how to stop drinking ?

Question

I was drinking every night half a pint of vodka for the last 10 months, and I am addicted now.

I went to AA, and it inspired me to drink more. I'm now 25, and have a good job as a software programmer.

All the people I met at AA drink 1 bottle daily, and sleep on the street and beat their family, had driving accidents, and basically was drinking for more than 5 years, and they made a whole hell of it.

I couldnt even believe I'm a virgin at drinking, and I dont drive, and I only drint "half a pint" at night to sleep, and get up good in the morning. So AA just gave me the feeling "You are not like them, you are doing well"

But I really want to stop, and AA is no gud for me, and I tried cold turkey... but cannot hold fr more than 1 day. I'd like to know of a solid way to quit alcohol.

Stepping down little by little wont work with me, after a few sips, I forget all my promises and drink the whole damn thing from bottle.

How could I possibly stop this ?

one more thing, I dont drink at bars or during day time, or with friends, I buy booz and drink privately without noone seeing or hearing me, and I do alone.

Answer 1

First I would like to caution you about measuring the severity of your situation from only the amount you are consuming. People often think that alcoholics are those who consume vast quantities of alcohol, but this is often not the case: alcoholism occurs when the body chemistry changes to create a requirement for the alcohol. This has happened to both heavy drinkers and very light drinkers, both young and old. One of the examples I can cite is a 78 year old lady who had one or maybe two (small) glasses of sherry every night of her adult life. She found it very hard to understand that police found her walking around her apartment complex swearing like a sailor while dressed in her nightgown. However, she came to the conclusion at AA that her body chemistry had changed so that she could no longer drink. Recognizing the problem is only the first step.

Hundreds of people drink for different reasons. In high stress jobs, like programming or engineering, people use alcohol (or drugs) to be able to relax or "turn off" their brain so they can rest. Sometimes they do this their entire life without a bad result. Winston Churchill and F. D. Roosevelt were both heavy drinkers. But then there are those who recognize they cannot stop, such as yourself, even if they wanted to do so. These people lose track of why it was they started drinking in the first place. AA is a good place to recognize a common problem: that problem is that you no longer have control over the alcohol and, instead, it has control over you. You appear to have arrived at that point and you are to be commended for recognizing this. I suggest trying another meeting until you find one that suits you.

There are all sorts of reasons for drinking and it would be beneficial for you to understand what those reasons are. However, as someone else suggested, your first course of action should be to go to your General Practitioner (doctor.) Explain what your issue is and explain where it is you want to be: you aren't alone in finding the comfort of the bottle addictive. One popular drug for treating alcoholism is Campral. Oddly enough, it is apparently good for treating tinnitus also.

Your problem is twofold: first, you have a physical addiction. In this, you must cleanse your body of the effects of alcohol. This is commonly known as detox and it takes some time. It might behoove you to begin a type of therapy at the same time or, as you see fit, wait until your body is detoxed. I suggest some counseling on the psychiatric level.
Since your addiction seems tied to your life style, you should recognize this: no one can change things for you except you. No amount of drugs or counseling can make you stop drinking if you don’t want to do so. Understanding this is a great step towards wisdom.

Years ago, I asked a friend of mine, a member of AA for over 10 years, whether he ever desired a drink. He stopped and looked me in the eye and said, “Every hour of every day!” and then he added, “But I don’t drink because I know what will happen if I do.” He too suffered from these periods where he didn’t know what happened to him. You have a choice right now and I wish you well, but please know that your path isn’t easy. I pray you have the strength of character and seek the proper help you need to rid yourself of your addiction. God bless you.

Answer 2

"All the people I met at AA drink 1 bottle daily, and sleep on the street and beat their family, had driving accidents, and basically was drinking for more than 5 years, and they made a whole hell of it."

Now, how do you think it started for them? It may be a half pint today, what's to say it won't be pint and then a fifth tomorrow? Then, when you've lost your nice programming job, had a few DUI's, beat or lied to your family, and end up sleeping in the streets, who are you going to blame? You are just hitting the tip of the iceberg now , it's called denial, and it would be a good thing to continue with the AA or something similar because you are an alcoholic. You may be a functioning alcoholic, but you are still an alcoholic.

Answer 3

Get rid of all the alcohol in your house and don't invite people over that are drinking for a couple of weeks. If your having problems sleeping try some night time sleeping aid. After a week you won't have the craving anymore. To me AA meetings are just glorifying their experiences and I don't like them however you could meet someone there that could be a good inspiration on quitting. After the first week you should be fine. Good luck!

Answer 4

Honestly--no sarcasm meant here, but I think you will need to do some things to make yourself even more miserable first.

Throw away all your booze. Dump it down the sink. Throw away all the bottles. If there's anything in the house that reminds you of drinking, toss that too. You have a decent income; you'll get more stuff. Get rid of it all and make no excuses.

Quit going to AA. Quit hanging out with people who drink. If friends call and want to go out for a drink, don't go. Don't go to bars, not even to have a soft drink or a hamburger. If this means you don't have any friends anymore, so be it. You'll make new ones later. Right now you have some drying out to do, and besides, people who are drying out aren't much fun anyway.

Stop being a wimp. After that first day of not drinking, and you feel so desperate and miserable, lie down, and allow yourself to feel a bit more miserable, and then, a bit more. This misery is trying to force you to drink, by making you think something terrible will happen if you don't give in. It's a lie. Fight it, or, if you don't feel like fighting, just let it happen. You'll come out of it soon enough, and you'll be fine.

While you're lying there suffering, imagine people who have it just as bad or worse--imagine the pain of being in a hospital bed living through the pain of an amputation, or imagine being in a mountain cave, freezing and having nowhere to go. Imagine what it would be like to be dying of AIDS and have your family tell you to get lost.

If you are really addicted, then you may need help so that you don't experience health-threatening withdrawal symptoms, such as the DTs (delerium tremens), Perhaps you need to consider inpatient alcohol treatment, even for a few days, to get over the worst of it. The other benefit is that they can monitor you and make sure you don't drink. The goal here is no drinking, and no excuses, no matter how miserable you are. I personally think any healthy adult can handle it. I'm no doctor, but I wouldn't think that a half-pint a day would cause severe DTs during withdrawal.

Just wondering--where's your higher power? I believe everybody's higher power is Jesus (because He's God), and He promises in His word to heal all our illnesses. So while you're laying there, be sure to ask Him to be your highest power, and to heal you and forgive you for being so weak. Don't think you have to be a better person to have a chat with Jesus; that's not who He is. You'll never be good enough to deserve anything from Him; He gives it to you because He's good, and nice, and merciful.

That's the difference between true born-again Christians and spiteful, judgemental Christians: The first group understands that Jesus is their Savior and they love Him because He is so extraordinarily good and kind, healing and forgiving; the other group incorrectly think they have to shuck-and-jive and try to impress Him, which is a fool's errand, doomed to failure and feelings of bitter judgment. You follow Jesus because He's wonderful.

So be a bit more miserable than you are now, for awhile, and ask God to save you. You'll be much better in just a few days.

Answer 5

Try to find a different AA meeting, I would go with my father, he is recovering, and has been sober for 22 years. I went to learn more about the problem. None of the people that did go were drinking, once in a while one would fall off the band wagon, you need a sponsor, and not just attend meetings once in a while , if you have to go to a meeting every day. If not check yourself in a rehab.

Answer 6

if you did go to AA than you know the word yet it could get worse try another group or meeting place did you get honest with your self in the first step we all have different bottoms who is to say you are not at yours yet only you can answer that at 18 i knew i had a problem at 36 i maned up and did something about it dont wait as long as i did if you are not an out and out alcoholic you are studding hard to be one good luck and keep coming back it workes if you work for it

Answer 7

You need to stop sitting home alone! :) If your general routine is to go home from work, grab a bite to eat and settle in with a bottle for the night, stop doing that. Once that routine is established, it's as hard to kick as the drinking. Start making plans with friends or go to Mom's house for dinner. Do anything other than what you have been doing. Make new routines. Take a vacation. Anything that stops you from sitting there alone with a bottle. I know where I'm coming from.

Answer 8

You are on a slippery slope & need to put the brakes on now!
Go and see your GP and explain your situation - that's what i did when my drinking was spiralling out of control & I couldn't stop.
I was given some medication to take at home for 5 days to detox,referred for alcohol counselling and I haven't had a drink for 18 months - and don't want one either! It was the best thing I ever did.
Ultimately the answer lies within yourself - you must want to stop.

Answer 9

I think you should continue AA. If you need the help, they will provide it. Perhaps meeting with a AA sponser personally?

Answer 10

go get detoxed, and tell them at the hospital that you want to get into a program for alcoholics...(they are places where you dry out and learn to live without booze...a three month program is good, and maybe your insurance will cover it)...the thing is, you have to really want to get off the sauce, and you have to stay away from all your drinking buddies and out of all bars...GOOD LUCK BUDDY !!!