Alcoholism Thread v. A sober life is a good life <3

[nath6023]

It's sad but great to see people at least admiting they have a problem. Thats half the battle. I'm not an alcoholic and drink just makes me feel shit. I love my weed and opiates. But whats disturbing to me is swapping alcohol for benzo's. I mean permenantly. From my adiction to xanax i had full blown seizures and a bad one when i was driving. Lucky i was reversing in a manual and pushed the cluth and gas pedal in. My dads a bad alcoholic. He's been with out drink for weeks, but like heroin, if he see's it he wants to drink, and then does so in extreme excess. Eg: 700ml op rum at the age of 56. He's also bi-polar and it makes the mania 10 times worse. It's sucks because every where you go there's specials and adds for alcohol. If heroin was on tv and at woolies, i'd still be using it, fuck who wouldn't. Plus it's legal to make a cunt of yourself on alcohol, so there isn't much help. I don't see alcohol as a drug but as a poison. We don't have alcohol receptors and i think it acts on the body rather then interact. But with support and love anything is possible. But don't go to benzo's as a substitue. Use them to help sleep for the 1st 3 days. Peace.

 

[Lolie]

It's sad but great to see people at least admiting they have a problem. Thats half the battle. I'm not an alcoholic and drink just makes me feel shit. I love my weed and opiates. But whats disturbing to me is swapping alcohol for benzo's. I mean permenantly. From my adiction to xanax i had full blown seizures and a bad one when i was driving. Lucky i was reversing in a manual and pushed the cluth and gas pedal in. My dads a bad alcoholic. He's been with out drink for weeks, but like heroin, if he see's it he wants to drink, and then does so in extreme excess. Eg: 700ml op rum at the age of 56. He's also bi-polar and it makes the mania 10 times worse. It's sucks because every where you go there's specials and adds for alcohol. If heroin was on tv and at woolies, i'd still be using it, fuck who wouldn't. Plus it's legal to make a cunt of yourself on alcohol, so there isn't much help. I don't see alcohol as a drug but as a poison. We don't have alcohol receptors and i think it acts on the body rather then interact. But with support and love anything is possible. But don't go to benzo's as a substitue. Use them to help sleep for the 1st 3 days. Peace.

I have bipolar disorder. It was getting that under control which led to me no longer abusing alcohol. Apparently it's pretty common for people with bipolar disorder to lose their desire to drink once their moods are stable, plus my meds alter my response to alcohol. I'm only sorry that my bipolar disorder wasn't diagnosed years ago. It would have saved myself and the people I care about a lot of grief.

 

[FreeThePod]

I'm taking a break from the sauce until November. I'm not even 21 and I always have atleast a couple beers a day, sometimes 8-15 at events etc. Maybe(hopefully) at the end of the month, I won't want to drink again. I'm also doing it to lose weight, as I've started jogging and lifting.

So just wanted to say whatsup with me and subscribe to this thread, it seems like it will be helpful! I do have limited benzos if I experience noticeable w/d but I don't think I'll be in bad shape. Wish me luck

 

[nath6023]

^ @Lolie, if you don't mind, can you let me know what meds you're on. Cause my dad has used citalopram with no luck. Cheers.
Sorry for going off topic.

 

[Dragynfyr]

well I was to the point I was drinking 750-1000mL of vodka a day, but I'm trying to stop

I tried seroquil yesterday and I didn't drink from 3pm till 9am today. That is a long time for me, and most of it I was comfortable. I think I'm going to try to use seroquil to quit. (I just need to find a dose that kills my symptoms without knocking me unconscious lol 100mg was pretty heavy, but 2 spaced out 100mg doses let me sleep for the first time in days and for a long time)

 

[fivelinefury]

^ @Lolie, if you don't mind, can you let me know what meds you're on. Cause my dad has used citalopram with no luck. Cheers.
Sorry for going off topic.

Hey mate, I got switched from 40mg citalopram to now 200mg sertraline at the moment. I stayed on citalopram for longer than I should have. (I'm diagnosed with Generelised Anxiety Disorder, Social Phobia, and Clinical Depression) all wrapped up together in a nice totally fucked up bow 8). (Am also very obsesive compulsive, but haven't been diagnosed). Anyways, I found for me that the citalopram would work for like 2 weeks after it evened out, then just did nothing for me. So far on sertraline (zoloft) I can tell the potential it is having and seems to be a better med than citalopram, although i'm still evening out on it though.

 

[Lolie]

^ @Lolie, if you don't mind, can you let me know what meds you're on. Cause my dad has used citalopram with no luck. Cheers.
Sorry for going off topic.

I'm on Epilim and Seroquel. When I was on the Epilim alone I didn't have much desire to drink, but since the Seroquel was added I have no desire for alcohol and the couple of times I opened a drink after starting Seroquel I'd have a sip and really not want it (doesn't make you sick or feel nasty).

SSRIs like Celexa and Zoloft can actually exacerbate bipolar disorder - they precipitate mania and mixed states in a significant number of people. Some psychiatrists won't prescribe them at all to bipolar patients and others won't prescribe them without also prescribing an anti-psychotic.

The first line treatment for bipolar disorder is mood stablisers, not antidepressants, so a medication review sounds like a good idea for your dad.

I tried seroquil yesterday and I didn't drink from 3pm till 9am today. That is a long time for me, and most of it I was comfortable. I think I'm going to try to use seroquil to quit. (I just need to find a dose that kills my symptoms without knocking me unconscious lol 100mg was pretty heavy, but 2 spaced out 100mg doses let me sleep for the first time in days and for a long time).

I'd try 25mg or 50mg during the day and 50mg to 100mg for your night-time dose. Seroquel's half life is 6 hours, so you'll need to take a lunchtime dose unless you get a script for the XR version.

The groggy feeling does pass after your body adjusts to your dosage, but returns for a while whenever you increase your dose.

 

[oliphill]

3 months clean off the booze

 

[Lolie]

3 months clean off the booze

Are you finding it easier or harder as time passes?

 

[nath6023]

Thanks mate. I'll grab some on my script. I've been on 500mg twice a day once a month. Dreaming rocks on it. I won't send him to a shrink, they'll lock him up. I don't use it more than once a month. I think bi-polar is worse than schizophrenia. At least i don't get angry and wanna kill people, well not all the time. Zoloft screws with ya big time.
Harald and Kumar movie: "you know (weed's) illegal. When you get stressed, just do what i do and snort zoloft" Don't do that.... it burns real bad. Like real real bad. Sorry for off topic guys. I'll leave you guys be. Thanks Lolie and fivelinefury. It helps big time.

 

[Lolie]

Thanks mate. I'll grab some on my script. I've been on 500mg twice a day once a month. Dreaming rocks on it. I won't send him to a shrink, they'll lock him up. I don't use it more than once a month. I think bi-polar is worse than schizophrenia. At least i don't get angry and wanna kill people, well not all the time. Zoloft screws with ya big time.
Harald and Kumar movie: "you know (weed's) illegal. When you get stressed, just do what i do and snort zoloft" Don't do that.... it burns real bad. Like real real bad. Sorry for off topic guys. I'll leave you guys be. Thanks Lolie and fivelinefury. It helps big time.

The vivid dreams get really disturbing for a lot of people. I used to wake up from them 3-4 times per night and you tend to remember them more than you do normal dreams.

The therapeutic dose of Seroquel for bipolar disorder is >200mg per day (I take 400mg per day). The higher the dose the higher the side effect profile - so doctors will often add another drug to potentiate the Seroquel rather than increase the Seroquel dose.

You should really have regular blood tests if you're on it for any length of time as it can cause significant metabolic changes like weight gain, type II diabetes, elevated cholesterol and triglycerides and elevated liver enzymes.

It's an odd drug because it acts as an antihistamine at low doses and acts totally differently at higher doses.

The maximum dose at which trials have been conducted is 800mg per day.

I think one reason doctors are reluctant to use Seroquel for drug abuse issues is because it can have quite serious side effects up to and including sudden death. Because the lifetime risk of completed suicide is 15% in people with bipolar disorder and above 10% in people with schizophrenia, the side effects are considered an acceptable risk when treating those disorders but not so much when treating other things.

 

[n3ophy7e]

3 months clean off the booze

Wow man that is awesome! Congrats
Keep it up!


Also, Lolie, I was going to PM you but it seems you've got PMs disabled, which is fine. But I just wanted to formally thank you for the excellent advice you've been giving, not only in this thread but other threads in TDS as well. You're only new to the site but in the short while you've been here every single post I've seen from you has been of great worth, and it has been noted by the moderators.

So thank you

 

[Lolie]

Wow man that is awesome! Congrats
Keep it up!


Also, Lolie, I was going to PM you but it seems you've got PMs disabled, which is fine. But I just wanted to formally thank you for the excellent advice you've been giving, not only in this thread but other threads in TDS as well. You're only new to the site but in the short while you've been here every single post I've seen from you has been of great worth, and it has been noted by the moderators.

So thank you

Aw shucks.

That's weird. I have it set to receive PMs from contacts and moderators and I added you when I got your friend request.

I'm not really trying to give people advice. I just think that we've all acquired information and experiences which might be useful to others and that sometimes we lose sight of that and think we have nothing valuable to offer because we're "abusers" or "addicts".

I'm all about getting people to contribute to the dialogue - every single person has some insight, experience, or perspective which will help someone else. There hasn't been a day since I joined when I haven't learned something new, so it looks like you're stuck with me now. :D

 

[n3ophy7e]

I'm all about getting people to contribute to the dialogue - every single person has some insight, experience, or perspective which will help someone else.

Couldn't agree more hun

There hasn't been a day since I joined when I haven't learned something new, so it looks like you're stuck with me now. :D

That is fine by me

 

[Lolie]

I finally cleaned my fish tank after putting it off for the last two weeks. Also cooked decent meals for myself yesterday and today.

It's been raining here since yesterday so I might spend the rest of the day curled up on the couch watching movies.

Those things are all so mundane, but 18 months ago it's unlikely I would have been doing any of them on football finals weekend.

 

[fivelinefury]

I'm on Epilim and Seroquel. When I was on the Epilim alone I didn't have much desire to drink, but since the Seroquel was added I have no desire for alcohol and the couple of times I opened a drink after starting Seroquel I'd have a sip and really not want it (doesn't make you sick or feel nasty).

SSRIs like Celexa and Zoloft can actually exacerbate bipolar disorder - they precipitate mania and mixed states in a significant number of people. Some psychiatrists won't prescribe them at all to bipolar patients and others won't prescribe them without also prescribing an anti-psychotic.

This sorta helps at the moment Lolie. I honestly can't see myself remaining on Zoloft and can't work out why my doc and psyc just throw different SSRIs at me (so far anyway). I still drink too much when on Zoloft, which makes it not work as well anyway, and still get some days of probably mild mania, if anything almost all of the time I get even more depressed than my usual depression.

One thing I've noticed is that I always used to dream almost everynight, then when I was on citalopram it killed dreams, and now that i'm on Zoloft i'm dreaming non stop probably more than ever every night.

3 months clean off the booze

Good on ya man, thats great

 

[voxmystic]

hi, guys. this is the only thread i've posted on in,like, 6 wks, b/c alcohol is my current weapon of choice to beat myself with. i think i'm ready to start stopping now. down to only beer. gotta taper kinda slow.....a couple weeks or so....or the sweats and shakes are unbearable. starting with my usual case a day (but w/o the scotch and tequila fortifiers), and reducing my dose by just 2 beers a day. takes a lot of will. my will is strong. i want my mind/health/sleep back. no benzos -- makes me a drooling idiot.

thanks and love to the mods and others on this thread. you are helping more than you can imagine.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Trufax. Wasted years and years on booze. Alcohol makes me dull. And then i get stuck in a standstill.. And then my life sucks, im just too drunk to care.. >.> Out of the crapton drugs i've done in the past years, booze is on the top of my shitlist -.-

 

[Orangutangpsychopa]

Huh-DamN! Now i started to booze again, my problem is pain. But if i eat good enough so nothing bothers. Now i have 1 bottle of white wine left but i won't intenteously harass any here. Cool place, so is JJ. How to stay as regular boozer for rest of years of life?? No kidding, in my place, food and alcohol does feel-good / can stand self.

 

[Jabberwocky]

The intention was to do uni assignments today and then the thought of having a drink entered my mind. I opted to eat first and see if anything changed, well it did I didn't feel like drinking yet the impulse dragged me to the store and off I went to my favourite lake with a notepad and pen, some beers and cigarettes. I started writing up some ideas based on a class competition I won at uni. Any how this part I didn't mind.

Then a friend called asking if I wanted to meet up for some beers, so off I go and visit him. Any how I leave him and go to the pub and put in $300, I win $1050 . Something to that amount within the first 4 minutes of being there. I then leave and question myself for even daringly done that. Yeah I won but i've had a gambling problem in the past. This always seems to happen, I save up some money and then something gets me to get reckless, to not grow up. This usally stems from booze though, the booze works as the fuse and the explosion is everything else that comes with it, drink driving, gambling my money, suffering from severe depression / anxiety, trying to regain my compuse to lifes daily activities.

I seem like a sob here but this problem has gone on for too long. I get better and then knock myself down. Surely we can all relate but when does this crap stop? Or are we missing something and maybe it doesn't need to?