Hello everyone
 

Hi everyone. I guess this is an introduction, if it's not the right place for it I apologize. I'm 25 years old, from the Netherlands.

I joined up here because I want to quit my bad habit of binge drinking. I've read forum posts and articles but just reading seems too passive for me to change.

Six day a week I don't even think about drinking. Alcohol is not on my mind. It's when the weekend rolls around that I either get absolutely hammered with friends or at home playing games with online friends. It hasn't ruined relationships, work or anything else (thankfully) but I find myself going to the liquor store in the evening even though I told myself I would stay sober that morning and that worries me.

I quit smoking and recreational drugs a few years ago all in one go without a single problem and the fact that quitting this binge drinking is so much harder makes me dissapointed in myself.

I know my problems may not be as bad as others', but I wanted to find some support and this seems like a good place to look for it.

Thanks.

Welcome BigBoy! You'll find SR a most helpful community with support and fellowship. You're still young and have the opportunity to stop this destructive drug before it destroys you. You can do this. Please read and post often. We can help.

Welcome to SR. You should find what you need here. Lots of input.

Welcome

Welcome. If you are at the mindset at 25 to, "what's the point", then that is a good reason to stop. Truly, no matter how far along we are (and it tends to get worse), it can all boil down to the simple expression, "what's the point". Sending a hope for success.

Welcome!

At a SMART meeting this week I said that I would drink a bottle and blackout at the end of my drinking. Others in the room assumed I meant a bottle of spirits but in fact it was only one bottle of 14% wine (probably didn't help that I would drink it in about 30 mins). Folk at that meeting drunk way more than that in their drinking careers and there were two 25 year olds at the meeting who shared that they had taken heroin for the first time ever that week and were now really scared. Should I compare myself to them?

The point is there is no benefit to comparing yourself to anyone else in terms of how 'bad' you are. If you have decided it's a problem for you then it is, even if you drink half a pint of lager and lemonade every two weeks.

Wishing you well.

Hi bigboy :)

Your problems are the same problems we all have - you'll find understanding and support here - welcome!

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome.

Hey BB from another BB.

You know, alcoholism isn't so much about how often we drink, but more about what happens to us when we take those first few, seemingly harmless, drinks. I too was a binge drinker, mostly Friday, Saturday and Sunday (and whenever else I thought there was an excuse or I could get away with it). When I think back to when I first started drinking in my early teens, I can say that once I'd had a couple, all bets were off. Even going for a couple of drinks at lunchtime in my workbreak at 17, I never once made it back to work. (Lost that job and learned not to do lunchtime drinking after that).

After having an evening that brought even more misery and regret with it than my normal chaotic weekend bingeing, I resolved to stay sober. I managed the first month alone, but by the end of the month, without the promise of that release there I felt like a bottle of shook up soda. Ready to explode. Miserable, restless irritable and discontent (which I now know to be the state of sober alcoholics who aren't working on their recovery ie. Learning new and better ways to deal with life than look for release or soothing or highs outside of themselves).

I believe that there is a good fellowship of AA in the Netherlands, esp for young people. I would suggest that you find some meetings to attend, especially at those times when youd usually be hitting it at the weekends. It's rarely as easy as just putting the drink down. We have to relearn lots of thinking and coping strategies.

BB