Is this strange or am I getting old?

[Jabberwocky]

About 8 days ago I had a big drinking session with an old friend until the wee hours of the morning and we had some coke as well throughout the night.

Now I normally drink every day, which means I smoke cigarettes every day however if I don't drink I don't smoke. Usually will have 20 cigarettes during my drinking session,.

I am an alcoholic and usually need about 12 beers minimum to satisfy my daily requirement to keep me stable and not get bad withdrawals. As of recent it was getting worse as I'd need cocaine as well otherwise drinking just felt pointless or not as fun. I found this to be odd as I only picked up the habit for a month and a bit. The drug itself reminded me of my old meth days. Drinking just got boring without it. Again this is strange as I went for 6 years sober without drugs until I started dabbling in coke around November.

So this now brings me to today. The day after that binge I woke up with gastro and haven't craved alcohol or wanted to smoke since. Usually I wouldn't care if I am sick etc I would still drink. However being now 33 I am trying to stay away from it. Have been an alcoholic for a good 10 years. I just find it interesting that my cravings are weak at the moment for substance. It comes passing through my mind to do it this weekend etc but then I go no as I couldn't be bothered dealing with the damage. i.e. financial burden etc..

So any opinions?

 

[tired of crap]

As a previous smoker, fellow +30 yo and alcoholic for 10+ years, I say run with it.

Count the gastro as a blessing and use it as a jumping point to whatever sort of reduction of use/change of behaviour you see fit.

 

[herbavore]

I say run with it.

Count the gastro as a blessing and use it as a jumping point to whatever sort of reduction of use/change of behaviour you see fit.

I agree! Sometimes the brain directs the body and sometimes the body says, "forget it! I'm in control for now cause that ain't working."

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Probably time to quit drinking. My BF has an equally bad problem.

Have you wanted to quit drinking before?

I think highly of you and hope you work out things so you feel well in the end

 

[Jabberwocky]

And I've begun drinking again

 

[tired of crap]

My advice would be not to beat yourself up over it. Whether you choose to keep drinking or to quit, berating yourself to no end is not helpful.
Recovery is a war, not a single battle. And it is taking me on a journey much longer than I had anticipated.
Though it doesnt seem that odd, given the amount of time I spent drinking.

Can I ask what brought you to drink again this time though?

 

[Jabberwocky]

And I've begun drinking again

The first thing to do might be to explore what you want to do with the drinking. Quit completely? Moderate use? Switch to something less harmful? There are ways to systematically explore each of these options. Once you figure out what you really want you can throw yourself into it completely and go from there. The invitation is to explore your options.

Have you ever tried any kind of treatment? Like working with some kind of professional on it?

There are lots of things that can help. Getting screened for depression/anxiety/psych stuff is a good idea, as mental health stuff underlies a lot of what people experience with use disorders. Likewise with alcohol use disorder treatment specific stuff, two meds worth investigating are naltrexone and baclofen.

A lot of people benefit from group support too, both professional and non-professional. It's worth checking out, but if you don't feel comfortable it might be easier to start with meds/doctors. Don't expect a cure from the medical stuff, but it can really help support the personal growth parts of recovery.

My advice would be not to beat yourself up over it. Whether you choose to keep drinking or to quit, berating yourself to no end is not helpful.
Recovery is a war, not a single battle. And it is taking me on a journey much longer than I had anticipated.
Though it doesnt seem that odd, given the amount of time I spent drinking.

Can I ask what brought you to drink again this time though?

This is why I love you toc