Surviving Alcoholism

Have you survived alcoholism? What was the experience like? How long did it take,have you completely given up alcohol? If you were not alcoholic, perhaps you know someone who has gone through it. How did the person overcome alcohol addiction?
I have an alcoholic uncle. He and his family is trying to quit alcohol, but in vain. He is able to quit only for a short time.

 

I recently quit alcohol though I was not an addict. I should say that I was a compulsive drinker. The best strategy to quit alcohol is to come out of every drinking episode with a stronger resolve to quit. As a preliminary step, he should identify the triggers that make him drink. Is it socialization or an innate craving? Is it the adrenaline rush? I finally quit after concentrating on the negative aspects of my drinking habit. That is, the difference between a quitter and a problem drinker is that the former is a pessimistic drinker and the latter an optimistic drinker.

 

My father and my uncle were alcoholic. They eventually withdrew the habit due to health issues. It depends of the person though, some people can deal with themselves like my pa and uncle, some other need support because hey use alcoholism as a way of catharsis to cope with other issues like depression or marital problems or whatever.

 

My boyfriend actually survived alcoholism. He used to drink so much he would fall asleep in strange places. He wasn't always the nicest and he acted foolish. It might not be the right way to go about it, but years of complaining helped. I wouldn't stand down when he would get loud and mean. He eventually stopped drinking almost entirely. He will pick one up on a holiday, but he never gets drunk enough to act a fool. I'm so thankful.

 

I was a flat out drunk from 1982-1999. Quitting was an experience I wouldn't want to go through again. But being sober for years is a wonderful thing. I quit smoking the same year. A double whammy. I had insane cravings for Norwegian sardines. I was gulping them down at a horrific rate. I ballooned up to 278 pounds. (Normal was 216) But I kicked both addictions and spent 6 months losing weight. I'm down to 200 pounds now. I have some health issues but in general I am doing fine. I am so glad I got those monkeys off of my back. I had to do it cold turkey. No help except from spiritual guidance and prayer. That helps a lot. Sometimes you have to be kissing the pavement before you admit you need to quit or get help. I was at that point. Praise the Lord for helping me through it all. Being sober and in control is a wonderful thing. And I don't smoke anymore. I don't smoke.......

 

You are still a drunk and smoker! those addictions you will take to your grave!
The best you can be is in remission and that can fail anytime!
You don't think decades of hard work smoking and drinking can be dismissed that easy do you??

 

Yes I do. I have no cravings for alcohol and the smell of cig smoke a block away gags me. Don't overthink things. Yes, quitting was hard and I had cravings for some years afterwards but it has been 17 years now and I consider myself "healed". I refuse to live my life labeled an addict. That is for folks who set themselves up to fail. I have resolve, and I have Faith. I am NOT the man I was back then. Any addiction or traumatic event can be overcome with proper mindset, support and Faith in yourself and your God. If your need patches, pills or medication to quit anything then your not ready to quit or heal. It's as simple, and as complex as that.

 

No mate you worked hard to be an addict !
17yrs is a good run but you aint healed! Family experience here= you never truly heal/cured whatever you want to call it!

You can fall off that wagon at any time! though I wish you do not as addicts can be truly pathetic creatures!

 

And I have worked harder to become a whole man again. Listen, if you need to continue to scare yourself like this then feel free. It's the same song I have heard forever. If your teetering on the "edge" every moment of your life then one needs to try something different don't you think? I have found that the patient who is continually babied never recovers. Those of us who choose to pull up our pants and get on with life do so and don't look back. I do not smoke. I hate the smell of them. I hate the smell of beer/wine and so on and have no cravings to drink anymore. I don't know how much planer I can put it. I HAVE recovered. I have experienced hard times and traumatic times since then and didn't run to a bottle for comfort. I looked forward and continued on. That is what people with backbone, Faith and grit do. I have known alcoholics that have relapsed. Sad, but it happens. I am not one of them because I CHOOSE not to. There is the difference. I didn't give in to my carnal minds weaknesses. After a time it becomes a way of life. I am not superman and I freely admit I have my share of flaws. But being an addict isn't one of them. I now enjoy a good stout cup of tea in the morning and keep busy through the day. I refuse to return to the man I was. If I can do it, anyone can if they truly wish to. It's very hard at first but it can be done. I am proof of that. For an example, I eat by Biblical food laws. In doing so I deny myself food such as shrimp, pork and so on. By telling myself I "don't like pork" I have evolved to the place where even the smell of bacon frying makes me nauseous. One has to train their mind to overcome hard issues in their lives. It's just not that difficult if one tries and puts some effort into it. If you continually rely on a crutch for support are you ever going to be truly whole again?

 

FYI
I only drank for about six weeks of my life, found it not to my liking!
I only ever took one drag of a smoke and decided it was not for me!
I have never been inclined to try any other drug and even resisted prescribed drugs until my mid fifties!
I have never teetered on the edge
I have seen what the above has done to family and friends, I will not follow!

I see you are also insane ( I eat by Biblical food laws ) so that may help you!
If you continually rely on a crutch for support !!! like you? are you ever going to be truly whole again? no you wont!

 

Alcoholism is just like any other drug addiction and so the steps to becoming better are pretty much the same.
I would say that the best way to stop an addiction is mentally. what I mean by this is that you really and truly have to want to stop. there are lots of programs and medication that are marketed to help stop addiction but the problem with them is that you rely on them and if you don't stop that addiction you blame the program or medication you were taking and not yourself. you need to convince yourself that you are going to stop and work on that yourself in your own way.

 

Sober 20+ years. Few people can do it on willpower alone. AA has saved millions of lives; Al-Anon has saved thousands of families, marriage, etc. AA is not about stopping drinking. It is a way to find out how to live life in a completely new way that doesn't require alcohol (or drugs). Yes, there is a spiritual component but you get to define the God of your understanding. You don't have to adhere to any religion's tenets nor dogmas.

But if the alcoholic isn't ready to stop, they won't. If the alcoholic isn't willing to admit they have a problem, they are hopeless to stop. Together, we in AA, can do what you couldn't do alone. Not only can you survive alcoholism, you can thrive.

 

I've known several alcoholics, my dad among them. Death had a profound impact on his quitting, however in the last few years of his life he made wonderful progress in fighting the disorder. The word "resolve" leaps to mind. This made me very proud of him -- it's a war after all.

I never fully understood the condition. One of my undergrad majors was psychology, but all that did is make me a Monday-morning quarterback, an observer of human nature; readings and observations have failed to truly bring me to any sort of enlightenment on the disorder. There has been shown a strong genetic link with this disorder, coupled with depression which is also genetic, of course. The Monday morning quarterback in me would say that treating depression would go a long way towards helping a person with his or her addiction issues. Stressful environments really do not help matters any, that's for sure. The alcoholism rates for cops is double that of the general population -- I doubt that would come as a shock to any mature adult.

 

Alcoholism runs rampant among the men in my family and many of the women.
BOTH mother and father died as a direct result of alcoholism.
Most of dad's 14 (yes 14) brothers and sisters suffered with it.
It nearly killed ME at least 3 times.
Been in three very good rehabs that saved my life and I attend meetings at least 5 times a week.
I drank a 5th a day every day!
My pancreas is damaged thus I now have diabetes. I'm off the shots and only take Metformin (sp?) tabs
now.
Docs say if I drink again I DIE.
Still, cunning, baffling, powerful, it is the ONLY disease that tells the afflicted they ain't got it!
God, prayer, fellowship, dry places for dry people, meetings saves my life a day at a time.
I'm kinda smart, have two degrees, but smart ain't no protection at all!!!!
I KNOW that left to my own devices and without God, and fellowship I'll drink and I'll die.
SURVIVAL don'cha'know.

 

A LOT of people addicted to alcohol can quit, but the caveat is they WON'T GROW SPIRITUALLY.
Spiritual growth through GOD and fellowship is key.
Helping others addicted on the road to recovery is essential.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
My dad quit for 13 years but was simply a dry drunk. He remained emotionally unavailable
and simply existed and wasn't much of a father.
He died drinking. He had a cabin in Pa. and was isolated, was drunk, passed out
in his driveway and FROZE TO DEATH.
Nice legacy what?
I'm 70 and have four kids, three gown, one 17.
SEVENTEEN!? How'd that happen!?
My 17 year old and I are very close and he's a 6' tall, handsome, intelligent young man.
He won't graduate with is high school class because he's been accepted into an advanced
nursing school and will specialize in diabetes care.
We are both diabetic.
Sorry about the rant but I'm soooooooooooooooo grateful to God and A.A.
This truly is survival.

 

I'm sorry for your attitude and clearly you are ignorant of the disease.
Ignorant simply implies lack of knowledge is NOT an insult.
Self inflicted? Really?
I come from a long family line of alcoholics. We know today the disease has a genetic component.
I was in danger at birth.
I drank socially for years until it it morphed into an addiction.
Three of my 4 children suffered with addiction but seem to be o.k. now.
My middle son served SIX years in prison for his dirty deeds done dirt cheap.
You couldn't MAKE HIM DRINK BOOZ!.
You might be surprised at how many famous. successful people are/were alcoholic.
Steven King; Robin Williams; Ben Affleck ; Jamie Lee Curtis and a host of other famous stars
and politicians, governors, and so on.
Do a bit of research and come into the light of understanding.
"Judge not, lest you be judged."
I'm a disabled police officer, retired engineer for G.M. have two degrees but still vulnerable.

 

100% agreed!
I've read of folks prepping that don't drink but keep several bottles of booze for "trading material".
Do I really want to swap booze to people I may no know real well?
Even a little booze affects ability to make good judgments.
Ergo why so many drunk drivers get in accidents and or arrested.
Guns and booze = disasters.
I've investigated a good many gun shot wounds.
Shotgun wounds are especially ugly. Most were 100% fatal.
ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
I drink NOTHING with alcohol in it.
I'm diabetic and booze is off the table but more important is I want a clear head
in a shtf scenerio.
Yes: only the strong, smart, and prepared will have a fighting chance to survive.
Just my opinion.
I saw a burglar that took a 1 1/4 ounce load of #4 shot at about 20 yards.
He lived but looked like a chicken pecked 'em a hundred times.
Then there was the idiot that brought a .32 handgun to a shotgun fight.
Took a load of # 6 shot in the kisser at about 40 yards. Full choke Browning A-5.
Lived but lost both eyes.
We tax payers are supporting his worthless self.
Police worked sucked big time.
13 serious injuries, back broken 4 times, 3 concussions, poisoned by Agent orange in a chemical
fire......of the 60 first responders I'm one of only FIVE still alive and cancer free. ( I hope.)

Then there was the sicko that dowsed his g-friend in gasoline and liter 'er up.
She died weeks later.
Enough! I'm getting sick recalling all this ugly.
My wars is over.