NewJourneyStart

I've been out of work for a good few months due to my drinking. I've been offered a job today as a driver for a local company delivering stock to different warehouses. As an alcoholic, is it a good idea for me to accept this? Obviously it would force me to have to give up drinking immediately. I have never even considered drinking and driving, it just isn't an option no matter how drunk I am. It can't be anyway as all drivers get breath tested every morning. But is this dangerous?

I haven't drove my own car in weeks, it's just been sat outside my house as I never know if i'm over the limit the following day so I always walk everywhere.

What i'm asking is, is taking a driving job where you spend most of the day behind the wheel the best way to force yourself to quit drinking?

Many thanks!
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Surrendered19

I think it is great that you have been offered work, and I think you should take it because we all need to work. But I don't think being behind the wheel of a truck will do anything at all to keep you sober. I think one has absolutely nothing to do with the other. Like asking if you drink carrot juice mixed with wheat germ, will I stay sober? There just isn't a connection there. I think if you decide you don't drink anymore, and want to drive the truck without a care in the world, and want to work at reclaiming your health and life, I definitely think all of those things will help you stay sober.

fini

any way you make yourself quit drinking is fine by me

are you more asking if it is a “good enough” reason?

gypsytears

I think it’s a great idea to take the driving job providing you’re a non drinking, sober alcoholic. I wouldn’t rely on the driving or the mandatory breathalyzers to stay sober. If you take the job what’s your sobriety plan?

zerothehero

Having to work in the morning curbed my drinking for years, but didn't make me quit. It was the increasingly wicked hangovers on weekends that saved me. That said, drinking less because you work is better than drinking more and not working. The caveat is whether you would be impaired while driving from drinking the day before...

August252015

This is the kind of question active alcoholics who don't want to quit ask.

Callas

Most certainly this is not the job for you. Taking that job as an active alcoholic is reckless. Perhaps once you have 5 + continuous years of sobriety.

Callas

I find it astonishing that some people even suggest you consider this job. You should not be near a motor vehicle.

August252015

^^^Callas, I didn't have a car for 3 yrs and then til 6 mo after I quit. I lost the privilege (my dad was on the lease) when I drove home and turned out I had a .42. Sure wasn't the first night I drove drunk but probably the highest BAC on record for my hospital file. Everything from reflexes to spatial distortion to judgment in many areas needs to even out before we should take on big responsibilities like a job that requires driving as its focus.

In other words, what you said.

Zebra1275

If you had been sober for a few months, my answer would be yes.

Since are still actively drinking, the answer is No.

It sounds like you are hoping that the daily testing will provide you the outside structure you need to stay sober. That's a really bad idea and it won't work. Alcoholics find incredibly creative ways to get around such structure.

nez

During my drinking days, I discovered that alcohol, casinos, and gambling were not a good mix for me. I did the only logical thing an alcoholic could do. I quit gambling. :~)

Same thing, only different.

I take no responsibility for individual conclusions drawn. :~)

newhope01

Kaily

In my opinion it would not be enough to keep you sober. Far too risky.

For me the more I was under pressure for whatever reason not to drink the more I actually drank. Some weird self sabotage that I can't even explain.

I hope you find a way to recover soon.

Callas

Jeepers August, .42 is surely some record. In medical terms comatose to dead. You must have some Viking blood.

NewJourneyStart

Upon reading everything everyone has said on here I haven't taken the job. I do need a job by the new year to pay the bills, but i've been looking at desk jobs etc. Staying away from driving jobs, operating heavy machinery and such like. There is a job going in my local post office which is in walking distance that I've applied for. That way I can start and get some structure in my day.

Also, this is the first Friday night in many years that i'm attempting to not drink. It's almost 9pm now, I have no alcohol in the house but fighting the urge to walk to the shop and buy a few beers. Getting the usual mental cravings, shakes, sweats and racing heartbeat. I know tonight will be full of night sweats and sleeplessness but a sleepless night sober is better than a night getting wasted then blacking out right?

nez

Oh hell yeah!!! Great step in the right direction. Keep moving forward. You can do this. Life will get better and the rewards will far exceed the efforts!

ScottFromWI

Sounds like a good choice for now NewJourney. I would add that there is really no job that will "force" you to stop drinking. In fact, there is really nothing that can force you to stop - you have to make that decision for yourself. Seems like maybe you've done that before but not been successful at keeping up at it? You'll find a lot of support here to help you get there if that's truly what you want.

From reading your response above it appears maybe you've been through withdrawals before? Even if you have, please make sure you stay safe and let someone know in case you need help.

Anna

I think that looking for a job to add structure to your life is a good plan, but as Scott said, a job will not make you stop drinking.

I hope you get through the night safely. Don't be afraid to call for help if needed.

saoutchik

It is kind of irrelevant know you have not taken the driving job but I would say that only you can answer the question you posed as it is you who know yourself better than anyone else.

Anyway, fingers crossed for the Post Office job and I hope you get sober soon.

August252015

The MOST pertinent question is actually do you want to live?

This is a pretty serious question to throw out in my opinion, as it not only puts you in (more) danger, you would be putting every other person on the road and in your surroundings in danger if you take this job as an active alcoholic.

Us alcoholics are GREAT at picking the wrong problem to solve. I took different jobs as a server and funny, they kept being at places where alcohol and drugs were more and more accepted (and it's already the norm in the industry).

When I quit, yep, I had to find a way to support myself. Taking a job at the fast food place I could walk to was humbling, responsible, and safe.

The post office job sounds similar. And whether you want to do AA or not, it's free and certainly a place to start with what I always say has to come before life plans, which is sober and recovery planning- and action.