[kreg]

I always felt that what you usually hear about trying to escape depression by drinking or just drinking as an escape for anything didn't really apply to me. I felt and still do to some extent that I drink because I just enjoy the inner glow. It's fun.

Now however I've come to feel that in addition to just enjoying it I also drink to escape the challenges of life such as career ambitions or projects that involve the risk of social rejection. The thing is you have to deal with the addicting power of booze. After a few years of drinking you don't stop at just one. The result for me being not a morning headache but an overall tiredness that kills my drive and then little gets done the next day. What am I trying to say? Just that you may think you drink just for fun but there can be underlying causes and if you look deeply you might see them.

And at some point I realized drinking will break up the entrenched thought patterns that create a bad mood. I mean you can be angry jealous worried and then if you have a few drinks that mood disappears-at least for a while.
for example I once had this girlfriend who I would get suspicious of flirting with other guys. The thoughts of her with someone else would constantly cycle in my mind until I was in quite a bad mood. But then I would have a couple drinks and those thought patterns would go away and I'd not be angry with her that is until the next day or so when I'd start my suspicious thinking again.

[bipolar angel]

For many...addiction of any kind is a way to rscape (no judgement)...also many use it as coping mechanism...I can get caught up on internet and shopping

[Sabrina]

I understand. I drank for a long time before it became a thing that I had to drink. Then it became impossible to give up. I knew I had a problem and knew I was drinking to get drunk and escape who knows what. And to sleep.

I am so grateful that I'm sober now. I would hate to be dealing with being drunk every night, not remembering and having zero energy to do anything. It took me six months of being sober before I started having more energy. Now I've cleaned and de-cluttered and baked and sang - and and and - and it feels good. I would have done none of those things if I still had alcohol ravaging my body.

I've just tragically lost my little Amy and I'd do anything to escape this grief I'm feeling, but I wont drink. I'm free.

[Mygrandjourney]

Originally Posted by kreg

I always felt that what you usually hear about trying to escape depression by drinking or just drinking as an escape for anything didn't really apply to me. I felt and still do to some extent that I drink because I just enjoy the inner glow. It's fun.

Now however I've come to feel that in addition to just enjoying it I also drink to escape the challenges of life such as career ambitions or projects that involve the risk of social rejection. The thing is you have to deal with the addicting power of booze. After a few years of drinking you don't stop at just one. The result for me being not a morning headache but an overall tiredness that kills my drive and then little gets done the next day. What am I trying to say? Just that you may think you drink just for fun but there can be underlying causes and if you look deeply you might see them.

And at some point I realized drinking will break up the entrenched thought patterns that create a bad mood. I mean you can be angry jealous worried and then if you have a few drinks that mood disappears-at least for a while.
for example I once had this girlfriend who I would get suspicious of flirting with other guys. The thoughts of her with someone else would constantly cycle in my mind until I was in quite a bad mood. But then I would have a couple drinks and those thought patterns would go away and I'd not be angry with her that is until the next day or so when I'd start my suspicious thinking again.

Have you ever just tried to deal with the underlying jealousy or other uncomfortable thoughts? Have you tried talking about them with a counselor? Life is full of unpleasant thoughts; the choice is to either avoid them by covering them up or working through them. Drinking or using is the easy way out.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

I've self medicated with drinking on and off for years. I drank because I was depressed, I drank because I was happy, I drank because I have insomnia. Whatever the reason might be, you're drinking to help cope with something. In my case, I should of been on meds but let's face it, the liquor store was closer than the pdocs office. And then I finally got so bad I NEEDED to drink just to function throughout the day. To stop the shakes and sweats. That is when I got scared and checked into a hospital for rapid detox. Alcohol is a powerful drug and not just as a painkiller. Hope you can get into some therapy to deal with the reasons you're turning to alcohol. Deal with the emotions no matter how uncomfortable it is. It's healthy to actually feel something but numbness.

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[elevatedsoul]

After 13 years... I learned it was killing me... ,making me worse... gets out of control fast and easy.. please becarefil and take care of yourself..

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