Battling the booze

[Kazzl]

When the black dog bites, many of us reach for a drink. It can ease the pain, help us relax, block out what's going on in our minds. If it's just the odd drink now and then, even one or two a night, there's no harm and maybe even welcome relief. But for some of us, many in fact, literally drowning our sorrows becomes a problem in itself. We drink more and more until the booze takes over, and drinking becomes all we want to do. 

That was me for a long time until I finally realised the combination of booze and depression would kill me. If I wanted to live, if I wanted to be able to manage my depression, I had to get sober. I did, nearly five years ago, and it's the hardest thing I've ever done.

If booze is controlling you and you're not controlling it, this thread is for you. If you want to regain control - get sober or moderate your drinking (which for many is harder than quitting) or if you're worried you are drinking too much, join us here.

On this thread I'll talk about my battle with the booze and offer advice and support to anyone who is struggling. I welcome anyone who's been there or is worried they are going there, to join in. And I hope others now living sober will come here to help our friends who are struggling.

One thing this thread is not is a place to discuss how much a drink or two helps you. It's not an anti-alcohol thread, but it's not a general discussion about alcohol either. It's for people who are genuinely worried about it or who want to control it, and it's a place of celebration (without judgment about drinkers) for those of us who are now living sober.

I hope anyone who's battling the booze will join us.

Cheers 😀

Kaz 

[geoff]

hello to all who have posted, I thought I would keep this post going since it's been almost a month since anyone has posted a comment. Geoff.

[dueb]

hi geoff

im still drinking and smoking but not as bad as before,i have got moor understanding of the relation ship with bad habits and mental illness,i spend now most of my spare time in the shed on the tools with a project in mind.

[geoff]

hello Dueb, that's for replying, but can I ask you a question, and only answer if you want to, but spending time in your shed could lead to temptation, especially if you're had a tough day, that's what always happened to me.Geoff.

[dueb]

yes!but only if i give up in building what i think is true.

[monkey_magic]

Time to get real, not be in my dream world. I've abused prescription medication. I've abused alcohol.

[monkey_magic]

But ima going to be OK.... I just wanted it off my chest

[dueb]

at the moment im up and down,one day drink and smoke less another drink and smoke moor,i think i have to master how too keep the less and slowly reduce the daily intake from there.any suggestions?and i wish you are all keeping good.

regards tony

[geoff]

hello Tony and Guest, been a little while since this post has been active, but please it has come back.
We can have a drink, then have too much, but probably enjoying yourself until the next morning then guilt sets in and possibly a hangover, so you tell yourself you won't do the same today, but as the time approaches when you usually start drinking can you stop this temptation, and if not then you're an alcoholic, the same principle applies when you abuse prescription medication as well smoking, all of these are highly addictive and have the drawing power over you to continue on with them.
The strength to stop any of these will require a mind committed to help yourself, remove yourself from people who will tempt you to 'just have one more drink, ask you if you a cigarette to spare or go doctor hunting for prescription medication'.
You can socialise with these people once you are determined to quit, where an answer 'no thanks' will suffice, and it's never easy to quit by yourself, you need encouragement by being in a group.
One day is a plus for you, because you have to break your routine, the one which you're been doing for years. Geoff.

[Moonstruck]

Just checking in Geoff. I'm still on the "alcohol removed" boring old chardonnay and champagne.....been thru the hardest, most awful, grief and loss situation in past two months (and another just happened now sending me spiralling into sadness).......I still didn't have a drink. How can this be? How did this happen over the past 4 years? I am still who I am, still hurt as much, it's still as easy to get (actually have some in the cupboard, obvious well past its use by date now...ugh)......I cannot fathom how I have managed to do this?

Perhaps a call from specialist in Brisbane saying according to latest tests I am "stable and quite well" (at least in the grog damaged department, lets not talk about my head) and the only thing that could set me back, make me ill again....is if I go back to alcohol? But it's the only thing that "makes me feel better" in a situation where I am now. I said "if I have a glass of wine, I am not going to drop down dead right there am I?"

No I am not....so why can't I have a couple? is it because the next night I will think "Oh well it didn't kill me last night, I can have a couple again tonight?" Is that what would happen do you think? Until I am back to having wine every night of the week?? Would my body start craving it again?...just having a vent here Geoff.

[geoff]

hi Moonstruck, to understand what alcohol can do to a person is very powerful, it's an addiction, something that we rely on to 'make us feel better', so one drink leads onto another and then another until you're intoxicated, it has a drawing power to want more, whereas some people can stop after one drink, others can't, they become hypnotised to believe that just one more drink will make them feel better, until the next morning when their head is stuck down the toilet, their head throbs and know that just one drink will be the hair of the dog, and when this happens you're an alcoholic.
You were really strong not to have a drink, especially after what has happened, which I'm really sorry about, but if you did decide to go back to it then it would only take you back to square one, which means that your health will deteroite much quicker, and probably be worse off.
If you have a drink then next day/night feel as though one drink didn't hurt me so I'll have two today, then day after three or four until it's back to where you were worse off.
I only drink socially and I don't saying that I'm good at doing this, but I don't need to drink like I used to do, my depression has gone, and like you I have medical problems if I drink all day, most likely have a seizure and grand mal fits are not what anybody would want to go through, so I now know when it's time to stop and stay awake.
We know the temptation is so easy to fall back into, but you have shown your strength Moonstruck, so please hang in there. My best Geoff.