Triggering (Substance Abuse) - Drinking is getting worse...

PrincessVegeta_x · 08-11-2008, 12:33 AM

For the past few years I've been drinking to get through the days, which is bad I know, but I had it under control. I wasn't drinking that much...

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It's got worse. In the past month, I've been drinking up to six units per night and sometimes more, of anything I can get my hands on... spirits are what I drink most. I mix it now, I'm quite fond of a cocktail called Sex On The Beach and I have roughly four of them per night.

I don't want to admit that I have a problem, but I think I do. I wake up in the morning craving alcohol sometimes. I have a mini fridge in my room and it's full of all my favourite spirits and cocktail mixers... and most days I am not happy until I've had at least a couple of mouthfuls of some kind of alcohol...

Tonight I made a cocktail and told myself I would only have the one, then six cocktails later I was telling myself that I would stop. I don't feel sick or anything but I'm going to have a giant hangover in the morning. This is the only part about the drinking that scares me, I hate hangovers. I'm not even that concerned about the fact that I had a blood test last week to see if there was anything wrong with my liver, and that something has showed up on the results and they need to see me urgently on Monday to talk it over...

It can't be because of the alcohol, it'll probably be something else altogether right? Yeah.

Is there any way I can slowly come off alcohol, not altogether but cut it right down? And is this really as big of a problem as I think it is? Thanks guys.
x

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quautia · 08-11-2008, 11:37 AM

I don't have any experience with 'controlled drinking' but I know that my local Drug & Alcohol Support Service offer help with this. Perhaps you could see your GP and ask to be refered to someone who can help you knock this on the head?

As far as I'm aware, most 'controlled drinking' programmes mean you see an alcohol counsellor regularly. You usually start by keeping a drink diary to highlight how much you are drinking, then you set goals and aim to decrease the amount to normal/healthy/manageable levels.

Some people can get away with drinking a lot and have no real physical damage, but a lot of people aren't lucky, and it does take its toll.

I've been sober for almost 2 years in AA. If you are interested in AA, feel free to ask any questions you might have. AA is an abstinence based program, so might not be what you are interested in right now.

shandy · 11-11-2008, 09:32 AM

Hi, the only thing i can say is ive tried to control my drinking and failed miserably, your obviously concerned, could you ask your gp to refer you to someone who you can talk to about it?

PrincessVegeta_x · 11-11-2008, 09:36 PM

Thanks for replying. I'm going to my GP for another issue tomorrow afternoon, I'll mention it to him then. I'm thinking about AA as well too. I certainly don't want this to get any worse.

shandy · 12-11-2008, 09:00 AM

Good luck with your gp, let us know how you get on.

PrincessVegeta_x · 13-11-2008, 04:29 PM

So...
I went to the doctor about my ADs and she upped the dose, so that's good. (My GP wasn't there so I saw a lady instead, Dr Morgan). I also had a little time to speak to her about the alcohol problem, and she just asked me how long it had been going on for and advised me to call the AA. I'm going to do that now. She also advised me not to drink because I am on paroxetine, so I'm going to try my best to follow her advice because I really do want to get better.

I actually think I like her better than my GP Dr Elliot, as he doesn't really seem to listen. I'm going to see her again in a month.

Thanks for replying.
x

shandy · 13-11-2008, 06:27 PM

Well done you for mentioning about your drinking and deciding to contact AA, i hope things go well and you manage to sort it out, tc

quautia · 13-11-2008, 07:12 PM

Let us know how you get on when you phone AA :) Going to that first meeting was the best thing I ever did.

PrincessVegeta_x · 14-11-2008, 02:24 PM

I rang them up this morning and they said there is a meeting where I live on Monday nights at the community centre (I think that's where it is, after all.) I asked if it would be ok for me to go along to observe, as I'm 19 years old and wasn't sure of the age group. They said it was fine, that people of all ages come. So I'm going along on Monday.
x

shandy · 14-11-2008, 06:14 PM

Well done you, your being very brave, i hope it goes well for you, let us know how you get on, tc.

quautia · 15-11-2008, 02:11 PM

Thats great!

I'd recommend you let someone know that you are new when you arrive, it makes it easier if people know you are new and a bit nervous.

I was just turned 20 when I went to my first meeting.