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Hi folks. I guess like many here, I've reached a point where I need to stop. I've been a beer drinker since I was 21, however a year ago I lost one of my teammates to suicide. Since then, I've been using beer/tequila to help get to sleep...but now it's a habit. I usually averaged 6-10 (two beers/5-6 shots) drinks a night, but now I'm experiencing withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, shakes, and mild nausea. I'm hoping these pass fairly quickly and I can get back to a normal, healthy life. Being in the military, I can't simply go to the doc for it....they'll try to put me into inpatient. Also, I'm not so sure about AA...I guess I keep rationalizing that it's not that bad and that I can do this on my own. We'll see....
Welcome, Delta. Do get medical advise if things get bad... you don't want to suffer unnecessary permanent damage from withdrawal, which is possible if you get seizures or stroke. Plenty of people quit without AA but you will need to learn about having a plan for what is to come (mostly your addictive voice feeding you bad ideas). Read around this website and good luck!
Welcome Delta, lots of good advice and support around here. Many different ways to tackle this (not just AA), we're all different and you just gotta find what works for you. I myself am now 17 days sober which I have achieved only through my own willpower and the incredible help and support on this site
Hi Delta
Just want to wish you good luck with your journey to sobriety. You can do this on your own, but highly recommend you have a plan. Perhaps have a read about AVRT on here (in the secular connections forum) and/or Google AVRT Crash Course. That approach is what I used, along with backup from Allen Carr's How to Control Your Drinking book. Just relying on willpower alone is possible, but is probably the hardest and riskiest approach.
Just want to wish you good luck with your journey to sobriety. You can do this on your own, but highly recommend you have a plan. Perhaps have a read about AVRT on here (in the secular connections forum) and/or Google AVRT Crash Course. That approach is what I used, along with backup from Allen Carr's How to Control Your Drinking book. Just relying on willpower alone is possible, but is probably the hardest and riskiest approach.
Would tackling it head-on through in-patient be such a bad thing? Many people the use this forum really want that opportunity.
I suspect that it's your Addictive Voice that's encouraging you to stay in the problem rather than look towards a solution and a happier sober future.
I suspect that it's your Addictive Voice that's encouraging you to stay in the problem rather than look towards a solution and a happier sober future.
Not to be insensitive to the loss of your teammate, but that may or may not have been a contributing factor. I went for months or years pointing at the "reason" I was drinking the way I did. I kept figuring that once that cleared up, I would be "ok", that is "ok to drink".
There are some that can moderate after a time of heavy drinking, but not me. The "reason" I was drinking the way I did, was that I drank anything at all in the first place. Once I found that it would never change, no matter what I did, then not drinking at all became easier.
You might try just not drinking at all. If you start having bad symptoms, you could always see a doctor, but you may just experience some discomfort for a few days. The main thing is to "try" not drinking at all. If you have issues not drinking at all and the drinking is much as it is now, then you might seek further help, whether it is AA, just this forum, or other support.
You are not unique. About 1 out of 10 of every person you know has a similar issue with drinking. Being aware and reaching out is a huge first step to solving the problem.
There are some that can moderate after a time of heavy drinking, but not me. The "reason" I was drinking the way I did, was that I drank anything at all in the first place. Once I found that it would never change, no matter what I did, then not drinking at all became easier.
You might try just not drinking at all. If you start having bad symptoms, you could always see a doctor, but you may just experience some discomfort for a few days. The main thing is to "try" not drinking at all. If you have issues not drinking at all and the drinking is much as it is now, then you might seek further help, whether it is AA, just this forum, or other support.
You are not unique. About 1 out of 10 of every person you know has a similar issue with drinking. Being aware and reaching out is a huge first step to solving the problem.
Thanks everyone. totfit, I am seeing a psych-doc and we've talked about my drinking pattern and told him if I couldn't stop on my own, I'd go talk to the Alcohol & Dependency folks in the clinic. My goal is to completely abstain...I know there's no moderation for me.
Thank you for your service Delta - I have many friends in the military and am thankful for each of them.
Welcome to SR - it's an amazing resource with global sharing!
Glad you're here with us - please seek additional resources as you see fit.
Keep posting@!
Welcome to SR - it's an amazing resource with global sharing!
Glad you're here with us - please seek additional resources as you see fit.
Keep posting@!
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