togaduke Posted January 23, 2003 Report Share Posted January 23, 2003 I can feel ya ..just try to drink more water with lemons and limes thats what I do.. when I want to stop for a while... I too am much better without booze.. and can pause for several months at a time then I slip.. well you only live once.. just try not to drink and drive..there is a real witch hunt on that nowadays.. I never do that I see people get more time for that then murder..and the roadblocks the bloody roadblocks doint even think of that... I doint go out much...its a war zone out there..at least in bkk you can get a cheap cab.. try 100 bucks to get home from downtown chicago... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limbo Posted January 23, 2003 Report Share Posted January 23, 2003 Hi OH, good luck to you! Some good suggestions have been made here for you already. Somebody mentioned that admitting that you have a problems is half of the work done. Guess the other have has to be your will power, so strength to you on that one! Cheers, Limbo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 24, 2003 Report Share Posted January 24, 2003 This might be an useful address even for someone else: AA-thailand . Good luck ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted January 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2003 Thanks again to everyone, so far o.k. Will meet again next week with my doctor and discuss a long term plan. She is not convinced I am a hardened alcoholic, more of a binge drunk (says thats worse for my health) in any event I do have a problem and am working on it. Thanks again ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BelgianBoy Posted January 25, 2003 Report Share Posted January 25, 2003 OH, Well mate, first step is to admit that you drink and that step you have taken....... It took my sis-in-law more than 15 years to admit that, but once she did, she took therapy and is on a good path..... Remember that it takes an iron will and that you have to keep away from the bottle each and every day for the rest of your life !!! Also best is to find soulmates to help, being alone is rather tough ...... AA was already mentionned Good luck ! Cheers ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 25, 2003 Report Share Posted January 25, 2003 Yep... Old Hippie, this is my eleventh year without alcohol or controlled substances... Stopped when I was 25, but did not do it alone... And I agree with others that it really equates to a change of lifestyle more than anything... Meaning, not hanging around the same old places with the same old folks and expecting something new to happen. I can also imgaine that trying to stay away from booze if one is heavily into the LOS scene would be a serious challenge indeed. It seems that alcohol and the Thailand scene go hand in hand for most. I for one am greatful to god that I didn't have to drink when I was visiting Thailand in that July heat. Just remembering my days and watching folks drink and smoke in the humidity was enough for me... Fuck! Feel free to PM me if you need anything brother... thaiinjuly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted January 26, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2003 Thanks! Oddly, my alcohol consumption always seemed to go down in LOS! To much other stuff to do maybe? More relaxed for me etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiery Jack Posted February 7, 2003 Report Share Posted February 7, 2003 OH, I hear you knocking, and you're already on the living room couch. I'm the same, especially with regards to the 'So far I am lucky, I haven't been arrested or hurt anyone. Sooner or later my luck will run out if I don't stop now' skit. I've been a drunk plain and simple for about twenty years, and I mean a DRUNK, not just a drinker . When I get canned, I tend to say and do stupid, stupid, stupid things I wouldn't walk near with with a blow torch and goggles on if I was sober. Sooner or later, I'll come to grief. . I've managed to cool down a lot lately, however, after a regular health check plus later visits to a clinic revealed that my liver is starting to put it's hands in the air and will, if I don't stop boozing, sooner or later (sooner rather than later) walk out of the door. A doctor at the clinic said to me: 'You are a chronic alcoholic. If you do not stop drinking, you will soon die.' Shit my pants when I heard that one, and immediately went cold turkey. They say the first 48 hours are the hardest: it's the first 48 minutes I have trouble with (the cold turkey is a fucker: I had an alcoholic seizure at work one time and had to spend a night in hospital: it was a barrel of laughs having to explain that one to my Boss) for, yup, I fell off the wagon big-style, after a couple of months. Since then, I've settled for a pattern of two month temperance followed by a one week splurge (but not so much booze as before and certainly not enough to put me in danger of arrest or expulsion from work). It's difficult, but can be done. Having a good woman beside you, and good friends to whom you've confessed your problem, really helps. And NEVER DRINK ALONE is, I find, a good tip, for that way madness lies. AA? Not for me quite simply because I'm not the kind of guy who comes out in front of complete strangers. I had a similarly-minded pal who went one time and hated it, in fact fled to the nearest bar and got blootered as soon as the meeting was over . Up to you, I suppose. For me, life without a drink would be quite simply unbearable, so that's why I quite deliberately throw myself off the wagon once every couple of months. But I've gotta keep an eye on the gas because, if I don't, I'm one of the 'I've started so I'll finish' brigade i.e. one drink's no good, I keep going till I fall over. Others might have to run with complete temperance to make it work. One final idea: if you act as big an asshole as I do when you're pissed, get a friend to video you 'in action'. I went to a wedding reception right royally sloshed and when I saw a video of myself later, it scared me off the booze for at least a month. But, yup, I drifted back... No simple solution. But good luck, sir, and let us all know how you get on. j Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 7, 2003 Report Share Posted February 7, 2003 :bow: :applause: Thank Jack..really. I was always a little surprised that this board basically has ignored this thread. He is aboard where members regularly talk about their most personal, intimate lives, sexual affections and perversions, emotional bankruptcies and familial strife, BUT nobody ever (exeptions noted) admits their booze problem. Thanks for sharing and trusting all of us. OH's original post opened a large wound in me. One I have dealt with most of my life. I PMed him on the first post and offered what I could. I did not post directly here as I was uncertain as to how "public" he wished to make his struggle. Your openess may persuade me differently. Yes, support by loving women and friends is crucial. The really bad ones are (at least in their own minds) alone. "It's not that I don't have will power. Of course I do. I WILL have another. I just seem to lack won't power." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted February 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2003 Jack, Thanks for your post, it does hit home. For me, the first few weeks were "weird" rather than hard. This last week was rough, very rough. Not sure why, but I had a friend die this week, and I used that as an excuse to have a drink. Oddly, I limited it to one of normal size. Didn't seem to make much of a difference, and I felt neither good or bad about it. I just decided to cut myself off at one. My doctor says I am more of a controlled alcoholic or binge drinker, which she says is actually worse for my health. I generally have a few minutes here and there when I really feel I need a drink, it comes down to will power to not have it. But those few minutes can be rough at times. I am sure this will be permanent, and it is up to me to stop it. As far as health goes, I have chronic migraines, which booze does not help. liver enzyme test is actually very good, as was the heart/cholesterol test, which I find weird as I am fat. But what the hell. But my health is certainly a concern. I have gotten a lot of really good PMs from board members on this topic, and I greatly appreciate all the support and advice. I have to agree with LaoHuLi, it is odd we never really discuss this, yet it seems more than one of us has this problem. My intention in coming public with my problem is/was to not try and hide it, and also by telling people, I might be less apt to let them see me slipping, making me stronger in a way, odd as that may sound, it does seem to work. In any event, thanks again to all for their help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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