Admitting I’m an Alcoholic

[BLUEYESTU]

After talking to family, my doctor and Occupational Health at work I have finally accepted that I am an alcoholic. It’s been a long time coming; my wife was telling me last year before we split and I didn’t want to hear it. But over the past few weeks things really got out of control and I made the decision to ask for help.
There’s a long and difficult road ahead to be sure and trying to get sober in lockdown is going to be hard.
Are there any recovering alcoholics on here who can offer any advice on getting through this please?

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

After talking to family, my doctor and Occupational Health at work I have finally accepted that I am an alcoholic. It’s been a long time coming; my wife was telling me last year before we split and I didn’t want to hear it. But over the past few weeks things really got out of control and I made the decision to ask for help.
There’s a long and difficult road ahead to be sure and trying to get sober in lockdown is going to be hard.
Are there any recovering alcoholics on here who can offer any advice on getting through this please?

Fair play to you for admitting it.

I certainly had a period in my life (early/mid 20's) where it would have easy to fall into that category, but I pulled myself back from the brink. Was drinking pretty much full on daily, and planning my schedule around getting p*ssed, before I thought to myself "I'm sick of waking up feeling sh*t every morning". Luckily, I wasn't chemically dependant on booze, but I wasn't far off.

Didn't stop outright, but massively cut back to a couple of times a week with the odd binge. Now I can have 2 or 3 drinks, then not have any for ages. It's hard, but well worth the effort.

Do you mind if I ask what job you do?

 

[BlueHammer85]

After talking to family, my doctor and Occupational Health at work I have finally accepted that I am an alcoholic. It’s been a long time coming; my wife was telling me last year before we split and I didn’t want to hear it. But over the past few weeks things really got out of control and I made the decision to ask for help.
There’s a long and difficult road ahead to be sure and trying to get sober in lockdown is going to be hard.
Are there any recovering alcoholics on here who can offer any advice on getting through this please?

well done mate. you've taken the biggest step in admitting it and telling your loved ones. that is the most important thing you can do.

I have had an addiction to Gambling for many years - the best advice is to just hit it at all angles, exactly like you are doing - take every step possible, i'd recommended AA and forums associated with that, also give a couple books a read - Allen Carr is good.

take 1 day at a time, accept you will get good days and low days but always think YOU'RE FREE! no longer a slave to alcohol, which does no benefit to you at all except ruin your health and relationships.

Good luck

 

[Nebuchadnezzar]

I have been at a stage a few times over the last few years where my drinking has caused a few problems at home. I'm talking about having arguments whilst justifying the amount I drank, struggling not to look at the drinks aisle in a supermarket whenever we went. Also went through a phase of kidding myself that I was drinking whisky for medicinal purposes, yet got through a bottle in a matter of evenings if I put my mind to it. I wouldn't say I was an alcoholic but the relationship with drink certainly wasn't normal.
I haven't drank spirits in almost a year now but it came to a head last year when I did in a bottle in a night whilst doing shots on a video call with a friend. I woke up having pissed myself on the living room floor.

I haven't had any alcohol at all in a few weeks now, and havent been tempted. My last hangover had me depressed for days. I was gifted two bottles of spirits in a Christmas hamper and they remain unopened in my kitchen cupboard.

Its a bit cheesy and saccharine but the Stop Drinking page on Reddit is good.

 

[FantasyIreland]

After talking to family, my doctor and Occupational Health at work I have finally accepted that I am an alcoholic. It’s been a long time coming; my wife was telling me last year before we split and I didn’t want to hear it. But over the past few weeks things really got out of control and I made the decision to ask for help.
There’s a long and difficult road ahead to be sure and trying to get sober in lockdown is going to be hard.
Are there any recovering alcoholics on here who can offer any advice on getting through this please?

Brilliant mate,the road to recovery now beckons.

I suspect there are many others on this board who also have such issues,if by admitting your illness you are an inspiration and a help to just one of those.....then that will only be a wonderful bonus.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Good luck fella...be a long road but you'll get there.

 

[bluealf]

After talking to family, my doctor and Occupational Health at work I have finally accepted that I am an alcoholic. It’s been a long time coming; my wife was telling me last year before we split and I didn’t want to hear it. But over the past few weeks things really got out of control and I made the decision to ask for help.
There’s a long and difficult road ahead to be sure and trying to get sober in lockdown is going to be hard.
Are there any recovering alcoholics on here who can offer any advice on getting through this please?

You can do it my friend, I went from 8-10 stellas a night and a tray each on Saturday and Sunday, 10 years since I had a drink.

I went stone cold for a year and had a shandy as that was the bet I placed with the wife that I could stop for a year, I wouldn't have had it tbh but she bought me it, think she was testing me to see if I would start again tbh, I didn't.

I have had shandies here and there but nothing major and tbh it has now been 3 years since any alcohol bar in cooking has passed my lips.

Right at the start I used substitute drinks, I used ginger ale as if it was whisky, in a tumbler and ice, I used asda shandy (surprisingly realistic in taste) I also used becks blue for a bit and if we went out for a meal but then before the first year was up I just realised I was kidding myself and knocked all the substitutes on the head.

I don't miss it bar an odd pang in the summer when doing my deliveries on a hot day and the cunts are all outside with a cold one in the sun lol but not enough to make me start drinking again.

I realise I am quite lucky that I found it relatively easy to stop and I know it isn't as easy for everybody but the biggest help in stopping is actually wanting to, if you don't want to you won't stop at all.

Now, I wish you all the best in your efforts to stop and get your life and health back on track :)

 

[jimharri]

Keep your chin up fella. With the support of family and friends, you'll get there.

 

[BLUEYESTU]

Fair play to you for admitting it.

I certainly had a period in my life (early/mid 20's) where it would have easy to fall into that category, but I pulled myself back from the brink. Was drinking pretty much full on daily, and planning my schedule around getting p*ssed, before I thought to myself "I'm sick of waking up feeling sh*t every morning". Luckily, I wasn't chemically dependant on booze, but I wasn't far off.

Didn't stop outright, but massively cut back to a couple of times a week with the odd binge. Now I can have 2 or 3 drinks, then not have any for ages. It's hard, but well worth the effort.

Do you mind if I ask what job you do?

I work in an oncology ward as a support worker; taking bloods, doing observations etc. I was making sure I was not drinking to excess if I had work the next day but it was still affecting my ability to deal with issues at work etc - I’d be constantly anxious and quick tempered. But if I was off the next day then all bets were off!

 

[Bozzie]

After talking to family, my doctor and Occupational Health at work I have finally accepted that I am an alcoholic. It’s been a long time coming; my wife was telling me last year before we split and I didn’t want to hear it. But over the past few weeks things really got out of control and I made the decision to ask for help.
There’s a long and difficult road ahead to be sure and trying to get sober in lockdown is going to be hard.
Are there any recovering alcoholics on here who can offer any advice on getting through this please?

Good luck to you mate. I've seen the effects it can have on a guy who I considered a friend first and a work colleague second and, as others have said, the first hurdle is accepting that there is a problem and you've done that so onwards and upwards.