I drink too much!

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2006
I drink too much!
15
Sun, 08-13-2006 - 2:20am

I am sitting here in front of my computer crying. I drink a bt of wine 7 nights a week. I am ashamed to even type this. It only takes me 2 hrs to throw down a whole bottle. I promise myself every night that I won't drink tomorrow, but I always do. I have a lovely husband, 2 great kids and a brilliant job. I live in a beautiful house and I shouldn't be drinking like this! I know all the problems alcohol can bring as there are alcoholics in my family. However, my parents don't drink and they never forbid me from doing so. What is wrong with me? I want to be able to go out and take 1-2 drinks but only on a special occassion - how do I get to that stage? It's my birthday tomorrow and I want to make a promise to myself that I can keep. When I was pregnant I stayed away from drink and I'd love to be able to break this destructive cycle that I'm in. Please help me! Thanks for reading my post.

J

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2003
In reply to: juley6
Sun, 08-13-2006 - 7:59am
Welcome. You are not alone. My name is Leslie and I am a recovering alcoholic. When I read your post, it really touched me because it was as if you were writing about me, when I used to drink. I had a lovely home, a wonderful daughter, good marriage, and a great job teaching school. Like you, I didn't drink when I was pregnant. What could be wrong?
What was wrong was that I couldn't stop drinking. Every morning I would tell myself I wouldn't drink that day, and by 5:00, I had already had a bottle of wine and was working on the second one. I was miserable. I couldn't break the bondage of alcohol and the escape it gave me. Long story, I was suicidal when I finally found help through Alcoholics Anonymous. With the assistance of others, a good therapist, and some loving people, I have been sober over 11 years. I am so grateful to be a sober woman today!
I can't tell you if you are an alcoholic, but if you are concerned about your drinking, it is a serious red flag. If you are an alcoholic, you have a DISEASE - it's not your fault. However, there is help and treatment available!
You can find help and support here. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
God bless,
Leslie
Avatar for carol777
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
In reply to: juley6
Sun, 08-13-2006 - 10:43am

Hi J...Welcome!

Congratulations for seeking answers to your drinking.
Alcoholism is a disease and it is progressive.
I suggest you get more factual info

My favorite book on alcoholism is
"Under The Influence"
and it has a sequel..."Beyond The Influence"

Both can be ordered from Amazon...

Glad to see a new member...we do understand and you are not alone.

Blessings...

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2003
In reply to: juley6
Sun, 08-13-2006 - 10:58am

Hi J


Welcome to the Alcohol Problems board.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2006
In reply to: juley6
Sun, 08-13-2006 - 6:54pm

Thank you for replying to me. Today I stayed drink free, the first in mths! Tomorrow is my b'day and can you guess what 3 of my friends bought me - wine! I put it in our wine rack to see if I have the willpower not to touch it! Can you ever go back to having a glass of wine when out with friends - it worries me that if I take one I'll need another. No one in my family knows this, not even my dh, at least he hasn't mentioned it to me! I'm trying to be positive so I'm going to take it one day at a time. Once again thank you! I think you have saved me...

J

Avatar for carol777
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
In reply to: juley6
Sun, 08-13-2006 - 7:20pm

You reminded me of something...
we drew names at Christmas where I worked.
Out of 80 people I was the only one who got a bottle.

I was mortified!!

Can you ever drink again? Certainly.
Can you ever drink and not have consquences? I don't know.

For me...all the fun was gone.
If I could not drink all I wanted
I did not want to drink at all.

Enjoy your special day...

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-11-2004
In reply to: juley6
Sun, 08-13-2006 - 7:51pm

Hi, I am Beth. I am an alcoholic, so I can never go back to having even one drink. For me, one drink is too many and a thousand is never enough. When I was finally sick and tired of being sick and tired, I joined Alcoholics Anonymous.


I am open-minded enough to think that there are other ways of getting help, but AA was the way I got and stayed sober. In the next folder down there is information on different support groups. Most of them favor abstaining, but I know at least one teaches moderation, if


iVillage Member
Registered: 07-20-2006
In reply to: juley6
Mon, 08-14-2006 - 8:39am
Hi J,
I have 3 beautiful kids, a nice house, and a H. Why did I drink like that? All I know is that I don't have all the answers, but I do know it just wasn't fun anymore. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired, and I wanted it to end. So the first thing I had to do was to put down the drink. Then I had to relearn how to live without alcohol. Not an easy task, but I am managing. I just celebrated a 3 year anniversary. I couldn't have done it without the support that I received from telling my friends and family and this wonderful web site. I would come here sometimes every hour for support, just to get through some tough times. It can be done, if you want it.......
Keep coming back, you'll see. It's great here!

Jolene

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2006
In reply to: juley6
Tue, 08-15-2006 - 2:05pm

Thank you to everyone who gave me great advice on this board. I have been doing a lot of reading and soul searching over wkend. As I said, yesterday was my b'day. My dh took me out to dinner, I was dreading going to the restaurant as the first thing I do is send him to the bar! When we went in I sat down and chatted about my day. After our food order my dh came back with a glass of red wine. I did drink it, but very slowly over the whole meal. Usually I drink half a bt with my meal but last nite when we came home I had a d.coke instead of opening another bt like I always do. The 2 bt's I got for my b'day are still in the wine rack. I feel much more in control and more able to do without a drink every evening. For me the most important thing is too break the bad habit that I'm in. I don't want to cut out alcohol altogether but I do want to keep it for special occassions and I don't want to be drunk every nite. I realise now that I have the choice to move on or fall down. I want to regain my life again, so Ill keep on moving. Thanks again.

J

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2003
In reply to: juley6
Tue, 08-15-2006 - 5:04pm
Good luck to you. When you are ready to quit, let us know. We're here to help!
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2006
In reply to: juley6
Wed, 08-16-2006 - 8:29am

hi,

My alcohol consumption was 90% bad habit. The rest was physical. I was stuck in a loop. I did get help for anxiety and depression and about 3 months later started taking control of my drinking.

I hope you can stay within healthy limits. It can be hard and you might slip up here and there. But please don't ever feel like you've failed. You may even one day decide that no alcohol is the way to go.

However you do it, there is a lot of support on this board. Although there is more support for abstainers, it's really only because there are more of them on the board. Those of us trying moderation are very few on this board.

I wish you good luck and good health,

Lucky

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