 |
| FAQ/Help |
| Calendar |
| Search |
|
#1
Dec 19, 2008, 03:57 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Hello,
I am an alcoholic. Yes, I do still drink, I don't want to drink. I have set a date and will have an Alcohol and Drug assesment on Dec. 30th. I am terrified. Alcohol in my mind makes me normal, makes me feel. I also recently found out I am Bipolar. But, the soonest the doc can see me to start me on meds is Feb. 4th. I am scared of it all. Because, the drinking helps me to control my racing. Or at least that is what I tell myself. I dunno know where to begin with all this nor do I know how it will all end. I just know, I do want to be sober and feel better. |
|
#2
Dec 19, 2008, 04:22 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
I think thats a very big step know and waniting to be sober and wanting to feel better ..
saying you are a acoholice is a huge step too wishing you all the best of luck my sister went into rehab for hers , but she was taking drugs too I know AA helped her a ton good luck and best wishes to you muffy |
|
#3
Dec 19, 2008, 07:40 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
you are already on the road to recovery even tho you may not realize it. when we admit we have a problem with alcohol it is the first step. i am a recovering alcoholic and bipolar. it is not uncommon for both to occur to the same person. we medicate our bipolar with alcohol and for a while it seems to help. trouble is it's not a good mix since our moods are already unstable and alcohol is a depressant. i can totally relate to it stopping the mind from racing.
the most important thing i am want to share with you is sobriety enabled me to get my bipolar stabilized and on to a wonderful quality of life. both conditions should be treated simultaneously to asssure you the best success. you are doing just that with your plan. the rest will take care of itself if you get treated for both, follow your medication plan for the bipolar, and stay sober. IMHO, a 12 step program of recovery can help you with the support system you need and staying away from a drink. my life now is far better than i could have imagined due to treating these illnesses. i hope that i am giving you hope for your future. your honesty is a good sign for the outcome of your efforts. keep us posted. 
__________________
Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours..~Ayn Rand |
|
#4
Dec 20, 2008, 08:09 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Hi,
Admitting that you have a problem and asking for help is the first step in getting well, so congratulations. That's huge and it takes a great deal of courage. It's normal to be scared. I was terrified of what life would be like without drinking, but it's turned out to be great. I still have my ups and downs and suffer from depression and anxiety. And to be honest the first year was really hard. Since you suffer from a concurrent disorder (mental illness & addiction) it's really important to treat both simultaneously or at least fairly closely together, it will greatly improve your chances of remaining sober. My own story is, I had a huge drinking problem for years. Went to a residential treatment facility in summer 06. It was at a nationally known institution but was totally 12 step based and didn't deal at all with concurrent disorders. Without alcohol my depression and psychosis got worse (normal) and I spiralled down really fast. Lost my job and landed in the hospital due to drinking. As a result I got into a really wonderful day treatment program that was a concurrent disorders program. they helped me get sober. I'm also very active in AA and love the support that I get through them, and feel like I've met some incredible people who are now closer than family through AA. I'm just over a year sober now and my life is better than ever. my meds have me stabilized, after an IP stay in a psych hospital in early recovery. I'm doing more activities than I ever thought possible when I was drinking - I finally have a life. I'm back working in a decent job with ok benefits that lets me work flex hours so that I can go once a week to a support group in the hospital that I got sober at. It's really hard work, getting sober, but it's totally worth it. You're worth it. Good luck. --splitimage
__________________
 "I danced in the morning when the world was begun. I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun". From my favourite hymn. "If you see the wonder in a fairy tale, you can take the future even if you fail." Abba 
|
|
#5
Dec 21, 2008, 09:05 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
I'm Cap and I'm a grateful recovering alcoholic... I also commend you for your honesty and willingness to change your life. Jmo, but the fear and confusion are a normal reaction when you are altering your life style, and dealing with being BP. You are showing courage and determination, charlajustin. It may not feel that way, but you are... Please keep posting and let us know how you are doing. We care. Cap
__________________
The most dangerous enemy is the one in your head telling you what you do and don't deserve. ~~unknown~~ http://capp.psychcentral.net |
|
#6
Dec 21, 2008, 09:52 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
I know exactly what you are feeling. I have wanted freedom from my obsession to drink... But little changed for me until I moved from wanting to doing... It is so very important to seek some help...not drinking for an alcoholic is extremely hard to do by yourself... With Care, Lenny
__________________
I have only one conclusion,,and that is things change too quickly for me to draw them.... Sobriety date...Halloween 1989. I was plucked from hell...and treat this gift as if it is the only one... |
|
#7
Dec 21, 2008, 11:03 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Congrats on taking the first step to recovery. There'sa a probprogram I've heard of called SMART recovery for dual diagnosis. I've heard its good but don't have any info. You could probably goodgle it.
You can do it; we can help. Please keep posting......reaching out to others helps us too. Hugs, Rayna
__________________
|
|
#8
Dec 22, 2008, 11:33 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
SMART recovery isn't specifically for concurrent disorders as far as I know - but they do have some good resources on-line. Their website is smartrecovery.org. It's set up a lot like PC plus a whole lot of downloadable resources. It's an alternative to 12 step programs to stopping, and uses a lot of CBT like techniques. I found some of their materials helpful to me when I was first stopping.
==splitimage
__________________
"I danced in the morning when the world was begun. I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun". From my favourite hymn. "If you see the wonder in a fairy tale, you can take the future even if you fail." Abba
|
|
#9
Dec 23, 2008, 03:59 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
charlajustin,
You are already making progress. It takes real guts to get on the phone and make appointments for this kind of stuff. Huge progress! You're taking one step after another because you know you want to be sober and feel better. And you will. notz |
|
#10
Dec 24, 2008, 02:06 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Just remember in AA "the only requirement is a DESIRE to stop drinking." I wasn't sober at all my meetings, but it gave me tools and enough unconditional love and time to find the answers I needed. And now I have 16 months of continual sobriety.
Hang in there! Scooterb
__________________
  We are special in our own way. |
| Reply |
This is an old thread. You probably should not post your reply to it, as the original poster is unlikely to see it.|
|
My Support Forums is the online community that was originally begun as the Psych Central Forums in 2001. It now runs as an independent self-help support group community for mental health, personality, and psychological issues and is overseen by a group of dedicated, caring volunteers from around the world.
Linear Mode
