I drink to be happy

[Softy]

And guess what? Most of the time I am miserable / borderline depressed. I take anti depressants prescribed by a doctor and have serious sleep issues. Why am I not happy? BECAUSE ALCOHOL IS A DEPRESSANT!!! Why has it taken me 28 years to realize this? Anyone else had a penny drop today? It is amazing when you stumble on the blindingly obvious fact that this poison is the reason I am desperately unhappy most of the time. So I drink to be happy do I? Maybe I guess not.

[mylife]

I drink to be happy

Hi Softy, one of the things that most surprised me about not drinking was how happy I felt when I didn't have AL in my system. You are so right -- drinking and happiness do not work together.

[Softy]

I drink to be happy

Oddly it is Day Two I know I will not drink today and posting thread has made me happy! I am under no illusion though that the next seven days are going to be hell. But the pain will diminish and I will be left with a start on gaining control. The pain of the next seven will be bad but the benefit at the other side is huge. Once I do ten days AF in the past I have gone on to 90 days AF. So a bad seven days instead of another bad year. Seems like a good deal to me!

[dancingon]

I drink to be happy

Hi Softy
I think this is one of the hardest things to get your head around. Many of us know that alcohol is a depressant, but we still worry that if we give it up we will never be happy again. Alcohol depresses the need to worry or face your problems. Trouble is it creates more problems for us to avoid facing.

[Softy]

I drink to be happy

Those my friend

Are words of wisdom :thanks:

[mauritiusdodo]

I drink to be happy

I forget this too, it is amazing how easy it is to convince ourselves that al makes us happy!!

[rebirth]

I drink to be happy

Hi Softy,

I use to think alcohol made me happy and back then it did. But thats because I drank in moderation. When I drink now it's to escape, get bladdered. I feel much much worse the next day. That took me ages to find out too! Alcohol is very very addictive. x

[lil.michelle]

I drink to be happy

Ohhhh the penny dropped with me 4 years ago. funny thing is EVEN NOW it plays with my mind telling me i'll be happy if i drink!

[mollyka]

I drink to be happy

Just a quick one on this point. I was perusing old photos last night with a mind to organising them! I unearthed photos of lovely boozy days with friends barbequeing in the back garden. I found ones of a weekend in Edinburgh couple of years ago - I had a soft moment of regret - what fun, pub crawling, wine with dinner, laughing and being loud...........and fighting with my husband, and big fat face on me, and going to the Edinburgh dungeon at 10AM and being pissed, and not wanting to do the tourist bus tour with the kids cos I wanted to go for 'lunch'. My story was there in those pictures.......it was easy to look at the surface 'picture' not so easy to remember what went on in the background.
Molly

[Softy]

I drink to be happy

That pulls some strings

Tickets I had for gigs that I paid good money for still lie in my bedroom draw from last year because I was too hungover to go or I needed to drive and couldnt face a night without booze. Let me say goodbye to that. Also goodbye to tight trousers, double chin and man boobs!!!

[dancingon]

I drink to be happy

Yes, I have those moments of thinking about wine-tasting and BBQs with friends. But then I remember the day I blacked out at a friend's house, and the day I insisted on walking home at 1am aware that I couldn't walk in a straight line and every time a car went past I'd worry that someone might recognise me. And all the times I've been too pissed to pick up my kids, or haven't remembered watching a movie or having a conversation.

[neworleansgal]

I drink to be happy

Yes, the depressant part is what has become so clear to me. My moods swing enough without adding a depressant to the mix. And to think of all the nights and days I've wasted being upset and depressed. And feeling guilty about it.

So this was my first weekend, (I'm the weekend drinker) without and I feel wonderful. It is an amazing discovery.

[Softy]

I drink to be happy

Taking it easy

Have felt so low for the last three months I have had to double my dose of ADs. Going to see the doc about it tomorrow. Weirdly just four days off the sauce and I feel ten times better. Been an eye opener. I ruined Christmas for everyone due to what they thought was genuine depression. My guilty secret is it was alcohol causing the low mood. I owe them all a big favor and I can repay that by finding myself again. I used to be nice. Progressive alcoholism soon stopped that! Onwards and upwards and strength to you all.

[madmans]

I drink to be happy

Alcohol really does f##k everything up Softy glad to see you back every day you will feel better/ stronger

[Softy]

I drink to be happy

Every night

I have logged in here and read and read and posted and read some more . It has been a massive help the support is awesome and just to be able to talk to people who understand is massive