Wish Me Luck...DETOX, Baby!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

This pretty much sums up my feelings and trepidation regarding this process. Sorry I copied and pasted from another board, but I haven’t the heart to rewrite it all, and I’m not sure I could. I mashed two separate posts together. Pray, celebrate Festivus, whatever ya gotta do, but send some vibes my way. I want to quit this evil menace.
*All-

going into alcohol detox tomorrow. Will be out for at least three days. I need to do this in order to spare my poor liver and my life, as well as to improve my relationships with my family.

I am a functional boozer, I never miss work, I spend time with my family, Cub Scouts, soccer, bowling leagues, you name it, I am there. And I don’t drink before or during any of these things, and I don’t drink and drive (well, I did after the Bears game Sunday, but I took it pretty easy!). My problem is once it’s nighttime and I feel “my chores are done”, I wrap myself in a cocoon of beer and my own selfish ways and desires and therefore remove myself as a presence from my family and reality.

So, recognizing that I have a problem, my doctor has suggested a medical detox with aftercare followup as the best solution, as he says that I have been drinking so much (approx 10 beers a night) for so long (over 20 years) that my withdrawal symptoms could actually kill me. Yikes. So I am going in tomorrow, and will be out of the loop.

I know that many of you will miss my extremely valuable input, and that your lives will feel emptier for my absence, but I’ll be back…faster…stronger…bigger…I can be rebuilt!

The bye week comes at a GREAT time for me.

Salutations and I’ll see you on the other side!
I know we’ve covered this ground before, and thanks to all the well-wishers. But this time I have realized that this isn’t something I can just do on my own. I think realizing that was a good first step. I need to get this infernal drug out of my body for a few days, and then tackle the afterglow. And I’ll need professionals in order to do that.

I’m scared. I haven’t been without my precious for well nigh over twenty years. I know what I need to do, but will I do it?

I need to rid myself of this soul scourge and get myself back on level ground, where I remember late night conversations and commitments, don’t draw up like a turtle in it’s shell after 9:00pm and just generally be more motivated and less fatigued. That’s another thing that’s been worrying me. I don’t get hungover anymore. I just get so tired for long stretches of the workday. And its because I don’t sleep well because of John Barleycorn, the irony being of course that I can’t sleep without his evil hand caressing my heart either.

Anyway, that’s my sordid tale and I’m sticking to it. I also fear being far less snarky and witty when I’m sober. I may end up blending into the crowd, which is my worst fear of all.*

2

Good luck, dude!
It’s not an easy road, but keep on rocking in the free world and keep us updated on how you’re doing!

You’re going to detoxing before Dr. Dre’s *Detox *comes out, and I’ve been waiting now nearly 10 years for that Album to come out!

3

That motherfucker still gets to smoke weed, though!

I have to keep reminding myself that I’m going through with this tomorrow. They asked me not to drink tonight so I would exhibit withdrawal symptoms earlier, but they sadly underestimated me.

4

Good luck!

You don’t have to answer this, but I’m always curious what level of drinking requires a detox?

I’ve been known to down a whole six pack in a night by myself (usually over the course of 5 hours or so), or drink a whole bottle of wine or saki by myself, though not always. I do drink 4-5 days out of the week pretty regularly though.

It hasn’t affected my life yet, at least not to my knowledge and not counting expenses (a lot of money a month spent on booze).

5

I don’t honestly know. All I know is that my doctor said “Wow, you’ve been drinking ten or more drinks a night for twenty years?” and that’s when reality set in. Even moreso when he mentioned potentially deadly withdrawal symptoms for “someone like me”.

I’m only 40. I have little kids and a stepdaughter that I have a rocky relationship with, partially due to my drinking, which results in my anger issues when a child tells me to “fuck myself”.

Anyway…thanks.

6

Ok, sorry, wasn’t judging you or trying to validate my drinking. I have been wondering myself if I drink too much. Both my wife and I grew up in homes that never drank at all.

Also, never really drank but a couple times a month until I went to college. It has increased a bit since I graduated, moved out of state and still have not found employment. :frowning:

7

You and I haven’t spoken much, but I’ve seen enough of your posts to know that you’re a good guy. I wish you all the luck in the world and many best wishes for your recovery.

8

Thank you for your support.

Thanks SA. You get a sometimes undeserved bad rap around here.

9

Good Luck and remember there are people around here to talk to.

Drop me a PM anytime either before you go in or when you get out and we can do the Facebook or Myspace thing.

Just remember to breathe and let your higher power work with you. You are going to hear that a lot.

~hugs~
Your new friend
Kricket

10

Sometimes? :wink:

Still, no worries. Water off a duck’s back and all that. But thanks anyway. :slight_smile:

11

I appreciate the support, however, I hope to avoid AA at all costs and any cliched sayings associated with them. No offense.

At least I don’t hate you.

I’m kidding, you’re obviously an allright cat. But you do tend to hold positions that are…unsupportable, at times. And I am theoretically “on your side”, as it were.

Theoretically being the operative word here.
:slight_smile:

12

Well, nobody’s perfect. Maybe we can talk about it sometime.

13

I’m always open to discussion. Shutting people out that have honest feelings about things in their lives is always interesting.

14

I was similar to you - at the end, after about 14 years of heavy drinking, I was up to 15 or 16 beers a night. I went through a group program for a couple of months, and during that time attended a few AA meetings. Didn’t like 'em, I never could buy into the whole spirituality and higher power thing. I’ve been sober for four and a half years.

I don’t mean this as a slam against AA, I think it’s an awesome organization that helps tons of people. I just wanted to chime in and let you know it is possible to stay clean without it.

Good luck to you, man.

15

My dad has stayed sober without the help of AA, so it is definitely possible. I can’t tell you what the key is, as I haven’t a clue, but AA is not the only way to sobriety. Do what works for you.

Good luck with everything, and I hope that you find that life without all that beer is a lot, lot sweeter :slight_smile:

16

FWIW, I have an enormous amount of respect for you and what you are doing. I wish you the greatest success!

17

Good luck!

18

Good luck!

Take care of yourself!

19

Best wishes, man. Glad you’re trying to take care of yourself.

20

My thoughts will be with you. Wishing you success in this difficult journey.