Drinking too much alcohol, is it worth making a GP appt?

[meallthetime]

I've had issues in the past with drinking too much but have always managed long periods of abstinence when I've realised I'm in an episode.

I experienced a traumatic bereavement a year ago and my drinking has been escalating ever since, completely compounded by lockdown.

I'm now drinking a bottle of wine every night, sometimes two. I've had about 3 days of booze the whole of lockdown.

I don't drink in the day only evenings and I'm still working etc but I just cannot give up. I've tried Allan carr, support groups, one year no beer, 300 quids worth of hypnotism. Nothing stops me.

Can the gp help? Could they prescribe anything? I'm not a rehab candidate because I can not drink if I have a reason eg working an evening or early the next day.

Thoughts would be appreciated thanks.

I think AA would be more help

Thanks I've tried AA and it didn't work for me.

I'm not a rehab candidate because I can not drink if I have a reason eg working an evening or early the next day.

But you also can't stop drinking.

Agreed, soup dragon. But when I phoned the rehab place they told me I wasn't eligible

There's a long running thread (or was) on MN with people with drink problems who have stopped. Maybe that would help?

The GP might be able to help you access ways to help you stop drinking but I don't think there is a magic cure. Unless you are depressed and think antidepressants would help...?

Thanks.

If anyone has experience of approaching GP with this issue I'd really appreciate you sharing your experience.

How old are you? Do you have any physical symptoms as a result of drinking? Do you think knowing your health was being impacted would be incentive enough?

Liver damage is a silent progressive condition, look at the Liver trust site for information and it might be worth speaking to your GP for tests. Blood tests and potentially a scan.

Yes it is worth it. . I know people who have used Campral with success. If you use Facebook come and join us on The Unexpected Joy of being Sober group. Or if you prefer swearing and rude humour to get through this Soberpunks is anotherwonderful supportive group. AA didn't work for me either. AA is a wonderful supportive group which works for many people. But it isn't the only way. I'm an ex drinker who hasn't drunk for 18 months..I never thought I could do it. I did.

Ime they will refer you to your nearest drug treatment centre. I drank half a bottle a night every night and was told I was t bad enough to go on Antabuse.

Thanks northern soul, I had read about campral and wondered how commonly it is prescribed.

Do it OP! What have you got to lose other than a wasted 10 min? They might be able to refer you to a community drug and alcohol team for support

Your gp would be worth a shout. If you didnt find aa helpful, you may need one to one counselling for your alcohol abuse. Usually as an outpatient and your gp should be able to make that referral

I drank a similar amount and stopped drinking in April 2018. Just stopped, and haven't started again. I read Catherine Gray's The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober, with a glass of wine in hand, and that was the last drink I had. Something inside me just flicked. Support networks are great - Club Soda was very useful early days but it's gone a bit more commercial now. If you're in the north west Bee Sober is good and The Sober Experiment is a good starting point.

Op, Google substance misuse services for your location. The nhs refers to these and you can usually self refer and access them for free. They can be emotionally safer than AA.

This is the group thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/3623809-Brave-babes-are-still-here-sping-summer-autumn-winter-There-is-always-someone-around

They could possibly offer you detox and go to turn around?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/alcohol_support/3910349-Staying-Stopped-Alcohol-Free-permanently

Here's the thread, come on over!

Sorry X post, one of the threads!

OP when I went to rehab for prescription drugs I was drinking a similar amount to you and they didn't offer me medical detox from alcohol because I wasn't likely to have a physical dependency (their words) which might be why they haven't in your case.

Ask them to refer you to your local drug and alcohol services and discuss trying naltrexone.

I think it might be a good idea, just to talk it through.
Perhaps they could suggest something like CBT?

I went to my GP nearly 16 years ago for help with my drinking he just suggested I stop drinking then if it caused me so much trouble
Actually was good advice I couldn’t manage alone as I was in a pretty bad state I did go to AA and although it took me a while to accept my problem I am now nearly 14 years sober
Now AA only can get Alcoholics sober it From your description it does sound as if you just drink too much Just because someone drinks quite heavily it does not make them an alcoholic
The average heavy drinker can stop if they have good enough reason to do so If you can’t stop then you may have a problem

Thanks all. Forgot to say I did one session for cbt for alcohol before Christmas but I wasn't so bad then and the therapist didn't seem to think I had a problem.

It seems to be lockdown that has really kicked things off and I feel if I could get a prescription to help kickstart me into stopping again that would help.

I've made an appt with a private gp to discuss as we have private medical.

Good luck with your appointment. I know you said you had tried Allen Carr but it still might be worth trying others. I actually found audible worked better and found Craig Beck Alcohol Lied to me to be the turning point. Every week I listen to recovery Elevator podcast too. I also use the Facebook groups I mentioned. Basically I threw everything at getting off the sauce. It sounds like you have certainly put a lot into it but maybe there is something I have suggested that you haven't tried.
I don't know if you have tried bereavement counselling (was this what the CBT was for?) If not it might be worth exploring.
I tried to stop for over ten years. Sometimes during that ten years I was drinking heavily but at other times it wasn't so bad. I never ever thought I could do it but I did and I am sure you will too.

I was able to be prescribed naltrexone and the other one, but it was done through the drug use place, not the Gp.