bit difficult for me this but i know there are some good folk on here

another day another hang over but this morning i have woke up to the fact that i have a drink problem, and its controling my life, i have know i have drank to much for a long time drinkink about 8-10 cans of stella a day

I felt like shit this morning when i woke up this morning having staggerd home at 1 in the morning having been to a mates birthday party(he also drinks far to much)
its affecting the way i think because i plan my day round getting a can, its affecting all aspects of my life and i need it to stop before it either kills me or i lose every thing thats dear to me including my wonder full girl friend, who for the 1st time this morng have talked to about my problem, i have also lost all intrest in cycling wheres once upon a time i used to love it

so has any one else on here had the same problem and where did you find help, I was going to make an appointment to see my GP, tom

sorry for my bad spelling and grammer

You’ve already taken the most important step just by admitting the problem. Your GP is a very good place to start and should be able to refer you. Don’t try to go “cold turkey” – I’ve seen it work for some folk but it has its risks.

Oh – and make sure you’re not driving!

Bollox to the spelling and grammar, I guess you have made the first step, being ready to talk about it. Your GP should be able to point you towards any local support so that is a good idea and it sounds like your girlfriend should be there too.
Can’t really help apart from wishing you the best of luck on what will probably be a difficult time, and try not to crash on your first ride back, that would be annoying 🙂

It sounds a bit simple.., but stop it then… You know it’s a problem and you know it’ll screw you up.. the first step is admitting you have a problem, the next one is doing something about it,
Good luck 🙂 after a bit you’ll feel loads better, and richer…

after a bit you’ll feel loads better, and richer…

Assuming a quid a can, that’s £300 per month. Might be a bit of an incentive…!

Good luck, fella.

I had a work colleague who used to drink excessively.

He’d be down the pub every lunchtime and sink 3 pints and a whiskey or two. Drank heavily at home by all accounts….He was a really nice chap (even in the mornings before he’d had a drink) and well loved by everyone.

About 6 months after he married his long term girlfriend he came in one morning looking like shit (a rather unhealthy shade of yellow). I suggested maybe he should jib work off and go see his doctor, which he did. Next thing we knew he’d been diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.

Initially he responded well to treatment but it didn’t last, he’d done too much damage. Exactly a year after the wedding he was being cremated.

He was 34 years old when he died.

Well done for recognising it; congratulations for deciding to do something about it !

Don’t go cold turkey – as druidh says, can be nasty and 10 cans of stella’s quite a starting point to drop off from.

GP can help, either by pointing you to support groups or maybe medication if you have difficulty stopping without. They can also do some tests to see how well you are right now. There’s loads of support groups with different “styles” so you can find something that suits, or you can try to go it alone if you’re strong-willed and don’t like being helped by strangers.

Have a look on the internet for options.

Best of luck.

Good luck. Takes balls to admit stuff like that and deal with it

The first and biggest step is admitting you have an issue. If your girlfriend and friends will support you through this it will be a great deal easier. Talking to your girlfriend was a great step.

I drank a lot when I was younger, issues etc but not sure if I grew out of it what but it can be controlling and I didn’t get help for drinking but did for other stuff.

Is it the drink controlling you or other things making you drink?

Get the help you need there is lots out there. Keep talking to your girlfriend and good luck with it. It doesn’t mean you can’t ever drink again just get the issues sorted.

Tom, the best advice I can give is to always remember “the cravings will pass”, know this and that you are in control of your own mind and you can get off the last socially acceptable hard drug.

As others have said, you have taken the most important step already. Alcoholics are not all old men. Someone very close to me has turned the corner, she was in her late 20’s. She used the AA, I must admit I thought that the AA wouldnt work but it did. Get help before you lose everything that is important to you. Start with your GP. You can do it.

Hi mate
Try to do something to break the routine, somthing that takes up your time like a club etc (i mean get riding again) this will help to stop you drinking so much and I find when I feel fitter I don’t want to drink so much
Obviously do this as well as proper help from go etc but it will help to
Also put any money you save on beer in a new bike account and then reward yourself

One day at a time.

Don’t try and make long term committments – you will fail – but one day is achievable and when you wake up (feeling great by the way) you’ll be ready to handle the next day.

You’ve got to realise that you are not giving anything up, you are deciding that you don’t need or want to drink. There’s a massive difference.

Get the e-book version of Alan Carr’s Easy Way to Stop Drinking. It’s a bit gimmicky but he has some very powerful ideas which can help you.

Good luck.

All I can say is good luck mate, and don’t drive.

At least it wasn’t special brew or white lightening. 😆

You need an incentive – I wouldn’t cut it out altogether, just have a bevvy at the weekend.

The incentive (specially if you’re spending that much on it would be to set yourself a target of a new bike and stash the beer money in to a new bike fund. A win-win as it’ll get you back in to biking too.

Oh and start a training routine as you’ll need to fill the drinking time you’ll lose by cutting it down.

Good luck, I reckon you can do it.

PS – I drank every night for about 4 years in my early 20s (although it was less than 8 cans a night so you’re def not alone).

I had a cycling buddy who drank himself into oblivion, lost everything, including his 30 year old life. Do not swap your drinking addiction for another addiction, unless, it’s a healthy, poitive one like yoga, cycling, gym etc. Good luck.

You are brave for admitting you have a problem on here and I wish you good luck .Go and see your GP and seek help and try and put the money you spent on beer away towards something .New bike ,holiday with the missus that sort of thing

Schweiz – Member

One day at a time.

This. Two years ago (22 months 2 days) I was in the same place as you milkyman.

because i plan my day round getting a can

You realised you are an alcoholic, just as I realised I was an alcoholic because I was exactly the same (we always will be BTW, its just that we dont drink); we both have something in common which was to make a decision to stop drinking.

Well done for coming on here and admitting it, I know the first cry for help is hard, but also well done for talking to your GF

Don’t drink today, and when you wake up tomorrow tell yourself you’re not drinking today and go to your GP, they will help you make the next step. Take one day at a time.

You will learn the key to not drink is by managing your cravings, which in turn is by recognising the triggers for drinking, which in turn is done by changing the way you think. It does get easier (the first 3 – 4 months were hard for me).

It may mean you get another addiction or focus for your addiction (its the way we reward ourselves for not drinking “I will buy some bike bits instead!” – so no, you wont really save money!), but if its a healthy one (more biking?) this is ok, because you take each day as it comes. Be prepared for set-backs, again, this is ok because you … yes, take each day as it comes 🙂

I went cold turkey, but whether this is what you want to do is up to you (but I would really suggest doing this). Alcohol (in quantities when talking about you or I) is a poison but also a drug, and your body needs time to get rid of it – either cold turkey or not – so be prepared to feel like crap for a few days, then you will start to feel better, then in turn feel more positive about it, making you feel even better. The improvements you’ll see / feel in sleep alone is almost worth it.

Don’t be ashamed by this (which is why I’m happy to admit to it here) as it is a disease. Use help where you can get it, but don’t forget that it will be hard for your GF too, as initially she will have to give up drink too as having it around the house is a bad idea. If you haven’t already chuck away your cans (and hidden vodka / whisky in my case)

As has been said above, don’t plan ahead, don’t think what it will be like in a few months when people ask to go to the pub and if you will be strong enough to cope.

It is a process not an on / off switch, there will be good times and bad, but you can do this 🙂

[edit]

spelling etc

As above. First step done 🙂

I’m watching a friend killing himself with drink… got to let him make the first move. If I say something it’s the fastest way to loose a friend.

Sad to watch 🙁

I never had a hangover in my twenties and early 30s as I was never sober for long enough..
I drank all day everyday, so there was no way I could hold down a job

Something had to give eventually, and it was my health that started failing (my mind too, but I was too drunk to care or notice) this prompted me to take action as fits and liver damage are pretty scary..

I cut down gradually until I was just drinking at the weekend, I still went to the pub often but only drank soft drinks or shandy.. I met my partner around this time..
This was the biggest motivation for me as I realised that my drinking buddies were mind numbingly boring when I was sober..
It didn’t take long after this point to cut down even further and soon after this my other half announced that she was pregnant..

I have only drunk excessively on a handful of occasions since, and only very rarely have a couple of social drinks.. we can happily keep drink in the house and there are some bottles now that have been here for years..

Last night was a night of very excessive drinking however, which was fun but would have been infinitely better if I could remember the end of the evening and had kept my act together for some hanky panky with my wife.. 😳

luckily the hangover that I will be suffering with until wednesday will put me off doing it again for a very long time..

I’m not sure this post adds, much but also wanted to wish you the best of luck.

If you are physically dependent on alcohol (needing a drink first thing in the morning etc) then I’d strongly suggest you don’t go cold turkey. There’s a risk of numerous symptoms, including fitting.

Some GPs are pretty useless but persevere. Be completely honest with them and if they’re not helping, try to see a different Doctor.

Take one day at a time and stay strong.

Patriotpro, With all due respect I am no expert and as I said above I have some knowledge however ‘only having a bevvy at weekends’ is not really going to help is it? some good advice from others though.

Recognizing the problem is the first step,it is easier with help,perhaps these people can help,they won’t be as intimidatinf as they may sound.
http://www.stockportdrugsandalcohol.org/treatment-services/cat
Ian

Why not try to initially reduce the units you are drinking .
Get some Carling Zest and some lemonade . Its not actually that bad and its only 2.8% , make a bottle up to apint with some lemonade . You can chug down 2 or 3 oints of this , not get mashed and function normally whilst satisfying the ‘hunger’.

A friend of mine stopped completely . He realised that he could not go through life looking forward to getting trollied, his arguement was if can not imagine not being drunk ever again you have a drink problem.

Me, well I only drink between 6 and 9pm on Fri and sat and never before a ride.

Make sure you have some decent juice drinks at home , just drinking anything will be a comfort if your gagging , then get some help .

milky…join the club, in reality you are not abnormal quite the opposite, as stated recognizing the fact then being pro active about changing….motivation through support (girlfriend and family) dont feel in any way youve **** up,,everything in british culture revolves around drink…in the context of socializing….the physical aspect isnt pleasant but get through that bit and then the work starts…there is alot of help out there if you choose to access it.
Good luck bro !

@milkyman – all credit to you for having the strength to recognise the situation and for taking these steps, all power to those who’ve been in a similar situation and have commented here. Best wishes from me for you.

As per Konajames’ advice; you could have some dangerous side effects if you just stop drinking and go cold turkey, this depends on the extent of your drinking habit.

Seek medical advice (GP) asap, also find out if you have a Community Drug and Alcohol Team(CDAT) locally and ask them for advice/assistance for the short&long term.

Good luck.

i cant thank you all enough for your support, today will be the 1st day that I havent had a drink in as long as i can remember, yu have all restored my faith in human nature, thank you

milky…dont feel embarased,worried or ashamed as you see people WILL help and offer support…..dont expect it all to be smooth sailing youll have good days and bad, but keep talking to your nearest and dearest and youll soon be peddeling away feeling brand new!

As an incentive during tough times, try to imagine yourself in the future when you have got more control over your problem – think of how much more healthy and happier you will be ( and the less concerned your loved one’s will be). You have taken a brave step milky, I wish you luck.

Everyone’s different however for me, the concept of reward is counterproductive. You need to fundamentally change your outlook on alcohol and realise that you don’t need or want it in your life (or at least that you are in control of it). Reward is not a suitable long term strategy to achieve this. It inevitably deteriorates into rewarding yourself for a good day by bingeing the next day.

Remember the feeling of that hangover.

OP – Lots of good advice above. However, everyone is different, and different things work for different people. You’ll have to find your own way to an extent such as deciding whether to go cold turkey or gradually reduce your consumption. And whether you will have the occasional drink in the future or whether you will never drink again.

But while you and only you can make these decisions, you will always have support available from others. Your GF, family and friends (NOT the ones that you drink with, FFS!), and even this forum to an extent can give you a boost when needed or a nudge to keep you on track.

Good luck.

It’s good that you have recognised the issue so early before it turns into a big problem. When you start waking up with shakes and extreme anxiety waiting for the off licence to open at 8am it becomes a lot harder to deal with

Good luck,every day without 10 stellas is a victory.As above see your GP as you will be suffering from sugar withdrawal as well as the as 5% content.

Whilst I wasn’t anywhere near the place you’ve found yourself in, a couple of years back, it felt like I was. ( this is all relative as I know I can’t handle large amounts).

I stopped drinking my usual tipple all together & also swapped pints of real ale for pints of lager shandy.

May sound an odd way to go about things, but it worked out well for me & quickly.

Didn’t take long before things were properly under control allowing me to deal with some underlying issues I had at the time.

Good luck !
Chris

So how are things going 4 days down? Have played this game in my younger years and think the support I got helped me. May as well help others if we can.

If you fancy getting back in to riding again I’m sure there are lots of people on here who would be happy to be a ride buddy. Not sure where you are based but if it is Scottish Borders I’ll be first to volunteer. Not able to guarentee good advise or wise words but happy to head out into the hills for some fresh air and change of perspective.

Not sure what toll it’s took on your mental or physical health, but Franksinatra’s suggestion is certainly valid. A few years ago I hit the Columbian marching powder and the stella really hard (cost me my marriage, almost my kids and business) and couldn’t be motivated to do anything bike related (no surpise there). A good mate found out what was happening and suggested a day out on the bikes. I had stopped the drugs and beer by this point and felt great after our run. I duly thanked my mate, to which he replied “does it not beat sneaking about snorting coke?” I replied with a resounding yes and that was one of my major turning points.

Say no to wife beater. Used to drink a LOT years ago and stopped and saved all my boozin money for 6 months then went on a 6 month trip abroad on the cash. It was more fun than drinking thats for sure. Stay determined and off the pop mate, life will be better. There are no happy endings going the other way. I’ve been to mates funerals who proved the point. Dont give up giving up even if you end up on the lash for a night, we all make occasional mistakes.