Do I have a problem

[Ballerina123]

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say how much a drink (not sure about the rules). But I drink a lot most nights (4-5/7)
I drink to cope sometimes but usually just because I crave it.
When I don't drink I get anxious and think about drinking all the time.
I can't just have one or two it's always a lot. To the point I'm drunk... It takes me a lot to get drunk.
I don't drinnk in the morning but will start early evening.

Basically about 4-5 days a week I get very drunk. On the other 2-3 day I crave a drink and get anxious.

I told my cc and she said I should consider being seen by the drug and alcohol team.

I want to cut down but the friend I drink with also drinks a lot and I don't want to loose her as she is a good friend.

I'm not sure where I stand.
What makes an alcoholic/ drink problem?
I don't get the shakes or anything if I don't drink.

[not_so_insig]

If you can't go through the day without a drink and you are drinking a lot when you do then you have a problem.

I can understand. I abuse alcohol and I can get through the day without one. It's at night I have a problem coping. I don't get shakes though unless I try to withdraw suddenly like when I am IP. I have had libruim in the past when I have been IP.

[Cacoethes]

I went through a stage like this last year. Or this year, can't remember. Anyway, it was the same, I used alcohol to cope and would crave it everyday.
I had a bit of a wake up call when I woke up on the floor in a pool of sick, possibly having had a seizure and just generally being a wreck when drinking alone. I made sure not to have alcohol in the house after that and use every distraction technique possible to stop myself from getting any, using prn if nothing else worked.

How long has this been going on?

[Ballerina123]

I went through a stage like this last year. Or this year, can't remember. Anyway, it was the same, I used alcohol to cope and would crave it everyday.
I had a bit of a wake up call when I woke up on the floor in a pool of sick, possibly having had a seizure and just generally being a wreck when drinking alone. I made sure not to have alcohol in the house after that and use every distraction technique possible to stop myself from getting any, using prn if nothing else worked.

How long has this been going on?
it's been going on about 5-6 months and I guess I only realised it recently because I've been depressed and exhausted this week after drinking excessively 7 days in a row.
I'm trying to stay mentally well and i think the alcohol pushed me over this week.

This is my second night not drinking and im stuffing because my aunt send me a bottle of champagne in the post for my birthday yesterday and it's sitting in the fridge.
I want to leave it till next week and drink it with a friend but it's like I can hear it talking to me.

Also i heard voices today, which hasn't happened in a while and my first thought was "have a drink to calm it down"

I don't have that much prn left and I doubt my psych would prescribe more.

Is there a way I can cut down safely?
I don't wanna stop and be the girl who won't go to the pub but I can see how it might get out if hand if I continue as I'm going.

[Ballerina123]

Also do you ever make threads and forget you made them?
Ive done that with this thread.
I thought I had just though about making the thread... Didn't realised I had actually made it.

[Cacoethes]

Alcohol is really not good for voices or depression. It will become a bit of a vicious circle.

If you don't get any withdrawal effects then maybe it would be good to try and just stop? Not buy any alcohol, try to keep it as a social thing?

[Ballerina123]

Thanks I'll try that.

[not_so_insig]

Do you have a outbuilding? My cpn told me to put any alcohol in mine inside a box inside another box in my outside shed when I was having trouble resisting. It may make you think twice and if it's snowing or chucking it down you may not feel like going outside to fetch a drink.

[Ballerina123]

I don't have an out house. I live in a flat.
I'll just keep it in the fridge as long as possible I think. Practice some self control.

My cc said that the offer of the drug and alcohol team is there but I want to try and manage it on my own first. If I manage that is good because I'll feel more proud of myself that way.

Today is day 3 of no drinking. So that's good. I guess.

Is there a drinking support thread on here for drugs and alcohol because I could really do with posting in it to keep me on track?

[Ballerina123]

I'm struggling tonight so much so I got some wine. But decided I'm gonna count my units this week and try and keep a diary and see where is best to cut down.

Trying not to see it as a failure just as a lesson learnt.

[random.swirls]

How did you do with sober for October?

It sounds like your drinking to excess.

I wonder if you could have a referral to the team for some advise just one or two appointments?

[Ballerina123]

How did you do with sober for October?

It sounds like your drinking to excess.

I wonder if you could have a referral to the team for some advise just one or two appointments?

.Sober October didn't work very well. I did 7 days and I hated every minute of it. I was craving so bad and anxious.

I'm gonna see if I can use some CBT skills in the next few weeks to cut down/monitor the issue and if that doesn't work I'll ask about the drug and alcohol team.

I guess it's a big deal to me because my mum has a serious mental illness and spent years as an alcoholic and under the specialist team. I just don't wanna end up there because I saw how it messed up her life. I feel like I'm following in her footsteps but just at a younger age.

Thanks you so much for ll the replies. It was a big deal for me to write about this. Thank you for not judging and being supportive x

[tiptoes]

3 and 7 days is great!

I read a cartoon the other day on harm reduction where instead of trying to stop a behaviour cold turkey you start to put things in place things that help you get over the initial urges and gives you chance to put other things in place first. The idea being that you celebrate the small victories and leaves room for relapses and when things are harder. Your post made me think of it.

What would help you this evening to not drink or not drink to excess?

[Ballerina123]

What would help you this evening to not drink or not drink to excess?

Honestly some support.
My mH is not great and I am using alcohol to cope.
I have a support thread talking about it.
It's like I fegel lonely but can't face people. Dunno what that's about?

[tiptoes]

I get the feeling lonely but not being able to face people feelings, I feel like this at times too. It kinda sad but one of things that helps me is to immerse myself in a favourite tv show (Gilmore girls is often my go to).

Did your CC give you any tips on dealing with the catastrophising thoughts? I have a CBT worksheet that helps when I am catastrophising. The other thing that helps is to play puzzle games that occupy my mind so I have less space for the negative thoughts.

Do you have any friends you could meet up with over the weekend so you are less lonely (only if you can face them)

Sorry if these are suggestions aren't helpful.

[Ballerina123]

I get the feeling lonely but not being able to face people feelings, I feel like this at times too. It kinda sad but one of things that helps me is to immerse myself in a favourite tv show (Gilmore girls is often my go to).

Did your CC give you any tips on dealing with the catastrophising thoughts? I have a CBT worksheet that helps when I am catastrophising. The other thing that helps is to play puzzle games that occupy my mind so I have less space for the negative thoughts.

Do you have any friends you could meet up with over the weekend so you are less lonely (only if you can face them)

Sorry if these are suggestions aren't helpful.
I don't havev a catastrophisation sheet in my CBT work so I'm not sure how to cope with it.
My cc just agreed that I was catastrophising.

[tiptoes]

I'll see if I can find mine or one similar online. I think mine strictly speaking is for self compassion but I found it is was easily adapted for catastrophising (I hate trying to spell this!) thoughts. When do you see your CC next, might be worth asking what resources she has.

How did you manage last night? Would it help to go through things that helped and didn't help?

[Ballerina123]

I'll see if I can find mine or one similar online. I think mine strictly speaking is for self compassion but I found it is was easily adapted for catastrophising (I hate trying to spell this!) thoughts. When do you see your CC next, might be worth asking what resources she has.

How did you manage last night? Would it help to go through things that helped and didn't help?
if you find the sheet that would be awesome but I will ask my cc to.

I really struggled last night. I got very drunk and became really teary. I called the samaritans and that really helped. I also called crisis line but they said if I want to see htt I need to go to a&e which I wasn't hot on so I just went to bed.

I kept drinking even when I was sick of the taste so I think i learnt that I just need to stop when I don't like the taste anymore.

I also hate spelling the word: catastrophising/catastrophosation
lol

[stumpy]

hey if you still feel you need more support there is the Alcoholism Support thread here http://www.recoveryourlife.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=45&page=2&order=desc

I've posted there a few times, sounds like with the lonely thing your a little like me, it's like social fobia, it's like an anxiety of people & how they will react or respond to you, so your not alone :-)

As for catastrophising, from reading the posts in your threads, I realised that I've been catastrophising too, & it's helped me to rationalise, that sheet would be useful to me too :-)

[Ballerina123]

Stumpy - thanks. I've made a post in that thread