Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselling Thread

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Is it culture or abuse? I am of Scandinavian, german possibly irish and native american....and I don't know I like to drink it hasn't really caused my significant problems ever...except when I was taking klonopin, that was a disaster and I don't take that med anymore. I take valium for anxiety but I don't take it with drinking. But yeah I guess sometimes I wonder if my drinking isn't an attempt at indirect self harm...or if its just more of a culture thing I learned in psychology that cultures with more drinking more or less have something in their DNA making drinking seem to be a fairly natural thing to do...not in excess though some people do that, even non mentally ill people will get overly drunk on weekend or holidays sometimes. Anyways I am not addicted i could take or leave alcohol, but since I enjoy it I partake sometimes.

Yeah, I know what you mean sweatleaf.
My father was an African and according to the National Geographic genographic project my mother is both a scandinavian and and italian Tuscan. I always knew I was mixed race because my mum is white but the viking bit came as a surprise to both my mother and me. I have always loved Scandinavia abut I sincerely doubt if NG was right. But hey, I am beginning to like the idea of being part viking so now I'm wearing one of these horned helmets whenever I leave the house. It seems to confuse people a little because I take after my dad but what the hack!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TbkJdlr ... detailpage

8 months!

I'm an alcoholic, and in 2 days, I will be clean for a year and a half.

I came here to post my sobriety status: 271 days.
Taking it a day (sometimes, by the hour, and sometimes, by the second) at a time.
No alcohol for 271 days. I don't smoke anything or do any drugs, either.

Stress and social life are still rough, but I'm learning to cope and develop skills without alcohol. Plus, these anti-anxiety pills are my little medical miracles.


Congratulations, wisenupjanetweiss, on a year and a half.

Ready to die. I wanna get high. F**k.

I've been drug free for 6 months and alcohol free for 3 months. My life sucks now. It's boring as hell. I don't do anything but sleep, go to AA/NA meetings and go to outpatient therapy. I'm not enjoying life at all - no movies, no restaurants, no walks in the park, no museums, no concerts, nothing. I'll admit: life was more fun when I was drinking.

I drank when I watched TV or a movie. I drank when I surfed the internet. I drank when I played music. I drank when I wrote short stories, screenplays, poems and novellas. I drank to help me go to bed at night. I drank to take the nip off and help me relax.

The problem I had with drinking, or should I say, the problem my doctor had with me drinking, is it kept my blood pressure high. Because she's worried I might get a stroke again she made me go to outpatient treatment. I've used drugs for over 20 years and alcohol for more than 30 years. It's hard giving it up now. I feel so empty and un-alive. Hell, I feel depressed and suicidal.

I go to AA/NA with the hope that, somewhere along the way, I'll really start employing the 12 steps and learn to stay off substances. Right now, though, I want to drink and drink and drink. I feel like going to a motel and just drinking till the coroner comes to pick up my body. What a horrible way to go. Maybe somewhere along the way I'll start having fun with sobriety. I can't wait.

Is there anyone here who likes alcohol too much?
I am starting to drink every day for my anxiety and depression. I am constantly worried about the future, and regretting the past. I cannot find a happy medium. The present is just agonizingly slow and torturous.

I don't think I have ever had a substance abuse problem but I like to smoke a bit of pot now and again which is pretty harmless in my opinion. I haven't done it in ages though. The last time I ever smoked a reefer was during this year's eurovision song contest. Hoping it would make me laugh until the tears where rolling down my cheeks but it had the opposite effect. The hash made me feel all desperate and gloomy whilst doubting the abilities of mankind, Haven't done it since.

I have one Vicodin that I want to take right now. I'm resisting so badly. I haven't taken anything in about 9 or 10 months, I think. I hate how I turn to this whenever I can't cope with life...

I was a major poly-drug user for almost 10 years..My most recent habit consisted of upto 3 grams of methamphetamine a week, 200 benzodiazapine pills p/w, over an ounce of cannibus p/w, once the cannibus had no effect I was using upto 3 grams of synthetic cannabinoids a day... Not to mention methadone and codeine most days...This resulted in another major car accident (3 this year) My brother had to beat the crap out of me, Break my hand and lock me up at home. I live in rural sydney with no public transport so I had to dry out with nothing but a few anti depressants to sleep. My drug use was out of control and even hardened drug addicts were horrified by my usage... Today Ive been sober for a month and a half, When to be honest I think I would surely be dead by now and im only 24.. Im looking and feeling better than ever, Ive even got interviews for work.. This is just a testemant to show that if I can do it, Anybody can!

So I didn't read too far back in the sticky thread as I see that the last post was a bit ago. But I am pretty sure I have a substance abuse problem. I just smoked an oz of weed in a week. That's a lot, at least for me. I drink as well, although rarely to excess anymore. I think with the weed that I am trying to make up for an absence of something. I'm not sure what. But even though I know I smoke to excess, I wouldn't want to not be able to smoke it at all.
So I guess I'm posting because I am feeling a need to straighten myself out. And I'm not sure what can take pot's place as nothing makes me happy. I am on anti-depressants and they keep me functional, but I still have not been able to find anything worth living for.
I am going for a follow up interview tomorrow for a customer service job when I will find out if I get it or not. I'm already depressed at the thought of getting it as work has been a disaster for me in the past. But I disclosed my disability in the interview this time, so that could make things workable.
Anyway, of course I'm having a drink.