Substance Abuse Community

at the risk of sounding redundant, please find a local AA meeting and go for yourself. Also find a local Al-anon meeting to learn how to deal with the alcoholics in your life. One step at a time with the first step admitting you are powerless over alcohol, because you are. Look at your statement, "I have a hard time fighting the urge to buy alcohol..." This is the time where you need to go to AA for yourself and grab on with both hands and hold on tight. I wish you peace, L

Welcome. I agree with Anon_18488 above. What do you need to do to get out of the house and not live with your parents? It sounds like an extra stress in your life.

Sounds like exercise and getting out and about was the key to your success the first time you quit. I would go back to that as much as possible. Financially get your self ready to move away from your parents. The fact that they drink is not an excuse for you to do so but the ever presence of alcohol is a temptation.

You say you are in a great relationship! Does he/she drink? Make a plan and stick to it. You have had success in the past and you can do it again. I imagine your good example may be an influence on your parents. Go to the meetings also. They are wonderful tools to have for your complete happiness.

Kay

Hello,

This is for the original poster. You do realize that this is an illness, don't you? I hope so. You said you're happy and in a good relationship, but you still drink. I have formulated a theory on what this illness is, and without going into it, I'll say this. One thing I noticed about our illness is even when things seem fine, especially to everyone else, we still use. This baffled me for many a year. I finally realized a few things. One is that even when I think I'm happy because some things are going well, there is still an underlying feeling of discontentment in me. I'm just not happy with me, and how I feel. So I would use to try and make myself feel better about me. However, it was always largely unsuccessful. Even if I felt better while I was drunk, the next day I felt worse than before I drank. And the older we get, the longer the hangover lasts. I have concluded that in our brains there is a lack of the Feel Good Chemicals that the brain makes to keep us feeling content. You add credence to this theory because you said when you exercise that helps you to stay sober. Well of course it does. This is because exercise causes the brain to produce the Feel Good Chemicals and to release them into the bloodstream. The result is you feel better, and drink less or not at all.

So I think you need to get back to your exercise programs. If I was you, I'd make that a top priority in your life. Something like this, eat, sleep, work, and exercise.

Good luck.

Yes you are right about the tempatation! Financially we are fine...............and are ready to get out of here! It's my parents finances that I am more worried about:( I am afraid that they cant afford their mortgage w/o us.
My fiance' does drink but very rarely.....he is able to drink one beer and thats it:) However he does splurge in smoking pot once in a while, which I do not. About 5 years ago we both started using cocaine 1-2 times a week together, which sent us into financial despair! We have both quit that altogether and have been clean from that for 2 years. I did start walking again this week, but have not gotten into my old routine yet......that was my key to happiness. I keep telling myself one more day of drinking then I'll start......hasnt happened yet:( Thanks for ur wonderful advice!

You hit the nail on the head! I am not happy w/ myself! I have had 2 children in 3 years and at my age (36) the extra 25 lbs has been tough to get off! My first 3 children were in my younger years and I had no problem! I think I feel a need to be the trope so much.
When I started exercising I was hard on myself.........doing it for hours at a time and eating very sensibly. I also found that drinking green tea may have helped w/ some chemical issues. Or maybe it was psychological? I have very high anxiety on top of my addiction. I was addicted to cocaine for 2 years and overcame that addiction. So I know I can do it........funny thing is I think I just have an addictive nature....................I only hope that I can get it to be exercise again as opposed to this drinking.
Thank you for your input:)

sorry I "feel the need to be the trophy wife" is what I meant to say at the end of the 1st paragraph:)