New member here...

newlife2009 · Newbie

New member here...

Jane05 · MIP Old Timer

Welcome newlife2009!! Glad your here!! Don't feel dumb, it's actually very brave to reach for help. I had to get to get into a really mess before I could I could reach. I also drank at everything and everybody. I drank went I was sad, mad, lonely, happy, I drank because I got a job, I drank because I didn't get a job. The list goes on and on, but I finally ended up drinking 24\7. I tried off and on for years to stop, but nothing worked until I went to a meeting of A.A.

I don't know if your alcoholic but if your wondering, you might want to check out a meeting.

So glad you're here hope you will continue to post!!

StPeteDean · MIP Old Timer

newlife2009 wrote:

Hi, to everyone.. do not know where to exactly start but I let the stress of daily life get to me and I drink just about everyday, after work, but I have quit (11 days now)... I really dont crave a drink but I feel lonely and nervous. Boy I feel dumb writing this...
but I do want to become free of the habit any suggestions?

Hello newlife and welcome to the board. You've gotten right to the crux of the matter, of "letting the stress of daily life get to you" and using alcohol to get rid of the stress.

Alcohol and mood altering drugs do a very good job of eleviating stress, but in the process these mood altering substances remove our bodies natural ability to relieve stess and in the process it lowers our tolerance to stress, making us increasingly more vunerable and dependent on the substances. It's progressive and as the amout of stress we feel increases the relief affect of the substances decreases, making us more dependent, and requiring higher doses. The Big Book (AA) descibes this, as the disease advances, alcohol may no longer entirely work and many alcoholics begin to use sedatives along with. You'll hear people talk about having to drink 1/2 a bottle just to feel "normal" and take pills to "take the edge off". Depression and suicidal feeling follow.

So, the art of staying sober is learning again how to relieve our own stress naturally, or in most cases, how to avoid the stress through behavior modification and avoiding
pepople, places, and things that casuse us stress. Somethings we can change (us and our location) and other things we have to work with or avoid. This is summed up nicely by the serenity prayer, which has brought quite a bit of relief to most of us, especially in early sobriety, when we are most vunerable.

-- Edited by StPeteDean at 16:53, 2009-03-08

Quetzal · MIP Old Timer

Hi NewLife,

Welcome to MIP.

I used alcohol to help me escape from the stress of daily life. In the end, I couldn't stop drinking and my life was spiralling out of control.

I 'phoned my local AA helpline and then started going to meetings. That was the very best thing that I could have done for myself. I now have a wonderful, new life and so many good friends. Life is better than I ever dreamed it could be. I no linger feel lonely and nervous. I just feel free from my alcoholism on a daily basis. And, it just keeps getting better!

Please keep posting and letting us know how things are going for you, won't you?

Take care,

Carol

Sobrietyspell · MIP Old Timer

Welcome to MIP, NewLife. You've shown great strength & courage in your humility of coming here & asking for help. That sweet surrender is the beginnings of this new life for you. Well Done in your first 11 days away from alcohol 1Day@aTime.

After my first 10weeks I remember getting home from two days of a particularly stessfull period at work & I was astounded that just getting onto my front porch, letting myself in & making myself something to eat completely chilled me out! I was amazed that a bottle of wine hadn't had to do it & it was around this time I felt my body was beginning to clear of all the poison I had been putting into my body & spoiling my natural highs. Talk about alcoholic depression.

I'm impressed with Dean's observation of how stress relieving the Serenity Prayer is. I knew it was good for my thinking but I'd overlooked this, now obvious, aspect! Thanks, Dean! Praying relieves me of a lot of my negative thinking & I don't have to let life build up into that repetitive roundabout like it did when I was drinking.

Keep coming back, NewLife. There is a journey ahead of you with one foot in front of the other but you don't have to do it alone & we have all taken our first steps into Sobriety. We're here to help you too like you've already helped me in your courage, Danielle x

eastcoastscott · Senior Member

Hey Girl!

Welcome! Takes a lot of courage to take the steps you are taking, good on ya! Please don't feel dumb, you aren't. Maybe a bit confused, sad, frustrated, lonely etc. Quitting drinking and learning to use less harmful coping mechanisms is totally do-able. It will take a bit of research ( like the way you found this site ), local recovery groups, some soul searching and a few other things maybe. The good news is...you don't have to do it alone. Asking for help doesn't make you a weak person, quite the opposite.

scott

lani · MIP Old Timer

Welcome to the board new life!!!
Thats exactly what you can expect (a new life) when you become willing to change things about yourself!!! Life does get better...hit some meetings, get some numbers....
Hope to see you around!