JTBIV

I'm sober three nights a week. I'm a 28 year old respiratory therapist at a local hospital those nights. On my days off I'm dizzy in the morning and I shake all afternoon. I hit the gym and get it together a bit only to drink that night and repeat until the next time I work. I feel like my life is an earthquake. Everything's falling, shaking, and falling through my hands. I know I need help to hold on to what's important. I admitted to myself I have a problem some years ago and have tried to fix it alone. It's not working. I'm not ready to tell anyone else I have a problem so I'm telling you.

Mags1

Hi JTBIV, welcome to SR. You've made a brave first step. Keeping taking these small steps and visiting SR. I have found a wealth of information, support from people who have been through similar problems.

BarbieKen

I know when I admitted I needed help it was a huge first step, and I felt a bit of relief too!! So, welcome to SR. Bobbi

Dee74

Welcome to SR JTBIV

you'll find a lot of advice and support here

If SR is going to be your main recovery tool I recommend checking in as often as you can or need to

D

polaris

You sound an awful lot like me, so I empathize.

There is plenty of great advice and genuine people here who have really lived the sober life for far more time than we can yet imagine at this point.

Ghostlight1

Hello, and welcome you've found a great place.
Good for you for admiting you have a problem. Took me a long time to realize that and it took me many days of misery to admit it.

Try and remember how you feel the day after drinking. The misery, anxiety and fear are still fresh in my mind after two years ten months sober. I never want to feel that way again. So I stopped drinking.
Have you thought of trying a recovery program? AA works for many. There are other methods, too.

Good to have you here and post as often as you like.

TiredWolf

Well, you are off to a nice start. Obviously you are very intelligent because you recognized w/d symptoms and sought help.

Start by telling yourself..."I've still got a job and my health is fine". Focus on those two things and realize you will probably lose both of them unless you make some changes.

FourSeasons

Welcome JTBIV! I promise. I won't say a word to anyone!! Even if they ask me I will deny til I die!!!

SR is a wonderful support site and is my number one tool on the road to recovery. I strongly encourage you to stick around here, read and post. It really does help in keeping you focused on your end goal of sobriety.

My best to you!

hayley86

Welcome JTBIV, this is a really great place for support. It's helped a lot with my recovery. I'm glad you have joined us. Best wishes.

KateL

Welcome. No one will judge you here because we are much the same.

wiscsober

JTBIV

SR is an integral part of my recovery along with AA, Alanon. You will get a lot of support here, and also help others.

Nevertheless

I wish I would have stopped at your age.
I knew I had a problem when I was younger than you. But I just kept telling myself (I'll quit one of these days). I did that for almost 30 years.
(One of these days) is not a day of the week or year. It needs to be now. Yea,quitting isn't easy. But it is soooo worth it. It is true freedom once you break away.

Fred

IOAA2

Welcome to the path of sobriety if we follow it. I'm often amazed by the number of drinking people that do healthy things for themselves like healthy eating and exercise yet pour unhealthy toxic liquids into themselves usually on a daily basic.

The only person that can "fix" this problem is you, for yourself. I and most had to get honest with ourselves about our drinking, take steps to curtail it and work on a plan of recovery. Stopping is one thing recovery is fixing the reasons we drank.

There is much help here if accepted and meetings like AA.

BE WELL

JTBIV

I appreciate the welcome. FourSeasons, thanks for having my back. Here's a HighFive

Bostonsportsfan

SR was the first place I admitted to having a problem other then my friends who drank with me and could kinda see it. SR is a great place and you should continue to come here. Sounds like you have a problem, but caught it early enough you don't have to let it mess up your life. You don't drink everyday, so the withdrawals can't be too bad.

You may need to detox to quit, but only you know that.

Bostonsportsfan

Quitting is the answer and I was over 2 months sober and drank last night. It's a great feeling to not be a slave to alcohol. I wish I didn't drink, not worth it.

thisisme

Welcome to a better life.
Best.

NorCal1970

"I admitted to myself I have a problem some years ago and have tried to fix it alone. It's not working. I'm not ready to tell anyone else I have a problem so I'm telling you."

Hey JTBIV,

I was a lot like you. I knew I had a problem but was not wanting to admit it to anyone else. I have only been sober going on 8 days, but I can say that the most important step for me was admitting to others that I had a problem. You need to confide in others and find people who will support you in this struggle.

Hang in there bro, you can do it.

Lifeisforliving

First night here myself, JTBIV, and totally relate. Yes I have a problem. I know that. I have only told one friend so far. I'm just not ready to tell anyone else yet so I'm baby-stepping in with this group. We'll get there when we're supposed to. For now though this will be my life-line.

longbeachone

Welcome! I know it's hard in the beginning. It will become easier with time. You are so sensitive at this point, it's a bit like a bad injury...all hot and swollen and painful. As time goes by, it hurts less and less, until finally you're left with a small scar and a distant memory. One day it will probably seem amazing to you that the remedy for the terrible state you now find yourself in was as simple as walking away from alcohol. Just take it one step at a time. You can do it.