Hello - am I in the right place?

[Ilex]

Hello - I'm new here and think I'm in the right place but not very sure! I have been tracking this community for a couple of days now, but have yet to get hold of / read the book - and am not sure about whether the drug taking thing is for me....

I drink nearly every day and am getting to the stage where I am admitting that it is becoming a problem - I think I have known deep down that it is getting to the 'better do something about it stage' for a while now. I go to the pub after work for 2 or 3 pints and then will maybe have half a bottle of wine (sometimes more) in the evenings. At the weekends or at special events I will drink more and sometimes seem to be incapable of stopping before becoming absolutely blattered. Looking back over the last 6 months I see that I have begun to stop doing things in the evening because it seems easier to go to the pub and 'chill' out. I still go to some things but sometimes I find it hard to make the effort and wonder if that's me not being bothered or if there's some more serious sort of addiction creeping in that I am not facing up to! Or maybe I'm not inspired by anything right now?

I just know there's so much more to life than this and want to at least moderate it before I fall even further down....

I am 33, function 'normally', have a good job and friends and family - although I don't really admit to any of them that I'm getting a bit concerned....

Do you think that this programme could help? Do you have to take the drug side of things too??

Look forward to your thoughts!

Ilex

[Laurav]

Hello - am I in the right place?

:welcome: Ilex!
I think you are in the right place!
Good for you for taking care of this early. I waited until I was 42.
I am taking the supplements only and listening to the CD's and by gosh I believe it is actually working.
I too have a hard time stopping once I get started.
I think this is a great program if you apply yourself. Believe it or not I went to a party last Saturday and once I got a major buzz going I noticed that I did not like the feeling. I was thinking to myself 'whats up with that?!'.
Could be the supps, could be the CD's..... Who knows but I am loving the change.

~Laura

[Ivygoodluck]

Hello - am I in the right place?

Ilex,

This is the right place for you. You are wise to nip this in the bud now. I've been where you are. Now I don't have any alcohol at home but am able to enjoy a few glasses of wine, no more than three, out to dinner. I attribute this largely to the work I've done around this site. I don't take the drugs but I do use the supplements. They really help and there are no side effects.

Here's my motto: If I don't buy it, I can't drink it. Simple as that. But it didn;t seem simple at all at first.
So stick around.

Welcome!

Ivy

[Helensback]

Hello - am I in the right place?

Hi Ilex

Yes - I think you have found a good spot to hang out.

I have been going without the meds, but use the supplements and CD's. It seems to be working for me so far, as long as I keep my eye on myself.

Welcome Ilex.

Helen

[Andy1111]

Hello - am I in the right place?

Sounds like you are in the right place, you need help like the rest of us. This is a great place. I'd recommend seeing a therapist, posting here, getting some kind of meds, supps and well, just keep learning more about alcoholism. Keep reading. The more you learn, the more control you will have and you will better understand your situation. You've taken a major step --- one of the hardest --- everyother step in this journey gets easier. Congrats and Good luck!

[Ilex]

Hello - am I in the right place?

Thanks guys - it's great to know that other people are out there too! In some ways I don't think I have a serious drink problem - in other ways I know it is beginning to effect the way I live, work and behave.

In some ways I feel like a bit of a fraud for being here - as I don't wake in the morning and drink; as I don't drink bottles of wine at a time; as I don't hide drink around the house.

Equally, I know that I am potentially on the edge of a precipice - that if I don't do something about it that I will end up having more of a problem then I do know.

I guess I'm asking if it's OK to join you at this early stage - do you think this is the right sort of environment for me to join? Are there other people out there that are hoping to 'nip it in the bud'so to speak?

Thanks
Ilex

[AMELIA]

Hello - am I in the right place?

Hey Ilex, hello and welcome:welcome:

Good on you for coming here, reading and posting!
I personally think the program works, but everyone's different - there are different courses for different horses (so to speak)

If you have been visiting and reading the posts for a while and like the feeling you get from the exchanges that you see here, then that is a good start.

I have read the book and did find it very inspirational, you may too. I am taking the supps, still on 25mg of Topamax and doing just fine. My first week was the most difficult, but since then I have become remarkably 'used' to not drinking. .
So far, for me anyway, the pro's of being AF and doing the program far outweigh and outshine the pro's of drinking myself into a stupor.

As you say there's so much more to life than losing ourselves in booze - for whatever the reason. If you think your drinking is becoming a problem for you, then that is what it is - a problem.
Keep on coming here and soak up as much support and info as you can.
Take care
Amelia

[AMELIA]

Hello - am I in the right place?

Hey Ilex, just read your second post. Like I said, if you are concerned about what, how much, why or when you are drinking alcohol (regardless of the amount), then this is a great place for you to be.

In fact, if you feel that your drinking is not so bad now but could get worse with time, then this is the perfect place for you to hang around , with people who were once in your shoes but let it go further.....

Lets put it this way, I am 3 years older than you and I would love to have been doing what I am doing now,.... 3 years ago.....

Welcome again

Amelia

[Ilex]

Hello - am I in the right place?

Thanks Amelia - you made me cry. ... in a good kind of way! In some ways it seems so unreal - talking like this in this kind of way. In some ways I feel so removed from some of you guys around here who obviously have sooooo much more to deal with than me ( and I don't mean this in a derogatory kind of way) - but equally I know there is just a snails breath between that and me....

Thank you for making me feel welcome and sharing so much already.....

Ix