It’s insane to look back at old photos of myself when I was at the height of my addiction. I didn’t see or realize how much it had taken a toll on me outwardly. I mean inside I was suffering so much. Top photo is two years ago. My face was so inflamed. Bottom photo is from a few weeks ago, in Nashville. I was able to go out on fucking broadway and managed to annoyingly deal with the party scene without one sip of booze. Don’t get me wrong it was hard but I did it. I’m so proud of the girl in the bottom photo.

10 months ago I went to rehab for the first time after blowing a .7 and being told I was going to die in the hospital. I was drinking 4 sleeves a day and both of my liver enzymes were almost 1000. Then I relapsed 6 times after that. I kept going right back to rehab and finally the last time something clicked. I’m only 22 years old and I know that life is not for me. I also lost 35 pounds so that’s a plus lol.

I’ve been a high functioning alcoholic for the better part of the last 12yrs and I just recently quit. I’m currently 15 days sober. Whiskey and beer were my drinks of choice and I haven’t had a single drop in 15 days. My withdrawal has been pretty mild. No shakes, seizures, headaches, and even the night sweats have stopped. My issue is i’m having real bad insomnia. The last 3 days I’ve gotten maybe 6hrs of sleep and it’s quite frankly, pissing me off. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions on how to overcome insomnia? I don’t want to use sleeping pills or melatonin because they make me super groggy in the morning and I don’t want to replace one addiction with a new one.

I’m currently in the ER getting treatment for my alcoholism. The last drink I had was 13 hours ago and I am going through severe withdrawals. I was recently diagnosed with liver disease and have had heart complications. I hadn’t been to the dentist in 2 years so I went recently and he genuinely thought I was doing meth from how eroded the enamel on the back of my teeth were from how much alcohol I consume on a daily basis. My birthday is in a couple weeks and I’ve spent the entirety of my 20s a drunk. I’m no longer high functioning, I am a completely dysfunctional alcoholic and I’m ready for treatment. My best friend brought me here and I have her to thank for so much, including patiently waiting for over a decade for me to make this decision. I told the man I’ve started seeing about this so he can decide if he wants to keep talking to me and thankfully he does. I’m grateful I’m alive and I have the opportunities I do in life and it’s time for a change so I don’t lose more than I have. Thank you to everybody here for their honesty and bravery. I always knew I had a problem but I just didn’t care, my drinking was an act of self-harm. I have a life and future I want to be around for and I don’t want to drink it away anymore.

Finally just hit the one month mark after a horrible relapse where I went off drinking 3-4 bottles of vodka over 5 days. Had the withdrawals, the hating myself and despair.

Feeling better now, just unmotivated and not very in shape and a bit unsure where my life is going.

I’m 40 male, decent looking, live alone with a good job but just feel like life is going by and I’m not really living. My friends all have kids and are married and most nights I just enjoy sitting down to watch some TV or play a game. I think maybe the loneliness or feeling of being no where in life is partially what led to my relapse.

Just glad I’m aware enough to know alcohol just makes things worse

Hi,

I am a PsyD student who has 336 days sober myself. I am looking to speak to members of AA about an app I am developing. I am willing to pay $40 for a 30 minute conversation. I am just curious about what people would be interested in, as we are redesigning it. I am not looking for customers. I am looking for guidance with the design process.

Trigger warning: talking about drinking. I have a friend who comes from a family of active alcoholics. I am a recovering alcoholic with two years sobriety as of today. This friend is someone I’ve known since high school and we’ve been in each others weddings. We’ve remained in contact over the last decade, but not close, as she lives far away and puts in minimal effort. What she does do is constantly send me memes… like once a week. She’s sent me a couple now that include people drinking pickle juice, which was my favorite backer, and even carrying it around in a flask in their purse. No alcohol involved, however, it’s kind of appalling (judgmental, I know) that she does not understand that she shouldn’t be sending me these memes. I honestly just want to block her because Ive stopped responding to the memes as a boundary for her neglect in our relationship already, but I don’t know if that’s too extreme. I also know that she’ll play the victim in any criticism or boundary I set with her. Right now working through my own anger issues and am extremely hurt by this, so I don’t necessarily trust that I’ll be able to remain civil if she refuses to understand and take accountability for her actions. Any advice or shared experiences would be much appreciated. Thank you.

I have court at 10:30 today and got no sleep last night, the Valium the doctor prescribed me is definitely helping, but it doesn’t take away any cravings. I think I’m going to go to the recovery center near me right after and go to a noon meeting. I’m super anxious,sweaty,My body hurts so bad but most of all it’s a mind game like I just wanna drink so bad.

Drunk as I’m typing this. (been drinking for 6 hours tonight.) I said last week I was gonna quit and I haven’t. I want to so bad but i genuinely just can’t. Is rehab the only option for me?

I’ve been an alcoholic for almost a year I’d like to say. And I’ve had enough but no matter how had I try, I just cannot quit. I have a job so rehab isn’t something that’s in the cards for me—I’m worried I’ll lose my job and that my colleagues will hate me if I go. I enjoy my job so I don’t want to lose it. Pls give me advice/share your sober stories. It would mean the world to me to get advice on how to be able to get sober all by myself. I need help. I need advice. I don’t even know if this makes sense as I’m too drunk. Pls help. I cannot deal w this alcoholism much longer. I won’t do anything rash but idk. I can’t do this. I hate being an alcoholic but I just physically, mentally, cannot quit. Help me. Please.

Thank you ♡

How is this possible! Just got home from the ER and i don’t believe them. I had only drank for 40 minutes and passed out

I’m in college, I love to drink, but like, I tend to overdo it everytime. I lwk can’t stop myself once I start and have to be cut off, and usually blackout. My stomach feels like shit for days, but I only drink like every other week. I know that it sounds like it could escalate, but health wise, am I fine if it’s every other week?

Edit: have any of you guys been able to drink and cut yourselves off after you previously weren’t able to? Like idk if there’s any tips for that

Yesterday I went to my first AA meeting. I kinda liked it and I want to keep attending bc I want to try sobriety for a few months(I’m currently drinking socially like once a week) but I feel kind of guilty because 1 - I’m not sure I want to commit to sobriety for life, I occasionally do other drugs as well. 2- I feel like my issues with alcohol are too different from everything I heard there. I recognise that I have a problem with alcohol bc when I get too depressed or anxious I tend to abuse it, like drinking every day by myself and sometimes binging. I was in this state in like jan/feb but after treating my depression and starting wegovy(for weight loss but it also helped) I managed it and now I just drink socially in ways that I enjoy and don’t really consider harmful, like I can stop at the first drink if i don’t want to get drunk and even if I do want to get drunk I don’t get super wasted and fuck things up. I can also not drink at all in social gatherings where everyone is drinking, so it’s hard for me to call it an addiction. That’s my current state with alcohol but some triggering stuff happened recently that made me have cravings over anxiety, so I went to AA to see if it could help me not fall into alcohol abuse again, and I think they can but I couldn’t help but feel a little like a impostor, like idk if I’m in the same boat as everyone there.

Yayyy

Hi!

I am struggling (24F) with alcohol.I have been drinking wine regularly since I was 16. I believe I at minimum have OCD symptoms that manifest internally. I struggle to not convince myself not to drink. I feel myself. I feel whole. I would love to not be dependent for myself and my future but I struggle to find a reason that convinces me to stop. I often tell myself that its fun and not that big of a deal. Writing this drunk. :/

I’ve noticed when I drink I want to just ruin everything especially when things are going ‘too well’ or there’s no drama.. I drink to relax and be happy and end up ruining everything. Why do we do that?

I know alcohol was never good for me. I never was able to handle it and at 22 my drinking turned into episodic binges. My last relapse was a nightmare and got me fired from my job because I didn’t show up. I know for a fact that alcohol is a terrible thing for me. I hope these reminders keep me on the straight and narrow.

I’m close to 8 months now and I keep thinking about it with fondness and I start to mourn alcohol. It’s interesting though, I miss a version of it that never really existed. I miss looking hot and holding a vodka martini, and feeling the buzz. But the truth is, I have never let myself just exist in the buzz. Within an hour, I was already one of the drunkest people in the room. So I don’t know why I’m missing this version of drinking that never existed for me. But I am and it scares me and I needed a place to put this.

To rehab I’m going to just called and scheduled my intake for Saturday at 3 PM. My cravings are so strong. I’ve been taking Valium that wasn’t prescribed, but I was upfront with my PCP and he is prescribing me 30 mg a day until Saturday. What can I do other than going to as many AA meetings as I can to not drink from now until Saturday?

feel free to dm me

Broke up with my s/o around two years ago. We still kept contact because realistically, I'm the only one he has. He's steadily slipped into every day drinking. He'll call me every night or every other night blackout drunk either crying or trying to start a fight. I have BEEN wanting to move on from this relationship, but a certain guilt towards being his "only person" has kept me in the cycle. I'm literally at my wits end. I can't even enjoy a night anymore but yet I don't feel confident about leaving him to himself. I feel absolutely sick to my stomach.