arieslee

I'm 32 years old aspiring actor i work at some ******** warehouse job to make ends meet .im living back with family i went out in L.A in 07 came back a year later because things got rough .So i had to come home you know when you grow up in a small town you tend to slip back into old habits .So now for me i work then i come home eat dinner watch movies and drink before it wasnt too bad .I could do it a few nights a week or just hold it off till the weekend id drink fri-sun.Now i do it every night it seems and i stay up and do it i get to bed late and i get out of the house just in time to get to work .Ive noticed ive lost some of my motivation to even do basic **** like look for a second job the current job i have is 3 days a week i get paid bi weekly .Im from the east coast so during the winter ive packed on the pounds its like i want to change but i just can't give it up .I drink alot of beer more than anything i like the twisted teas and then ill buy a bag of chips with them .Down a 6 pack is usually my routine before bed . i usually been doing it more and more i do get out i like to walk so i go for walks on a bike trail i usually walk 5 miles .that is the extent of my exercise other than that im on the computer alot . I been trying to incorporate a atkins diet style of eating in my diet i cut out breads and rice try to do fish and chicken and steak and lamb chop .I just can't kick the alcohol and the thing its not like i need to be drinking constantly to maintain.i can go the whole day without its just when it gets closer to the evening and i got nothing going on i get that "itch" that leads to me making a packy run .Usually the day after i feel regret and wake up and tell myself why did i drink last night ? and i get upset and then i tell myself im going to quick drinking starting today and by the end of the day i just give in .My birthday just passed and with each passing day and week i just feel like im wasting my life away .Back in my home town it sucks here .i started to network with other people that act to at least try and get motivated enough to care about acting .i have all these dreams of just making it as a working actor.so i can give up doing these bull **** jobs .the place im currently the enviroment is a bit stressful because my boss is a tree huggin hippie who at times is just passive .all he cares about is the money aspect any other issues you got to work out yourself .He's just spineless so it ads to the stresss of being there . I got no other options though at the moment .Hit me back let me know maybe im just overreacting about the whole drinking thing .Is there anyone else who feels this way or has gone through this and knows what to do .I tryed doing the whole AA thing its just and depressing enviroment to be in .i was good for a while back in 2012 i quit and i was feeling better and i dropped some weight . after about 5 months i went out to eat one night and .I was at a mexican resturant and was eating dinner and decided on just getting one margarita .Which winded up turning into 3 .Ideally i would like to cut back all together its just has gotten harder to do .help me out

Anna

If alcohol is causing problems in your life, then stopping drinking is the way to go. No one can tell you if that's what you should do because it's a decision you will need to make for yourself. And, you will need a lot of motivation to stop drinking and recover. I'm not an AA person, but if AA worked for you, maybe you could give a try again?

INgal

First, I highly suggest you get involved with local theatre. The connections you make there can be wonderfully motivating to stay sober. Second, There are so many young people who would love to have your help with their productions. Do you have yourself booked with an agent who could get you commercial work, like cable commercials, etc? How about working in a theatre in any capacity?
One thing is certain though, your career will never take off if you keep drinking. Please get help ASAP.

arieslee

I tryed AA for a little while then it just got depressing being there it had the reverse affect i just wanted to drink so i stopped going ,Your right though anna i do have to quit ,thing is i keep making excuses like oh ill just pick one night out of the week to drink and that one night becomes 5 or 6 and even 7 .i guess im just fooling myself and have to break up with the booze for good thanks for the advice..what would you suggest as some ways to stop the drinking ?..im not a bad drinker i dont exceed my limit because i hate being drunk so i get wicked buzzed and .A 6pac usually does that for me or il get about 5 or 6 nips .

Soberwolf

Welcome Arieslee

arieslee

thanks soberwolf

djmchammered

Totally welcome bud, I think stop drinking will give you motivation. I have the same problem.... Sounds to me like your self medicating or bored. I have same things going on, damn beer just tastes good. I bet after a few weeks you will ignite your career

LexieCat

You said you "tried doing the whole AA thing"--did you work the Steps? With a sponsor? Just going to meetings isn't what AA is all about.

My GUESS is that it wasn't AA that made you feel depressed, it was not drinking--without anything to take its place--that did that.

My own alcoholism started out very much like yours. I found myself making a habit of drinking in the evenings, by myself, and eventually I found myself in real trouble. I worked very hard at "controlling" it for four and a half years. Being sober ALL the time is SO much less work.

Your drinking is only going to make your world smaller and smaller. When you get sober, you can discover possibilities you never knew you had.

You'll have to decide in your own good time when you are ready to be done with it, but it looks to me like the downward spiral has begun. You don't have to wait till you crash and burn. You can get off any time you're ready.

arieslee

Yeah beer does taste good and i like the feeling too its just so hard to give up.you know its like you try to rationalize drinking.like i tell myself oh its this occassion i can just do it this once and tomorrow ill give it up but then tomorrow comes and i think up another reason to drink.As far as my career is concerned i started doing community theater when i was 15 .then did some classes then made the move to l.a .Hit a snag had to come home back to massachusetts .which hasn't been easy to deal with .im glad i found this site i think just being on here and reading about different peoples stories and struggles will motivate me to just realize that i got to quit .i got to stop making excuses for the habit and quit

Soberwolf

You can print this off to keep my friend

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-recovery.html

Dee74

Welcome arieslee - I know you'll find a lot of support here.
I don't think you're overreacting at all

D