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    Alcohol is not my only problem.....

    :new:
    Hi everyone. I just joined yesterday after spending days reading all your posts and just getting familiar with the site. First off, I want to say what an incredible bunch of people you are! The compassion, caring and genuine concern for others on MWO have truely touched my heart.
    I am not in a real bad place right now, well mentally anyway. I have been a lot worse in my past. So why now? Why is it now I am choosing to talk to you all and ask for help and advise? I am ready to make a change! Not for my son directly, but for me....because I know it will help me to become a better person and in turn a better mom.
    I am 40 years old. I have always been a party, happy go lucky girl! Life of the party so they say. In my teens, drinking since I was 14, bars in my early 20's....never to any extreme, but it always made me feel more confident and better about myself. I never thought I would become addicted. Alcohol was the least of my worries back then. I was hospitalized at 25 with an eating disorder and spent 6 months in a hospital. I threw up my bday cake at 16 and it all started from there. I was never over weight....always worked out and was in great shape actually. Just never happy with my appearance and low self esteem. I was only 78 lbs when finally admitted, taking diuretics (which I stold from my mother), over 100 laxatives a day (which I stold from the drug store and work many times), starving my self and purged anything I ate. I eventually got to the point where I was passing out in public and at work and could literally no longer keep anything in my stomache from the damage I had done from purging. The doctors in emerg told me I could die because I was so dehydrated and my electrolites were so bad. That didn't stop me though.........it didn't stop me because I was sick and had an addiction. Yes, I believe and eating disorder is also an addiction. I was addicted to food, whether it be not eating it or throwing it up........its all I thought about. Funny... in retrospect looking back, I did allow myself some drinks now and then and never once thought of the calories! Always thought alcohol was fat free!? When I was finally allowed to leave the hospital some nights during my recovery, we always went to a bar and got hammered. Now picture this...a couple of skinny (still a little evident we came from down the road from "that hospital") chicks out drinking our faces off but absolutely petrified to stand on the "way in scale" the next morning after the breakfast we just consumed?! During my recovery my doctor did express concern that i had a very addictive and compulsive personality and he was concerned that I could begin to abuse alcohol. I remember thinking for the first time that this guy did not know what he was talking about and even laughed about it with my friends. Me? No I had an eating disorder!!!!
    Well here I am.....15 years later and addicted to wine! I said earlier that I am not in a bad place. I say this, not because i do not accept the severety of my problem....I say this because over the last few years I have been so much worse off. Like many of you, I too have felt alone, helpless, depressed and suicidal. I swallowed 50 tylenol 3's when my son was only 6 weeks old. I now realize that my son is my trigger, both good and bad. I wasn't sure I wanted kids back then because of my complete fear of getting fat when I got pregnant. But then I met a man with kids and fell completely in love. Long story....lets just say it didn't work out..........AT ALL!!!!! He left me when I was only 4 months pregnant and at the time I thought about ending my life. I have never been so scared. This was not where I was suppose to be in my life?! Thankfully I did not end my life and I now have a beautiful healthy son who is my life and my world. His father has no part in his life and i have raised him on my own since. He keeps me going every day. The reason I say he is my trigger is because he can bring out the best and worst in me. I want so bad to be a good mom that when I feel I fail him, I only punish myself.
    I could go on for hours about everything, but what I want you all to know...and the bottom line is.....I am afraid to stop drinking. Not afraid of the withdrawl, not afraid of the hard road ahead....I have done this once and can do it again. I am afraid because for me it is a vicious cycle!! I have tried to stop before. What do I do? I eat!! But then I can't just eat....I will eat too much, feel like a failure and then throw it up! Then the withdrawl and anxiety kicks in...........i will eat again and the cycle begins. For me its not just trying to beat an alcoholic addiction........its a tremendous fear I have of just replacing one with another! Does anyone else feel this way! Would love any advise/comments/feedback any of you may have. Oh by the way.........same with smoking! Whats with that?! Try to cut back on drinking, start smoking after quiting 6 years! Now I am almost full blown nicotine addict again too! Endless cycle! You must be thinking this girl is in denial...."not in a bad place my _ _ _" lol! I said I am not in a bad place because I have read so many of the posts and know how some of you feel. I have been so low before that I thought I would never get out. I don't feel helpless right now....even though i need help. I drink almost a magnum of wine a night. I know I can't stop drinking on my own. But I don't feel alone after reading all the posts on this site. I think you are all amazing individuals and I would feel honoured to hear from any of you. This is my first step

    #2
    Alcohol is not my only problem.....

    ::welcome:Hi Buffy,
    Most important fact is that you are reaching out for help. Your story, like so many others, are sad, but not hopeless. Are you on medication for the compulsive aspects of your behaviour? A magnum of wine per night is a lot - you might need professional help to withdraw.
    How old is your son? When he gets old enough he will really resent you drinking that much.
    Keep posting and let us know how you are getting on.:l
    make the least of the worst, and the most of the best - everyday.

    Comment


      #3
      Alcohol is not my only problem.....

      :welcome: Buffy,
      You've made a huge step today by reaching out for help.
      Believe me when I say we have all walked in your shoes at one time or another. It's so important that you deal with your problem now before it gets totally out of hand. I missed out on so much of my kids teenage years and for some reason that I had no hand in, they have both become lovely young adults.
      As jessie says a magnum of wine is a lot and you may need some professional help to withdraw.
      Keep reading,keep posting and please let us know how you get along.
      J x
      :l
      It could be worse, I could be filing.
      AF since 7/7/2009

      Comment


        #4
        Alcohol is not my only problem.....

        Hi Buffy you're so welcome.
        After reading your post, and there is a lot of worry and pain in there, I reckon one of the problems may be that like me you have an addictive personality. I too had an eating disorder (not as severe as you) but battled it and sort of won. I still (40 years later) have to fight myself about getting on scales. Anyway, the good news for me was that despite eating a lot more after cutting out the booze I lost loads of weight with no effort, all those empty AL calories GONE!
        I don't know how much a magnum is but it sounds like a lot judging by JC and Jessies reaction so definitely do as they say and think about pro help with withdrawal, but when you have cut it out all those round and round in circles feelings just seem to straighten themselves out. It is SO worth it, I sound like an evangelist, but really give it a go and before you know it life just gets easier. There are heaps of people here to listen to and give advice, use this site, everyone here has and does and best of luck
        Molly:welcome:
        Contentedly sober since 27/12/2011
        contentedly NF since 8/04/14

        Comment


          #5
          Alcohol is not my only problem.....

          Some great insights Buffy!

          When I stopped trying to see the alcohol and drugs as being the problem I was able to start dealing with the underlying issues that lead me to start using substances in the first place as a way of escaping the feelings caused by low self esteem, low self worth, lack of confidence etc. It was only then that I started to recover with the help of some amazing counselors in an addiction treatment center.

          It was here that I met people who also had problems with food, gambling, sex, prescribed medication (painkillers) etc. and my insight into my own addiction became less rationalised within the confines of my own thinking about it. It really opened me up to the realness of MY addiction and MY behaviours that lead me down the rocky path of using ALL kinds of substances.

          Thanks for taking the time to share your story. I hope you'll stick around and post more of your insights. It was good to really identify with you over a lot of what you wrote (even though our stories are completely different!)

          Love and Light
          Phil
          xx
          "Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children." Kahlil Gibran
          Clean and sober 25th January 2009

          Comment


            #6
            Alcohol is not my only problem.....

            Welcome, Buffy! Reading your story, I could feel your pain and anxiety. I am so glad you wrote it. We are all here to help you and one another! I could really relate to many of the things you said. I was the life of the party and now I feel as if no one wants to be around me, and that's ok, because in here, I have made so many wonderful friends that I don't have to get drunk and funny to be around. I've spent my life trying to please others, and now at 48 years old, I am trying to figure out who am I? With your health situation, I would highly recommend you order the 6 week starter package available in the health store on this site. Please keep in touch with us. Read as many posts as you can and write down your feelings everyday. You will make lots of friends who will help you through your journey. Hippie37 wrote a beautiful posts called "attitudes and feelings". Read that one. Come and visit us in the chat room if you are having a crisis or post your feelings. We are all here to help you. Love ya, Vicki
            I'm not what I should be, I'm not what I could be. I'm definetly not who I want to be,
            but I'm sure not who I used to be!

            There is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still.

            "I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME." Phil 4:13

            Comment


              #7
              Alcohol is not my only problem.....

              Buffy...
              you're story is WAY worse than mine and you are MY hero!!!
              Hang in there hunny
              I love my family more than alcohol.:h
              Live in the Solution....not the problem

              Comment


                #8
                Alcohol is not my only problem.....

                JackieClaire;819714 wrote: :welcome: Buffy,
                You've made a huge step today by reaching out for help.
                Believe me when I say we have all walked in your shoes at one time or another. It's so important that you deal with your problem now before it gets totally out of hand. I missed out on so much of my kids teenage years and for some reason that I had no hand in, they have both become lovely young adults.
                As jessie says a magnum of wine is a lot and you may need some professional help to withdraw.
                Keep reading,keep posting and please let us know how you get along.
                J x
                :l
                Hi. Thank you so much to all of you for your replies and support. I feel very blessed and encouraged right now!
                I am at work right now so unfortunately can not write much, but I will check in later from home. I am going to use every resource available to me to get me through this. I tried to get the book last weekend but it was not in the book store. Can we only get it on line? Also, has anyone ever tried Revia? I do have a scrip for that. I agree with you all that I am going to need a prescription to help me with withdrawl. Last time I quit drinking for 3 days I could not sleep at all! I am also going to order from the Health store....just not sure what package to get yet......think i should order that biggest, and badest one they have! Vicki suggested the starter kit. But should I get the CD's too? I think I will need to use something for anxiety too. I read about one of the herbs helping with this. Will that be enough? May need to get a scrip for this too? Talk soon friends and thanks so much again. I hope you are all having a bright af happy day!
                I wasn't quite sure how to reply to you all at once.......hope this worked

                Comment


                  #9
                  Alcohol is not my only problem.....

                  I ordered the hard copy of the book here, the starter kits of supps and the CD's. A week later I ordered Topamax and it took three weeks to get here. Just started Monday
                  I also have been taking effexor for depression and klonopin for anxiety but aonly as needed. Since I taje the kudzu and L glut I only take the klonopin at bedtime now. I do not take the calms forte since I have klonopin....
                  jeez....I sound like a medicine cabinet!!!!
                  I love my family more than alcohol.:h
                  Live in the Solution....not the problem

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Alcohol is not my only problem.....

                    Oh yeah...and I went a bought a beautiful Vera Bradley bag to haul all my stuff in!!!
                    I love my family more than alcohol.:h
                    Live in the Solution....not the problem

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Alcohol is not my only problem.....

                      I can hear you rattling over the pond,mama.
                      Buffy,
                      I ordered my copy of the book from Amazon and luckily for me only needed the L-glut to take the edge of my cravings. I got that from a health food store.
                      J x
                      :l
                      It could be worse, I could be filing.
                      AF since 7/7/2009

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Alcohol is not my only problem.....

                        Buffy the Boooze Slayer!!!!:H:H:H:H
                        I love my family more than alcohol.:h
                        Live in the Solution....not the problem

                        Comment

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