It helped me to understand the disease of Alcoholism and then get support from people who have a successful plan of action on how to live sober.
It sounds like you may have Alcoholism. What makes alcoholism different than heavy drinking is that alcoholism affects your body and your mind. Alcoholism is an allergy of the body and an obsession of the mind. It centers in your mind.
So when you say that, it’s your thinking …that’s alcoholism.
The feeling of being irritable, restless, and discontent.
It’s like when I’m sober, I feel like I’m crawling out of my skin. And so I drink to be comfortable, but the drinking and the drugging create a craving beyond my control and I cannot stop. If I stop for certain amount of time, the obsession of the mind takes over and it’s so unbearable I have to drink again, which starts the craving back up. It’s a vicious cycle!
The best way I have found to treat my own alcoholism is by first stopping the craving of the body by quitting drinking altogether, stopping completely.
Secondly by treating my mind (the obsession of the mind) so that I don’t think it’s a good idea to pick up again. It’s not enough for an alcoholic to just stop drinking , they must have a way to treat their thinking.
Alcoholism is not a disease. It is a bad sugar alcohol reaction people r having. People r allergic to alcohol and their body is craving more of it. Other people can drink alcohol and not have the reaction of their body craving more of it. Those people r not allergic to alcohol or sugar.
I do believe that many people may fall under your classification of “sugar addicts” or “alcohol allergies” but that is not Alcoholism.
I have Alcoholism. Even when not drinking, using or ingesting sugar of any type I still have Alcoholic thinking. I used Alcohol, drugs, yes even sugar to treat my Alcoholism. For people suffering from “Alcoholism” removing the substance without treating the thinking causes chronic relapse, switching addictions etc.
If quitting drinking was the solution then why do Alcoholics keep picking up? It’s because of their thinking.
That is why I talk about this so much, if people understood that it is a disease of mind and body - both- they would understand the solution required to change their life.
Im sorry I have to disagree. With the alcohol and sugar allergy there is also the carbohydrate allergy. All breads, pasta, rice, starch vegetables like potatoes, corn, peas, makes the body crave alcohol.
You are very wise!
I read this a while a go and I’ve been thinking about since because I’ve never wanted to believe I was an alcoholic. I’ve been able to stop before and even now, I don’t want to waste my money because I want to save to get out of a situation I don’t want to be in anymore, so I don’t drink but it’s on my mind and with out alcohol my anxiety, my thoughts are harder to handle.
What you said about the mind/thinking scares me. When I do laundry, as I’m setting the machine, the beeps of the machine (I’m sorry it sounds stupid but…) remind me of me getting ready to drink because that was something I did. I’d drink after my morning duties, then, if I had a load to wash, I get that done and then I’d reward myself w/a drink. I hate doing laundry now because every time I press those buttons I want to drink.
My anxiety is worse because I don’t drink and although I try every time, every day I choose not to drink I tell myself to feel good about it because it’s another day I don’t harm myself, but am I an alcoholic? I dont’ want to be.
Drinking actually makes the anxiety worse. It feels like it is better, but it is not.
I’m so happy you are managing to stop drinking! It is hard with triggers like yours, but little by little you can replace those feelings with reward feelings for not drinking.
This might seem stupid, but my reward feeling is whenever I wake up (especially on weekends) and I feel fresh and rested. I do not feel like shit. When I can go out for a coffee in the morning and my stomach feels good. That is my reward. So before I drink, I think about what comes next. It was hard before, but now I genuinely think ahead and decide not to drink. Sometimes I can still have something, no more than two beers for example, but I try to not exceed my limits.
I’m proyd of you. It is hard doing that. Keep up the good efforts!
Only you can diagnose yourself as an Alcoholic or not. If this resonates with you, as it has, then you may want to look into it. Untreated Alcoholism or white knuckling it is not a good feeling. It causes me to feel irritable, restless & discontent. Anxiety is a part of that.
No one wants to be an alcoholic, but it actually has been a blessing to me as it’s given me a simpler easier way to live life and deal with life on life’s terms.
I’m happy to help you. What do you want to do?
Karen
I really appreciate your support and sharing the things that helped you. Thank you for helping me out right now. You don’t know how much it means to me right now because I don’t have a support system out here and I sabotage my efforts so often as that’s kind of what I know how to do best.
I think since I’m kind of just starting on this sober journey, sometimes it feels like I can’t do it, but every day I don’t drink is a good feeling, especially at the end of the day and I think I should see it as a pretty big reward, because it really is. Doubts creep in the day, but I try to remember the last two times I gave in (after a while of not drinking) and it just derailed me for a long time and I know that alcohol makes depression worse too. I was productive for about 2 weeks and then I was down for over a month. I don’t move forward and I feel worse about myself afterwards. I’m so tired of treating myself that way you know.
It’s an ugly circle and I’m so done with that. I’m just so tired.
Little wins and rewards, I’ll take em because they do help me and I’m getting better at focusing on productive things when I feel anxiety in the day. I didn’t believe it, but breathing does help.
So many challenges and they’re in my mind, but those words, rewards, wins…those are positive and all I’ve ever heard were negatives and sadly I know that the ones I say to myself, I really believe and that’s what I have to change too.
Thanks again for your kindness and support.
sorry if this sounds corny, but this is my mantra now: one day at a time.
I am scared because I never wanted to not be able to have a drink and enjoy it like a normal person, but I’m wondering that maybe I just can’t be that. So many times I said to myself, don’t over drink and too many times I just couldn’t. I know that’s not a good sign.
This feels like a break up and when I remember my last one, I’m glad that guy was out of my life and right now, I kind of feel the same. I miss it so damn bad, but it’s so bad for me.
I’m going to look into it/research it, but I kind of want to take one thing at a time. I really like journaling - I only have 2 days of it, but I notice how I focus when I write and it helps when I feel anxious. I gotta replace the bad habits with the good and this is a good one.
I’m reading the blogs and I’m going to keep looking into it online. Thanks for writing and sharing your experiences - it was a splash of cold water to the face, but I needed it and I’m grateful.
Thank you for sharing soooo much! It is not corny, that is the way you should take things. One day at a time!
Happy to see that what I said has helped a little bit.
Looking forward to see your progress. You will make it!
I’m here for you. I applaud you for addressing this before you encounter negative consequences. I can give you some suggestions that work for me.
Thank you for your message and encouragement.
Last night, I decided to do a little reading about alcoholism and even found some online tests (AUDIT). I scored a 15 and it said it’s a high score (likely alcohol dependence). I’m a little shocked at how calm I was (am), but maybe it’s because I’m being honest with myself and I’m ready to fix this. I welcome any advice and tips that have helped you. Thank you.
You’re encouragement has helped a lot! Thank you!
I’m so happy i’ve been of help. Keep it up!
I’m so glad that your not only just trying, but giving it your best shot. Really proud of you. What you said about taking it one day at a time is right. I’ve been 5 months sober now and like you said it is about taking it one day at a time. Before i couldn’t watch a movie or even get through the day without a few drinks. The thoughts and cravings are still there, but it gets easier to say no with time. Stay strong. We’re there for you. You’ve already done the hard part.
5 months - Congratulations! It’s nice to see a great update. It’s wonderful! It gives me hope and strength. Two weeks tomorrow for me. I understand what you mean about not being able to watch certain things. I like to watch camping videos on youtube and lately I just can’t. I have to find ways to distract myself when those thoughts/cravings begin and I’m avoiding activities that are triggers. Mornings are tough for me, but just eating breakfast, for now, helps as it breaks my old habit of not eating so I could drink.
I really appreciate this message - I like reading that it does get easier with time. Thank you so much for your kind message and congratulations again.