Soberwolf

Welcome

ccam1973

Welcome aboard Unlucky. As you can already tell, this community has a ton of support. We help each other through the tough times, together.

I will join the club of thinking I was too far gone also. That is, until I found SR and realized that I wasn't alone, my story isn't unique nor is my problem.

Bottom line, you are definitely not too far gone. You have the power to make this change if you want to. You will have to put in a lot of effort, but I promise the outcome is so worth it. You can get your life back.

Welcome to SR.

Thumpalumpacus

"I cannot" almost always turns into "I never did" ... and with alcohol, that's a fatal turn, somewhere down the line.

Make up your mind that for today you're not going to drink. Get thee to a meeting. spend your time reading the many threads here about how to deal with your first days sober. Mow the lawn. Change the oil in the car. Go shopping.

Keep your hands and mind busy, You can quit. You have to want sobriety more than you want to drink.

SoberLeigh

Welcome to SR, unluckyatlife; you are not too far gone to find lasting sobriety, recovery, and a much better way of living.

I thought that I was a hopeless case but I was very wrong - almost 51 months sober and I love it.

Glad you found us.

There's a really great SR link regarding the importance for sobriety and recovery.

I'll post it for you in a minute.

SoberLeigh

Here is the link, unluckyatlife:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...highlight=psst

thomas11

HI Unlucky, as you can see, lots of great people here who can help you out. You're not too far gone as you are still of this earth. Make reading threads on this site required daily reading. I wish you the best.

EndGameNYC

When I was too far gone, I could either believe it and use it as a reason (rationalization) to continue drinking, or start working on not being too far gone. I didn't have a choice since by that time I could no longer care for myself. What I chose to believe was that I could "make it back," despite daily and intense cravings for almost a year.

Very slowly, I learned to live a better life than I had previously, and now the time and effort I put into getting sober seems a blur to me. A distant part of my past that seems as though it was lived by someone else.

I'm not special or different in that way from anyone else who's gotten sober. There are plenty of people here who got themselves and their lives together who had previously gone beyond the depths of despair.

Now is always the best possible time for me to be sober, and the best possible time for you to get sober.

PurpleKnight

Welcome to the Forum!!

Unluckyatlife

Thank you everyone. Truth be told, I barely remember posting. I saw my Dr. yesterday and he is advising me to drink 1-2 less units per day until I am sober. Last time I got pills to detox but he said I can't be trusted. I use alcohol to cope with life and for many years it helped me greatly. My drinking pattern has changed over the years. I use to go on terrible 2-3 day benders at various bars & clubs. Many arrests for various drunken incidents &, of course, dui's. The last year I have turned into a "closet drinker". I'm proud of the fact that I am no longer a public menace and can just watch TV and drink then pass out at night. I'm currently under employed and forced to drink the bottom shelf liquor. It is now physically effecting my health. I read this board and am encouraged my some of the stories.

Upward2Enlightenment

I would recommend that you also seek counseling to help you learn to deal with life without having to resort to alcohol.

downtown3

This is exactly right. What works for one may not work for another. It took me 7 years to figure out that the only thing that keeps me sober is daily exercise or for my cycling. I become as addicted to it as I was to alcohol which is fine by me. If I stop structured training I always go back to drinking; without fail. I tried everything else from AA to therapy but for me they didnt keep me sober but that is not to say it wont help you. When you find what works just stick with it and reap the mountains of benefits you will get from being a sober person. We wish you all the best.

Dee74

I'm not sure what a unit is these days, but if you can't manage the 1-2 units cut down per day then do go back and see your Dr, or see another one and get a second opinion Unlucky.

D

Hevyn

Unlucky, I hope you'll stay with us and keep posting. We understand how you feel, the way others can't. You never have to be alone as you turn your life around. We know you can do it.

Mac1

Unlucky, just to echo everyone elses posts - you are definitely not too far gone my friend.
A couple of years ago my life was a total mess and I came very close to losing my job. If you want to turn your life around go for it. If I can do it, anyone can

MythOfSisyphus

I used to think alcohol helped me cope but what it really did was let me ignore my problems. They didn't go away by being ignored! They remained to grow ever worse, until they could not longer be ignored. I expect it's the same for you.

There is hope! It probably seems hard to believe it right now but you don't have to live the rest of your life with that same desperation and despair.

Unluckyatlife

I only managed to drop down to 8 units a day. I'm inebriated today and calling the Dr. But, I don't think he will help. I have pretty good insurance but don't want the hassles of sitting in a hospital room doped up and listening to a lecture. I know I'm an alcoholic and dont need to be reminded. Last time they wouldn't even let me keep my laptop. I suspect I dropped too many units per day too fast. Cold turkey is not possible due to my history of inebriation.

Dee74

I think a Dr will do more than 'dope you up' and give you a lecture.

If you can't taper and shouldn't cold turkey, what other choice do you have besides doing nothing?

D

Unluckyatlife

Dee, I agree. But this Dr. let me down. I will get another opinion. I'm currently eating vegetables and lean meats. A friend of mine (a former alcoholic) tells me to take vitamins. Tomorrow, I'll try for 4 units and prey. thank you

Dee74

Yeah, always get a second opinion if you're not satisfied

D

FreeOwl

AA didnt work for me, either.

Twice.

Then it did.

Whether AA or rehab or SMART or a counselor or here or a combination of those, one thing many of us share in common is 'it didn't work' stories.

The other thing many of us share is 'we kept on trying until we were truly ready to change, and then, finally, it WORKED' stories.

More than 2 years ago, I went back into AA, got serious with my therapist, began making changes in my life to support my honest choice of sobriety, and its been getting ever-better since.

You can too.