Problem/Dependent Drinkers and Alcoholics (recovering or active) Support V

[kokeshi]

Welcome to the thread, the purpose of this is to give anyone who is having any trouble with their drinking, a safe place 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.

Thank you to all of those who have kept it going thus far, and welcome to anyone who has decided the time has come to ask for help.

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

Jump right in, the water's fine

2sugars, whilst I completely understand where you're coming from - being isolated is horrible - I think it's really important that you try to do something about this ASAP.

Can you tell us how much you are drinking so it's easier for us to work out what might be the right thing to do? When I was having seizures, I was relief drinking, which means I was so tolerant I did need to drink before a certain time in the day or else I would fit. At this point it was about a litre and a half of vodka or as much of a 5 litre wine cask that I could manage. Seriously, no-one is trying to lecture you but loads of us know just how difficult this is and are just trying to be honest.

I've never had my license revoked, so I am surprised that it's happened to you. How did the DVLA find out?

One thing I was thinking: won't you have to go for a medical to prove you are fit to drive now?

Stay with us and don't feel ashamed, kudos to you for tackling it. It's a brave step you've taken already.

Hi to everyone else. BM and teasle we haven't all been on here together for a while!

Hi Kokeshi, really good to hear from you, we've missed you .

Your advice as always is brilliant. Re changing your behaviour, that reminds me of the expressions (can't think of a better word!) that HairyB posted a while back.

Hi to Teasle and PC and everyone else.
2sugars, you poor thing. Seizures must be pretty damn horrible, I hope you get it sorted.

Hope everyone's having a good day. I had a huge argument with my head last night but I won! I didn't drink....although was woken up at 6am by three guys having an argument outside the window, and was a bit 'hmmm, if I'd been drinking, I would have been oblivious' !

BM, so good to hear from you, hope things are going well for you

gerbra x

Hi gerbra, well done on your success. Keep a note of all these wee triumphs, especially when you're feeling like your resolve might be slipping. The more days you can go drink free, the closer you are to finding peace I feel.

It's always good to weigh up both sides honestly to a situation: you may have slept through the drunks but how would you feel about yourself today? Then there's the hangover and feeling crap and under par that spills into everything else. When you think of it like a cost/benefit analysis, you'll find that there aren't really that many situation where a drink will come out on the winning side. Sometimes we're blind to see the truth of it though, that's just the denial kicking in.

Are you named after a flower by the way? I was in the queue in Morrisons the other day and saw a gerbera plant, and I thought of you

'croaky whisper' Hi Kokeshi and BM. How lovely that you're back. Everybody, I am REALLY sorry I haven't been posting, not an avoidance thing, I promise...just still feeling really crappy, had terrible night with painful throat, not even dh's mega painkillers touched it. Am at docs on Monday, think I might have to go for a laryngascope thingy... eeuuughgggh. So, am scraping through the days on my knees and pretty much falling into bed at night (with a little bit of drinking in between, natch!!!). I haven't really even felt up to reading much, before, even when i haven't been posting I always read. So, sorry, sorry, sorry. Am thinking of you all, and hope to be back to old self soon....or even back to a new self, would be nice.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Thanks Kokeshi, you're right, it feels tons better today to be tired but hangover free than hungover and feeling like crap! I feel so incredibly chuffed that I could well have drunk last night, but I didn't . How's everything with you?

I did name myself with gerbera in mind, I love them! I tried to plant some in the garden last year but they didn't settle well.

HairyB you poor poor thing. Thank god you're going in to see GP on monday cos that's a long time you've not been feeling right, hope he can mend you!

Just got back with the dog so am going to switch off MN (gasp) so I have no distractions from work!

Will check in later, have a good day everyone...

Gerbra xx

hellloooo. is anyone out there? i did not NOT drink last night ().

i am drinking tonight . very stressed. no excuse though... .

I am here

sory of

SHIT day

Whre does it all come from?

yes, I am drinking, when am I not

hi all,

Just coming on here before I drag my tired old arse to bed.
I'm going away for a week, so shall catch up next Saturday.

HAirybikermummy, sorry you ill. Sending you lots of healthy vibes.

For those who are drinking tonight, you have to ask yourself what it is that you want from this thread. Lots of us here are very supportive and will suggest things to help, but you have to want to make the changes. I'm not sure if this is the right place if you really don't want to stop drinking, or at least take on board what people are saying.

There's a good saying in AA: you can carry the message, but not the alcoholic.

Hope everyone is having a good day.

teasle, have a lovely break. You'll be missed.

has anyone seen this.

come back and join us soon, pc, please.

hi to 2sugars, and sorry to hear about your health worries with the drinking . this thread has been a great source of support and encouragement; keep posting

HBM, hope you feel better soon...hugs and virtual hot ginger drink to you.

hopefully we'll catch up soon.

have a good holiday teasle ......but with a touch of

Hey Daisy, have seen this now...what is this cod thread they're talking about?

PC, if you need to talk, talk away - come here and get things off your chest if that's what you need to do...

Gerbra xx

kokeshi, I've managed to work myself up to a bottle of vodka a day. With no hangover

Thanks for your honesty 2sugars. What do you see as a realistic way forward? Loads of us have been there and there's a way out of it, so don't feel alone.

Hello to everyone!

Happy holidays Teasle, hope you have a great time.

Woke up with the inevitable saturday hangover and we're out with friends tonight so a hungover Sunday is also inevitable!

Have decided am going to try not to drink tomorrow night and not drink until next friday, yikes, it will be the first time I've tried from sunday to friday (well I've tried but haven't succeeded in a long time!)

MankyM, seriously well done for not drinking on the thursday (was it thursday?). So you drank last night, but you could have drunk both nights and you didn't .

Hope everyone's having a peaceful / happy weekend

Gerbra x

i did drink on Thursday but i have been cutting down, from a bottle and a half of wine, then a bottle and then last night half a bottle and didnt even finish the last glass.

i almost always have at least a bottle so feel quite pleased. i realise its not the same as giving up though...

MankyM you're doing well! I think it's often harder to open a bottle and leave some undrunk than to have nothing at all, I don't think I'd be able to do it!

Went over to friends last night and had a lot of fun, although a lot of drinking too . Went on a lovely walk today. All in all it's been a good weekend! Hope everyone else has had a good one...

gerbra x

Well, I'm now on my 3rd day of not drinking. I really felt myself on that horrible slippery slope, and I find that if I don't have days without alcohol, it builds up and up and up, and it starts to feel as though it no longer matters and I don't care any more. It's been a few weeks since I've had a day off and although it perhaps sounds a bit trivial, I find so important. That bloody self-destruct button is still there!

A whole weekend without a drink. Whatever next! Normally I would have thought, oh what the hell, it's the weekend, I'll do something about it another time.

Onwards and Happy June to everyone!

It's 10 weeks now since I've had a drink. Still find I can't sit still on a Saturday. Have to be busy, busy, busy or my thoughts start turning to alcohol.

An image of me buying a few cans of lager flashed into my head on Saturday. This triggered the debate about buying some. My mind is the most crafty salesman in the world (it's sunny, lager is very low alcohol, no kids etc etc). Avoided caving by running some of my worst experiences involving alcohol through my head. Backed this up by thinking how much more I have achieve over the last 10 weeks and all the positive things that happened because I didn't drink. Thankfully it worked.

The longer I abstain the further back thoughts of alcohol are pushed. Craving's now take me by surprise and are the hard to deal with because I am not mentally prepared for them. Sometimes I don't even recognise that's whats happening.

Thought I had found a way to make some extra money from home recently, filling in surveys online. However worked out the rate of pay was a pittance (10p to fill out a 20 min survey) . Also got entered into a draw to win £25,000 but what do you think the chances of that would be? Me - I'd rather have my freetime back. It took ages to download all that stuff and then ages to extracted cookies and unsubscribe. Still a valuable lesson learned. Having some freetime is important to me.

Hope everyone is well and that your having a fab holiday Teasle. xx

jellibabe, that really sounds like the ciao survey stuff yes?. I joined them 2 years ago and the rewards offered were far greater back then. (min 50p). Try Valued opinions and yougov instead.

I'm just about getting over a bad cold. Was so busy today getting the house straight and ploughed into chores. Have only just finished and have cravings badly. Pacing the carpets. Just had a bath and a nice hot chocolate - hoping I can sleep tonight!

Hope everyone else is doing well?. Teasle, am that your off on hols. Hope you have fun! x x

Nice one Bladibla...stay strong Purpleone! Jellibabe - 10 weeks is f*ing amazing. You must be feeling pretty damn good at the mo.

The weird thing when I don't drink in the week, although it takes me a while to get off to sleep, is that it's such a nice snuggly and peaceful feeling that I don't get when I fall into bed half-cut (which I am tonight incidentally).

I really take my hat off to people who've stayed off the booze for a period of time. For all those who haven't, or who are trying, like me, keep trying...

Stopped at this bizarre shop called the Range on the way home from our walk. Ikea move over, this place is amazing!!! Came out with dog toys, a cushion, wonder webbing hemming stuff, a print, pistachio nuts and some aero bubbles, for next to nothing! I love that kind of shop where you don't know what you're going in for

Here's to a good week everyone...
gerbra x

Erm I thought the thread title says Problem/Dependent Drinkers and Alcoholics (recovering or active) Support thread, maybe people realise they have a problem but are not in the right place to stop. [feels unwelcome]

Sorry, in referance to kokeshi's post of 23:36:54

eh havalina? what's up? you are most certainly welcome...

Sorry H, cross posted with you...
All of us are at such different stages in drinking, I think Kokeshi was referring to a specific post, with a specific circumstance.

I, for one, am most certainly an active drinker although have made great strides towards not drinking during the week.

Are you worried about your drinking?
gerbra x