im new here

[looking to change]

:new: I hope this can help me. I have been drinking beyond what I would consider normal for 14 years and have tried to quit on my own and occasional AA meetings. I drink alone mostly. and have felt more and more depressed and isolated, even though I have those who love me. I give in to the 3oclock daily craving too regularly. I appear to function well and have a great job and respect but it is exhauting hard work to maintain that appearance when i feel so lousy. I am very honest with people that I struggle with this but still dishonest about how much or how often. I do hide it well...at least I think so...I think most likely I am fooling myself. I am still a young woman, and can be a really great positve happy person, I fear that can slip away and I keep thinking tomorrow or maybe Monday I will change, but many Mondays have come and gone. I am looking to change.

[redrobin]

im new here

Hello there and welcome,

I'm having a 'lunch time browse' at the site - my new addiction - so felt I should just pop on to say, as another newcomer, this program has helped me more than I can say. And its been pretty easy so far too!! I'm doing the program pretty well as prescribed in the book, the topa, supplements, hypnotherapy CDs, and I'm not drinking, not wanting to drink, not really thinking about drinking..... And three weeks ago it was a bottle of wine each night!!

So you've come to the right place. Take all the good advice you'll be offered and dive on in. It works. Good luck!!

[sami]

im new here

welcome, new here! you've come to the right place! I know what you mean about how exhausting it is to try to hide both the frequency and the amount that you're drinking! I used to put bottles inside sacks (inside sacks) because I didn't want my husband or my neighbors possibly knowing how much I was drinking. And cocktail hour kept getting earlier and earlier. My struggles with drinking have improved so much since finding this site, and it has been wonderful to dedicate some of that energy to my family and my job rather than to simply blacking out at night and then still trying to perform at a high level job the next day!
Have you read Roberta Jewell's book? If not, you might consider it. It really helped me and a lot of others here. The entire program she outlines, including the supplements and hypnotherapy, has literally changed my life.
Stick around.....You've come to the right place!

[AAthlete]

im new here

Looking To Change, glad to have you here and :welcome: !

Lot's of good people with good information that have been through the same types of issues (your situation sounds earily similar to mine). As the others have mentioned, read the book, get the supplements, and if possible see your doctor.

You can do this, and there's no better time to start than the present!

[satori]

im new here

Hi LTC,

That is one of the best bits about changing, it is such a relief not having to put in all that effort at deceiving all the folks around you.

I feel almost like I got a new life.

It is still early days for me and still a struggle - but I feel SO much better - and it is getting a little easier day by day.

Welcome - you have come to the right place - the foks on here are amazing.

Take care of yourself - keep strong - it really is worth the effort.

Satori

XXX

[changing]

im new here

Hi Looking to change. Welcome. :welcome: It is interesting you use the word looking to change. Change is a big word for me too. I came to a point where I just had to change the way I was living my life, not too disimilar to what you describe. Like you I have a good job, respect, family and much more but I hated my drinking habit and the secrecy of it all and for years it was the same and then I changed...or something in me changed. Alcohol was controlling me rather than me feeling any control over my own life and like you I felt lousy most of the time and yet functioning and so called coping and yet hiding. I am alcohol free for a couple of months now and feeling much better about life.

Change is a tough road but if you stay around in here you will meet many likeminded people. You have taken the first step and that is the hardest. It is possible to change and so many people here including myself are a witness to that fact.

Take it easy..and we are with you all the way both on the good days and the difficult ones....Good luck.