Paid Members Gus Mears Posted February 5, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted February 5, 2016 (edited) I come from a long lineage of high functioning alcoholics and it's a daily struggle, which in fairness I'm better at winning than I was a few years ago. Â I'd class myself as a habitual binge drinker as opposed to what you would think of as an ordinary alky. I don't need to drink every day to function, but a bare minimum of once a week I'm getting white girl wasted. I've gone a week without drinking anything only twice in the past five years and those couple of weeks were pretty close to each other and largely caused by lack of money. Â The crux of the problem for me is that I find life incredibly boring without booze some of the time, coupled with long term anxiety issues. It's not like I have nothing to do either. I work, I go to the gym, I play piano, I read voraciously, I cook every day, I'm learning to speak/write Russian etc. etc.. But if I'm at home and have nothing to do for a couple of hours in the early evening then a bottle of wine or two makes everything infinitely more interesting. Â The thing that has saved me in many respects is the fact that I get truly cataclysmic hangovers. Have done since that fateful day when I decided to make a 'shitmix' out of my stepdad's Bailey's and sloe port many years ago. Fucking hell, the fact that I continued drinking after that was my first tipple probably indicates I have a problem! Â Oh yeah, sign me up to the 'if I have 1, then I'm partying like Oliver Reed' club. Good luck to everyone else in here too. Edited February 5, 2016 by Gus Mears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Tommy! Posted February 5, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted February 5, 2016 I've never considered myself to have a problem, but I can see how easy it is for people to develop a problem and it's something I have nothing but respect for people when they acknowledge they have a problem and start to fight it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 Yeah, I'm an alcoholic. I had a meeting with the alcohol community support this week and they recommended an app called Drinkaware. You add in every time you have a drink, it keeps a running total of units, calories and costs. It felt good to mark today as a no drink day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patiirc Posted February 7, 2016 Share Posted February 7, 2016 Yeah,was a high functioning alky from the time one of my ex fiancees had a massive car smash about 12 years ago, Â until very very recently. Drink numbed the pain both physical nd mental by buggering up the nerve receptors, so i am told,m when my back was to shit, so it made a natural crux to hit that when tabs werent even touching the pain. However it was massively destructive. Â Hormone changes have helped as I'm now a complete fucking lightweight and because I'm happier in myself. I drink now, only about the recommended units per week as opposed to a six pack and whatever other alcohol was in the house, to get through physical and mental pain each day. I will also happily go out on a night out and not drink at all as to get most places I now have to drive. That to those who have seen me is a massive change in the relationship i have had with alcohol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Fell off the wagon massively this week and now I feel totally wretched. I though if I got drunk I'd be able to sleep. Didn't work and now I'm in a right state mentally. Even got in touch with the Samaritans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members bAzTNM#1 Posted March 3, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted March 3, 2016 (edited) When I was at my lowest ebb, about 15 years ago, I tried phoning the Samaritans and got a rather rude individual who went in the huff because I didn't go to church \ chapel. Had to make an email complaint. Don't think I'd bother with that lot again. I'm still waiting for the Bible that they said they were going to send me. .. Weirdos.  Bad Hangovers  Hangovers seem to get worse when you get older, which is how I eventually stopped. Hangovers were lasting two days and I can't be doing nothing for two days. Edited March 3, 2016 by bAzTNM#1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 I emailed them, had a nice exchange with them although I did feel it was generated from a database and not a real person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladiesman345 Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 I emailed them, had a nice exchange with them although I did feel it was generated from a database and not a real person. I know it's a totally obvious thing to say, but could you not pester your GP for even a few sleeping pills? Explain the situation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 I know id become addicted. I'm trying relaxation techniques but it's not working. I have started taking amino acid supplements and I do feel calmer though, so hopefully they'll do the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members bAzTNM#1 Posted March 3, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted March 3, 2016 Sleeping tablets are really shit. You're best to be more active during the day. Avoid the usual before bed (caffeine). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Gus Mears Posted March 3, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted March 3, 2016 I would echo that it's best to avoid sleeping pills if possible if you're prone to addiction. I ended up (thinking) I was dependent on them after I was prescribed a load last year and had real trouble weaning off. Sorry to hear that you're having a shitter, Keth. Probably telling a fish to swim here, but daily exercise has been the only thing barring booze that has knocked my sleeping pattern into something close to shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Yeah, daily exercise is a good idea, although it's a catch 22. I don't have the energy to leave the house and I'm prone to panic attacks. But yeah, a nice brisk walk does the world of good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Chest Rockwell Posted March 3, 2016 Moderators Share Posted March 3, 2016 Don't forget you can do exercise / be active in the house as well if you don't feel up to going outside. Hope you find something that works for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.E Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Bit of fresh air is always good, even if its just a slow walk around with some headphones in or something. As for indoors, I highly recommend DDP Yoga, as its like 20 mins at a time, and it gets your blood pumping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators PowerButchi Posted March 4, 2016 Moderators Share Posted March 4, 2016 (edited) In the words of Fitz    I drink too much, I smoke too much, I gamble too much, I am too much.   The recent double bill of Rugby being cancelled the last 6 weeks on the trot and a much increased drinking regimen has culminated at me weighing in at a somewhat excessive 17st. What can someone do instead of going drinking in a place where there is nothing to do? Ideally I want to cut down from drinking 6-7 times a week to 3-4, without being bored. Will also take advice on cutting back on the fags. Only back, mind you. Edited March 4, 2016 by PowerButchi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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