Alcoholism Support Thread - Down the hatch

[Second Alter Ego]

do it so you won't be the unbelievable fucking retard you were yesterday. Be marginally less of a burden on everyone who interacts with you. It's not easy, because not being a piece of shit often isn't.

Thank you for saying that
I wish people IRL could be that honest because that is what they're all thinking but for some reason they feel the need to speak politely to a fuckup piece of trash actively making their lives worse
I will be less of a retard tomorrow

 

[Your Girlfriend's Dad]

Godspeed nigger.

 

[Welfare Bum]

Haven't had a day off work since April 23rd. It's a stressful, physically exhausting job that also involves dealing with the public. Been getting wasted daily to unwind. There were days where I had no booze, but they were few and far between. But I haven't had a drop since Tuesday and I intend on going a week without it. More to prove to myself I have self control and to be sure I don't develop a dependence on it.

 

[Hey Johnny Bravo]

No I just feel this unending puddle of shame and I want to back out so bad
I don't do well with positive reinforcement so all the patronizing "YAAAY YOU FINALLY ASKED FOR HELP GOOD JOB" at the doctor's office just left me deeply mortified and regretting saying anything at all
I don't think I can do this

As YGD said: it's a lot more shameful to keep going on the way you were going. The further away from a drink you are and the better you get, the better you will feel.

Haven't had a day off work since April 23rd. It's a stressful, physically exhausting job that also involves dealing with the public. Been getting wasted daily to unwind. There were days where I had no booze, but they were few and far between. But I haven't had a drop since Tuesday and I intend on going a week without it. More to prove to myself I have self control and to be sure I don't develop a dependence on it.

I know this feeling because I start thinking about crashing out on booze when I'm working a lot, or when work is otherwise stressing me the fuck out. You just gotta make it through the day and remember that getting wasted isn't good for you, and it's a fucking waste of time.

 

[Jerk Sausage]

Work stress affected me a lot more than I realized for a long time, and definitely contributed to my mood in large ways, leading me to drinking. Whenever I have or had the mindset of:

I don't want to work, I want to be as far away from work as possible right now. I can't wait until work ends so I can do literally anything else.

it tapped into that same part of my brain which says:

I don't want to think, I want to be as far away from my brain as possible right now. I can't wait to drink so I don't have to think.

When I was unemployed for a long stretch, lazy and not really motivated to find a job, I was seriously depressed. When I rejoined "the work force", I eventually get into a comfort zone of "this is all so easy and tedious", and then stop putting in effort. Thereafter, any interruptions annoyed me and made me anxious. I end up in a constant state of "leave me the fuck alone to do the work I want to do". Which then brought me to seek solutions to my state of mind, which was often oblivion in drinking.

And that solution of alcohol is such an effective one! But it does nothing to address everything leading up to being in a terrible state of mind. It's not easy to change my "default" reactions and behaviors which compound into being in a bad state of mind. But it's a better solution than drinking.

Figure out what stresses you out at work, and then figure out what your responsibility for that stress is. Other people do not insert thoughts into our brains, we do that to ourselves.

 

[Hey Johnny Bravo]

The simpler answer is to accept that work is a part of life and not worth getting pissy about unless there's something seriously out of order there - e.g. you have a manager who treats you like shit. If you have a better attitude about it - as you said, people don't put thoughts into our brains, we do - it gets easier.

 

[neger psykolog]

Work stress affected me a lot more than I realized for a long time, and definitely contributed to my mood in large ways, leading me to drinking. Whenever I have or had the mindset of:

it tapped into that same part of my brain which says:


When I was unemployed for a long stretch, lazy and not really motivated to find a job, I was seriously depressed. When I rejoined "the work force", I eventually get into a comfort zone of "this is all so easy and tedious", and then stop putting in effort. Thereafter, any interruptions annoyed me and made me anxious. I end up in a constant state of "leave me the fuck alone to do the work I want to do". Which then brought me to seek solutions to my state of mind, which was often oblivion in drinking.

And that solution of alcohol is such an effective one! But it does nothing to address everything leading up to being in a terrible state of mind. It's not easy to change my "default" reactions and behaviors which compound into being in a bad state of mind. But it's a better solution than drinking.

Figure out what stresses you out at work, and then figure out what your responsibility for that stress is. Other people do not insert thoughts into our brains, we do that to ourselves.

"I don't want to think, I want to be as far away from my brain as possible right now. I can't wait to drink so I don't have to think."
is a great way to put it.

Meditation can help if people are into it and also doing stuff like self-care - go run a hot bath tub or do some cooking, go for a jog or a walk or go treat yourself to an ice cream (get out of the house most importantly). Go to a golf driving range or one of those baseball hitting range things. Find something outside of work and boozing.

And unironically: consider changing career path if shit isn't working out. Don't just go quit your job if you don't have the financial means but start looking out there and try to find something else that is less stressful.

 

[⋖ cørdion ⋗]

So I've got good news: That actually gets better.

Part of fucking around with your GABA and Dopamine levels constantly is that you experience anhedonia, or the inability to feel joy, when you're sober. Your body needs to not only return to normal, but set the marker flags for where normal is supposed to be.

It's a symptom just like the shakes and the night sweats, and it will go away. Trust the process. You'll enjoy the things you used to enjoy.

It's not like I drink every day nor itch for it. I got a problematic relationship with alcohol, not an actual problem. Thing is I've tired out of TF2 after 5k hours and years of 6v6. I open it sober and realize it's a yelling contest for attention and quit again. If I drink, that becomes familiar cause it's what I did in the past, and move on.

I'm jaded as fuck and don't enjoy games much anymore, but I can. Games will drop and I'll play them for 6 hours in a row. But an ancient game like TF2 ain't it. It's closer to going "Nah dawg time to pub it with the boys", being drunk and enjoying it, then realizing the next day "we sat in the corner of a tavern for 4 hours and we're all over 30. What the fuck".

Then don't do it for reinforcement, do it so you won't be the unbelievable fucking retard you were yesterday. Be marginally less of a burden on everyone who interacts with you. It's not easy, because not being a piece of shit often isn't.

Shame is a great motivator. Addicted to your phone? Imagine seeing yourself, neck bent over, whole posture fucked, standing against beautiful nature and choosing to ignore it. Or playing a toxic shitty game you can't stop playing: Why? Imagine your imaginary gf walking in and seeing it. You can't pause it, so it's already out of your control, and you're not enjoying it, so it's even worse. You could be playing snoot game and at least just pause it and go "Huh?".

"don't drink alone", ironically I'd rather cause it's fucking shameful to be drunk. Few times I've drank beer with mates in real life, I've gotten sober again cause I prefer talking to drinking. The fact you just, buy and drink this shit to get fucked up. Imagine sitting in front of someone heating a spoon and them going "oh yeah I need this to even enjoy being here let alone talk to you".

 

[Second Alter Ego]

The further away from a drink you are and the better you get, the better you will feel.

I didn't want to do inpatient detox again so they said I have to keep drinking
I'm supposed to drop 2 drinks from my daily amount then wait a week and do it again so I don't get seizures which is fucking gay and disappointing because I wanted to quit in like 1 or 2 days just to get it over with
It's gonna take fucking months
Half of me's like haha yessss I don't have to stop yet and the other half is just looking on in disgust
Topamax is ass and I don't want to do more stupid counseling

 

[BONECRUSHER]

 

[Jerk Sausage]

I didn't want to do inpatient detox again so they said I have to keep drinking
I'm supposed to drop 2 drinks from my daily amount then wait a week and do it again so I don't get seizures which is fucking gay and disappointing because I wanted to quit in like 1 or 2 days just to get it over with
It's gonna take fucking months
Half of me's like haha yessss I don't have to stop yet and the other half is just looking on in disgust
Topamax is ass and I don't want to do more stupid counseling

You say twice: " I don't want to", so the question is, what do you want to do? Be cured overnight? If you walked 20 miles into these woods, you have to walk 20 miles back to get home. Nothing takes months, it takes one day at a time, and eventually you look back and those months have passed.

When you're dealing with hallucinations, seizure risk and delirium tremens, some professional health advice sounds like a good idea to me. Self remedies like tapering off slowly to avoid health risks are actual solutions, though ill advised. Rehabs and detox are superior medically supervised versions of that.

I'm curious who is the person that suggested you continue drinking, but reduce to two fewer drinks daily each week though. Technically possible, but in practice, well, that depends if you truly want to do that or not. What do you want to do?

 

[Second Alter Ego]

the question is, what do you want to do? Be cured overnight?

Well of course I want absolutely zero consequences for my actions

I'm curious who is the person that suggested you continue drinking, but reduce to two fewer drinks daily each week though.

Psychiatrist

What do you want to do?

I want to shoot myself in the head but I am not allowed to do that so I have to clean up my fucking mess

 

[Sparkletor 2.0]

I didn't want to do inpatient detox again so they said I have to keep drinking
I'm supposed to drop 2 drinks from my daily amount then wait a week and do it again so I don't get seizures which is fucking gay and disappointing because I wanted to quit in like 1 or 2 days just to get it over with
It's gonna take fucking months
Half of me's like haha yessss I don't have to stop yet and the other half is just looking on in disgust
Topamax is ass and I don't want to do more stupid counseling

That might sound like a feasible plan on paper but are you able to only have a certain amount of drinks and then just stop? I know for me, if I tried to set a limit on how much I drank I would drink that much and then say, "fuck it" and keep drinking more. "I'll start cutting down tomorrow."

That's one of the things that makes me know I'm an alcoholic. Once I start drinking I don't stop until all the booze is gone or I pass out.

You'll either get to the point where you will be willing to do things you are uncomfortable with, like detox or counseling, or you won't. I guess it depends on how badly you want to stop.

 

[Second Alter Ego]

but are you able to only have a certain amount of drinks and then just stop? I know for me, if I tried to set a limit on how much I drank I would drink that much and then say, "fuck it" and keep drinking more. "I'll start cutting down tomorrow."

Once I start drinking I don't stop until all the booze is gone or I pass out.

Yeah same
Apparently topamax is supposed to reduce that impulse to continue so it's easier to just have some then actually stop

You'll either get to the point where you will be willing to do things you are uncomfortable with, like detox or counseling, or you won't.

I'll try counselling again but I just don't see the need for detox it's not that bad and a waste of money and time and I'll get fired and whatever

 

[Jerk Sausage]

Don't know your relationship or history with your employer. But I've only been fired for being a lazy fuckup who didn't care, actively giving them the least amount of effort possible. Never for the actual drug or drink problem.

I've known guys who had their employees support their recovery and rehab. There are laws for this, and there are financial reasons an employer might be better off having you take a few weeks to get better than to fire you and replace you.

I know you're aware of your fallacies by joking that you don't want consequences for your actions. But you're listing a lot of potential solutions and saying you want none of them.

 

[Jizzrag]

I was so happy to see an alcoholism support thread until I started reading and found out it was in support of stopping drinking.

I've known guys who had their employees support their recovery and rehab. There are laws for this, and there are financial reasons an employer might be better off having you take a few weeks to get better than to fire you and replace you

This is true, employers legally have to offer you help if you come forward with this. However, they might quickly find other reasons to fire you as soon as they can.

 

[Second Alter Ego]

you're listing a lot of potential solutions and saying you want none of them.

Just because I don't want to do something doesn't mean I'm not going to do it
I don't want to brush my teeth
I don't want to go to work
I don't want to pay bills
I don't want to do more retarded addiction counseling
I don't want to take more fucking kikepellets that make me puke
I don't want to cut down on my precious delicious booze
I'm still going to do those things though
I'm just not going to detox
I apologize if I did not make that clear

 

[Hey Johnny Bravo]

I didn't want to do inpatient detox again so they said I have to keep drinking
I'm supposed to drop 2 drinks from my daily amount then wait a week and do it again so I don't get seizures which is fucking gay and disappointing because I wanted to quit in like 1 or 2 days just to get it over with
It's gonna take fucking months
Half of me's like haha yessss I don't have to stop yet and the other half is just looking on in disgust
Topamax is ass and I don't want to do more stupid counseling

Tapering requires you to actually stick to the schedule for months. Inpatient detox will take a week. No offense, dude, but it sounds like you have some ego issues and don't want to quit. Quitting booze requires some humbling.

 

[Sparkletor 2.0]

Tapering requires you to actually stick to the schedule for months. Inpatient detox will take a week. No offense, dude, but it sounds like you have some ego issues and don't want to quit. Quitting booze requires some humbling.

You can't force someone to get sober. That's one of the problems I see with modern addiction treatments, they try everything they can to convince someone to stop. Telling people to just drink a certain amount or not drink alone or whatever is unhelpful. In my opinion, the alcoholic won't stop until they reach the point where they decide to stop on their own. The Big Book even says that if you think you can drink, go ahead and do it and come back if you want to change. If Alter Ego can taper off and quit that way without detox and help, great. If he can't, he'll hopefully take the advice and get outside help.

 

[Jizzrag]

I'm supposed to drop 2 drinks from my daily amount then wait a week and do it again

This is a ridiculous tapering schedule. If you’re gonna taper, you need to be prepared to suffer some. Make a tapering schedule and stick to it, preprare to feel some WD symptoms.
Start by cutting ~10-20% (idk how much you drink) for a 2-3 days, then cut more. Won’t be fun and tapering is hard to stick by, but it’s not impossible. Good luck.

While I can’t brag about being on the wagon, I’ve gone from a crippled boozehound to a functional alkie, averaging around 8 low% beers a day. I sometimes add a pint of vodka if I have a few days off with no social obligations, and that’s enough to fuck me over the next day. I used to have quite a tolerance, I could walk and talk when I was at the hospital with 0.43 BAC. Now I’m an alcoholic who can’t even handle alcohol lol.