OLD new members introductions - (on the last page)

[kateB]

Hello, new here! Hope you are all doing ok? Well i would say ive been an alcoholic for about 6 years now. I normaly drink about a bottle of wine a night about 3/4 times per week, i only stop then as i have ran out, I HAVE to stop as i have two small children, and a partner who's sick of me and my wine. Im also very sick of me too, im hungover yet again today, sweating and feeling wretched.
How nice to get this out!

[buffy]

Hi Kate, and welcome, this site has been a lifesaver for a great deal of people, its so great to be able to say exactly how you feel at anytime of the night and day and get some support or advice or just an ear. No one judges anybody else at all as most folk have been through or are going through the same as you, sometimes worse and sometimes not seemingly as bad, but, we are all hear for the same thing, to get our lives back.
This is my third week after 30 years of drinking, the last 15 of which have been bad, but here I am feeling positive and not even thinking about alcohol, in fact Im not missing it at all which I cant understand lol but Im not knocking it.

Read as many posts as you can and post whenever you feel the need, its so helpful to get things off your chest and by reading, sometimes you get a different perspective on things.

Take care and the very best of luck to you and all the other newbies.

Buffy

[fairdinkum]

Is this where I introduce myself???

[roledog33]

fairdinkum,
You can. Or you can go to the New Members thread. Wherever you feel comfortable.

But.....you already have introduced yourself

roledog33

[fairdinkum]

Where is the new members thread? And how do you put up when the date of your last drink was? Thanks!

[roledog33]

fairdinkum,
My bad. This IS the new members thread. I thought I clicked the SOS thread. Here is good.

roledog33

[fairdinkum]

Ok, I think I am getting the hang of this now...definitely one of the symptoms of withdrawal - confusion!
I looked at this site a year ago to keep me on the wagon, which it did for 2 months. And for awhile I drank less when I started again, but since Feb this year when my beautiful grandmother died whom I spent a lot of time with over the last 10 years, more so in the final six months helping her stay at home...I have been drinking everyday and craving it like medicine every afternoon, even if I don't really feel like a drink I have to have it. I sleep badly, I feel like crap everyday, my head has stabbing pains, everything is an effort (but on the surface I keep the whole act together...work, kids, house etc) Although I have become numb towards my partner of 20 years, and life feels dull. I've been drinking alot for years and always feeling guilty about it, but I feel now that if I keep getting half cut every single night I'm going to end up with brain damage! Its really all or nothing, its been a week now without one. Sleeping better, head pains going, but cloud hasn't lifted yet...hope I can keep off it!!
Wishing everyone the willpower to keep off it and thanks for letting me rave on!

fairdinkum (this time)

[Denise1973]

Hi Everyone

Im happy to have found this site. Finally I have found people I can identify myself with. I have been drinking heavily on and off for 12 years now. Sometimes I drink as much as 80-90 units a week. I am 37. I feel ashamed going out because I drink too much and suffer from blackouts. My friends tell me that I made them laugh because I did this or that (I don't remember) I hate that.

I started a new job in May. Started going out and met new people. My drinking has crept up again and so has my weight. I have gained a stone and stopped going to the gym.

I came across this site and was unsure how to curb my drinking. However after reading many of the posts I can only assume that going totally dry for now is the best thing.

I tried AA once and was mortified because everyone who spoke in the room was talking to me directly.

[shazza]

hi denise1973,
i am new to this site as well ,
and i drink as many units as you ,
but i have been trying to cut through
the week which i am doing very well at
so hopefully you can do the same .
I do feel and look better in myself
which also makes me want to carry on
not drinking so much
good luck xx

[Denise1973]

Hi Shazza

So do you mean that you don't drink during the week but just at weekend?

[Denise1973]

Hi SB

I do think that completely giving up for a period of time is the best thing. You have hit the nail on the head about the control issue. If I decide not to drink at all today, this week, this month etc then I will not be tormented. Perhaps 3 months is an excellent idea. I have just joined weigh watchers and am trying to lose weight so I can use that as an excuse to my friends if they ask.

I don't like discussing my problem to my friends. They don't know I buy loads of alcohol and drink alone at night.

[Belinda]

Hi again,

Joanne, Zoe and Star, thank you very much for your responses yesterday. It means a great deal to have that sort of support.

Haven't got off to a flying start as I drank last night. So much for my conception of myself as someone who isn't a weekend drinker! Hope that I have reminded myself for the last time how rubbish it is to wake up with a hangover.

I've been thinking about what to do and am going to join the 7 day challenge and then from next Saturday I will be on holiday for 10 days with a man who has been teetotal for about 15 years. Not because he had a drink problem but because he thinks alcohol is vile. And how right he is. Hopefully that will give me 3 weeks dry and things might get a bit easier after that?

Hi to the other newcomers - Denise, Fairdinkum and Kate. Look forward to chatting with you.

Have a nice Sunday everyone.

Belinda.

[ef1979]

Hi

I am new but I dont know what to say right now

EF

[Mark.]

Hi EF,

Don't worry - say what you like, or feel free not to say anything at all.

If you haven't already, please check out all the threads - you'll find that people round here all have different backgrounds, problems, ideas, and so forth; but, essentially, everyone's extremely friendly, welcoming and encouraging. I'm certain you'll find a lot here that is relevant to you, wherever you are coming from.

I look forward to perhaps hearing more from you later (I've got to go and wash some dishes right now, but I'm sure others will be along to welcome you any minute now...!).

Take care and best wishes,
Mark

[fiz]

ef1979
Hello and welcome to BE, I am so glad you found us, looking forward to getting to know you better.
Good luck on your sober journey.

[jo-anne]

Welcome all new members, I was new last week and was welcomed with a surprisingly large support group. Wisdom comes from other peoples stories or comments, so if you don't feel readying to tell your tale keep reading and you will see a bit of your self in others stories. Best of luck and try the 7day challenge. I found it very useful

Jo-anne with a (-)
I didn't realize that there were two of us with the same name. .......

[lookingforhelp]

Hello everyone, I am on here to seek advice and look for some help if thats possible. I have a tremendous problem with drinking at the moment and feel that it is ruining my life. I am divroced through drink and have two failed relationships through drink. I have lost track of the amount of jobs I have had , some of which have been excellent prospects, i have been arested twice for drink driving and now want to face up to this problem and sort it out. Up until Yesterday i was blaming every one except myself and the reason i got drunk was to hide myself away. It is not social drinking ,I drink on my own every night and usually all weekend somewhere between 12 and 18 cans of lager a day. I am a 47 years old man who now wants to finally admit that yes i do have a problem. My ex wife stills comes round to see me occasionaly and i think she is still concerned , i want to be able to show her that i can stop drinking and face up to life without the emotional crutch that it has become. So Sunday i did not have a drink, I started with the shakes about five last night and although that was not very pleasant the worst thing was not being able to get to sleep. So i sat at the laptop and read a lot of the posts on here until three when i finally went to bed but still could not sleep. Does it get any easier , how long does not sleeping last, thanks for listening.

[roledog33]

lookingforhelp,
You have come to the right place. Welcome to the family! There is a lot of support here and nobody will judge you. The fact you have admitted you have a problem is the first, most important, step.

How long does the "not sleeping" last? I think it varies for different folks. You might look at taking some sleep aids (over the counter; shoud be non-habit forming). But I'm no expert.

Browse the threads. You may want to start with the 7-day Challenge. You will meets lots of folks there who are in the same boat as all of us; plus it will get you accustomed to posting here.

All the best,
roledog33

[Mark.]

Hi Lookingforhelp,

Just to add to what Roledog33 has said - Welcome to BE! And give yourself a good pat on the back for being brave enough to own up to having a problem that you want to deal with.

I'm glad you've already been reading around the different threads. You will probably have already found posts that are relevant and helpful to you.

I have to admit that I've never really suffered too badly from either the shakes or from really bad withdrawal symptoms, but I know others here have, and I'm sure they'll be along soon to advise you far better than I ever could.

My only advice would be to take and consider all the advice and support open to you right now. This forum is an excellent place to start: as you may have found already, there's a whole range of different folk here with different kinds of problems/experiences.

If you are having real problems with stopping drinking, you should also contact a doctor for advice. For some people, just "stopping" and going cold-turkey can be counter-productive if their bodies are used to regularly receiving high quantities of alcohol.

Other than that, I just want to congratulate you for taking the first steps toward a better and more fulfilling life; and I wish you every success in achieving that.

Best wishes,
Mark

[Bela]

LookingforHelp,
You might find it useful to read over the cold turkey thread.
It is possible!
Always best to get some medical support if you feel able, though.
Stay as busy as possible. Drink lots of non alchoholic bevs.
Eat as nutritiously as you can but you might allow yourself a bit of slack there with some of your tasty favs.
Try to minimize the caffeine, but perhaps this is not the time to cut that out completely.
Not sleeping is tough, but it won't kill you but continued drinking just might.
Stick to us like adhesive for the next few days, and don't hestitate to post on SOS if you feel you are about to crack. Usually always someone around to respond on SOS. Don't know where you live, but the late lounge thread is usually buzzing in the non prime UK hours.
Well done on deciding to turn your life around. Bela