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AMA
Original poster

I'm an alcoholic - AMA

183 replies

RedRedWhiney · 30/10/2022 21:24

Thought this might be a good thread for anyone questioning their drinking or has loved ones with alcohol problems.
I'm in the care of the drug and alcohol support services, I'm also a professional woman holding down a good job.

So ask away...

OP posts:
whenimakeithome · 30/10/2022 23:40

kittenkipping · 30/10/2022 23:39

But I am an atheist. Not agnostic. There is no god. None. No higher power nor afterlife. I don't believe in karma or afterlife or higher power or any of it. I'm glad you and your group do in many differing ways. Faith is an admirable quality that I wish I had .

good luck with your alcoholism 🙂

kittenkipping · 30/10/2022 23:45

Whenimakeithome- Thank you. I'm really sorry that we took over this thread for a bit. It was never mine and I am sorry to have distracted from the ops ama. I really didn't mean to.

MichaelFabricantWig · 30/10/2022 23:46

PineapplePear · 30/10/2022 21:43

Noticing your username, do you think wine is easier to slip into alcoholism, or are all alcohols the same? A woman in my work used to split a bottle of wine with her dh most nights, making and eating dinner. After they split, she began drinking a bottle a night, and got worse from there. She was recovered and glowing by the time I met her, but she said she thought wine was more ‘acceptable’ at the start, and didn’t realise the mess she was getting in.

well done for getting yourself the right help x

Not the OP but I found wine the easiest thing of all to drink. Could drink a bottle in an hour or so, so 9/10 units in a very short space of time, I couldn’t drink that volume of units in spirits or beer/cider in that time

MichaelFabricantWig · 30/10/2022 23:49

I don’t have a question OP but I just wanted to wish you the best. I describe myself as having/had alcohol use disorder and don’t use the term alcoholic personally, but I’m over 14 months’ sober. Change is possible x I didn’t go to AA or managed detox either

marblemad · 31/10/2022 00:38

Mine started because my ex when I was 19/20 didn't want me smoking weed anymore and I had just lost a baby, since then I drink 2/3 times a week around 350ml of vodka or 1.5 bottles of rose , I can only sleep and enjoy tv if im moderately drunk, I'm 24 now (just) and I'm struggling have cut down to 1 or 2 times a week so far.

Bathtubbathing · 31/10/2022 06:37

Ditto @MichaelFabricantWig I'd drink a bottle of wine without a thought. It goes down far too quickly with me. I decided last month no more wine unless I was sharing a bottle in company.

Wishing you the best OP. I've lost too many loved ones to alcohol. You're doing great by choosing to do the program.

Dadof5gremlins · 31/10/2022 06:53

My dad drank a bottle a vodka a day for years and was never offered any help when he asked because they said it wasn't enough. Killed him in the end 3 years ago. Now that left a scar on my brain that I shouldn't drink because I went through phases over the last 10 years of being a super heavy drinker but quit on and of. Last year me n the wife were drinking 4 cans a night each and sharing a bottle of red and I would say we have a problem but she didn't agree I pushed hard and now we're both alcohol free and lost loads of weight more energy and feel great. At my worst i was 21 stone. Well done admitting u have a problem

Dadof5gremlins · 31/10/2022 07:04

Expect anger , jumping at you them questioning if its a good idea to quit or if they are gonna die in sleep. Also anxiety is super high in the weeks that follow.

Claricethecat45 · 31/10/2022 07:10

How is your physical health...Liver Function, specifically?
Are you experiencing any other but related symptoms caused by the high levels of alcohol? Are you using any medication apart from Thiamine? sorry if I have missed any previous replied detailing this.

iloveeverykindofcat · 31/10/2022 07:17

Sorry if this is a stupid question and I know cold turkey can be dangerous in its own way, but if you're still drinking, aren't you worried about your liver? I'd be terrified. I rarely drink but when i do I get a hangover and a gross feeling that I've done something by body really hated. Bu that's what doctors have advised so maybe the liver is more resilient than I've been led to believe. Or maybe my personal liver is just shit at dealing with alcohol.

LunaTheCat · 31/10/2022 07:23

Well done OP for facing this.
You are very brave!
There is a lot denial about alcohol use in our society.

ApplesForMe · 31/10/2022 07:33

NiceTwin · 30/10/2022 21:38

Could I tell you were an alcoholic if I was to meet you?

I'm thinking from your skin/nose that can show signs of excess alcohol.

Careful with that assumption, rosacea runs in families and has nothing to do with alcohol. Alcohol can aggravate it, but even a teetotaller can have the characteristic broken veins and redness associated with it.

jibbe · 31/10/2022 07:39

what advice would you give to approach a friend who you think is drinking too much even though she thinks it’s comical to share stories of getting rat arsed on numerous nights out and sometimes not remembering how she even got home?
shes over 50 btw

NiceTwin · 31/10/2022 07:47

@ApplesForMe you have made assumptions there.
I did not necessarily mean rosacea, hence me not mentioning it specifically.

I worded my question very carefully to not appear rude or generalist, it was obviously in vain 🙄

Maybe you haven't seen the alcoholic 'look' I intimated about?

SheWoreYellow · 31/10/2022 08:02

kittenkipping · 30/10/2022 23:39

But I am an atheist. Not agnostic. There is no god. None. No higher power nor afterlife. I don't believe in karma or afterlife or higher power or any of it. I'm glad you and your group do in many differing ways. Faith is an admirable quality that I wish I had .

I sympathise, I went to an Al-anon meeting and found it very ‘god’. There was the odd, token, reference to ‘a higher being’, but even if I try and think about nature it feels like it doesn’t fit.

MistyRock · 31/10/2022 08:19

NiceTwin · 31/10/2022 07:47

@ApplesForMe you have made assumptions there.
I did not necessarily mean rosacea, hence me not mentioning it specifically.

I worded my question very carefully to not appear rude or generalist, it was obviously in vain 🙄

Maybe you haven't seen the alcoholic 'look' I intimated about?

I worked with an alcoholic who drank whisky throughout the working day. I completely understand where you are coming from. He was obviously very deep into his addiction and his appearance was something I'll never forget.

MichaelFabricantWig · 31/10/2022 08:23

iloveeverykindofcat · 31/10/2022 07:17

Sorry if this is a stupid question and I know cold turkey can be dangerous in its own way, but if you're still drinking, aren't you worried about your liver? I'd be terrified. I rarely drink but when i do I get a hangover and a gross feeling that I've done something by body really hated. Bu that's what doctors have advised so maybe the liver is more resilient than I've been led to believe. Or maybe my personal liver is just shit at dealing with alcohol.

Again not the OP. A lot of people are - I was - but this is addiction remember.

MichaelFabricantWig · 31/10/2022 08:24

And the liver is really resilient yes but - it can’t go on taking abuse forever

Bonnie90x · 31/10/2022 10:09

OP thank you for starting this thread. I fully applaud your honesty and openness...
Have you had any medical assessments or liver function tests as of yet to see if there's lasting damage?
Are you worried about your health?

I wish you the very best in your recovery. I'm 20 months sober now, unfortunately I had to hit the lowest of lows to get help.

xPeaceX · 31/10/2022 10:33

Good morning @RedRedWhiney I'm wondering how managed the programme is. You bought the wine yourself?! ''four pounds from tesco''.
I thought they would give you (reduced) amounts of wine as time went by, not have a situation where you can go to tesco and buy it yourself. That seems to make things harder for people struggling to reduce their consumption!

If the plan is to reduce from here on, how does that work. You talked about the ratio of alcohol to liquid and although that's better the inclination was still to finish all the volume.

CrispsnDips · 31/10/2022 11:38

I am really interested in what the programme entails…

Original poster
RedRedWhiney · 31/10/2022 12:22

xPeaceX · 31/10/2022 10:33

Good morning @RedRedWhiney I'm wondering how managed the programme is. You bought the wine yourself?! ''four pounds from tesco''.
I thought they would give you (reduced) amounts of wine as time went by, not have a situation where you can go to tesco and buy it yourself. That seems to make things harder for people struggling to reduce their consumption!

If the plan is to reduce from here on, how does that work. You talked about the ratio of alcohol to liquid and although that's better the inclination was still to finish all the volume.

Just a quick one as I'm on lunch.

It's not very - to be blunt. I fill in a drink diary (noting mood, any triggers, what I've drank etc) and have a 121 meeting about once a week (dependant on staffing). It's very much up to you to control it. And of course it's very easy to lie. When I first went they said you'd be breathalysed before the meeting but I never have been.

It focuses the mind I suppose.

I have to attend or otherwise I can't access the MH team, otherwise I think I would question whether it was worth it.

OP posts:
Original poster
RedRedWhiney · 31/10/2022 12:26

Oh and food as well. I keep a food diary as a lot of people with problem drinking are calorie high but nutritionally poor

OP posts:
CrispsnDips · 31/10/2022 14:38

Thank you…what’s the name of the organisation if you don’t mind sharing?
Many thanks 😊

gluenotsoup · 31/10/2022 21:50

What is the alcoholic look? I genuinely wouldn’t know other than the associated redness that as someone said looks like or is Rosacea?