alcoholism advice

[TOV!E]

Hi, Rockbottom, I used to drink on average 4 cans of Tennents Super and about a half bottle of whiskey a day for roughly 9 years, some days less and some days more.
One day I looked in the fridge and started to panic as I only had 2 cans of drink left so I walked to the off licence to get some more, when I got there it was closed so I panicked as the next shop was 3 miles away, anyway it started to piss down and I got soaked, I went in the shop picked up a 4 pack of tennants then realised I had left my wallet at home
I put the cans back and started to walk home to get some money, when I got home I picked up the money started to walk back to the shop in the rain when I said to myself THIS IS TAKING OVER MY LIFE, I turned around and said to myself ENOUGH is ENOUGH, that was on 1/11/2001 I have never touched a drink since, mybe I was lucky BUT if I can do it YOU can. If you need a chat email me and I will give you my mobile number..All the best matey I know what you are going through.....Gordon

[Tyrewrecker]

TOV!E said:

Hi, Rockbottom, I used to drink on average 4 cans of Tennents Super and about a half bottle of whiskey a day for roughly 9 years, some days less and some days more.
One day I looked in the fridge and started to panic as I only had 2 cans of drink left so I walked to the off licence to get some more, when I got there it was closed so I panicked as the next shop was 3 miles away, anyway it started to piss down and I got soaked, I went in the shop picked up a 4 pack of tennants then realised I had left my wallet at home
I put the cans back and started to walk home to get some money, when I got home I picked up the money started to walk back to the shop in the rain when I said to myself THIS IS TAKING OVER MY LIFE, I turned around and said to myself ENOUGH is ENOUGH, that was on 1/11/2001 I have never touched a drink since, mybe I was lucky BUT if I can do it YOU can. If you need a chat email me and I will give you my mobile number..All the best matey I know what you are going through.....Gordon

Top man, well done.

[TOV!E]

Tyrewrecker said:

Top man, well done.

Many thanks, I was very very lucky as I could see myself going down very quickly.( not a nice place to be)

[TwigtheWonderkid]

TOV!E said:

Hi, Rockbottom, I used to drink on average 4 cans of Tennents Super and about a half bottle of whiskey a day for roughly 9 years, some days more.



I turned around and said to myself ENOUGH is ENOUGH, that was on 1/11/2001 I have never touched a drink since

Great effort TOV!E, but I bet the owner of your local offy was suicidal when you knocked it on the head. His turnover must have taken a nosedive.

[TOV!E]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Great effort TOV!E, but I bet the owner of your local offy was suicidal when you knocked it on the head. His turnover must have taken a nosedive.

Hi, in them days you could buy 4 cans for about £3.59 and a cheap bottle of scotch for about £6.00' so you could get wkered for a tenner which was cheaper than going to the pub ( at least at home nobody can tell you you are drinking to much)

[grumbledoak]

Much has been covered, so please forgive any repetition.

Do get medical advice on quitting. You are drinking enough that sudden withdrawal could be hospital or death. If you are alone you may not even realize you have had a fit. That said, it is easy enough to halve your drinking every three days until you are 'stopping' from a 'sensible' daily level.

It doesn't have to be the AA medical/spiritual approach if that does not appeal to you. There are secular, practical approaches too. Professional advice will be a great help.

With regrards to the future, my advice would be 'never say never'. IMO that is a stupid promise for anyone to make, but especially for you right now- you are almost certain to relapse and the last thought you'll need then is "in for a penny...".

Get to know your drinking rituals or triggers- yours will be different from everyone else's. Drink in certain places? Don't go there. With certain people? Avoid them. After certain thoughts? Avoid them. And be wary of boredom; there are far more hours in the day than you think.

PM me if you want.

Edited by grumbledoak on Sunday 29th July 14:40

[B17NNS]

First of all congratulations

You have taken possibly the most difficult step already. You have admitted to yourself (probably a good while ago) and more recently to your loved ones that you no longer have control over alcohol and it has in it's sneaky little way taken control of you.

As hard as it may seem right now do not see yourself as weak or pathetic. You have an illness/disease that is completely curable (and incredibly common) and you have as much a right to proper medical care as anyone else.

Read this over and over again because it is true: Your anxiety, depression and panic attacks are a RESULT of your addiction to alcohol. Alcohol merely masks these problems when they arise and the only reason they arise is because your body is craving yet more alcohol. A bit of a fker of a vicious circle that you need a bit of help to break.

Those not of our disposition find it easy to say 'ah, just stop'.

DO NOT JUST STOP DRINKING. This is dangerous. Your body is currently physically addicted to alcohol. To simply stop without medical advice would be very dangerous. The side effects of doing so would make you never want to try stopping again.

First you beat the physical, then you can tackle the mental.

So first things first. Go to your GP. Take your partner. Be prepared to be completely honest about your alcohol intake and your desire to stop. Nobody will judge you - remember you are ill and are asking for help to get well.

The first phase of your treatment will be detoxification. The process whereby you are given drugs which allow you to safely stop drinking without risking your health.

I need to shoot out for a bit now but will happily (if you're interested) go into a little more depth about my experiences (which sound very similar to yours). Alternatively feel free to PM me.

Again. Congratulations, you'll be right in no time fella

Matt

[Pints]

I've not much to add but I'm really pleased you've taken the first step.

My grandfather never took that step and now, almost 20 years on, I still wish it didn't end the way it did.

Having started the process, I'm hopeful that you won't leave your family in the same way.

All the best.

[rock bottom]

TOV!E said:

Hi, Rockbottom, I used to drink on average 4 cans of Tennents Super and about a half bottle of whiskey a day for roughly 9 years, some days less and some days more.
One day I looked in the fridge and started to panic as I only had 2 cans of drink left so I walked to the off licence to get some more, when I got there it was closed so I panicked as the next shop was 3 miles away, anyway it started to piss down and I got soaked, I went in the shop picked up a 4 pack of tennants then realised I had left my wallet at home
I put the cans back and started to walk home to get some money, when I got home I picked up the money started to walk back to the shop in the rain when I said to myself THIS IS TAKING OVER MY LIFE, I turned around and said to myself ENOUGH is ENOUGH, that was on 1/11/2001 I have never touched a drink since, mybe I was lucky BUT if I can do it YOU can. If you need a chat email me and I will give you my mobile number..All the best matey I know what you are going through.....Gordon

great story - thanks for your support

as a matter of interest, when you were at the peak of your drinking, were you holding down a job too?

if so, what sort of work?

it's funny, i think i could do my job adequately when a bit pissed but it's the hangovers, and consequent days off, which are getting in the way

[condor]

I was diagnosed as having the DT's a few years ago. I've always been a heavy drinker and still am - although I don't consider myself to be an alchy. However I made myself ill through extreme grief - I stopped eating and sleeping for 3 weeks then I stopped drinking as well.
I'm still here today, but the night it happenned is still fresh in my mind.
My whole body was buzzing, a weird vibrating sense. Very strange dream where my bottom half was submerged in a gravel grave whilst I stroked a dead horse's neck - a familiar dog had gripped my hand and was trying to pull me out. I felt the dog's teeth round my wrist and called out 'Woody, is that you' - all of a sudden I woke up and surprised myself that I was in bed as the dream seemed so real. Turned round and there was a golden man lying beside me, looked like Jesus, who kissed me then nudged my legs apart and entered me.

Priest thought it was DTs, army friend said it was common for soldiers to have dreams like that - GP was concerned I had mental health problems but thought it likely I had DTs. I think what I had was beautiful.

[stackmonkey]

Some very good advice above.
I have a slightly different suggestion.
Go to your GP to make sure that you won't die etc from withdrawal.
Then go on holiday to a 'dry' country for 2-3 weeks.
It's not work so hopefully you would be able to actually relax, but alcohol simply won't be available and it may help break the cycle?

[Shaw Tarse]

rock bottom said:

TOV!E said:

Hi, Rockbottom, I used to drink on average 4 cans of Tennents Super and about a half bottle of whiskey a day for roughly 9 years, some days less and some days more.
One day I looked in the fridge and started to panic as I only had 2 cans of drink left so I walked to the off licence to get some more, when I got there it was closed so I panicked as the next shop was 3 miles away, anyway it started to piss down and I got soaked, I went in the shop picked up a 4 pack of tennants then realised I had left my wallet at home
I put the cans back and started to walk home to get some money, when I got home I picked up the money started to walk back to the shop in the rain when I said to myself THIS IS TAKING OVER MY LIFE, I turned around and said to myself ENOUGH is ENOUGH, that was on 1/11/2001 I have never touched a drink since, mybe I was lucky BUT if I can do it YOU can. If you need a chat email me and I will give you my mobile number..All the best matey I know what you are going through.....Gordon

great story - thanks for your support

as a matter of interest, when you were at the peak of your drinking, were you holding down a job too?

if so, what sort of work?

it's funny, i think i could do my job adequately when a bit pissed but it's the hangovers, and consequent days off, which are getting in the way

I'd guess there are many "functioning" alcoholics who hold down a responsible job? ( including housewives )

[Fun Bus]

OP, if you're anywhere near Nottingham then do let me know. I'll happily offer support where I can face to face.

[TOV!E]

rock bottom said:

great story - thanks for your support

as a matter of interest, when you were at the peak of your drinking, were you holding down a job too?

if so, what sort of work?

it's funny, i think i could do my job adequately when a bit pissed but it's the hangovers, and consequent days off, which are getting in the way

I was working in the construction industry (plastering manager) never really suffered from hangovers untill the last year of drinking then they seemed to last all day,I never had a day of work in 20 years........

[Fun Bus]

Yet another "functioning alcoholic" as was I and it seems many.

[oldcynic]

wisbechlad said:

Definitely go to see a doctor as well. DO NOT cold turkey alcohol before this. A small percentage of people get Delerium Tremens if they go cold turkey due to serotonin levels shooting up and frying their brain - happened to a colleague of mine. He saw blue devils. Unfortunately, did so much damage that even thiugh we got him to hospital, in the end he died.

This puzzles me. I've managed to reduce to 1/2 a bottle of wine per night for months and been pretty stable with this. However whenever I stop drinking completely I feel awful - currently I finished the last bottle on Thursday night (ie 3 days ago) and I've had a stonking headache since yesterday morning. Yet I've just googled the condition and it suggests it's most common with those drinking 4-5 pints of wine per night - which is about 3 bottles!

So do I put up with a headache for another day or so, or should I be panicing? Should I just make sure my wife is aware and keeps an eye on me?

I'm guessing I've got mild DT's and shudder to think what the real nasty version feels like.

Edited by oldcynic on Sunday 29th July 20:11

[grumbledoak]

oldcynic said:

I'm guessing I've got mild DT's and shudder to think what the real nasty version feels like.

Nah. First 36 hours for the really nasty stuff. And half a bottle a day isn't much in this context. It's probably just your body chemistry changing, which takes a week or so.

[Tyrewrecker]

oldcynic said:

his puzzles me. I've managed to reduce to 1/2 a bottle of wine per night for months and been pretty stable with this. However whenever I stop drinking completely I feel awful - currently I finished the last bottle on Thursday night (ie 3 days ago) and I've had a stonking headache since yesterday morning. Yet I've just googled the condition and it suggests it's most common with those drinking 4-5 pints of wine per night - which is about 3 bottles!

So do I put up with a headache for another day or so, or should I be panicing? Should I just make sure my wife is aware and keeps an eye on me?

I'm guessing I've got mild DT's and shudder to think what the real nasty version feels like.

Edited by oldcynic on Sunday 29th July 20:11

Get yourself to a gym and sauna and get fit and hydrated. You will want to drink less, trust me.

[oldcynic]

grumbledoak said:

Nah. First 36 hours for the really nasty stuff. And half a bottle a day isn't much in this context. It's probably just your body chemistry changing, which takes a week or so.

Sounds more likely. I'll stop panicing and look forward to a clear head someday soon

[Bohally]

Not a lot to add but all the best with this.

Currently have a family member who I wish they would think down the same lines.

Out of interest, how do you feel in the morning? Do you feel "fine" to drive?