Hiding an addiction issue from family. How well does it usually work for you? - Asking for both POV

[rel=alternate]

It's always a worry of mine. Somehow turns out fine, but I think many are catching on. Even if they don't say anything.

I drink a lot less when on holiday with family. But I still drink a lot.Like a lot by any standard. To me, it's obvious I am taking every occasion and overdo it anytime. Or hide it.

I have to drink everyday. Not drinking for a while is fine, but I'll find excuses to go out and do so, or entice others to do with me, finish every wine bottle in the fridge, drain liquor offered by friends my family does not drink etc....

I always have the excuse of "it's my only holidays in X so I enjoy it" when I am literally scaling down. What is outrageous to them is me being restrained.

After a few years, I am sure my sibling knows something is wrong, but it's just comment in passing. My parents, I am not sure.

At the end of the day, and I know many say this, I am functionnal, so it's not like people have any other reason to worry for me. I am just the "larger than life type" in many people's mind

 

[candlejack]

You know there is no good ending with alcoholism. It always ends in tragedy. If you want to keep your business you should either go on hiatus or put someone you trust in charge and get yourself in rehab to safely withdraw. Otherwise losing your business will be the least terrible of the outcomes. Have you ever seen someone die of liver failure? It's pretty brutal. And just look at the dozens of alcoholics you see here. Get help OP, you can do it.

 

[rel=alternate]

You know there is no good ending with alcoholism. It always ends in tragedy. If you want to keep your business you should either go on hiatus or put someone you trust in charge and get yourself in rehab to safely withdraw. Otherwise losing your business will be the least terrible of the outcomes. Have you ever seen someone die of liver failure? It's pretty brutal. And just look at the dozens of alcoholics you see here. Get help OP, you can do it.

I know. I have. It runs in the family. Both sides, if you skip a generation.

Believe me, I am very logical in my normal life. And I wish I could be logical in this respect. It's not even that I can't. It's that I can't do it. I have no illusion on who is to blame here.

Holidays are coming again.

I am going to AA for the first time tomorrow. Or today I guess.

Revisiting this thread to say this.

 

[dick brain]

I know. I have. It runs in the family. Both sides, if you skip a generation.

Believe me, I am very logical in my normal life. And I wish I could be logical in this respect. It's not even that I can't. It's that I can't do it. I have no illusion on who is to blame here.

Holidays are coming again.

I am going to AA for the first time tomorrow. Or today I guess.

Revisiting this thread to say this.

Look into SMART Recovery as well. It's more focused on evidence based practices and tools you can implement in your daily life, and meetings are actual discussions.

https://meetings.smartrecovery.org/meetings/

 

[rel=alternate]

Look into SMART Recovery as well. It's more focused on evidence based practices and tools you can implement in your daily life, and meetings are actual discussions.

https://meetings.smartrecovery.org/meetings/

Thanks. I have not looked to much around for solutions to be honest. So advice is welcome.

 

[OrionBalls]

I know. I have. It runs in the family. Both sides, if you skip a generation.

Believe me, I am very logical in my normal life. And I wish I could be logical in this respect. It's not even that I can't. It's that I can't do it. I have no illusion on who is to blame here.

Holidays are coming again.

I am going to AA for the first time tomorrow. Or today I guess.

Revisiting this thread to say this.

Proud of you for seeking help. It does get better. Do you have the Meeting Guide App?

 

[rel=alternate]

Proud of you for seeking help. It does get better. Do you have the Meeting Guide App?

I don't know if it's that's international. I just looked up my area and turns out there are two meetings today.

It's like 4 am where I am at, so I could still not go when I wake up. Like I did so many times before.

Hell, I'll have something to drink regardless if I do go. No way I can go sober.

 

[OrionBalls]

I don't know if it's that's international. I just looked up my area and turns out there are two meetings today.

It's like 4 am where I am at, so I could still not go when I wake up. Like I did so many times before.

Hell, I'll have something to drink regardless if I do go. No way I can go sober.

I went to my first meeting still drunk. It's not uncommon. Some people might be upset, but most will just be glad that you're there. They aren't going to let you share when you're drunk, though. Which is probably for the best. The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking. So, if you have that desire, you'll be in the right place. Good luck, friend! If you want, you can PM me.

 

[Prokhor Zakharov]

I would suggest ramping down the alcohol intake slowly. Do it too fast and you can trigger a seizure.

If you're going to get medical help in detoxing from alcohol, ask for something in the benzodiazepine family, preferably something with a long 1/2 life like Valium. Just make sure to follow the directions explicitly. They are inherently addictive and dangerous if abused or combined inappropriately with alcohol.

Honestly as long as I function, I dont see the point.

Liver cancer, it is an eventuality if you consume a beyond a certain level of alcohol on a regular basis. If that isn't a potential concern for you, then you're ok.

They give a fuck if/when it impacts them and their lives.

This is more true than it should be.

This is possible for simple addicts? I can see how you would be apprehensive about telling anyone when this is a real possibility.

Not generally. This only tends to happen in DUI situations. Outpatient programs do exist.

 

[rel=alternate]

They aren't going to let you share when you're drunk, though.

You may be right. But to clarify, I am drunk a very significant part of the time when it comes to social interaction.

It's a bit of my baseline. It's not like you can look at me and think I am drunk. My tolerance is pretty high. I don't display the signs you would expect from someone with the alcohol degree I actually have.

And obviously, over the years, I learned what gives me away. As shameful of a skill that is.

Anyway, I am awake, and preparing mentally to go. I feel a lot less motivated than I was a few hours ago drunk out of my mind. But I want to push through for once.

 

[OrionBalls]

You may be right. But to clarify, I am drunk a very significant part of the time when it comes to social interaction.

It's a bit of my baseline. It's not like you can look at me and think I am drunk. My tolerance is pretty high. I don't display the signs you would expect from someone with the alcohol degree I actually have.

And obviously, over the years, I learned what gives me away. As shameful of a skill that is.

Anyway, I am awake, and preparing mentally to go. I feel a lot less motivated than I was a few hours ago drunk out of my mind. But I want to push through for once.

You can do it! Don't forget, you can always go to the liquor store after the meeting, if you really want. But maybe today, you won't want. You'll see.

 

[Prokhor Zakharov]

Oh, I almost forgot, apparently baclofen has helped some people get off and stay off of booze. It's an off-label use of the medication, but I have read of some amazing results, so it might be worth mentioning if you are going for a medical treatment approach. There have been some recent reports of GLP-1 inhibitors helping some people with alcohol use disorder, but they're quite recent, so I'm not sure if they will hold up under scrutiny. However, when it comes to addiction, I say throw it all at the wall and see what sticks. Anything that can help is worth trying as long as there isn't an unacceptable level of danger or risk associated with it compared to the alcohol use disorder itself.