Make today, #4 and go from there. The key is not to fall off the wagon during times of stress when you're vulnerable to a relapse. Gatewood said it best though, you may not necessarily be a "happier" person clean and sober, happiness is a separate dynamic, but you will be a healthier person, mentally and physically.
I had been put on daily antihistamines for allergies when I was a kid, and apparently they are addictive, too, but I didn't realize it until someone leading a consciousness raising group privately told me I would not be able to resolve emotional issues until I dumped them. It was uncomfortable, because it was hard to breathe without them, but I just quit them. I finally felt better after reading a couple of books about Primal Scream and doing it mostly by myself, which seemed to diminish the allergy symptoms quite a bit. I also discovered Nasal Crom, which is a sort of salt-like nasal spray that can be used for several weeks before allergy season (pollen) starts and than most of the summer; it toughens the nasal passages so they don't produce as much histamine, which is what causes stuffy noses. I have found that being physically tired, but not overtired, is the best way to get to sleep. and that if I have a really boring, difficult book to read like a dictionary or encyclopedia, just the thought of reading that or even starting to read it will put me to sleep in 10-20 minutes. Being slightly cold also helps, as my highest temp is in the pm, so sometimes I take off a blanket or two until I start to feel cold and that makes me sleepier. When bad feelings come up, I have found it helps to let them come through and be aware of them but not cling to them and see what comes up next. The emotional sequence tends to be sadness/crying, then anger, then fear, then shivering/chills, then yawning/healing, sometimes with other physical symptoms such as nausea and dry heaves. Yawning and shivering are very healing processes almost like bringing oneself into focus and should not be suppressed. The most dangerous one (to others) is the anger one, which can be worked out by punching pillows, etc, preferably keeping away from others. If this works sometimes anxiety attacks can occur, which will go away if those are just allowed to pass through through too. After getting rid of the junk that held me back, my next job was to find out what I really enjoyed doing, but that was of course a lot more fun. Good luck on your journey...........
much less abuse. Big waste of money and time. no potential gain, but lots of potential disaster, so why risk any of it?
It feels very good to be completely sober and happy. I've been sober since June 3, 2007. Before that I drank for about 20 years. I got sober with the help of my Higher Power (God) and AA. You say it doesn't hurt how you work or how you deal with your family---all I can say is "give it time". Alcoholism is a progressive disease. If you keep drinking, sooner or later the hurt will show up.
Oldyoungin, please get in touch with Alcoholics Anonymous if you think you have a problem. They helped save my life. Don't be ashamed. Wishing you all the best.
The overwhelming majority of alcoholics remain alcoholics so far as the urge to drink is concerned, and all it takes for most of them is the right trigger event on the wrong day. The fact that you are a statistical exception is wonderful. But the safe bet is in the opposite direction for almost everyone else. It is best if they believe that they can fall off the wagon again later on because that way they can remain vigilant.
There are also people walking around that don't realize they are already addicted to something, because it happened prenatally. For some reasons the medical community has not taken on the responsibility to warn these people. Also, so many things such as mouthwash, throat sprays, flavorings, etc etc have alcohol in them that the average drug and grocery store are minefields to the unwary. You really have to be self protective when it comes to avoiding unintentionally ingesting alcohol, especially; it is omnipresent, and not always in obvious ways.
Yes, the medical community has been remiss in regards to addictions, but that is probably because that community still insists upon looking at the body as a sophisticated mechanical unit rather than an organic mass controlled by a semi-insane intelligence. Although they quite obviously are able to perform miracles with the human form it's also obvious that in some regards they have made almost no progress at all clawing out of the Dark Ages . . . medically speaking. But then I am a cynic. I much prefer the Asian way of looking at the human form in that what you do in all aspects of life affects your physicality in one way or the other, and does so in a variety of ways.
I suspect AA is plenty OK with that. I submit that the urge is only a manifestation of the desire to escape - not merely into a pleasurable facsimile of consciousness, but away from consciousness of an unpleasant reality which has deeper roots than the mere weakness for alcohol. I've never been an alcoholic.
Gatewood, I agree with you 100%! All it would take for me to start drinking again every day is to take that first drink. As my friend in AA once said "You cannot be a cucumber again once you've became a pickle" Meaning: Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.
If you have never been an alcoholic, then you don't really know what it's like. It would be like trying to explain childbirth to a person who has never had a child.
You are so right, Merwen. Listerine mouthwash has alcohol in it. That is why I don't use it. I used to make barbeque spareribs where the recipe called for a beer marinade. I stopped using the beer after I got sober. My daughter said, "All the alcohol cooks out of it. You can't even taste it." I'm not taking any chances. The barbeque is just as good without the beer.
Bullcrap. Drinking cannot be blamed on anyone else.Unless they are putting a gun to your head making you drink. If there is hostility toward those he relates to, he needs to learn to deal with it in another way besides drinking. You are not very helpful.
Perhaps you're under the impression it's empathy I'm offering here? You didn't understand a word I said.
As someone who grew up codependent on other people's alcoholism, I congratulate you folks who have taken the steps to address it. Someone does not have to be physically or verbally abusive due to their drinking to leave scars on the people around them. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other.
I just became really motivated over detrimental periods of my life that were caused by various chemicals, including alcohol. I also go to meetings, which helps. My mindset just changed over time, it's weird. I'm glad you are making an effort, and I wish you the best, quitting often isn't easy, but it's definatly worthwhile. I've been sober a month now, I was sober for 4 months about a year ago (and that was my first real major effort to quit in 15 years of drugs)...I realized when I relapsed from the 4 months of sobriety, it's taken me about a year to manage to quit again, so that definitely helps me to stay motivated, realizing one relapse could pull me under the tide again. Stay vigilant my friend
