Dependent Drinkers and Alcoholics (recovering or active) Support Thread II?

[kokeshi]

Welcome to the thread, the purpose of this is to give anyone, who is having any trouble with their drinking, to come and post about it honestly and without judgement.

There are many of us that use the thread for support and encouragement: some in recovery, others just needing a place to share about their worries. It's been going on in one form of another for a while now and has helped many people.

Everybody's welcome, no matter what stage your drinking is at.

Jump right in, the water's fine

Afternoon. I've found a few meetings locally to me here, on Monday, so I'm going to give it a go

The only reason I was aking about medical notes, as when we took out insurance when we bought this house, we had to sign a medical disclosure and the insurance company did get a medical report from our GP. The wanted to charge me double what DS was paying because I have coeliac disease, which I thought was nuts as he is a smoker FFS!

someone mentioned the other day about comparing onesself to others; I have similar issues as my SIL is an alcoholic and has been in rehab several times, tried AA (she said it dsidn't work for her). She is what everyone in the family refers to as a lost cause, adn it would seem from the outside that she doesn't want to stop drinking (she drank half a bottle of whisky at my sisters the other week when she was doing the washing up after a family lunch). For ages I've been telling myself "well I don't have a problem with alcohol, cos look at X" and it's difficult to reconcile myself and my issues with her. I'm not wanting to inadvertantly offend anyone here, but her relationship with alcohol seems so far removed from mine iyswim.

however, I can empathise to a degree as I know what it's like to not be able to stop. And as OH said, maybe doing someting about it now will stop me from ever getting to the stage that she is at.

i hope that makes sense?

Off out to do some gardening as the weather is just lovely.

Last night dh and I drank a bottle of wine each. It doesn't seem so long ago that we used to drink far more than that! I've noticed that my tummy is better when I don't drink. Perhaps I'll have to stop because of that. What a bugger. In some ways I don't think I'll really miss it much. I haven't enjoyed alcohol for a few months now although it doesn't stop me trying!

Hi PurpleOne, sorry you were posting into the ether last night, I was away to bed quite early (for me) as I'd to be out fr an interview for 9am. I'm just back in.

I hope you feel better today, how are you doing with all your stuff? I read book the other day and there was a wee quote in it 'There's not a problem in the world that can't be made worse by lifting a drink'. Well done for not drinking yesterday though, that must have been a test. You survived it though, which means you've proved you can not drink when the shit hits the fan. Sorry that your DP has lost his job. Does he drink as well?

Daisy, that's great you're going to a meeting. I'd just say before you go to keep an open mind. Try to look for the similarities and not the differences. Also don't base your opinion of the whole of AA on one meeting, it does take a while to find your feet and get to know what meetings are right for you. I identify with what you're saying about comparing yourself to someone else and convincing yourself that you're not that bad. I did it myself at the beginning, 7 years ago. Unfortunately the experience of many people (myself included) is that it's just a matter of time. It will get worse. Sometimes the wee slogans you here are the best way to get it:

'The harder it is to give up something, the more you know you should'

'Alcoholism is not in the bottle, it's in the person'

'An alcoholic is anyone who drinks more than you'

'I wasn't an alcoholic until I stopped drinking'

'The alcoholic is always the last to know'

All of those certainly apply to me!

Hellobellosback, that's interesting what you were saying, can I ask why you're still trying to drink when you feel better without it?

Daisy it does indeed make perfect sense. I think what your dp said is really interesting too, about getting help now so you don't get to that state.

Its funny how through denial we minimise our drinking isn't it? The 'at least i'm not as bad as him/her' type thing. Those thought patterns in themselves are warped though and misleading.

How is everyone tonight- anyone around?

I'm here teasle, how are you doing? It's weird, a lot of people seem to find saturday difficult but it's usually when this thread is the quietest. Can't get my head round that.

HI Oh- i'm fine thanks. yourself?

Are you sorting out your odd sleeping hours at last then?

I've been running about like a blue-arsed fly for the past week, it was much needed. We'll see how long it lasts!

It's very quiet on here this weekend. Everyone ok?

I'm here (briefly)

Been enjoying the very unseasonal weather and took dd's down the park today.

Mad panic earlier though. (only have cashpoint card at bank) and couldn't get any money out, think the cash had run out but it's only done me a good thing I guess. Rolling my own smokes and definitely no beer!

How's everyone else?

Hello everyone - nice to see that some of you are doing well - Purpleone you sound a bit brighter - hope you are feeling it - the sunshine does make a big difference dont you think?

I am day 5 of my lent experience - feeling really good about it - thought reckon I'm coming down with a bug feel a bit dodgy today - in fact someone at work asked "you got a hangover" ha ha not today I laughed!! Thought about drinking Saturday night but decided I didnt want to so that was good for me - did lots of housework and was probably asleep by 10!!

RMMP - Up until lent I was also drinking a bottle of wine or thereabouts every night and realised I did have a problem because I wanted to do it every night - I am trying to do 40 nights without! I hope you manage to cut down/stop - it does make you feel so much better.

Have a good day everyone and I will check in later to see whats going on.

Souvenir - how are you?

Ornamental I love to read your posts they do give such inspiration

I'm fine thanks Unhappy. Dishwasher working like a dream now.

Got so much done today and posted off my OU application forms for courses, and a silver wedding band for an impending proposal on the 29th

How's everyone else tonight?

Hey Purpleone, whats a silver wedding band?

Right, well, I'll have to find out tomorrow as i'm off to bed. Night x

Hi there,

Unhappy, well done on your 5 days. Do you feel better physically?

PurpleOne, is the 29th a traditional day to propose? I wonder if I should propose to my DP? Hahaha. It's great that your plumbing is working now. It's amazing when a small thing like that can affect our ability to cope with other areas of life. And an open uni course? That's a fantastic goal, and one that you know will stand you in good stead for the future.

How's everyone, lurkers?

Women are only traditionally meant to propose on Feb 29th, Leap Year only.
LDR dp isn't that much of a drinker anyways and he gives me lots of positive encouragement too. He hates me getting pissed...or 'drunk' as he calls it. Pisses means something totally different where he lives!

Teasle, it's a silver wedding 'ring'

OH, it's not just an OU course....it's two OU courses LOL
How's everything going?

Oooh yes, OH- propose to DP.
Am really off to bed now

Purpleone- sorry, I thought it was some kind of special musical thing, like a brass band or something.

Ooh purpleone which OU course are you doing? sorry can't be bothered to trawl through the thread .

I'm thinking of doing a couple too, as a precursor to going back to Uni full-time, I'm not sure wether to go for the tried and tested science route, or try something different. Not to mention it will be free as we get housing benefit at the mo, I really should be getting off my arse.

Hope you are all well [lurker]

Hi Havalina.
I'm doing 2 'openings' courses. Understanding health, (which also covers alcoholism) and starting psychology. Wanted to do the starting maths and starting science ones too, but definitely won't have the time. So will do 2 now and 2 later. Yes, I'll be getting it free too! What's the science route you took? I love science!. Except physics!
I love computing too and may take that route if I get started on a degree. I built my own computer here you know I did it as a hobby, it took me a week to build and was online in 6 days.

I also thought that if I'm doing something really constructive in the evenings, it'll take my mind off of alcohol, and I certainly can't study while pissed either. I think it's more of the focus issue going on here, to take the heat off my current trains of thought. Once all 4 courses are up, then I'll opt for a couple of Level 1's. Go for it Havalina, you have nothing to lose.

Teasle, no worries. In fact I really lol at the thoughts of me wrapping up a few saxophones and trumpets...

OH, propose to your DP. How long have you two been together?
My dp, we have spent a total of 12 days together in RL, but we've known each other for 5 years now and can talk for hours on the phone (time difference permitting)

Umm, oooh, almost 4 years PurpleOne. Good God, is it that long!?

By they way, I'd really encourage anyone to go on to further education. I did a couple of courses once I'd given away the drink and it really helps the self esteem and confidence, not to mention getting you back into the way of being with people (if you choose to go down that route). Science is fab.

Hi havalina, I was wondering where you'd gone! Don't lurk, just join in. That's what keeps the thread going.

I've always done science, tis my thing, did biology and chemistry A-Level, have done science degree/jobs etc. Never completed any mind, would love to finish a degree, am looking to do radiography eventually.

I really enjoy physics especially the theoretical stuff, but I know I could never do it as a hobby as my maths isn't up to scratch.

I can do maths but don't really understand it in any great depth.

I really must start learning again, it actually does form quite a lot of my self esteem which really helps.

Snap havalina, I am a qualified scientist too.

Really, what in Haggis? Would love to say I'm qualified lol, but whatever I do always seems to come back to science, was doing a really great apprenticeship before I fell pregnant with dd. I think about doing humanities etc but don't think it would work. I think I'm just a science person, I really need the OU stuff for an academic reference seeing as I stuffed up my last couple of jobs.

Lost all of my confidence now though, bit scared that I will FAIL in a big way.

BSc. (hons) Biomedical Sciences (medical molecular biology) to give it it's full title [ponce] .

You should definitely go for it havalina! Why would you fail?

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