Anger

[julie001]

Anger

Starlight,

Booze and anxiety feed off one another for me. On nights when I am AF, I never wake up in the middle of the night with heartpounding anxiety. I also take meds for depression/anxiety, but the best medicine is when I manage to avoid alcohol (especially drinking alone). When I drink alone, and when I wake up in the night after drinking alone, I am an anxious mess! I'm just starting to appreciate the after affects of AF nights. Hang in there. Try journaling on the days after you have an AF night so you can reflect on the good feelings you experience! Good luck!

Julie

[Mags]

Anger

Starlite,

Hang in there luv. Julie's last post sounds like I wrote it myself. I have terrible anxiety and depression - I come to find I have had it all my life but it got worse with age until I finally started self-medicating and became an alcoholic. I couldn't stop drinking because I couldn't deal with the anxiety without it - turns out that now I know that drinking actually became a terrible cause of my anxiety. I've been working very closely with a great shrink for two years and am learning to deal with the depression and anxiety (also the Prozac helps). Think about some counseling for the anxiety and maybe some meds for the depression.

I know you'll make it - anger is normal and I still have it all the time. You are determined -otherwise you wouldn't bother being angry - you would just say to hell with it - but you're not. Believe it or not, the anger may be a good sign of a sort. It means you're serious.

Hang with us - every day if need be. We are all failures and we are all successes - it just depends on which day you ask us. But we are all much better people for being here every day and continuing the struggle.

Take care. :l

[Guest]

Anger

Thanks mags,
Think it`s true that I can only just manage the anxiety if I booze nightly to calm me down-know I`m in vicious circle though, as booze exacerbates the anxiety the morning after.

Tried to tell my mother during chat on phone that drink has become a problem for me, and that I NEED it, but she came over all dictatorial and authoritarian, and didn`t even give me the chance to tell her that I am dependent on alcohol.

Only people I have told are you all at MWO, because I know we have a shared problem and that not one of you will judge me, or make me feel ashamed. Why does society still make alcoholics feel ashamed?

Only here, on this site, among people who TRULY understand and identify with me and my `problem`, do I not feel ashamed. Sad.........

Starlight Impress

[cke123]

Anger

I agree, Starlight. People always judge the alchys. I think thats what makes it so hard for me to remain AF when I am out. It's feels easier to drink then admit the problem....

[evergreen]

Anger

Hi Starlight,
I can relate to the anger!! I got annoyed with my family tonight over a series of issues - Mother's Day and all that. I am not high maintenance but I am also not no maintenance!! It got to be 8:30 and no dinner because I had to pick up my mom at the train station and I left them in charge of dinner when we got back . . . . long story. I broke my AF goal and opened a bottle of wine at dinner. . . just so annoyed. The mood shift changed before my first sip. We ended up having a fun, boisterous dinner and I have left a bottle half full downstairs, a new (or rather not recent) experience. My question is the alcohol a symptom of the anger or the anger a symptom of the alcohol. I have spent my whole life NOT expressing my anger! I did tell one of my daughters why I was annoyed before dinner tonight. Okay . . . I will get off the couch. Thank you all for listening. Thank you Starlight for sharing this thread.

[Jacy]

Anger

I have problems with anxiety as well and I honestly believe after drinking to much it is worse. I have a lot of anger inside to and it seems to have accumulated and got worse over the years. That has a lot to do with why I drink so I don't have to feel as much of it because I am mellowed.

If I don't have anger issues with my family it is with my job there is no happy medium. Now that I recognize what angers me about the situations I try to work them out it doesn't always work.

Starlight if you ever want to talk about something that is making you angry let me know.