14 Days Clean

[MrSquished]

of Alcohol. I drank every day for over 15 years. Quite heavily. Always at night though. I needed it to help me sleep partly. I have some of the most severe insomnia that exists. Then I got into a serious bi-polar depression and started all day drinking. Wake up - drink - sleep. Wake up - drink - sleep. Wake up - drink - sleep.

I got the shakes, tremors, the sweats, the everything. I couldn't browse the web because I was shaking so bad I couldn't place the mouse over the proper tab or button. I said enough was enough and voluntarily checked into a week long in-patient and detoxed.

I figured I'd detox then go back to just night drinking. But a switch flipped and I wanted to stay clean. I'm in an outpatient program that lasts 2 months or so to help with that. Not drinking has been pretty easy so far besides the first 2 days, but there will come a day when things are so bad a drink will seem like the only answer. That will be the true test.

The doctor said the medications for bi-polar depression will not work properly while drinking and to stay clean for months and then we will know how they work. So that is the plan. I can't wait to feel the difference.

To anybody here who has or is suffering from substance abuse there is a way out.

Now I'm breaking the rules. They say not to fraternize with people in your program, whether in-patient or out-patient. But I met a girl at in-patient, which is over now, and we are going out. So technically not breaking the rules. She is 26 and I'm 41. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[sze5003]

Well congrats on the 14 days. But I had a feeling most people meet others at such events which can lead to downfall of you are not careful.

Lol my dad is in his mid forties and he was married to a chick that was like 28 or 29 so I guess it could work.

 

[KMFJD]

Congrats, the first couple of days/weeks felt like an eternity

 

[MrSquished]

Well congrats on the 14 days. But I had a feeling most people meet others at such events which can lead to downfall of you are not careful.

Lol my dad is in his mid forties and he was married to a chick that was like 28 or 29 so I guess it could work.

She doesn't have a drinking problem so that shouldn't be an issue. In fact she rarely drinks ever. She was in there for other reasons. I could see two alcoholics getting together after in-patient as being a bad idea.

 

[shortylickens]

You get the nightmares yet?

 

[Thebobo]

congratulations it's a hard thing to do. How about medications for regular depression, helped me after my alcohol crash.

 

[MrSquished]

You get the nightmares yet?

No nightmares yet. Is that a thing after detoxing?

 

[MrSquished]

congratulations it's a hard thing to do. How about medications for regular depression, helped me after my alcohol crash.

They don't want to give me classic anti-depressants because they can trigger manic sessions, so they use bi-polar anti-depressant mood stabilizers.

 

[renz20003]

keep it up, alcohol can impact your brain chemistry like any other drug. May each day sober feel better than the last!

 

[Humpy]

Great! You've managed to stop taking drugs for two weeks.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Good on you for getting help. Here's a fellow I used to know back in the day. Cooked in a restaurant/bar where I hung out and drank out back late 90s/early 2000s. We drank together quite a few nights. I hadn't seen him much for the last ten years or so, and didn't know how bad his drinking problem had become. I knew he had gotten married and still worked in restaurants, but then this story. Maybe a cautionary tale to help you a bit.

http://www.coloradoan.com/story/new...arrested-near-fort-collins-stabbing/21720283/

http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2016/05/20/mental-health-no-help-found/84640980/

When her husband attacked her, he was in the throes of delirium tremens, a severe form of alcohol withdrawal that can include seizures, mood swings and hallucinations.

Leading up to the attack, withdrawal symptoms had wrenched Miller to the breaking point. Even before the hallucinations gripped him, tremors, spasms and faintness had him looking for a place to detox.

Visits to two different emergency rooms yielded little more than a pill prescription and a good luck. Miller’s symptoms weren’t severe enough for full admittance to the hospital and the only publicly available detox center in the region was full. The couple was left to navigate the system on their own.

 

[Thebobo]

This will slow you down

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1014849961984700

 

[clamum]

No nightmares yet. Is that a thing after detoxing?

I'm not sure what shorty was referring to, but I've had the DTs multiple times after stopping drinking and nightmares were part of those. And seeing things. And hearing things. They're definitely the worst thing I've ever been through. They started maybe 48 hours after stopping drinking and lasted about 24 hours. Only after stopping pretty heavy drinking, though, like a fifth of liquor a day or so.

Anyway, best of luck to you Pixel. It actually took me giving in to taking Antabuse to get me to stop. I'm no expert, but being honest about your cravings and reaching out to supportive people when you feel like drinking can help you stay sober.

Re: Carson's friend: I definitely believe someone going through DTs being capable of that. You think the hallucinations are totally real and can act very strange to normal people. It's really scary TBH.

 

[x26]

of Alcohol. I drank every day for over 15 years. Quite heavily. Always at night though. I needed it to help me sleep partly. I have some of the most severe insomnia that exists. Then I got into a serious bi-polar depression and started all day drinking. Wake up - drink - sleep. Wake up - drink - sleep. Wake up - drink - sleep.

I got the shakes, tremors, the sweats, the everything. I couldn't browse the web because I was shaking so bad I couldn't place the mouse over the proper tab or button. I said enough was enough and voluntarily checked into a week long in-patient and detoxed.

I figured I'd detox then go back to just night drinking. But a switch flipped and I wanted to stay clean. I'm in an outpatient program that lasts 2 months or so to help with that. Not drinking has been pretty easy so far besides the first 2 days, but there will come a day when things are so bad a drink will seem like the only answer. That will be the true test.

The doctor said the medications for bi-polar depression will not work properly while drinking and to stay clean for months and then we will know how they work. So that is the plan. I can't wait to feel the difference.

To anybody here who has or is suffering from substance abuse there is a way out.

Now I'm breaking the rules. They say not to fraternize with people in your program, whether in-patient or out-patient. But I met a girl at in-patient, which is over now, and we are going out. So technically not breaking the rules. She is 26 and I'm 41. What could possibly go wrong?

Glad you are Doing the Right thing--Keep up the good work!!

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I've found over the years that the more I work and advance in life the more I want to drink more.

Thankfully it has yet to get to the point of doing it during lunch or before work or anything. But I swear these Belgian beers have made me love beer so much that I feel the need to have it every day practically.

Work seems to be a bit of a cause for it too, mostly because I'm much more of an introverted person - but with how our project is right now we are Sharing 2 people to a desk and we are constantly getting bombarded with people. This doesn't work well when It drains me of energy all day and there isn't a single place I can go to be alone and do work. So it just stresses me out all day and only way to quickly answer it is knocking a few back when I get home.

I would probably get laughed at if I ever went to get treatment though. I don't think I've ever gotten to the point where I would get DT.

 

[sze5003]

I've found over the years that the more I work and advance in life the more I want to drink more.

Thankfully it has yet to get to the point of doing it during lunch or before work or anything. But I swear these Belgian beers have made me love beer so much that I feel the need to have it every day practically.

Work seems to be a bit of a cause for it too, mostly because I'm much more of an introverted person - but with how our project is right now we are Sharing 2 people to a desk and we are constantly getting bombarded with people. This doesn't work well when It drains me of energy all day and there isn't a single place I can go to be alone and do work. So it just stresses me out all day and only way to quickly answer it is knocking a few back when I get home.

I would probably get laughed at if I ever went to get treatment though. I don't think I've ever gotten to the point where I would get DT.

Our office also has an open floor plan and I understand how annoying it can get. It's only worse for me because I am the most senior person on my team so everyone bombards me all day with questions and asking me to do things or help them out. I love helping my coworkers out but after doing it all day it gets tiring. I rarely drink though, only socially and a few times I've brought home a case just to have a beer or two at night.

Not to mention all the other noise in the office that you can hear and have to deal with when trying to get work done. Although we will get fired if we are seen drinking during lunch hours so I never get a drink if I'm out for work.

 

[umbrella39]

Well.... congrats on taking the first step... Next March 18 will be 25 years of sobriety for me. Just a heads up though... When I tried to run MY program.. etc not listening to the suggestions, 90 meetings in 90 days, get a sponsor, stay out of relationships for at least a year, etc... I relapsed like everyone does by trying to pick and choose which suggestions I decided to follow. Only when I decided to stop trying to run the show did I find long lasting, meaningful sobriety. Good luck and I wish you lots of hard work... stopping drinking is only the first step, identifying the reason why you drank to excess in the first place and learning to live happily in the absence of your drug of choice is the rub... WTG PS

 

[cbrunny]

Crap whats with everyone giving me reasons to respect them lately? Good on you, sir. Keep at it.

Personally not a huge drinker anymore. I've had less than 10 drinks this calendar year and I feel freakin great. Alcohol is a wonderful, wonderful poison. We'd all be better off if there was less alcohol in the world.

 

[umbrella39]

I've found over the years that the more I work and advance in life the more I want to drink more.

Thankfully it has yet to get to the point of doing it during lunch or before work or anything. But I swear these Belgian beers have made me love beer so much that I feel the need to have it every day practically.

Work seems to be a bit of a cause for it too, mostly because I'm much more of an introverted person - but with how our project is right now we are Sharing 2 people to a desk and we are constantly getting bombarded with people. This doesn't work well when It drains me of energy all day and there isn't a single place I can go to be alone and do work. So it just stresses me out all day and only way to quickly answer it is knocking a few back when I get home.

I would probably get laughed at if I ever went to get treatment though. I don't think I've ever gotten to the point where I would get DT.

The only requirement for membership is the desire to quit drinking... That can apply to anyone who might think that drinking or drugs is something they'd like to stop doing... for money, sanity, sobriety... whatever....

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Now I'm breaking the rules. They say not to fraternize with people in your program, whether in-patient or out-patient. But I met a girl at in-patient, which is over now, and we are going out. So technically not breaking the rules. She is 26 and I'm 41. What could possibly go wrong?

Lots can go wrong! But they go wrong for everybody, not just people in recovery, and go wrong regardless of age differences.

I wish you both the best and all possible happiness, but if there's rough spots in the relationship, or (knock on wood) it ends, just remember that it's something pretty much everybody goes through - it's arguably the most common of shared human experiences. You can find sympathetic ears everywhere, and don't need whatever solace you might have once found in a bottle.

Best of luck to you in your journey.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Congrats on getting Sober, keep it up! And hopefully, your new relationship blossoms.

 

[ultimatebob]

Gongrats, OP!

My wife is 16 days sober today. She checked into a rehab facility for her drinking problem after going on a bender and mixing a few bottles of wine with her anxiety medication. She started drunk/stoned texting her friends saying that she was going to kill herself, and her friends had her involuntarily committed to a psych ward for a few days. I think that's when she finally realized that her drinking was out of her control.

 

[jman19]

Keep up the good work PixelSquish!

 

[Ichinisan]

Congrats on the willpower and the young lady

 

[TheVrolok]

Congrats man. One day at a time.