the doctors for blood tests or anything like that!
Currently taking things very slowly, hour by hour. Journalling everything helps, as does feeding my NEW addiction ... cooking healthy food! I'm drinking about 4 litres of water with lemon & lime juice a day so most of my time is spent on the toilet but I figure the exercise running up and down stairs is doing me good!
Still no job but my head is so much clearer and I've started making SMALL plans for the future - not too much as I seem to get easily overwhelmed.
Will post more later and thank you again for all your replies.
Fidox X
Didn't take your advice about going to the docs though (sorry!!) and just went cold turkey. I am on other medication though - strong painkillers for a frozen shoulder (these helped with the headaches) and sleeping tabs/anti-d's which helped with sleeping and generally calming down when I got agitated.
It's been a pretty rough journey though. Withdrawal symptoms were absolute agony. Luckily I don't get DT's or hallucinations, just terrible sweats, headaches, liver pains and stomach cramps. The hardest thing to manage is the psychological aspect of it for me. I'm not craving a drink AT ALL but it's the strange emptiness, dealing with (sometimes) absolute terror and the feelings of guilt for having wasted so much of my life.
I'm lucky in-so-far-as I've 'got away with it' for all these years; hung on to my house, job etc and managed to bring up 2 children on my own. Physically I might NOT have though but I'm NOT going to the doctors for blood tests or anything like that!
Currently taking things very slowly, hour by hour. Journalling everything helps, as does feeding my NEW addiction ... cooking healthy food! I'm drinking about 4 litres of water with lemon & lime juice a day so most of my time is spent on the toilet but I figure the exercise running up and down stairs is doing me good!
Still no job but my head is so much clearer and I've started making SMALL plans for the future - not too much as I seem to get easily overwhelmed.
Will post more later and thank you again for all your replies.
Fidox X
Member
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 699
Hi Fidox, I'm another one in the UK muddling through everything. Well done so far - you're doing great 
. I went to the drs and got a typical nhs 'don't give a cr*p' GP who grunted at me, filled out a form (shock) which then referred me to SMART - I cancelled that appointment and have used this site instead, which has been a godsend
You'll find loads of help and support here and there's always someone around
Good luck with everything xxxxxx
. I went to the drs and got a typical nhs 'don't give a cr*p' GP who grunted at me, filled out a form (shock) which then referred me to SMART - I cancelled that appointment and have used this site instead, which has been a godsend You'll find loads of help and support here and there's always someone around
Good luck with everything xxxxxx
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: NC
Posts: 257
Fidox, so you are from the other side of the pond huh. Well, we are all in this together no matter if some of you do talk funny ( I like it). Glad you haven't had any cravings. AVRT is what I find most helpful when that evil voice tries to tempt me . Seems like you are doing good.
Last edited by JumpnOn2; 08-20-2013 at 11:54 AM. Reason: missing word
Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Thailand
Posts: 824
Hi fidox I'm from UK but live in OZ thinking I could move here and get my raging coke habit and drinking under control- did that- but became a full blown heroin addict as I did. Brilliant eh?
I'm new on here but it's good, it's comforting to know other people have been through worse and come through the other side.
Good luck!
I'm new on here but it's good, it's comforting to know other people have been through worse and come through the other side.
Good luck!
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