Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselling Thread
Sweetleaf
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Is it culture or abuse? I am of Scandinavian, german possibly irish and native american....and I don't know I like to drink it hasn't really caused my significant problems ever...except when I was taking klonopin, that was a disaster and I don't take that med anymore. I take valium for anxiety but I don't take it with drinking. But yeah I guess sometimes I wonder if my drinking isn't an attempt at indirect self harm...or if its just more of a culture thing I learned in psychology that cultures with more drinking more or less have something in their DNA making drinking seem to be a fairly natural thing to do...not in excess though some people do that, even non mentally ill people will get overly drunk on weekend or holidays sometimes. Anyways I am not addicted i could take or leave alcohol, but since I enjoy it I partake sometimes.
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Yeah, I know what you mean sweatleaf.
My father was an African and according to the National Geographic genographic project my mother is both a scandinavian and and italian Tuscan. I always knew I was mixed race because my mum is white but the viking bit came as a surprise to both my mother and me. I have always loved Scandinavia abut I sincerely doubt if NG was right. But hey, I am beginning to like the idea of being part viking so now I'm wearing one of these horned helmets whenever I leave the house. It seems to confuse people a little because I take after my dad but what the hack!
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Last edited by Atom1966 on 20 Mar 2014, 12:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Biscuitman
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I came here to post my sobriety status: 271 days.
Taking it a day (sometimes, by the hour, and sometimes, by the second) at a time.
No alcohol for 271 days. I don't smoke anything or do any drugs, either.
Stress and social life are still rough, but I'm learning to cope and develop skills without alcohol. Plus, these anti-anxiety pills are my little medical miracles.
Congratulations, wisenupjanetweiss, on a year and a half.
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~
I've been drug free for 6 months and alcohol free for 3 months. My life sucks now. It's boring as hell. I don't do anything but sleep, go to AA/NA meetings and go to outpatient therapy. I'm not enjoying life at all - no movies, no restaurants, no walks in the park, no museums, no concerts, nothing. I'll admit: life was more fun when I was drinking.
I drank when I watched TV or a movie. I drank when I surfed the internet. I drank when I played music. I drank when I wrote short stories, screenplays, poems and novellas. I drank to help me go to bed at night. I drank to take the nip off and help me relax.
The problem I had with drinking, or should I say, the problem my doctor had with me drinking, is it kept my blood pressure high. Because she's worried I might get a stroke again she made me go to outpatient treatment. I've used drugs for over 20 years and alcohol for more than 30 years. It's hard giving it up now. I feel so empty and un-alive. Hell, I feel depressed and suicidal.
I go to AA/NA with the hope that, somewhere along the way, I'll really start employing the 12 steps and learn to stay off substances. Right now, though, I want to drink and drink and drink. I feel like going to a motel and just drinking till the coroner comes to pick up my body. What a horrible way to go. Maybe somewhere along the way I'll start having fun with sobriety. I can't wait.
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His blog: http://seattlewordsmith.wordpress.com/
I drank when I watched TV or a movie. I drank when I surfed the internet. I drank when I played music. I drank when I wrote short stories, screenplays, poems and novellas. I drank to help me go to bed at night. I drank to take the nip off and help me relax.
The problem I had with drinking, or should I say, the problem my doctor had with me drinking, is it kept my blood pressure high. Because she's worried I might get a stroke again she made me go to outpatient treatment. I've used drugs for over 20 years and alcohol for more than 30 years. It's hard giving it up now. I feel so empty and un-alive. Hell, I feel depressed and suicidal.
I go to AA/NA with the hope that, somewhere along the way, I'll really start employing the 12 steps and learn to stay off substances. Right now, though, I want to drink and drink and drink. I feel like going to a motel and just drinking till the coroner comes to pick up my body. What a horrible way to go. Maybe somewhere along the way I'll start having fun with sobriety. I can't wait.
This is the hardest phase. Suddenly theres a vacuous space where alcohol used to occupy. You have to fill that somehow. Its trite but exercise is phenomenal and I vaguely remember a study which showed that those who exercise are more likely to sucessfully recover.
Spirituality is another thing. Drugs deaden the connection with ourselves and whatever divinity we believe in. Post withdrawal many former addicts "find religion". There are many reasons for this all of which are irrelevant since its an incredibly positive and potent force in any life.
I want to offer you as much encouragement and support as I can. Radiating lovingkindess
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leejosepho
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"My talent for leadership, I imagined, would (some day) place me at the head of vast enterprises which I would manage with the utmost assurance...
"I'd prove to the world I was important...that men of genius conceived their best projects when drunk; that the most majestic constructions of philosophic thought were so derived...
"Out of this alloy of drink and speculation (concerning myself), I commenced to forge the weapon that one day would turn in its flight like a boomerang and all but cut me to ribbons." (A.A. "Bill's Story")
"Every natural instinct cries out against the idea of personal powerlessness. It is truly awful to admit that, glass in hand, we have warped our minds into such an obsession for destructive drinking that only an act of Providence can remove it from us." (A.A. "Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions", Step One)
For those of us who begin life either emotionally or socially challenged and then discover the driving effects or relief of alcohol, later removing the alcohol from our lives just sends us right back to where we began or can leave us in even worse condition than before we ever drank. Being sober can make it impossible to have the kinds of troubles and problems that can happen while drinking, but abstinence from alcohol does *not* make us okay on the inside any more than our drinking ever actually did. So, the challenge of permanent recovery from chronic alcoholism is to find "a sufficient substitute for alcohol" ("A.A.", page 152) that is capable of actually addressing our internal needs.
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I don't think I have ever had a substance abuse problem but I like to smoke a bit of pot now and again which is pretty harmless in my opinion. I haven't done it in ages though. The last time I ever smoked a reefer was during this year's eurovision song contest. Hoping it would make me laugh until the tears where rolling down my cheeks but it had the opposite effect. The hash made me feel all desperate and gloomy whilst doubting the abilities of mankind, Haven't done it since.
I am starting to drink every day for my anxiety and depression. I am constantly worried about the future, and regretting the past. I cannot find a happy medium. The present is just agonizingly slow and torturous.
I only drank a few times, yet each time I did, I would drink SO MUCH. I had to stop very fast because I knew what would happen.
I escape from the present via fantasies in my head and list making. I plan my future so much that my anxiety reduces.
I was a major poly-drug user for almost 10 years..My most recent habit consisted of upto 3 grams of methamphetamine a week, 200 benzodiazapine pills p/w, over an ounce of cannibus p/w, once the cannibus had no effect I was using upto 3 grams of synthetic cannabinoids a day... Not to mention methadone and codeine most days...This resulted in another major car accident (3 this year) My brother had to beat the crap out of me, Break my hand and lock me up at home. I live in rural sydney with no public transport so I had to dry out with nothing but a few anti depressants to sleep. My drug use was out of control and even hardened drug addicts were horrified by my usage... Today Ive been sober for a month and a half, When to be honest I think I would surely be dead by now and im only 24.. Im looking and feeling better than ever, Ive even got interviews for work.. This is just a testemant to show that if I can do it, Anybody can!
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androbot01
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So I didn't read too far back in the sticky thread as I see that the last post was a bit ago. But I am pretty sure I have a substance abuse problem. I just smoked an oz of weed in a week. That's a lot, at least for me. I drink as well, although rarely to excess anymore. I think with the weed that I am trying to make up for an absence of something. I'm not sure what. But even though I know I smoke to excess, I wouldn't want to not be able to smoke it at all.
So I guess I'm posting because I am feeling a need to straighten myself out. And I'm not sure what can take pot's place as nothing makes me happy. I am on anti-depressants and they keep me functional, but I still have not been able to find anything worth living for.
I am going for a follow up interview tomorrow for a customer service job when I will find out if I get it or not. I'm already depressed at the thought of getting it as work has been a disaster for me in the past. But I disclosed my disability in the interview this time, so that could make things workable.
Anyway, of course I'm having a drink.
An oz is around 28 grammes.
Is a hell of a lot.
I smoke between 4-6 grammes a week.
Would have continuous headaches if I smoked as much as you.
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