[Do I have an] Addiction to alcohol?

[cavalera]

swim said...

right, im not sure if this is what this site/forum is about, i might get no feedback about this, i might get lots but i need some advice.


i drink everyday. from 4 pints to 1.5litres of vodka easily. its usually around a litre, i have been with my girlfriend two years tomorrow and its become apparent she hates me drinking. she thinks i have a problem, i KNOW i do, but im too worried, i dont want to stop, just cut down, i cant go to the doctor, i dont like them, i cant seem to talk to anyone about it, the only reason i can do this is because im looking at a computer screen.


everytime i drink its like i get a brick, another brick to put into the wall im building around myself, i dont want the wall to become complete, i dont want tosurround myself in false pretences, im sorry if this is innapropriate, but ANY suggestions, help ideas, mainly in the UK, id be extatic to hear them, thanks for taking the time to read this.





if your read this, please make a comment. im that desperate.Edited by: cavalera

[Jatelka]

Originally Posted by cavalera

i drink everyday. from 4 pints to 1.5litres of vodka easily. its usually around a litre, i have been with my girlfriend two years tomorrow and its become apparent she hates me drinking. she thinks i have a problem, i KNOW i do, but im too worried, i dont want to stop, just cut down

You have to decide how much of a problem this is for you. There are lots of medical opinions: but I'm not going to give you one. Your girlfriend has many opinions, but what is YOUR opinion?


You are worried: Why?


You hate doctors: Why?


You can't talk to anyone: Why?


Sorry if this seems harsh, but these are questions you need to think about, if you're going to take things further.


As someone who has come form a similar background,all I can say is that only you can do this. And that has to be YOUR way.


We live in a society where it is easy to drink. Most people drink, and most of those who do drink, do soin ways that we feel bad about at some point in our lives, it is easy to use alcohol (and others) to change our perceptions of the world, and modify our behaviour, in a way that we think is helpful.


On the flip side: Not everyone drinks as you do, or becomes concerned about it.


It is easy to change our state, so we are : Less Bored, More Funny, More Attractive, More Positive, Less Depressed, Sleeping Better, More Courageous, Less Anxious (I could go on)


You seem in pain at present, try this...


UK Specific: www.samaritans.org (you can also call them: 24 hours local call rate 08457 909090)


It's not alcohol specific (but then that might be too much right now) sometimes just talking is good


Much love x

[thegod1]

Im not sure where your from in the UK, but from where I am you can speak to other doctors, not only the one your with. If that isn't the case for you, im sure it's possible to change doctors.

There are plenty of places specialised in helping people with drug/alcohol addiction but i've been to none and havn't really looked for one so I can't tell you any places... But I definatly think you should speak to someone, you wouldn't wanna lose your girlfriend over something like this.

[cavalera]

i hate doctors, thats why, they always seem to look down at me and patronise me, i need to get my head sorted, im worried because just recently people have been making a big point about it and im scared. i dont know whats making me drink, maybe i need to sort that out before i try to sort alcohol... thankyou Jakelta and thegod, greatly appreciated


xxx


Love.

[grecian]

I can understand your feelings about doctors, I'm the same with hospitals. But really some Dr's are not so bad. My housemate has only very recently seen a Dr about problems very similar to yours and is very impressed with the initial help she received (counselling arranged, sleeping pills, contact details for local support groups etc). Remember that if there is a specific Dr you have a problem with you are within your rights to ask to see another one. Also bear in mind that it is a Dr's obligation to help you.

Reading your post I was struck that it seems to be your girlfriend who has instigated your worry.

Do you really want to change?

[Mammon]

I've no idea if this will work for you, but it did for me.

Basically, the problem is finding something else to do instead of drinking. With me there were certain triggers (like finishing work) that made me always get pissed. The thing I found was to go to the gym after work. I'd make sure I spent an hour or two in there even if I wasn't working out that hard because that meant I wouldn't be drinking. For the first week I hated it, but I knew something had to change (it sounds like you're at that point as well). After a week I actually started to enjoy the gym and now I exercise every weekday and don't have a drink problem anymore.

The other thing is this: visualization. That is when you get the idea of drinking all the positive, glorious images that flash into your mind. I still have this problem now - everytime I think of booze I see cold, refereshing cans, delicious wines, warming spirits, and I just think, "FUCK ME, I WANT A DRINK NOW!".
What I then do is visualise, or rather rememeber the pain of a hangover, the awful things I've done when I've been drunk and the people I've hurt. Then I find the image of the booze isn't so tempting.

My tactics. I don't know if it'll work for you.

[ncsponger]

SWIjamal is correct. This is similar to the method swim used to lower his alcohol intake. When you really feel like having a drink, think of something else you could go do that would benefit your life or make you more money, etc.

SWIM still drinks quite a bit but it is not out of control anymore. Swim will drink a couple of beers and then get that urge to drink several more to keep increasing the buzz. Then he would think, "shit if I drink another one than I'll just want another one after that and so on.........".

SWIM's friend is a bonafied alcoholic and has two children. Both are less than five years old. He has recently taken steps to better himself by entering detox programs several times. He stays for a couple days and then leaves with a prescription of benzos that every detox center seems to give him. Now he gets home, takes his meds and eventually starts drinking again. The alcohol mixed with the benzos tends to make him black out and go to the hospital. He's my best friend and it hurts to see him like that. He has had runs with every addictive drug in America but nothing has caged him like alcohol.

Hope this helps. Try to find something constructive to do.

[wade72]

Cavalera,

I work for a drug and alcohol rehab, I see many people come in the same situation as you and leave a month later a totally different person. There is a way out, you just have to choose to take it. Life without booze and all the emotional difficulty that go with it’s abuse is far better then life with it. Even if it doesn’t seem so at the moment.


Ncsponger,

I see allot of people like your friend, been to detox after detox, and a fair number of them end up hooked on benzos. There is alternatives, the centre I work for, for instance is in Thailand, once a client gets out to the centre there is no access to drugs or alcohol and they are so totally out of their element that they can not easily leave. Also we do use benzos for a persons detox but nobody leaves with a prescription for them. Actually we will not give anyone any mood altering drugs after the first week once their detox is finished. What I would suggest for your friend is he find a rehab as far away from home as he can manage.

[ncsponger]

Wade72, thanks for the advice. I will pass it along.

[MCCosco420]

swim said...

i know how u feel buddy...i too used to drink everyday. not just drink even, but get drunk as i possibly could every minute of everyday. it got so bad that i even began to spend money on alcohol that i knew i needed for rent, bills etc. all my friends and family were disgusted at the way i was acting. this was my story up until 2 months ago, when i was involved in a serious accident. i was drunk yet again and while attempting to get into my friend's(who was also drunk) vehicle i was run over and ended up in the hospital. i had to have major surgery to repair my ankle and to this date i cant walk on it. i will probably always have a limp. but the accident was the best thing that ever happened to me, because i no longer drink like i used to. alcohol is not meant to be all that you live for buddy, its supposed to enhance your life not BE your life and if you keep going like you do u too are going to lose everything. start cutting back on your drinking, you dont need to erase it from your life and you dont need to go to rehab to be told how to live without it. eventually you just have to choose whats more important, and if you choose alcohol over everything else that your life could be then there really is no hope...but i think ur smarter than that and with a good support system around you like ur girlfriend you can turn it around...but stop looking for answers on how to do it, just do it lol!!! best of luck to ya buddy