A simple question. Alcoholism.

Is anyone an ex alcoholic?

Can anyone give me any advice on how to get through this. I have ruined friendships, relationships and social connections. Yet I have tried.

More than once.

Im tired of asking medical professionals who tell me the same thing. I'm tired of so much. a last resort. I have holiday heart now, the palpitations are scaring me. but doctors dont help.

anyone been thru this?

Not begging, but I am on my knees...

if it is this bad can I just cold turkey? I am a little lost.

any advice would help.. and please, know this is not a simple question, so simple answers will most likely do more harm than good.

I guess I am begging...

I suggest going to this site and signing up. www.soberrecovery.com...
There are many people there that have gone through the same and can give you some good advice.
It helps to talk to others who understand what you're going through.I know how lonely it feels to be trapped in the cycle of alcoholism and how dark and full of despair it is.

Sorry you are going through a hard hard time. I can't really give you any advice but am sending you support and strength. Kia Kaha.

a reply to: Parafitt

Unfortunately it's either you're an alcoholic or you aren't. No such thing as am ex alcoholic, if you quit the booze you are a recovering.

First, it's good you recognize you need to stop. Most people don't realize they need to, but the ones that do have the fighting chance. And you also notice how much you have hurt relationships.
I am not trying to guilt trip you, but you need to be put into reality here, you need to hit rock bottom before you can truly stop. Alcohol is a poison that screws with hormones and emotions, it's not really 'you' whole you are buzzed or drunk.

I am not sure how much you truly drink, or why, where, when. But some of the first steps to quitting is keeping track of how much you drink, and how much you spend. Put things into a money perspective, and a number value.
If you drink spirits, transition to beer, so you can taper off when you are ready to finally quit. Just some advice.
I never considered myself an alcoholic, but I did catch myself one year a few back drinking a little to much. And when I do drink now, the urge to just get hammered is extremely strong. But I stop myself. Kind of scares me a little.

a reply to: Parafitt

Sounds like you already made one big step by acknowledging your problem. Realize its holding you back and making you unable to do and act the way you normally would. I am not an recovering alcoholic but I have close relatives that were and they went to a halfway house which can be expensive.

The only one that can make you quit is yourself. Realize the physical harm such as palpitations and much more if you continue. Keep alcohol away from you at all times until you can be around it and not use it. Keep yourself occupied with other things. Such as improving your diet. Spend time studying interesting subjects and cooking healthy meals. Use decaffeinated coffee/tea. Caffeinated drinks can cause palpitations alone and won't be good for existing conditions. Put some focus on health and go for walks, bike ride or gym.

Im a alcoholic and have been dry for around 8 years,I give up for similar reasons and I started with cutting down first untill I was down to a pint a day and then quit.
It wasn't easy and I had many sleepless nights and vivid dreams I wish you all the best and I definitely would seek a doctors advise just for added help I took a valluim once a day for 2 weeks which seemed to help me but it don't help everyone again best of lucka reply to: Parafitt

a reply to: Parafitt

I have holiday heart now, the palpitations are scaring me.

What exactly is holiday heart?

a reply to: Parafitt

I would not recommend going sober through heart palpitations especially if you start shaking bad and can't firm sentences.. I'm pretty sure I was about to have seizures or something..

After that I drank 1 less beer every 2 days so 20 20 19 19 18 18 you get it..

When I got down to 10 I noticed I could go a few days at 0 with only night sweats and bad sleep.

I'm currently on beer 5 and that will do for me.

Time for bed.

I quit for a few months but my brain was incredibly foggy. And that's what pulled me back in. I couldn't think straight.
Funny that sounds like it should be other way around. That's my main stumbling block.

If you get delirious don't go cold turkey. Please. It can kill you.

a reply to: Parafitt

It all starts with one step at a time, slowly lowering your intake until your body can adjust to having less and less alcohol in your system.

I've never had issues with alcohol but I have had some issues with a few choice drugs that I no longer do out of knowing how much it ruined certain parts of my life.

I didn't quit cold turkey but I did reduce my intake until I could successfully kick the habit entirely.

I realize this May not work for everyone else but that's my 2 cents.

a reply to: Parafitt

I am an alcoholic and will give you some advice that may seem a bit silly but it helps me when I am trying to quit.

Eat lots of food, specifically lentils, pulses and grains I do not know why but if you eat a big steaming pile of lentil stew or an indian dall with some flat breads then the ability and need to drink is diminished quite considerably.

A friend who is also a life long alcoholic and doing a little better than me also swears by eating lentils, No evidence to support this but give it a try and good luck.

a reply to: Reverbs

It can take up to a year for your hormones to get back on track. That's what the foggy feeling was most likely. You are pretty much re learning how to feel like a human again.

a reply to: strongfp


One of the hardest thing I find when on the wagon is how to fall asleep as opposed to passing out drunk.

It's harder than you think when you have not done it for years, it's a rather odd sensation.

a reply to: strongfp

Yes and that's why I'm not ready to quit again, but I am having fun learning to test my self control while lowering my intake.

For me it was like I never really "woke up" all day long.

I didn't think of it as being hormones though.

Now I have a new thing to research.

Thanks



@mrnonsoecific

.......yep

Do something that will actually solve the problem.

Don't keep 'trying' things that won't work so you have another excuse not to stop.

If you have access to medical professionals for goodness sake act on the advice they give you.

Don't come here saying they just all tell you the same thing and then expect better advice from unqualified people who don't know you.

Get into rehab asap. Anything less than that doesn't count.

Understand that you've had your last drink in the last chance saloon.

Sorry to be blunt but your life and wellbeing depend on you dealing effectively with issue now - not finding a means to put off the inevitable treatment that you surely need.

This works. You take a pill once daily.
It makes things very simple.
You drink any alcohol - you become violently ill instantly.
It takes around five days to exit your system if you cease taking it, so that removes that idea of "Hey I'll skip taking it tomorrow so I can drink in the evening!".

Disulfiram (sold under the trade names Antabuse and Antabus) is a drug discovered in the 1920s that is used to support the treatment of chronic alcoholism by producing an acute sensitivity to ethanol (alcohol).
Disulfiram works by inhibiting the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, which means many of the effects of a "hangover" are felt immediately after alcohol is consumed.
In the body, alcohol is converted to acetaldehyde, which is then broken down by aldehyde dehydrogenase.
If the dehydrogenase enzyme is inhibited, acetaldehyde builds up and causes unpleasant effects. Disulfiram should be used in conjunction with counseling and support.

This medication really works.
It removes the problem of 'choice' in the matter.

Link

My first question is: How much do you drink per day. Do you drink every day? Do you get "the shakes" if you don't drink. Do you have to drink to feel normal?

Look, here's the hard truth. If you want to quit and you are a hard core drinker, professional help, in a controlled setting, is your only chance. Those Drs keep telling you the same thing, because they are all right. You just don't want to admit it. You can not take medicine on your own and get through it. Heavy drinkers can and usually will suffer through horrible withdraw, which can turn deadly very quickly. I was in the hospital for 3 weeks, because I was turning orange from liver failure. The Drs didn't think I was going to come out of it without serious brain damage, because of ammonia buildup. With absolutely no exaggeration, I was on Death's door. Another 24 hours would have seen me in the morgue.

Get help and get it now.

a reply to: Parafitt

Going cold turkey could be very hazardous to your health.

imho, you need a residential program of at least 90 days duration.

Admitting you have the problem is a huge part of the solution.

PLEASE get yourself into a residential program ASAP.

Insist--wherever you have to go to go to get in.

Any hospital would likely be better than none but imho you really need a well designed residential alcohol program.

I'm not that far in ( I don't think...) But I've felt the palpitations you implied at times when I was worse off.

About a year back, I started keeping track- an empty jug sits on the counter. For every beer, a shot of water goes in the jug. For every shot of liquor, a shot of water goes in the jug. Every glass of wine- a shot goes in the jug.

The cost never bothered me- I do spend a lot of my money on alcohol, but I spend a lot more on everything else. I could buy a nice bottle of scotch for every day I wake up if I didn't have to pay the mortgage and associated expenses.

Just keeping track has made it easier to cut back some days. Not all days, but some. Overall my intake is down by about half a year later, and most of that progress was just by keeping track- once I've had one too many, the process of keeping track is a reminder to the suppressed brain of what I'm doing, and at times that's all it takes to call it a night.

I don't smoke- never have... but I recently picked up a vaporizer designed for MJ plant matter- none of those fancy liquids the goobers make hard to get. (I can't get into smoking, it doesn't feel right)
I've found that a hit or two of that at night before I would normally start drinking has made a huge difference. I drink less, and maintain clarity in what I'm doing to myself when I do. It still helps me sleep, but it wears off faster than alcohol so I am finding myself waking up three to four hours earlier than I used to, because I can't stay or fall back asleep- I'm waking up sober and clear-headed, and that's changing a lot of things in my life.

Currently in the process of making my sleeping situation more comfortable, hoping it will help with the lack of sleep that's come with cutting back. Someone here mentioned getting used to falling asleep vs passing out- it took me a long time to realize the difference, and that was a jarring thought for me.

You didn't mention frequency/volume, but based on the described symptoms I'm going with lots/nightly if not more. Don't try cold turkey- and avoid AA if you're able. Going cold turkey will cause brain damage, and AA is a christian cult who will try and force you to start your life over.

Good luck.

a reply to: Parafitt

Good luck which ever path you choose. If you are a young guy then you will need support as when your young you know everything. Maybe AA would be a good start friend. Myself, i have been drinking for 63 years starting when i was working for a brewery. I know it effected my relationship's but was not concerned at the time. Now i drink around 7-8 small cans every day, plenty more in the fridge but i now know when to stop (body language). I'm sure my health has suffered over the years but fortunately my mind/memory today is sound. I often look back on life and i am disgusted with the hurt i'v left behind in my wake. Anyway, as they say that's history, buy NOT for me, i remember the past like it was yesterday. If you serious and you want to change, them do it.....

Both of my parents are alcoholics. I wish I had some advice, but after 25 years I still don't know the answer. What I can do though is share some of my experiences. See below:

My mother (stay at home mom - ran the farm) has been through the ringer multiple times (child services making her move out of home, DUIs, child endangerment charges, jail while I was in high school, etc etc) and she still hasn't stopped drinking. She has a pretty regular schedule that goes 1 week sober, 1 week piss drunk. It's unfortunate, but that's how it is. I am out of the house now and it is not such a problem to me anymore, but I have a younger sibling still at home and it's struggling to her. As much as we all tried to help nothing ever got her to stop for more than a few weeks. She would walk to the liquor store in the downpour while no one was home if she had to in order to get booze.

My father (works a regular 40 hr job) on the other hand got a DUI/crashed his car, and that was enough for him to stop cold turkey. I think it was the fear of losing his job and not being able to support the family that really knocked sense into him. He got into the accident 6 months ago and hasn't had a drink since. Not sure how he did it, but we are proud of him.