First post -
male
52
married (happily enough)
kids (school-aged)
enough money (not "rich")
alcohol and depressive disorders probably could have been diagnosed 35 years ago - but never were - I have always seemed to be "functional".
pretty much always been just beer (and mostly 3.2 beer).
10 or 12 of those spread out over the day, maintains the equilibrium.
it all seems to be catching up with me.
much less "joy" in any of it.
somewhere in-between "dysthymia/problemed drinker" and "chronically depressed alcoholic".
Several false starts over past 5 to 6 years of getting a handle on it.
Scared to death of anti-depressants (side-affects and dependence upon)
went to a psychaiatrist two years ago - after 20 questions, she offered a choice of 4 meds... that ain't right. I got out of there.
last year, i went to two beers/day and dropped 30 pounds - felt good.
relapsed...
back to same...
- not as motivated now. fear of relapse?
if i stop drinking for two days, the anxiety and scatter-brain feeling is too much.
I still believe I can quit drinking, diet and exercise my way out of the whole thing, but I need help.
I wonder...
Is there ANYthing that would assist with the first few weeks angst with not drinking?
I can NOT BEGIN to accept anti-depressants as any sort of "answer" until I quit drinking.
How do people get there???????????
I could go on and on... and I know no one's really interested in hearing it all - sad in itself....
HELP? over the hump?