re: Alcohol Addiction

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hangover anxiety

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is indescribable to many...but if you know, you know. shite sucks.

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For those of you that have struggled with Alcoholism and decided to get help, what was trigger/event that caused you to finally take that step?

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I’ve been to rehab twice. The first time, I went because I was forced to, to save my job. I didn’t do it for the right reasons. I thought it was something that was “fixed.” Covid happened. And, even though I was told I’d be wanted back, it turns out they had no intention of it, and just wanted me to go. I wasn’t welcome back anymore. They couldn’t trust me. It was a damn good job, too. Relapsed. Went on a 3 year bender.

2nd time - was getting drunk from 6 am til 6 pm, literally taking a nap, hungover at 9 pm, starting again. My girlfriend has a 12 year old, and when it got more serious, she had finally had enough. I tripped and fell in the shower, she heard it, and we both said, “it’s time.” Went back, and 30 days later, something finally sunk in. I knew I couldn’t “set and forget” ever again. I take it one day at a time, but I’ve got 9 months.

The first one was bad enough. I’m still regretful. But, many, many people have had WAY worse. I consider myself lucky.

Anybody else feel WAY better about their 2-3 nights of drinking per month after these threads?

ETA: not talking about blackout drunk drinking.

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My buddy said he tried numerous rehab facilities- it wasn’t until he found Jesus

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Yep. Steps 2 and 3. As my first sponsor said before my first relapse, “if you don’t find your higher power, you’re fricked.” He was right. Honestly the biggest and most understated struggle for everyone with the 12 step program in my second (and hopefully last) rehab was step 2 and 3, and for the ones who already had a personal relationship with God, step 4 obviously. A lot of people REALLY struggle with steps 2 and 3 but there’s a reason they’re steps 2 and 3.

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No real trigger event (thankfully). For a long time was just fed up waking up the next day after being irresponsible (driving, arguing with spouse, not remembering conversations). Eventually just decided that I wasn’t capable of socially drinking and I didn’t want to throw my family, career, etc away for something so unfulfilling.


I always imagined getting in a collision where someone else was seriously injured. Even if the other driver is 100% at fault. You blow over and your life as you know it is ruined. Once you finally realize that then it’s a no brainer.

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Pretty much this.

Eventually it gets old.

I did have one night that I didn't show up where I needed to be and that slapped me in the face that I no longer held control. Two days later I quit drinking, three days later I was I went to my first AA meeting and I haven't looked back.

I looked for solutions at the bottom of a bottle for a long time. Never found any solutions, just more problems.

Once I accepted that alcohol was a neurotoxin that interfered with my spiritual well being, I endeaveored to end my association with it.

Because I am flawed and almost irredeemable, I will occasionally have one, which always leads to eleven more, to remind myself of the destructiveness of drinking.

Spent five days on a ventilator and three days hallucinating. Started drinking again six months later. Spent more time in the hospital and wife kicked me out of the house. Finally admitted I was an alcoholic and my life was unmanageable. I had a choice, die or get sober. Dying was easy, getting sober was very hard, but I thank the Lord everyday for my sobriety.

I wish I knew. It’s not easy, if it was I wouldn’t be replying to this post.

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The thing you have to look at is your relationships with everyone will get better.

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Not necessarily, sometimes you realize you need to end some relationships in sobreity. I didn't choice to save every relationship. That was very very hard.

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hangover anxiety

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Not everyone has that, or it just be a me problem. I don’t know the last time I’ve had a hangover