A question to you all, i am new here and this is my first post.
I have not had a single drink for 25 months (to the day in three), although i do not step or do meets, i have much knowledge of alcoholism as it runs in my family in a big way...
My question is this; during my 25 months alcohol free, i take 2 x 10 mg of librium every night... in the eyes of others, am i not really 'sober'?
I am proud of myself and plan on quitting cigs before tackling the librium... the alcohol was starting to be a big problem and i am glad i am here to say that i have over 2 years alcohol free.
I 'feel' sober... is the librium 'cheating'? I have such high anxiety that i am somewhat reluctant to give them up but i need to check out the NA forums first...
Would i be scoffed at in a AA meeting if i fessed to the librium?
if a doctor prescribed this knowing full well by you that you are an alcoholic and said that you need to be on it and you every day take the prescribed amt. then you are...not abusing anything that constitues doing anything wrong.
lots of people are on medication for other ailments the point is that you follow the guidelines of the doctor and are being truthful about your alcoholim to him, so he can prescribe approprately for your condition.
hope this helped in your query
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armed with the twelve steps all things are possible
My doc prescribed them years ago... he did not know they were habit forming at the time... over a year later he called me in but i was dependant on them by then (and used to abuse them to get through hangovers).
Now i use them as prescribed (1 at 6pm and another at 10pm), this is hardly substance abuse.
Main thing is i am sober, i now that if i were eating valium for breakfast this would be entirely different but i am not...
Thanks for your answer.
I HATE BOOZE. It killed my oldest brother, my Mother is a chronic alcoholic and i am happy to be happy to be recovering.
We aren't doctors... well, most of us aren't doctors, some of us actually are, of course... But I'm not!
In any case, I would not take something I used to abuse, knowing my own history... I might suggest talking to a doctor again and filling him in on the whole situation, possibly there is a different, non-addictive medication you can take?
Either way, congrats on 24 months and 27 days sober !!
i am sober and i am on anti anxiety meds for my panic /anxiety attacks, i do them as prescribed, in fact WAY less than my "daily prescription" so i for sure do not abuse them, and i take them for a valid condition.....that does NOT do anything to break my being sober.........just my HO, peace n progress/ rosie
It is easy to exhange one addiction for another. You are the only one who can decide the answer to your question. I believe you will find it in your heart and in your conscience if you look.
If you need meds for medical conditions that's one thing, but as posted above, you might want to see your doctor again and let them in on ALL the facts.
You're in my prayers.
Doll
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* We eventually realize that just as the pains of alcoholism had to come before sobriety, emotional turmoil comes before serenity. *
Hi and welcome. I think your question is a good one because a lot of fokes perhaps have the same question. I know I did when I first got sober this time. Back when I was first sober a while back, I thought and it was taught to me that taking any pill what so ever was abusing even if it was prescribed. To be honest back then I could have used antidepressents and mood stablizers, I was a nut case. Some one said in a meeting that the go to AA for their drinking and also go to professionals for thier head. It made sence to me. I fought medication for the longest time not wanting to be called a cheeter,but the last time I had a breakdown and I was 6 months sober, I promised God and my self to go to any lenghths to help my mental condition. I take non-addicting medication because my shrink knows my history. I never have to feel like I'm going insain again. I now do not have to affect my love ones with my craziness. I could cry over the waisted years of me yelling and getting angry or running around like a chicken with my head cut off. And I no longer have to go into deep depression. I'm not an advocate of taking medication persay as I am against a non professional telling an AA member not to take medication because it's cheeting. As stated above talk to your doctor.
I feel that taking prescription is alright as long as they are not abused in anyway, shape or form. You - yourself know if this is true or not. I mean why hide it - you know the Librium is for your anxiety and the prescribed amount is what controls it. You know in your heart what is right. I have openly admitted to the fact that I must take synthroid medication for my thyroid and this is for the rest of my life. Now I know this is not the same as Librium but it is along the same lines - I fought with my doctor about taking this but it was the only way. I honestly hate taking medication at all - if I want to stay well and sane - it must be done. So you do what you know is right in your heart.
Jeannie
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You only live once; but if you work it right, once is enough. There is nothing better than the encouragement of a good friend.
From what I've heard and read and observed, most alcoholics have some other condition (or mulitiple conditions) that may need professional attention and possibly medication. A "typical" alcoholic also has issues with low self-esteem, insomnia, anger, guilt, depression, anxiety and more, or so said a California doctor who treated thousands of alcoholics. I know those problems are some of mine, and I also know two of my counselors seem to think if I see a psychiatrist, I will probably end up on some drug to help me with depression or anxiety. I do not want any drugs, but if that is what it takes to stay sober and live my life, I will accept the medicine and use it as prescribed.
I feel the reason alcoholics didn't take these drugs in the past is that the other conditions went untreated-alcoholism was the only disease which was addressed. People tend to drink when they get depressed, as well as when stressed or hurt or anxious (I needed to drink before seeing a doctor, and I even felt I needed booze to handle calling customer service reps!) If your problem with depression, anxiety or whatever is not addressed, I feel you won't succeed quitting alcohol, since your other problem is likely a trigger to drink.
I know some say NO drugs at all can be allowed...well, I feel that is not a healthy idea. Maybe some drugs are over-prescribed, maybe finding the right drug is difficult, but the truth is, some drugs make life liveable again if taken correctly. I know someone who needed a higher dose of an antidepressant before staying sober could happen for long. So if you do need a drug, I feel you should take it. If you aren't getting "high", I feel you are still sober, and it is NOT cheating! Whatever it takes, as they say...I envy people whose only problem is alcohol! Not to say that is easy, but other problems make quitting even harder.
Hey, you're doing fine...I'll feel good when I can say I've had two weeks of sobriety (though I have currently had more sober time than in nearly two years-a thought which scares me! How did this happen to me?) It's just one really cunning, deceptive disease! And you have to beat it any way you can! Good luck, and congratulations on how you've done so far.
Welcome to the board reinvented....there is a pamplet in AA that gives the programs stand on medication... you can pick one up at a meeting, if they don't have one, they could probably order one.
My stand is if you are taking perscribed meds., and you only take as perscribed, you are not abusing them. What I did in the past is not today...if I need it, I can do it the correct way...and that's good enough for me.
Keep coming here and posting. Congratulations on 25 months sober !
