alcoholics - anyone else having problems trying to get semi sober

[atyclb]

2 hours ago, jeab1980 said:

Someone hit the mark earlier on in this thread about AA meetings being for Alcoholics but a quantity of non Alcoholics are going. Another poster followed up with a statement thats why i dont bother going a lot.

Exactly the same is happening with this thread with debates about drugs uused and gambling adictions even suicides.

This is about a guy who is an Alcoholic he doesnt need to know from laymen or other genuine Alcoholics about certain drugs he should only get that advise from Doctors.

To talk about suicide is so counter productive its cringe worthy in the extreme.

Those of you who are like me Alcoholics recovering or still there will know the only advise in the end you take is your mind or body yelling you enough is enough. But genuine advise about seeking help does go in and gives you something to think about.

Certain treatments can and do help but only after you yourself admit to yourself you are an Alcoholic. Thats the hardest part as genrally you see no problem in what you are doing.

 

wisdom in your words but recovering alcoholics can and do have knowledge-experience with medication etc etc and may share their thoughts. alcohol detox should always be monitored

[jeab1980]

1 hour ago, atyclb said:

 

wisdom in your words but recovering alcoholics can and do have knowledge-experience with medication etc etc and may share their thoughts. alcohol detox should always be monitored

I fully agree but at this moment in time the OP is not a recovering Alcoholic. 

I know only to well some of the remedies i tried whilst still drinking after listening to others thinking WRONGLY i could do it on my own with no supervision. As we all know any drug is available on the black market. You hear someone say xxx drug did it for me and bang theres the answer in your boozed mind. Something i always do when talking to a fellow still drinking Alcoholic is to say when your ready see a doctor join the AA.

[Airbagwill]

 Can see that you have some perception problems - the fact that you make up differentials - such as "whisky" and "beer" in fact they are ALCOHOL - (beer has the effect of helping you to absorb whisky more quickly)., but without the whisky  you are still getting drunk. it is a bit of a cliche these days amongst alcoholics to "admit" they have a drink problem and they use this as an excuse to continue drinking - under the misconception that in the future they will "cut down" - or that people will just let them get on with it.

 

you second term that belies a pooor perception is "functioning alcoholic" - there is actually no such thing - it just means you are unaware of the problems you cause and think that doing a job or not drinking at daytime justifies a lesser  moniker than alcoholic.

 

then you talk about be "semi-sober" which means that as yet you don't really understand what it means to be an alcoholic and think that a "reduction" or not drinking whisky is all that is called for.

 

the conclusion is that one way or another you need to look at yourself properly to get a real picture of your problems - this might require professional help.

 

once you have done tat then yo0u can address your alcoholism.

 

PS - in Thailand if you go to just about any docotr and tell them you can't sleep, they'll prescribe some pretty powerful sleeping pills - however this is not good medical practice, but it gets you out of there clinic and earns a few bucks...and gets you on a different drug, when we already know you have a propensity for addiction.

 

 

 

 

[craftyhen]

don't go onto benzos for stopping alcohol

 

everyones different but it made me drink double the amount, and has left me dependent on a drug that literally does nothing

 

exercise is the only way out of it

[wump]

You mixed benzos and alcohol? This is something you should NEVER do you as you might stop breathing and die when passing out.

[PeCeDe]

Just wondered how the OP "Wanderluster" was doing with the "alcohol" thing... Any changes?

[superglue]

I was fortunate in that my GP was a l/t member of AA.

 

[PeCeDe]

 

2 hours ago, superglue said:

I was fortunate in that my GP was a l/t member of AA.

 

My Canadian GP was hot on my trail long before I was ready to admit it. During an annual he noticed my red blood cells were out of kilter, saying alcohol kills red blood cells leaving a predominance of young cells, then he asked how much I drank? To which I answered oh, 2 or 3.. No idea how many in a 750ml bottle of vodka, but you know the story. By the time I got to the UK I was desperate and "finally" outright told my UK Doctor exactly how much, by then one and a half bottles a day, he was ex military and knew right away it was PTSD. If only I'd been honest years previous I'd have saved all kinds of heartaches for myself and those around me... spilt milk, but at least I'm alive now and enjoying life in good ole Thailand.

[superglue]

Like most alcoholics I was in denial. In a rural city I held a responsible position.

My now ex-wife put it to me - alcohol or our relationship.

I had not even heard of the term but offered to attend a meeting of AA the following evening.

I am very thankful to her for that ultimatum. 

The odds are that I would be dead. No more public humiliation. No DUI.

The journey is supreme. 

 

The concept of a Higher Power led me to Buddhism. 

In summary, I now have a second chance @ life.

[Neeranam]

On 21/09/2017 at 11:00 AM, FritsSikkink said:

Go see a doctor.

Not good advice. Doctors know nothing about alcoholism and can't help. Only in detoxing are they useful. They diagnose, not taking into account you're in your early sobriety, where depression, anxiety, paranoia are normal. Thai doctors fill you up with pills, and you eventually get drunk again or become the walking dead. I met the head psychiatrist in a city here to discuss AA, and he told me I could drink again after  5 years abstinence, bloody idiot.

[Neeranam]

On 23/09/2017 at 8:40 PM, wump said:

You mixed benzos and alcohol? This is something you should NEVER do you as you might stop breathing and die when passing out.

I was taking 100 mg of Valium a day when drinking. I built up a tolerance over a few years. 

[superglue]

Getting SEMI sober.

This technique does not work.

[jeab1980]

1 minute ago, superglue said:

Getting SEMI sober.

This technique does not work.

Yes think we all know that now at the other end of the tunnel so to speak, but as a first step to admitting your an Alcoholic its a good step or it could be said a cry for help.

[superglue]

Agree 100%.

[PeCeDe]

38 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Not good advice. Doctors know nothing about alcoholism and can't help. Only in detoxing are they useful. They diagnose, not taking into account you're in your early sobriety, where depression, anxiety, paranoia are normal. Thai doctors fill you up with pills, and you eventually get drunk again or become the walking dead. I met the head psychiatrist in a city here to discuss AA, and he told me I could drink again after  5 years abstinence, bloody idiot.

Obviously the degree that your psychiatrist had was not worth the paper it was written on. I strongly hold the opposite view to you and our MD's should be amongst the first people we contact when trying to get sober but mainly for advice on who to get help from, because often many hours of one on one or group therapy are needed and an MD is too busy for that. An MD can also recommend programs such as medically supervised withdrawal, if allowed in your country.

[Neeranam]

2 hours ago, PeCeDe said:

Obviously the degree that your psychiatrist had was not worth the paper it was written on. I strongly hold the opposite view to you and our MD's should be amongst the first people we contact when trying to get sober but mainly for advice on who to get help from, because often many hours of one on one or group therapy are needed and an MD is too busy for that. An MD can also recommend programs such as medically supervised withdrawal, if allowed in your country.

The problem is that doctors are lied to by rummies.  Only another alcoholic can help an alcoholic.

[atyclb]

7 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

The problem is that doctors are lied to by rummies.  Only another alcoholic can help an alcoholic.

 

 

very true.  even at inhouse rehab, staff will get the alcoholics story then call the family to get the real-true story.   i knew an addiction specialist psychiatrist that himself was in recover.

 

the saying goes "you cant bs to a bull shixxer

[atyclb]

3 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Not good advice. Doctors know nothing about alcoholism and can't help. Only in detoxing are they useful. They diagnose, not taking into account you're in your early sobriety, where depression, anxiety, paranoia are normal. Thai doctors fill you up with pills, and you eventually get drunk again or become the walking dead. I met the head psychiatrist in a city here to discuss AA, and he told me I could drink again after  5 years abstinence, bloody idiot.

 

 

to the contrary doc's that have trained in treating addiction know tons about alcoholism and some are in fact in recovery themselves.  a non versed-experienced in addiction doc should refer to someone that is.

[atyclb]

On 9/23/2017 at 7:41 PM, craftyhen said:

don't go onto benzos for stopping alcohol

 

everyones different but it made me drink double the amount, and has left me dependent on a drug that literally does nothing

 

exercise is the only way out of it

 

the benzo . librium has long been the gold standard for doing detox but must be professionally monitored.

[jeab1980]

The point is he would have made the first step at some point he/she would be reffered to there GP it needs to be registered for any yreatment which may result. However any Doctor worth there salt would refer thr patient to a specialist clinic and give advise on AA meetings in fact he should facilitate a meeting with the AA at the very least very quickly. I know mine did she was Exellent.

[Neeranam]

10 hours ago, atyclb said:

 

the benzo . librium has long been the gold standard for doing detox but must be professionally monitored.

I have detoxed myself a hundred times with benzos, but usually diazepam.

[Neeranam]

9 hours ago, jeab1980 said:

The point is he would have made the first step at some point he/she would be reffered to there GP it needs to be registered for any yreatment which may result. However any Doctor worth there salt would refer thr patient to a specialist clinic and give advise on AA meetings in fact he should facilitate a meeting with the AA at the very least very quickly. I know mine did she was Exellent.

In Thailand?

[jeab1980]

5 hours ago, Neeranam said:

In Thailand?

Why not there are all the services you need here. However personaly i moved back to my home country to recover.

[Neeranam]

18 hours ago, atyclb said:

 

 

to the contrary doc's that have trained in treating addiction know tons about alcoholism and some are in fact in recovery themselves.  a non versed-experienced in addiction doc should refer to someone that is.

Not in Thailand.

[jeab1980]

4 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Not in Thailand.

I know quite a few recovering Alcoholics here who have done this  through the Thai medical system. Despite your constant "not in Thailand" there are some great doctors here.

[Neeranam]

3 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

I know quite a few recovering Alcoholics here who have done this  through the Thai medical system. Despite your constant "not in Thailand" there are some great doctors here.

Done what? 

 

The Thai medical system, and ส.ส.ส are the main reason that AA is not spreading like it did in other countries. Thai doctors think they are God, and will never accept a drunk knows more than them or can help another alcoholic better than them. 

 

 

[jeab1980]

10 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Done what? 

 

The Thai medical system, and ส.ส.ส are the main reason that AA is not spreading like it did in other countries. Thai doctors think they are God, and will never accept a drunk knows more than them or can help another alcoholic better than them. 

 

 

If you say so you are entitled to your opinion. I just belive your opinion to be wrong.

[Neeranam]

3 hours ago, jeab1980 said:

If you say so you are entitled to your opinion. I just belive your opinion to be wrong.

I'd be interested to hear more about your experience with Thai doctors and AA, as I started the first AA meeting in a treatment facility here many years ago, and have been involved with trying to carry the message to the Thai alcoholic for over 15 years. Now, there are more than thirty hospitals with AA meetings and I've met many doctors and nurses from most of them.

Are you an AA member, if so I'd be happy to take you to one of these hospitals as I believe we live near each other?

[jeab1980]

50 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I'd be interested to hear more about your experience with Thai doctors and AA, as I started the first AA meeting in a treatment facility here many years ago, and have been involved with trying to carry the message to the Thai alcoholic for over 15 years. Now, there are more than thirty hospitals with AA meetings and I've met many doctors and nurses from most of them.

Are you an AA member, if so I'd be happy to take you to one of these hospitals as I believe we live near each other?

If you would have read my post i clearly state i went back to home country. I was a member i suppose i still am of AA but i feel and have done for some years i do no longer need them. But its always good to know they are there if needed.

So you are now saying there are good thai doctors. Slightly confused with your differing stance now

[superglue]

I have been a sober member since 1984; did service work etc. I now live 150km from  the nearest meeting venue.

In addition, three members in CNX put the dagger in.

I don't miss it although I tried a few on-line meetings.

Now it is not a matter of how many meetings I attend per week but doing the steps & practicing the principles in all my affairs.