Alcohol Problem

[Evastar]

Six cans of beer equals 12 units of alcohol in one night. The recommended highest intake for a man is 20 units weekly. If you regularly exceed this you are damaging your body, especially your liver. If you must drink to that level its recommended to avoid alcohol at leastone night every few days to give your liver a chance to recover.

If you find yourself getting aggressive when you drink, or unable to spend a night without drinking then yes you probably have a drink problem.

There is a term, functional alcoholic. It means someone that drinks to a certain level but still manages to hold down a daily routine, job etc. A lot of people deny the alcohol and their behaviour is causing a problem because they only drink at certain times or only allow themselves a certain amount. It's comparable to a heroin addict on methadone, a maintenance dose. You still end up damaging your health and messing up your life, it just takes longer.

Some of the comments in this thread are very worrying. Yes people that have had a problem themselves are a great help to talk to and give support, but it is no substitute for professional advice and help. The people in the treatment centres have dealt with thousandsand what works for one isn't necessarily the right approach for the next person.

[gmb45]

6 cans equals 12 units depends on the strength one 500ml can 9% equals 4.5 units, 1 single measure of normal spirits 1 unit, a mans allowance is 21 units per week tops, 14 for a woman tops, and i dont care what any one says a professional cannot understand what some one is going through unless they have experienced it, i have been in the "system" for over 10 years now, and of all the "professionals" i have dealt with, which is a lot, only 1 had truely been there, sure these people can help a lot, but theres no substitute for first hand experience, somethnig that is lacking in the professional side of recovery. oh and alcoholics dont normally drink weak beers they drink 7.5% white cider or super strength lagers 9%.

[Grizz]

you are doing great garry. keep the focus on that picture on the coffee table. first few days are the worst.

[happy_highlander]

Eva we get where your coming from but it sounds like your reading straight from the help script. You can never be prepared for the hell of dt's and without experiencing them can't comprehend the physical and mental anguish that's involved. What most professionals that have never been there forget is that to get to the stage where we admit there's a problem we have normally done or said something to a loved one at least once. That we have to live with the dt's go away what we have done that had led to us seeking help doesn't.......By no manner of means is an alcoholic looking for sympathy, we know it's our fault, but don't need to be continually reminded or treated like a child either help and support is our friend......We know the slate can never be wiped clean but will happily settle for one that still a bit dirty but clean enough to start writing the new chapter....And yes gary your posts will start to get longer and more long winded it's just the process of recovery that allows you to look a little deeper than what's at the end of your nose. You still need to be selfish ~~~~ for a little longer mate....it's all about you helping yourself with support from professionals and all us lot that know exactly how you feel. I always found the professionals can give the help but the true support will come from someone who's been there done that. There is no substitute

[gmb45]

oh and gaz, these places that are about, most of them will also have people that can help with advice on benefits, relationships, legal problems, accomodation, etc, so it is really in you benefit to find one that suits you when, if ( and i hope its when )you go to one of these places you will be assigned a keyworker, they will ask you questions like.... why do you drink, how much, what is the trigger that sets you off drinking blah blah blah script questions as already been mentioned, but stick with it, these peeps are really nice peeps, it will all be a benefit to you.

[happy_highlander]

My keyworker was the biggest cheeriest woman you will ever meet, and by god she was annoying at times but full of useful info..... We still meet in the street now and again and she always has and probably always will treat me as a long lost friend every time I see her. The good thing about her was she didn't preach unlike some I've met.

[reddevil157]

Just throwing this out there to the boys that have been through it. What about hypnosis ???....
I know mine was a different drug of choice, but I smoked like a ~~~~in train for years. When we were due to have our first kid I wanted to stop smoking, tried patches, chewing gum, will power, with no joy. Last shot was hypnosis, cost me 80 quid 8 years ago, & I haven't touched one since. What she did was, ask me the reasons why I wanted to stop, then, when she had me "hypnotised" she read these reasons back to me again & again.... now when ever I feel the urge for a cig, an image of my son pops into my head & reminds me, that he is the reason I stopped. Just wondering has it even been suggested to the lads that have been through it already ??

[happy_highlander]

Don't know if that would work. Our heads are pretty messed up. If you noticed on the earlier posts visits to the mental ward are not uncommon. It's a whole different beast mate. I stopped smoking 12 years ago and there is no comparison between the two. It may be worth asking about though. I mean for folks who catch it quick it may help.......The big problem is catching it quick,,, it's the sneekiest ~~~~er I've ever come across, by the time you realise there's a problem your already up sh1t street. By that I mean the likes of heroin and the such you know damn well before you take that first hit you will be addicted to it. But almost everybody is introduced to alcohol by there parents,,, the people who love them the most,,,, whether it be the tiny glass of wine at christmas dinner or the advocat at new year to bring in the bells.

[smirnoff_rules]

waiting to hear wot the doctor said ? hope he hasnt ~~~~ed off to the pub

[happy_highlander]

waiting to hear wot the doctor said ? hope he hasnt ~~~~ed off to the pub

I hope not as well but if he has then tomorrow is a new day, and 1 day of the dt's will have been for nothing. I do have more faith in him than that though, as hard as it is he is on the right road and better things follow.

[Hoppy01]

It takes a big man to face the music mate and hats off to you as you have taken a big step already as others have pointed out..
To accept you have a problem takes balls as its always easy to say i will do it next week, this is the most important bit imo, the will is there but it will fall flat on its arse with no proper advice..
Get yourself to your doctor as he is the proper man to see, we could bang on all day but the first stop is the docs..

Keep your head up as we have "all" went over the top at some point in our lives with one form or another with addiction..
A went for about a year in a drug driven haze, started out as a weekend warrior and it moved to every day in a short time..

What pisses me off is the Yanks approach, especially some of the stars who seem to use it as a cool thing to do..
There is nothing cool, funny or easy about rehab or quitting a long addiction, its ~~~~in horrible, as it should be..

Whether you quit first time is up to you and depends on how much you really want to put it behind you, it may take a few attempts..

Whatever happens a wish you all the luck in the world mate..

[kendo45]

i sort of know how you feel m8, i sometimes do the same thing just i havnt lost my gf yet.

[tshirtman]

In the hospital I work, we do offer CBT, Hypnosis, and Acupuncture, to recovering alcoholics, but not until there fully detoxed(with the help of meds) and have been on the wagon,
for a couple of months, because until then there heads are all over the place, plus they have to prove they are committed, these kind of treatments don't come cheap, especially CBT.
and if you want an honest opinion, we find we get the best results(for abstinence) from acupuncture.

[gmb45]

i was offered accupuncture which i tried and it does work, hot stones, hypnosis, relaxation, massages which i obviously tried and all sorts of groups some which i tried, the wells road centre in nottingham which had a day unit for alcohol/drug recovery got me on to the road to recovery ( closed now ) i met peeps in there in the same boat so talking to them helped a lot, they had pooters in there which got me hooked on them so a brought digital camera once i had photographed the whole of notts i thought hmmmmm need more here so got a car 50,000 miles l8r half of the peak district photographed, my point is you need to focus your energies on something u like doing to take your mind off the beer, the one thing that keeps me off the beer heavy is my car, if i didnt have it i might end up back to square one ( although thats unlikely now ), dont get me wrong i fell off the wagon quite a few times, but stuck with it and now i can have beer a know i have to stop or will loose everything ive grafted for

[happy_highlander]

My focus was taking taking my employer to tribunal 3 times seeing I was now sober enough to realise how much he was ripping me off....Thick ~~~~ it took losing 3 times before he realised I wouldn't stand for it, but hours of research in employment law kept me busy.