Boozehound84

Hi there, just stumbled across this site not long ago. Not sure how these things go, but here it is. I'm Boozehound84 and I'm an alcoholic. I live in Las Vegas NV, where the booze is always flowing......I moved back here almost 2 years ago. That's when my drinking got worse. I had started drinking heavily again after my ex and I separated three and a half years ago. Needless to say, down hill spiral. At my worst I was drinking about a 12 pack or more plus at least a half bottle of the cheapest plastic bottle whiskey I could find. Almost nightly I went to bed, or wherever I happened to fall at for that night and lay there thinking I may not wake up in the morning. There's times I wonder how I did wake up. I'm still trying to figure out how I haven't been fired or gotten a DUI......anyway, I've been through the church program prior, met with my Bishop, received blessings and prayers and it's all bs. Nothing has helped. Because I didn't want it to, I was simply going through the motions. Earlier this month I had a wake up call. I got a good look at myself in the mirror. I couldn't believe what I was looking at. I no longer cared what I looked like, personal hygiene, it had been three days since I took a shower (and I'm a mechanic).....I decided I needed to stop somehow, before I killed myself or someone else behind the wheel or left a brake component loose or something. Plus I'd like to live long enough to meet my son and not just be written off by his mom as a drunk who got locked up or died from alcoholism. I've been reducing my alcohol intake steadily for the last month or so, with a couple slips here and there. I'm now 2 days off the booze and can't sleep. So I'm here. Anyway, not sure if that's a proper intro or not, but it's what's on my mind at the moment.


Boozehound84

Dee74

Hi and welcome boozehound

Insomnia is pretty common - I had it for a few nights before things fell back into a normal sleeping pattern.

There are some good common sense ideas here that may help?
10 tips to beat insomnia - Live Well - NHS Choices

Lightning Bug

WELCOME!
Glad you stumbled upon us, we are glad to meet you!

Getting blessed by the bishop isn't going to get you sober. You say nothing had helped? What else did you do?

But understanding this is key to starting to help. Good job. Realization of fact (what you have done, how you are living) will help. What you need though is more profoundly important. You need a plan. A program. Action items that will stop you from drinking. You said you had a wakeup call. What have you done since then? Posting here is a great start. Read, read, read. Post often. Ask questions. Help others. That helps.

Boozehound84

Hey y'all, thanks for the warm welcome and advice! As far as a plan goes, my first priority has been avoiding the few people here in Vegas I associate with. They are mostly all either bar tenders or into the night life. I'm not sure where I'm going from there, my Bishop set me up with the church run alcohol program that meets Thursdays at our stake center. Gonna give it an honest go this time.

Quincy

Welcome Boozehound. I think you're headed in the right direction and you really want this which is great. I'm new here also... just started in August.

It really helped me to come to this site everyday and read, read, read. It was very eye opening and inspirational and supportive.

It's a great place and available 24/7. Hope to see you around often.

D122y

Welcome booze,

Read the stickies.

Additionally, what spirit based programs, e.g AA, dont talk about is the science of the addiction.

I believe in God and pray all the time. It is a great foundation.

Understanding why you feel the way you do, as it evolves, will help you to embrace sobriety.

It deals w dopamine in your brain. Our analysis of our feelings gets us out of the emotional craving that occurs w us addicts.

Finally, joining program larger than yourself, AA, SR, Church Group etc, allows us to help and be helped. It is a huge part of my and others recovery.

Bottom line....don't drink...no matter what.

Berrybean

Whatever program you decide to use, it can only 'work' by you doing the work. Christianity it pretty much the same deal. God won't do stuff for us if we can do it ourselves. And especially not if we don't want it. We have to open our hearts and minds, and become willing to do the work, get uncomfortable for a time, and stay sober. If you didn't want it, it's not going to work. It doesn't make it BS. It just means you weren't ready. Maybe you're ready now. What do you think?

Mountainmanbob

Good for you, for it takes being honest with ourselves and others and the making of a firm decision not to drink again.

M-Bob

thomas11

Welcome boozehound, you're in the right place, no doubt about that. I'm glad you have decided to hang it up. I too was a workin man, owned a landscape outfit. Nearly drank myself to death. Decided enough was enough a little over a year ago. Best decision I've made. You can do the same. Hope you stick around.

Sleepless nights early on are common bud.

PurpleKnight

Welcome to the Forum Boozehound!!

Soberwolf

Hi

ChloeRose63

Welcome! Keep posting because everyone is there for you!

Anna

Hi and Welcome,

I think making a recovery plan is a good place to start. That said, I think it's the motivation you have which will bring success or not. Like you, I tried a few things but didn't have my heart in it at the time. I hope you're ready to change your life. We're here to offer support.

Boozehound84

Thanks for all the support and kind words y'all. Today starts day three. Actually woke up without a headache and could walk straight for the first time in years. Feels kinda weird lol. Y'all got some great advice on here, I'm gonna give it my damndest. So far so good though. Cravings really aren't there, like one of the folks said earlier, gotta get past the emotional and psychological addiction. That's gonna be the hard part I think. I think I got it this time though. One of the other big motivating factors is the weight I've put on with the booze. 60 pounds in three years. Here's hoping.

Boozehound84

Just got off the phone with AA, gonna go check out one of their meetings tonight at 7:30. Never been before. Well see what happens

D122y

Booze,

imo....It will take a few days to a couple of weeks before the anxiety starts to ramp up.

It will feel like...i have been clean for a while...i deserve a few drinks. That is a relapse. It resets the process. It is your AV tricking you into drinking.

When you crave, no matter what, you have to power through it. I ate when I craved. Lots of sweets. They trick the brain into thinking it is getting booze. So, expect to not lose a ton of weight until you get some sober time.

Once you have a few weeks under you belt, you will have more energy to start walking, jogging, working out etc. That is when the weight will drop. The exercise also causes release of adrenaline. Adrenaline makes you feel good. That is what we like.

I offer....don't try to starve yourself now. You are already likely to be suffering considerably for a few weeks. Enjoy sober meals. Have desert..instead of the drinks. Get nice and full.

It starts out physical and mental. The physical diminishes, and the mental ramps up. That is the part where I thought i was doing insane. It took me about 80 days clean before I reached out and found out what was going on in my brain.

Thanks for the chance to help.

Thanks for the post.

Hevyn

It's great to meet you, Boozehound. It really helps to be able to share our feelings here. I'm glad you found a meeting - let us know how it goes.

least

Welcome to the family. I hope our support can help you get sober for good.

cwood3

My money is on "I bet you will be surprised and like AA"......just my guess. We'd like to hear about it!

fred59

welcome Boozehound surround yourself with people in recovery it makes it so much easier