joey8262

is there such a thing ? I've been doing well-going without for weeks, but when I slip, I don't just slip-I go head first down the mountain, am in uk and there is NO support for people like me-anyone in UK will agree that ANY funding for people like me has been cut to the bone-I know if I carry on I'll end up back in detox-which costs the NHS thousands again.

I don't expect to be molly coddled or have a 24/7 nursemaid-I don't know what i'm trying to say-am a bit lost if the truth be known.

yeahgr8

I'm in the UK. Have you gone to AA? Have you been to your docs and asked for ongoing help?

joey8262

I've been docs gr8, done more meetings than david Cameron, done inpatient detoxes, when all's said and done there is just NO aftercare, after 5 detoxes the promise of follow-ups has told me to hear the words " sorry hun, our funding has been cut"

Dee74

Welcome back Joey
I'm sorry to see you're still struggling tho.

So whats next? If you feel other people are letting you down, how can you take responsibility for your own recovery?

any ideas?

D

yeahgr8

That sounds about right.

I got sober in AA but meetings didn't do it. It was a choice for me at the end to do something different or die. I got a sponsor in AA and worked through the steps with them, as a result no more cravings, mental obsession etc. that was almost 5 years ago.

When I did this I was scared and really did not want to do it, I had to go against every thought I had to do this work and trust someone else for the first time in my life.

I promise there is a solution but it's going to take you to have had enough, stay the hell away from the enablers and turn the f*ck it attitude you have towards drinking to f*ck it I've got nothing to lose I might as well do something different.

You could walk into a meeting tomorrow, listen to the shares, grab someone after the meeting and say you are ready to work the steps in order to save your life and in a short time start that new life that you think you really don't deserve but do.

least

I believe there is such a thing as addictive personality. I have one myself. And many years ago I took the MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) and was told I had an addictive personality. They were right.

Spiker99

Hi Joey, if you have not read Jason Vale's book called "Kick the Drink", I think it may help you. I was the exact same way, whenever I would go back to drinking after being on the wagon, I would drink way more than before I stopped. Every day I would think about drinking all day long and how I could not drink and I was miserable. Jason put a whole new perspective on alcohol addiction for me. He is from the UK and this book is very informative and entertaining. I could not put it down. Take Care

eastky

I totally believe in addictive personalities. Tried tobacco, got hooked, drank in high school and college, luckily stopped that before it got bad. Started trusting a doctor that I needed pain meds, took more and more to not feel the pain, and here I am. But 5 days into kicking the pills cold turkey and I feel awesome! So I would say I have a very addictive personality. But with knowing that comes power. Because now that I openly admit it, I control it, not the other way around.

matt4x4

Its called human nature, nothing new. The brain is a very powerful organ, it sees things that arent there. If you try AA it just might help out with your problem. You might as well dive head-first into the program of AA, start to work on the steps right away. By 2 or 3 months you will have completed all 12 steps and get the promises.

KateL

Yeah, I think I have a bit of an addictive personality. xxx

Pipping

I think I am just a greedy person. When I was little I would go to birthday parties and eat so much I would vomit in the car on the way home. As an adult, if there was a packet of smokes lying around I would smoke them one after the other until they were all gone. Same thing with a box of chocolates and with wine. Got to eat, drink and smoke everything in sight. Somehow my all or nothing personality doesn't seem to extend to exercise, healthy eating or housework.

hypochondriac

Hey Joey. I am concerned that in Liverpool there is that little aftercare. I am in Stoke and the after care is actually quite good. 24 weeks of meetings anyway. They cannot afford to see everyone one on one that long which is fair enough really. What there is sometimes though is a spectacular lack of communication. Maybe you are not being refered to the right place. The detox here doesn't offer aftercare but other agencies do. Are you in touch with people here: Liverpool Community Alcohol Service

There are also some SMART meetings in your area if you hadn't come across those yet: http://www.smartrecovery.org.uk/meetings

I hope you find the support you need. If not SR is always here 24/7 and there are SMART and AA meetings online x

Sasha4

I think to be honest it is a disease and you have to manage it.
There can be support and advice and education, but the onus is on you to manage your own disease.

The NHS is very patient centered now. Patient groups have been established for most disease and therapy area's and you have a lot of power in that you get a say where you are treated.

The NHS often uses the term 'nothing about me, without me'.
That means that the patient should always come first in decision making about their illness.

I see it a bit like diabetics and asthma.

If your asthmatic, you take your inhalers, keep yourself away from triggers, like dust, smoky rooms, pet hair etc etc. The NHS can help you by prescribing medication for you, keep you updated on new treatments being developed and educating you on how to use your drugs and what to avoid, but unless you take care of yourself, there is nothing more they can do.

If you are diabetic, they can diagnose you, give you medication, teach you how to inject insulin, advice you on what foods you can eat and make sure you look after your eyes and feet, and provide nurse support. But they cannot stop you if you fancy having a day or a week off and eat what you want.

For me, I do all I can to manage my illness.
I use every resource I can, but at the end of the day, it's my responsibility.

I really wish you the best x

matt4x4

.............I think I am just human. Nothing different. Humans will always have defects. I am not special or different.

maz222

Joey

i'm from the u.k and SMART is a great way to access local alchol groups most are run by them and if there in your area that's's got to be a step in the right direction they pulled the funding on the groups in my area too 2 groups closed but remaing groups got bigger and better.hope this helps

joey8262

thanks for your replies guys-much appreciated, I've tried SMART, meetings at "the brink"-a dry bar in Liverpool, allsorts of stuff-but EVERY TIME I try to get advice off my doctor-he's good but he's no saint-the numbers he gives me all result in the same answer " not taking on any new clients", or "we're closing soon due to cutbacks".

this so-called "government", care more about feeding Deshawn in Africa-than it does about treating addicts in the country that they're paid to look after-nothing against Deshawn-but it's INFURIATING.

some of us are screaming out for help, can we get it ? NO.

Dan1888

the brain is such a complicated thing, im sure there is such a thing as an addictive personality but I believe for each person with this disorder it manifests itself slightly differently. Its difficult because what might work for one person might not work for another. Keep looking for the solution, im sure its out there. This website is a pretty good place to look.

Dee74

I sympathise Joey - it does sound like it's hard for you to get professional help.

That being said, I didn't have professional help either.

I really used the heck out of this community - posting multiple times daily - not only asking for help but giving it too.

I was also prepared to do whatever it took in lifestyle changes for me to stop drinking.
Sometimes I had to physically force myself not to go out the door down to the shop.

It wasn't easy but it wasn't impossible either, and it got easier.

I think if you're really committed Joey you can successfully get sober and stay that way with whatever help you have at hand

D