Trying
 

Hi there, I'm new.

I thought I'd make a post and lay out where I am. I binge drink, usually once a week but sometimes twice. I know I am dependent on those occasions I do consume alcohol. For the past year I've made the awful habit of drunk smoking too, which of course, is now another addiction I want to kick. My best friend also drinks. I rarely consume alcohol unless it's with him. I suppose I have been knowingly using him to justify how much I drink, and possibly vice versa actually. At this stage we're more like drinking buddies than anything and have been for some years (both 28). I just want to go cold turkey but know it isn't going to be easy. A colleague did text me earlier though asking if I would work New Years Day so she could have it off, and I have agreed in the hope it detours me from getting inebriated on New Years Eve like I always do.

Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas (even if you are a Scrooge like me),

Gray.

Welcome to the family. :) Going cold turkey can be dangerous so if your withdrawal gets bad, get medical help. :hug:

Welcome Gray! My drinking started with a specific friend after over 10 years of not drinking, but after some time I took over and drank way more than he did and then started drinking at home alone and in secret. Took a few years to get to that point and wish I had the insight you have to stop before it got as bad as it did.

SR is a great community and you will find a lot of support and wisdom here! xx

welcome, Gray.

Hi Gray.

I'm new too. I'm familiar with the binge drinking too. Was always easy to go the week without drinking, but then the weekend was so loose. Seemed ok in my 20s as always out with friends, it was fun, it was social. But even then I was ruining relationships, friendships, jobs etc.

I think now when I look back I was always out of control. But I could kid myself, and others, it was just partying and having fun. The lost friends, relationships, jobs, unemployment, wasted money, were never fun though.

I think I always drifted through life being negative about everything. I could always tell you what I didn't like, or why things were pointless. That justified a lot of drinking.

It was a rubbish path to go down! I was lazy, made no effort, and ignored most of life by getting drunk. It led to more and more wasted years. I wasted at least 15 years getting pissed, I don't want to waste any more time. I want to get sober, stay sober, build a nice little life and enjoy it.

I think there's a couple of things I advise:
1. Your friend is your friend whether you drink or not.
2. You can make good habits too. Get busy, get active, try and fight the boredom or whatever pushes you to drink.

I hope you go well, all the best.

Thanks Guys! I used to drink on my own frequently but luckily that's a habit I've managed to kick. Here's hoping I can make it!

I'm a scrooge ;) Cold turkey is rough. I did it with the help of some anti depressants but if you can work through it you'll find it's not as hard as you think.

If you binge then you can probably go for days without the need to drink? What you will probably find most difficult is changing the routine and old habits. You'll need to fill the gap.

Do you work out? Make it your habit to go to the gym on those days you usually drink alcohol. Eat healthy on those days. Feel good about yourself and your body. It makes it so much easier.

Merry Christmas :)

Yeah I can go days without a drink but then I'm looking for an excuse to drink! I know I don't need to, and I argue with my mind over it constantly, but I end up caving. I made it to 21 days recently and was gutted when I ruined it. I don't work out (aside from walking to work and back) but am considering joining a gyn to keep me preoccupied. I am having a meeting on Thursday to decide whether to try and stay in my job or whether to take redundancy so that's playing on my mind too.

Welcome to the Forum!! :wave:

Welcome Gary!

My drinking was a slow burn, with bad binges and long relatively sober periods. In my early 40s I got a roommate who was an alcoholic. I followed him down that road and it got very bad for me.

Finally I made him leave, as I'd had the place first. He was dead within two years.

Took me 5 years after that to get sober.

Anyhow, it only gets worse, so you're very lucky to be stopping so young.

Merry Christmas!

a belated but warm welcome from me gray :)

I had a friend like that - I had to let him go in the end - he just didn;t see why I needed t stop drinking, especially with him.

Maybe your friend will be a little more supportive?

D

Thanks everyone. Hopefully he will be supportive. When it comes to my feelings I am a bit of a closed book, so I wouldn't announce all my hopes and fears before annoucing I want to be sober. That isn't in my nature to be honest. But hopefully people will just accept that i'm not up for having a drink! God you wouldn't think it was such a chore to simply not want to drink something that makes you a depressed wreck!