First day
 

Today is the beginning of my journey to getting sober. I am joining this forum with the hope of getting support and encouragement along the way. I have been drinking heavily for about 5 years. I have fibromyalgia and after years of trying every pain management technique, I turned to alcohol. Unfortunately, alcohol got the best of me. I have been drinking daily for quite some time, and the amount keeps increasing. I'm starting to have health issues and just plain tired of feeling hung over every day. My biggest issue is that this has been my secret for a long time. I've don't have marital or family problems because of it. My husband knows I drink, but not the amount. I'm afraid to ask for support, because I don't want other family members to know I'm having issues. Is that a bad way to approach this? Another question is how do you get past the short term recovery? I've tried to quit in the past but can't make it past a few days without cravings and constantly thinking about it. Any advice is welcome. Thank you!

Hi Whiffle,

Welcome to SR. You've come to the right place for support. Like you, I too was tired of feeling hungover every day...one of the many reasons I decided I'd had enough and I needed to stop drinking for good, once and for all. This hasn't been my first attempt to stop drinking and become healthy again (physically, mentally & spiritually). SR has made all the difference for me. Stick around and you will see why. The people here ROCK and are so helpful. Also, take a look at the stickys above, there's lots of information here.

The first few days is the hardest. Just keep thinking "I won't drink today". Keeping busy, eating and drinking a lot of water helped me. If you're tired, take a nap. It will take your body a while to recover...be patient. Also, think about a plan that will keep you from relapsing. Lastly, there's no change without change.

Good luck to you on your journey. It's not easy, but it's doable and completely worth it.

Hi whiffle :)

Personally I could never keep a secret like this from my spouse - but it's true many do so for various reasons.

If you're struggling to maintain sobriety tho, maybe lettign others in a little might help?

Whatever you decide, there is a lot of support here :)

Welcome :)

D

Thanks for your thoughts. I have shared with my husband that I felt I had a drinking problem, but he disagreed. That is where my problem arises. I don't think he wants me to quit. Right now I think the best thing for me to do is focus on myself and getting support where I can.