Alcoholism( need help)

[perks-a-beast]

Rondohondo- I'm very sorry to hear about your difficulties. I too went through a stage in my life where i felt like i couldnt make it through the day without some sort of high. I was blowing all my money on drugs and alcohol, stopped hanging with friends, started getting drunk alone and was blowing off the people who really cared about me. I could see that i just wasn't the same person anymore but got so into numbing myself that i didnt realize that i wanted much more from life. Luckily for me, even when i gave up on myself my family never gave up on me. I thank my lucky stars they are so supportive and loving. If you don't have that or just aren't ready to have that discussion with them (I sure as hell wasn't. It was more or less dropped on me) then i am always here to talk. Even though CB is anonymous people here really do care. Keep us posted and just remember that life is worth living through sober eyes.

And i will say this-you are a much smarter an addict than i. It takes a big man to admit he has a problem. I was too stubborn to realize. Your half way there to being the change you want. Prosperity.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Ok so this might put my posts into question ha, but I think I really need help....

has anyone here been through any addiction ? I just really can't seem to make it through the day without getting some kind of high .

I don't mean to be a bummer , but have tried many things and can't seem to stop. AA definitely isn't for me as I am not a sociable person ...

I don't know what else to do and thought this would be the best anonymous way to get my problem out there

I feel like I am killing myself, I  need help outside of AA ,anyone have any ideas?

thanks for any words of wisdom anyone has.....

Not sure what your religious beliefs are, and I certainly won't force mine onto you, but I'm a Christian, and I'll add you to my personal prayer list. I also think professional counseling could be of great service — not in a group (AA) setting, but a one-on-one setting.

[FrDrake]

Please seek professional help. Admitting you need help is the first step in ANY program and you've already done that.  Folks on this site mean well and it's good that you are communicating but if you feel you need help you should talk to a professional counselor or health care provider in your local community and find out what options are out there. 

[Weediam]

I'll share my story because Alcoholism is rampant in my family and what has helped my father, he's 2 months sober. He was also 9 years sober from 1991-200

My father had been drinking since age 13. He's 53, has had 6 children (I'm the 4th) and been with my mother for over 35 years. My mother has always lived with his drinking, but it was hidden from my siblings and I until last year.

When he came out and told us he was an alcholic, he we were all shocked, but kind of shrugged our shoulders because he said he was going to AA and stuff.

Three months ago things turned for the worst. I got a phone call from my mother that he had "left" and there was a note with song lyrics that were suggestive of suicide. We couldn't reach him for a day. Turns out he was way worse than we thought. He was on a 12 pack a day for the past 5 years.

When we finally reached him the next day, he told us he was checking himself into a facility far away, but to our surprise he came back home. When he got home, he was met by my sister and I who immediately took him to a nearby facility in Cape Cod call Gosling. He was at rock bottom, hadn't been to work in a week, on the verge of losing his wife, his home he'd built for the past 30 years and his 6 children.

We checked him into Gosling and he's been a changed man ever since. When he left the 4 day intensive detox facility, he said it was a life-changing experience (this is coming from a man who has been drinking since 13 and gone through AA meetings before). He has been since working IOP (intense out-patient) programs at a nearby hospital, working out.

Moral of the story, check yourself into a detox facility ASAP and commit to short-term, one-day-at-a-time goals. The inital facility is EXTREMELY important. I really recommend Gosling in the Cape.

Stay strong, addiction is a disease and you need to be treated. If you had cancer, would you just sit at home and do nothing about it? Check yourself into detox ASAP and work the intense outpatient programs at local hospitals. Continue to go to meetings.

E-mail me if you'd like to talk in more detail
wmcampbell34@gmail.com

[greenlion]

there are alot of self-help books which could facilitate a change of perspective, not necessarily of your incessant need to be intoxicated, but as to how you look at life in general..probably you have other aspects in your life that you would like to revisit and make some tweaks...praying you find some solace from this temporary inconvenience of yours...

[BenHenry]

To rondohondo:

First of all, i feel your pain brother, i've been off and on in this cycle of addiction. I've cold turkeyed a few times for a few weeks but it was my decision to pick it up again. I think you should focus on quitting alcohol first cuz that's exponentially more dangerous than MJ.
 If you feel like you're in a depression from alcohol, just know that the "sadness or negative feelings" is not because of you. It's physical, as in, when you're depressed from an addiction it's because of an imbalance of a chemical called 5-htp in the brain. Without it, the neurons in your brain would have a hard time talking to each other. If you're already depressed from emotional trauma, then an imbalance of 5-htp can intensify the depression. You can get it at any supermarket at the supplement section and it has no known side effects as it occurs naturally in meat.
I've helped my dad quit cigarettes after 30 something years after i recommended him 5-htp supplements. He said it completely got rid of his craving but he still smoked for a bit from habit. Eventually he was totally off nicotine after a week because he said "your supplement made my cigarettes taste different". That's because he didnt feel the "rush" of 5-htp to his brain from smoking because it's already there and not depleted.
Im just like you in that i use alcohol to solve the anxiety problem but got addicted fairly quickly. A few years ago i couldnt sleep without having a couple of beers. I dont take 5-htp because it's my decision not to quit alcohol yet but i found it useful to replace the alcohol addiction with a much more mild plant.
Of course you need the will or impetus to quit or else you would just go back to it.
I wish you the best my friend

tr;dl 5-htp can inhibit the cravings of addiction

[Master Po]

Everybody with lots of advice... mostly good advice. Each person reaches their bottom at different times and different depths and in different ways. I can't tell you my story because it takes too long and in all reality it doesn't matter. One story is.... one story. I can tell you that when you get tired of this you have the strength to change it. No one changes your life but you!

I offer you these lyrics which once helped me

What you own is your own kingdom
What you do is your own glory
What you love is your own power
What you live is your own story
In your head is the answer
Let it guide you along
Let your heart be the anchor
And the beat of your own song

Best of luck to you ...fight the good fight ....I know there are people hoping you do. Peace and much love to you ....Po

[rickyfan3.0...]

Pick up a new hobby. Work out. Watch weird movies. Get a 2nd job. Dedicate yourself to something to keep your mind occupied.

[Smitty77]

Rondohondo,

I really just want to second what many have already said.  You can beat this!!  You are very courageous for sharing this with us all at c-blog.  That took some guts.  You have taken the first step toward recovery by admitting that you have a problem.  I wish you the best and am now praying for you my friend.

Take care,

Smitty77

[Bombastic Jones]

I would like to echo most of the sentiments here and wish you the best, rondohondo. Keep us updated.

Same here.

Also, I think replacement behaviors - finding something positive to do when you would be drinking or smoking - could help.  I know you say you have some social anxiety, but maybe there is something out there that interests you enough and is activity focused rather than socially (talk) focused.  Exercise, adult leagues, bowling, book clubs, whatever.

Best of luck man.

[Kuberski1]

Very sorry to hear about this.  While I don't have particular issues with substance abuse, I would echo those who say you are not alone.....I don't have much to add inn terms of advice, but only to say I think it's important that you work with others who are in a similar situation.  Hang in there....I'm sure you'll get through this in time.  Best wishes...

[ACF]

I hope you work it out. Like others have said, you are not alone. Best of luck, man.

[thirstyboots18]

Rondohondo, my family has  been badly affected by alcoholism. My dad died when I was  34, he was 54.  He was a successful businessman.  He perished in a house fire, and we suspect that the fire was caused by "wet brain syndrome", or  that it simply hampered his ability to escape.

I also pray that you conquer this problem.  My advice would be to never stop looking for help, don't ever give up.  Different things work for different people, keep trying until you find the right system, therapy, or professional to help you with your journey.    God Bless.

[clover]

Rondohondo, my family has  been badly affected by alcoholism. My dad died when I was  34, he was 54.  He was a successful businessman.  He perished in a house fire, and we suspect that the fire was caused by "wet brain syndrome", or  that it simply hampered his ability to escape.

I also pray that you conquer this problem.  My advice would be to never stop looking for help, don't ever give up.  Different things work for different people, keep trying until you find the right system, therapy, or professional to help you with your journey.    God Bless.

Interesting that your name is also 'thirstyboots'--I hope you've broken the likely inter-generational chain.

[fairweatherfan]

Best of luck to you rondohondo - my father-in-law is currently drying out (for the second time) and it hasn't been pretty.  His dependence reached the point where he has had seizures each time he's tried to quit, but he's pushing through (with a lot of medical monitoring) and is doing well so far.  It sounds like you aren't at that point physically, and I hope that makes things a little easier on you, and shows how bad it can get if these habits persist.

As for advice I think a lot of that's been covered by others.  The first step is doing what you've done here - talking about your problems as honestly as you can and seeking support in your attempts to quit.  I do recommend getting some professional help along the way, but that's up to you.  Remember that AA is not the only support group out there either - if you're wary of them there may be another option that fits you better.

Best of luck to you going forward, and congratulations on coming this far.