topic Alcohol substitute in Staying well

Alcohol substitute

non_semper_erit_aestas — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 10:44:05 GMT

I have been on medication for Depression and Anxiety for several years now and am currently undergoing a drug change which has resulted in me being hospitalized due to the withdrawal process not going well.Yesterday i was given a leave pass to the local shopping center to pick up a couple of items, I had my purchases and was feeling great.

I was due back at hospital at 5pm. At 8pm I returned with a blood Alcohol reading of 0.09.I have no idea why i started to drink as I had not been experiencing cravings for Alcohol ( i have used alcohol in the past as a relaxant )

I would be interested to hear from people who maybe able to offer some advise as to what drink when in a social situation or just want a cool drink after mowing the lawn.Are there options out other than Water.

Alcohol substitute

geoff — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 17:14:13 GMT

dear Guest, I can relate to your story, as when I was placed in a private clinic as work cover paid for this, I took a leave pass and went down to the shops where I bought a bottle of sherry ( can't drink it now ) and skulled it, but nobody knew that I had been drinking.

When I abstained I used to drink tonic water and that suited me, but I would drink it quickly as the carbs used to quench my thirst. Geoff.

Alcohol substitute

MaryG — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 21:52:20 GMT

Hey guest,

it is tough isn't it? I too choose tonic or soda water like Geoff. Although I choose diet tonic. Weird but when I was drinking I never counted the calories. I had gone so far past social drinking before, that now I don't find it too hard when other people are drinking around me. If I do break from my abstinence it is much more likely to be a lone activity. Alcohol is such a part of our society, I find the worst part is when people ask why I'm not drinking. "I've been using alcohol to self medicate my depression and anxiety and it has become a huge problem" kind of spoils the mood and isn't something I want to share with most people.

Mary

Alcohol substitute

geoff — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 22:33:49 GMT

dear Mary, how have you been coping, it's seems a long time between posts, but it's probably not.

People used to say the same to me when I was abstaining, but I would just tell them that my doctor has put me on a drug that doesn't mix with alcohol, and advised me not to drink.

If they then asked me what drug it is or what I need it for, well I would just give a silly reason, such as, he wants me to grow another toe, or something else just as stupid, hoping that they would laugh and then there would be no more questions. L Geoff. x

Alcohol substitute

MaryG — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 23:22:57 GMT

Hey Geoff,

I'm coping OK. I was in a massive hole last week feeling extremely low and suicidal at times. Then I had a few really great days in a row. I felt so good and so normal and actually happy. I thought that maybe after almost 4 weeks the meds were having some real positive affects. Then I woke up yesterday and for no real obvious reason I was very anxious and desperate and almost panicky and so very low. Suicidal thoughts were really strong and I couldn't understand how my mood had changed so dramatically in one day. I'm not so bad today. Not on quite as much of a high as earlier in the week, but not as low as yesterday either.

Sorry guest to monopolise your thread for a different conversation.

Mary

Alcohol substitute

non_semper_erit_aestas — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 04:48:18 GMT

Thank you for your reply's. Looks like Tonic water will be on my next shopping list

Alcohol substitute

geoff — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 19:31:51 GMT

dear Mary, sorry it's a couple of days, however are you taking those drugs that stop the urge for drinking alcohol, you may have already told me but I can't remember.

This feeling for one day of falling into the hole will happen, unfortunately, but it's something that neither you nor me could ever avoid, I can't really explain why, or we could just put it down as going through the process of refraining from alcohol.

One pledge at any AA meeting is that anybody who hasn't had a drink for 20 odd years still calls themselves an alcoholic, but I think it should be changed to 'I WAS an alcoholic 20 years ago, and I am here to guide you through the process to ending your drinking'.

We never say to people that 'I am still a young person, and have been for 59 years', because that sounds stupid, it's past history, just saying.

No matter how long you have stopped drinking there will be times when you really feel like a drink, but you don't, because your strength has built up so you don't.

My Mum used to smoke two packages of cigarettes a day, but she had to have an operation, and as soon as she woke up she felt like a cigarette, and she said it was the worst thing she had ever done, because the taste was terrible, and from there on she never smoked again.

I know a couple of elderly guys who had given up drinking years ago, and they said exactly the same if they were conned into a sip, and they hated every drop.

Keep going Mary I am proud of you and the effort you have put into this is excellent. L Geoff. x

Alcohol substitute

Beetle — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 00:23:45 GMT

i used to drink half a liter of spirits( wodka, rum etc) in 5 min. That was 10 years ago. At that time i didnt know i may have had underlying depression and anxiety. Now i know and i realised it is/was just a coping mechanism. Im now on SNRi's. since i was still drinking and the drug i am on is really bad for your liver i reduced my alcohol down to one to two wines a night. However I then quickly realised the alcohol elimianes the action of the drug and made me feel terrible the next day. I now manged to stop alcohol completly and say no to it at social functions 🙂 so proud!!!!

I found tea is a great substitute, coffee, lemon bitter, ginger beer etc.

I found if i take the SNRi i cant have any alcohol otherwise my anxiety and depression comes up again. to archieve wellbeing with the drug I had to stop alcohol. I feel really good for a week now with no mood dips:)

Good luck with it all -you can beat the beast!!

Beetle