I'm a 17 yr old male soon to be 18 in a month and I need tips to stop a habbit that's not benefiting my life and is clearly an escape mechanism from the stresses of life. The first time I got drunk was in year 8 and it was fun but I didn't 'need' to drink at social activities and as I was so young I wasn't interested in doing it often and I didn't at all until I rediscovered it in year 10 when I drank beer and loved it, since those first 3 beers in year 10 I'd constantly try and get beer when I was around 18 year Olds, but since I only knew two 18 yr Olds in year 10 it was hard to get drinks so I only drank once or twice a month usually having an odd beer or two when they were at home or a friend's house. Anyway skip forward to year 12 at the present moment. Whenever I go to meet friends now it must always involve alcohol or I'm usually not bothered to go out and just stay at home, this has been going on for a year now. All of my friends are kinda like me and drink almost every weekend alone or with people. Within the past month I've noticed a change in my drinking tolerance, before when I drank a six pack I was blind drunk but now I don't get beer because it doesn't get me drunk and I've turned to spirits, since I've turned to spirits I've noticed that my memory of the nights out is almost always very vague and I only remember some parts of the night, I hate my bad memory when I drink because I'm not used to it and it concerns me. Anyway so I've noticed that every weekend on a Friday arvo I can't sit at home and relax without having alcohol which I think is a problem. I've tried to stay sobour all weekend for the past month but every weekend I end up calling and texting people to go out and get drunk. I've got to the point where my nights are absolutely shit if I'm not drinking. I want to be sobour and have fun while completely I sobour only drinking a few times a year but I'm finding it hard. If you stop drinking do you start having fun again while sobour? And how long does it take until you don't have the desire to drink at all. Please give me tips on how to stay sobour. (I do have experience in quitting various substances I was majorly addicted to successfully, they were weed and nicotine. And yes I was psychologically addicted to weed, it happens). Thankyou everyone for reading this.
I'm addicted to drinking every weekend
- Thread starter matty1999
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aihfl
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Hi Matty, I am currently 43. I started binge drinking at 17 and became severely alcoholic around age 32 and remained so for about 10 years. I also abused prescription opiates and benzos (basically any kind of downer). I was detoxed off opiates in 2014 and it's been relatively easy to stay off them. Alcohol was the addiction I couldn't shake. It's hard as a MF not to drink. It takes effort to procure drugs. I had to make an appointment with a bogus doctor, go to the appointment, then have the prescription filled. Getting alcohol is as easy as walking to the nearest convenience store. Here's what worked for me:
1. Get a hobby. Find something to do with the time you would have otherwise spent drunk. Stop associating with drinking buddies or going to places you used to get drunk. There's a reason they say people, places and things. You're going to have to devote some effort to structuring your time in the first few months, then you will eventually fall into a healthy routine.
2. Take charge of your mental health. You mention it's an escape from stress. You don't have to live in a constant state of anxiety. Seek the help of a psychiatrist to get your anxiety under control. Some people manage to kick alcohol without a psychiatrist's help, but it was impossible for me. Seek therapy or some sort of outlet where you can talk about things that are bothering you. 12 step meetings are a good place to start.
3. Don't dwell on time. After a few months, being sober will just become the natural order of things and time will fly by if you're not constantly thinking about it.
I'd write more, but I've got to run. Good luck to you. Kicking alcohol is a bitch but it's good that you're doing it at your age. Withdrawal from alcohol beyond 40 is heinous.
1. Get a hobby. Find something to do with the time you would have otherwise spent drunk. Stop associating with drinking buddies or going to places you used to get drunk. There's a reason they say people, places and things. You're going to have to devote some effort to structuring your time in the first few months, then you will eventually fall into a healthy routine.
2. Take charge of your mental health. You mention it's an escape from stress. You don't have to live in a constant state of anxiety. Seek the help of a psychiatrist to get your anxiety under control. Some people manage to kick alcohol without a psychiatrist's help, but it was impossible for me. Seek therapy or some sort of outlet where you can talk about things that are bothering you. 12 step meetings are a good place to start.
3. Don't dwell on time. After a few months, being sober will just become the natural order of things and time will fly by if you're not constantly thinking about it.
I'd write more, but I've got to run. Good luck to you. Kicking alcohol is a bitch but it's good that you're doing it at your age. Withdrawal from alcohol beyond 40 is heinous.
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tired of crap
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I can relate. I started drinking on weekends to escape the toxic relationship I was in. Then it was once or twice during the week.. then on average 4 times a week. This continued for about 5 years, with brief intermissions of a month or 6 weeks here or there. It was never a physical thing as far as I could tell, just psychological. And Im still in the process of recovery - every now and then something stressful will happen and ill drink, maybe once, maybe 4 times a week. But im usually off the sauce these days.
My advice is to find a hobby to keep you occupied. What sorts of things to you enjoy?
Furthermore Id suggest developing a healthful routine. Start small, if youre horribly out of shape like I was (i wasnt that bad but 10 years of no exercise and it isnt easy to get back into like when youre young) - i started going for brisk walks, then small interval runs, then longer jogs. You grt the idea. Eventually i also incorporated strength exercises. Again Id suggest starting small.
Personally I also recommend incorporating yoga, meditation and diary. I find they helped me learn to control my thoughts (and cravings), esp during high stress times and they helped me to better understand my emotions, while the diary helped to get the thoughts out, so they werent lingering.
As far as enjoying life goes sober, I found once my attitude towards drinking changed (even if I still drank occasionally) my attitude towards life improved.
Personally I dont like to count days or weeks because then I grt discouraged if I do slip. Which leads to "oh forget it, im a drunk might as well keep drinking." I like to judge my progress by my (objective judgement haha) of my mental and physicsl health - if i feel good overall and I havent drank in a while Im loving life. But everyones goals are different. Suppose what Im getting at is even if you do slip, recognize it, try to understand the circumstances leading you to do so, learn from it and move on. No need to berate yourself.
I think thats plenty of rambling for now.
Best of luck
Keep us posted (i find it useful just to vent be it here or in a journal)
TOC
My advice is to find a hobby to keep you occupied. What sorts of things to you enjoy?
Furthermore Id suggest developing a healthful routine. Start small, if youre horribly out of shape like I was (i wasnt that bad but 10 years of no exercise and it isnt easy to get back into like when youre young) - i started going for brisk walks, then small interval runs, then longer jogs. You grt the idea. Eventually i also incorporated strength exercises. Again Id suggest starting small.
Personally I also recommend incorporating yoga, meditation and diary. I find they helped me learn to control my thoughts (and cravings), esp during high stress times and they helped me to better understand my emotions, while the diary helped to get the thoughts out, so they werent lingering.
As far as enjoying life goes sober, I found once my attitude towards drinking changed (even if I still drank occasionally) my attitude towards life improved.
Personally I dont like to count days or weeks because then I grt discouraged if I do slip. Which leads to "oh forget it, im a drunk might as well keep drinking." I like to judge my progress by my (objective judgement haha) of my mental and physicsl health - if i feel good overall and I havent drank in a while Im loving life. But everyones goals are different. Suppose what Im getting at is even if you do slip, recognize it, try to understand the circumstances leading you to do so, learn from it and move on. No need to berate yourself.
I think thats plenty of rambling for now.
Best of luck
Keep us posted (i find it useful just to vent be it here or in a journal)
TOC