I was doing so well...but unfortunately went back to the demon drink over Xmas. Not drinking as bad as before, but still way over what I should. Starting again but expect I will need a bit of help or someone to offload to initially. First couple of weeks were worst last time and expecting same this time.
Not going to make excuses as to why, as we can certainly think of a few at the moment 😉
So I hope people won’t mind if I bore you all with my woes over next couple of weeks !
Hello Archie,
Do not beat yourself up about having had a relapse. The most important thing is that you are now 'starting again'. It is not easy and many on here will testify to that fact but with support, whether that be from this forum or your own GP etc you will get there. In the immortal words of L'Oreal - YOU ARE WORTH IT.
regards and good luck, stay strong
Thank you. Lack of sleep will be my biggest challenge as that was main reason I started. But I think it’s time to ask doctor for help this time and see what support can be offered. I’ve ordered some herbal stuff to try and aid sleep, plus some natural perfume spray to put on pillow each night. Any other tips that can aid sleep will be gratefully received 😊
I appreciate the difficulty of lack of sleep but please be very careful about taking any herbal supplements. Some can do more harm than good because they are not subject to the rigourous testing that standard medications undergo. Always best to check with your medical team/GP. Definitely ask your doctor about support - this is not a road you have to travel alone.
Ah sleep - can be such a challange. My two pennies worth are sleep hygiene and routine. No electronics, maybe bar music if that helps you, in the bedroom. Also try to have a calming routine in the couple of hours before bed - keep away from electronics such as laptops or iPads as they can stimulate the brain and can make sleeping worse.
A quick google on sleep hygiene will give you lots more ideas - I hope you mange to find something to help as disturbed sleeping just makes everything else seem so much more challenging.
Looking forward to hearing more from you and how you are getting on - all the very best, Peter
Hi. I had terrible trouble sleeping. Apart from any damage caused by lack of
a good nights kip it fouls up your routine. I was getting off about 5 or 6 AM
and waking at about eleven. I felt dog rough. Missing breakfast. Tried
herbal stuff... no good, money down the drain. Nothing worked until I cut
out caffine altogether. No coffee at all and only decaff tea. After a couple of
weeks I was crashing out for 8 hours solid.
Some good Facebook groups too for motivational support too.
My hubby has relapsed a bit this last week too. Judging by your user name, you may have been born the same year as him too. My hubby has bad insomnia, we have tried lavender sprays that help sometimes, we have also tried playing music to help his brain focus on something apart from not being able to sleep. There is a Sleep Radio channel (sleepradio.co.nz/) you can tune into but my hubby prefers listening to songs rather than instrumentals, so I just download Amazon prime playlists, there are lots to choose from. My hubby spoke to his dr yesterday and she is now prescribing him something to help him sleep.
Your not the the only one Archie struggling mate I'm 8 months sober and got my blood results and ultrasound results was told good and satisfactory and my doctor are liver consultant has never explained to me are told me to diet just to stop drinking my mind is playing games well I got good results one wont do any harm I'm that close to having a beer but you hang in there I'm sure you will get good advice on here goodluck mate
Ct scan
I had to have a ct scan would it show up abnormalities of the liver?
Hi Archie1962 so sorry to hear that you have slipped from the road forward but it happens to the best of us it’s a real problem when your an addict you and I have probably used just about every excuse under the sun and called it a reason it’s not and you know that. So I will try to follow you and listen but in hospital at the moment hopefully out soon bilirubin went through the roof, try to refocus as difficult as I know it is and get back on the flat road, afford them bumps which throw you off . Good luck and all the best.
Stay Safe All
Dogbot 🐶🌈
Thanks Dogbot. Sorry to hear you are in hospital and hope you get better soon. Appreciate you reaching out when your situation is even worse than mine at moment 😐 take real good care of yourself.
Have you been exposed to the book Alcoholics Anonymous before? There is a chapter "More about alcoholism", you can google it and find a version online. It highlights the peculiar nature of how the alcoholic mind works. How it will always lead the alcoholic back to drinking if the alcoholics are not consciously working on leading an alcohol free life. And then the body takes over and invariably it gets worse than before. The later part doesnt have to happen if the alcoholic doesnt drink but the mind though keeps turn back to alcohol over and over again.
No I have not read that, but I will as I think does really apply to me and I have to accept I am an addict and always will be. My mind persuades me that I don’t really have that bad a problem when I manage to go days without drinking and I think I can just have one drink.... but by time bottle is open I quickly find I’ve downed the lot. Then builds from there... really hate myself for being weak. I need to bust this though or it is going to kill me, and deep down I know that. It’s an evil drug that creeps up on you. I really hope I can beat it 🙂 thanks for advice
The book uses the term "peculiar mental twists". In one of those stories to illustrate this phenomenon, they narrate a story of a car salesman who goes into a village to find a prospect (this book was written in 1939). He gets hungry so he stops at a road restaurant for a quick bite. No desire yet. He orders a sandwich and a glass of milk. He eats it is so hungry orders another sandwich and a glass of milk. Thats the moment a thought comes through if only he would mix whiskey with milk and drink it, it wont hurt on a full stomach. Oops! The story goes, the experiment went so well he orders another....and another..
I too did that "i will have only one" and not store beer in the house. But after that 1 beer, I will be going to liquor store back and forth several times.
Relapses are all part of giving up booze.
Dont give up giving up!
If you cant sleep get up and do something, read, write, do all the things you have been putting off while you were drunk.
NO point in laying in bed trying to sleep, it only winds you up!
You WILL sleep when your body tells you it needs it.
On Monday I will be 4 years sober, could easily drink but I wont.
My aim in breaking the addiction was to reach a time when i can make the choice to say no.
It's the point when you will know the difference between needing a drink and wanting a drink.
I will always want a drink but I dont need a drink anymore.
Hope that makes sense 🤪
Thanks Roy. You will never know how much your comments resonate with me. Really helpful 👍 I can always come up with an excuse to drink.
Heartburn
Starting to See Sense 
Able to work again 
Decompensated liver 
Awake again
