Hi, I'm new here and I don't know what to do.

[newjoe]

Hi Every one. I?m new here and I don?t know where to start. I knew for a while now that I have to get a handle on this drinking but I don?t know what to do. Then I cranked up my computer at work this morning and the MWO website jumped out and landed on my lap. I?ve read a few testimonials and couldn?t wait to register so I could talk to you, all of you.
So hi. (well, now what?). I wasn?t always like this. Years ago I ran my own Tae Kwon Do school, I played a mean rock & roll guitar, life was good.
I think I started drinking years ago when I met this woman who wanted to have a baby so she could live on welfare and child support. I didn?t know this until she told me she was pregnant with my child. That?s when I discovered the numbing effects of alcohol. So, the years went on, drinking went on. I drank through the bad times and the good times and the any and every times. (Today I have a beautiful teen age daughter who is the absolute love of my life).
Now I?m blessed with my beautiful live-in/domestic partner/girlfriend. She is an angle. We have her teen age son 24/7. That can be trying at times. I have my daughter every other weekend. I miss her terribly between visits.
Now we have this mortgage like you hear about on the news. The interest rate went sky high, the value of the home went lower than dirt and when the next rate adjusts, in January, it?s going to be impossible to keep. No stress there.
So, I?m saying I could find more reasons to drink than you could shake a stick at. At night I feel like I?m going 100 mph inside my gut. So I drink to slow down. Some nights it takes more wine than others to slow down enough to sleep. If I don?t drink myself to sleep, I don?t sleep. I?ve read a lot of self help stuff (i.e Conversations With God, The Secret, etc) and they all sound wonderful but I?m still drinking myself to sleep, day after day.
I went to the Doc?s for sleeping pills and I?ve read the side effects and withdrawals, they sound far worse than a belly full of wine.
I know I can?t go on drinking myself to sleep like this, and I don?t see me NOT drinking either. I don?t know what to do.
I went to AA a few times, years ago, and I never NEEED a drink more than when I came out of those meetings.
So I found this web site (or this web site found me) and I feel a glimmer of hope. So, now what?
I?m sorry that I?ve rambled on so long. But that?s me.
PLEASE feel free to ramble back
Thank you very much?
Joe. :new:

[tawnyfrog]

Hi, I'm new here and I don't know what to do.

Joe - hello and :welcome:,

Phew! Bet that felt good! Most of us first came here in desperation, realising that something had to be done. We're all in the same boat. Circumstances may differ but we ALL reached a point where we admitted we had a major problem with alcohol.

Most of us started by reading the My Way Out book and taking it from there. There are many options you can take - whether it be total abstention or successful moderation - the program can be tweaked to help you find a workable solution.

We look forward to seeing you around. There are many wonderful people here from all parts of the globe.

[lushy]

Hi, I'm new here and I don't know what to do.

Welcome Joe!!! Sounds like you have a lot on your plate and a lot of stress. I hope by sticking around here you can find other ways of dealing with it all without turning to the drink. Our drinking brain seems to think drinking is a good short-term solution to dealing with lifes ups and downs but the rational brain knows better. I highly recommend taking the supplements as they really do help. Keep posting and reading.:welcome:

[rustop61]

Hi, I'm new here and I don't know what to do.

Hi Joe and :welcome:

Start with the book and read the boards. I have ordered the supplements and the cd's from the MWO site but am not taking topa. I have had AF spells since joining, tried moderation and failed so now I am trying to become AF again. There are great people around and great support, join in.

Rustop

[magic]

Hi, I'm new here and I don't know what to do.

Hi Joe!

Welcome, glad you're here!

Ah, sleep. The elusive sleep. I drank to sleep as well.

Your doctor can help you sleep with medications that arn't as harsh, I hear the CD's are good too.

I look forward to hearing more from you and that things are getting better.

magic xx

[newjoe]

Hi, I'm new here and I don't know what to do.

Thank you very much. As soon as ifigure out how to work this web site, I'll write bacck to you all.
thanks again.
Joe...

[Cashregister]

Hi, I'm new here and I don't know what to do.

Hey Joe,

You might find that sleepers (pills) in the short term, may give you a good rest so that you can catch up on the "sleep deficit" you would have built up by now. Sleep after alcohol is not good sleep, you don't reach the deep levels where your brain has a good rest - even if you have passed out!

Sleep is such an imprtant part of health - the side effects are usually for long-term user who get addicted - a few weeks woudln't hurt.

Lack of sleep causes immense stress, ask any parent! And you seem to be unable to cope with stressors in your life at the moment (most of them understandably) - but if you got some good sleep your mind may be able to work things through a little better - stop churning around all those issues together instead of dealing with them one by one.

I found the same problem with AA - made me fixate on not being able to have a drink and then inevitably felt that i was missing out and had one! This program and this support group are great because it/they show you how to work through the great things that can happen in you like if you can cut down or not drink - whatever you preference. There's no-one here telling you that you can't drink - they tell you how great their lives have become cause they have made a choice not to drink.

read the posts they are brilliant

Cheers and good luck

Hope to see ya round here

Cashy

[Beaches]

Hi, I'm new here and I don't know what to do.

Welcome Joe and I believe you found this site or it found you for a reason. You have a lot going on that keeps you up at night and finding another alternative to helping you sleeping sounds in order. Calmes forte, meditation CD's which I listen to when I am going to sleep really help. I get so calm and relaxed.
I wish you the very best. Stick around.

[southernbelle47]

Hi, I'm new here and I don't know what to do.

Hi Joe and welcome...
Keep reading and posting. It helps alot!
Nancy

[magic]

Hi, I'm new here and I don't know what to do.

Cashy,

You are so right about the sleep etc.

Well said! So true!

m. xx

[Waves 2]

Hi, I'm new here and I don't know what to do.

Hi Joe,

When I first came on here. I received the reply:

Read, read, read.

I was disappointed as I wanted a magic solution. But the advice was good.

I read the book. I began to take exercise and began to take the supplements.

My life has been turned around.

So my advice to you???

Read, read, read.

[OK50]

Hi, I'm new here and I don't know what to do.

Funny how the site found us

Same here. I had the idea that getting some motivational CDs to give me subliminal messages while I walked might be a start to stop thinking about when can I have a glass of wine or margarita all the time. All I did was GOOGLE - the phrase -CD alcohol- and next thing I know I landed in MWO.org site. I have read the book and got the CDs so step one. I think trying the supplements can't hurt. I plan to first try the CDs and supplements without the RX for Topamax and go from there. I found all the supplements including the ALL ONE Powder on Buy Discount Vitamins, Supplements, Low Carb and More at www.Vitacost.com great prices. Found the book on amazon.com $12

[retteacher]

Hi, I'm new here and I don't know what to do.

Joe: I came here in April wo/much hope. I have now figured out (after some ups & downs) that drinking is not something I can do. I can't stop once I start. I come here every day & post & read & mysteriously, my life is being transformed. Please keep coming. Mary

[idbiscuit]

Hi, I'm new here and I don't know what to do.

I understand what you are going through. I seem to be moving from wine to vodka. Tonight I did a bottle of wine and am amazed as it doesn't seem to have phased me other than my teeth feel a little numb. Ah comfortable numb. What am I hiding from?

[John35]

Hi, I'm new here and I don't know what to do.

Hi Joe, I'm new to this, but I too drank until I passed out. It's been two days for me AF. In those two days I've had a total of two hours sleep. From what everyone writes, it gets better. good luck, thanks for your story.