HELP Me to Stop Drinking Please

This is a story of what alcohol did to a patient and how they found help to stop drinking, hope and a new life through The Haynes Clinic.

By the time I got the help I needed, my drinking had taken me to a very dark place. I had no appetite and had to force myself to eat a few liquid foods to function – drink was much more important to me than food. I could not sleep. At night in particular thoughts whirred round my head. I had just to focus on breathing deeply to keep from having a horrible panic attack. I often got up during the night and had another drink as that was the only way I could relax sufficiently to get back to sleep.

Simple Task’s were Hard I need to stop drinking

In the morning it took all my effort to do the simplest task – feed the cats and the fish, get the children off to school (that might trigger the ‘reward’ of another drink, which could be the first or the second of the day) – and then get myself off to work. By lunchtime, I desperately needed another drink and would seek out a pub away from the office where no one would see me.

By the end of my drinking I was snatching every possible chance to drink just to help me carry on with my day and struggle through to the end of it. At night, once in my bedroom I would have my last drink and fall briefly asleep again until I woke up at the same time every night (4am, give or take a few minutes EVERY night) and the whole struggle to carry on and get through the day would begin again….

Incredibly Lonely

stress 2

I was surrounded by people but incredibly lonely. I would spend more and more time isolating in my bedroom with just my hidden bottle for company.

Although I knew that my family were affected by my drinking, I was still unaware of how much they saw and suffered. Sometimes I was convinced that no one could tell I had had a drink. I would arrive home, they would look at me and they would know. I would feel angry with them for spotting it and with myself that I had hurt them again.

Family Confronted

In the end, my family confronted me. They had already made a few telephone calls and had three alcohol rehab clinics to recommend to me. They wanted me to go into one of them. The choice was mine. I didn’t care which one but had had enough of the constant pressure from them about my drinking. I gave in.

It was the best decision I made in my life. The first day I felt very sorry for myself but within 24 hours I began to feel that I was in the right place. I was with people who had been through similarly bad experiences with their drinking . We were all in the same boat and fighting this together.

Counselling

The counselling I received was second to none. I began to understand what it was in my personality that had taken me to where I was in my life and to my dependence on alcohol. Very soon I was laughing, no longer needing a drink to function. I began to take an interest in the things around me, in myself and other people. I could see a future. Whereas before I had realised I could not live anymore with alcohol, I struggled to see a life without it. Now I could see that life without alcohol before me and I wanted it.

Happy

That was 3 years’ ago.  Today I am happy to say I am free of the obsession with alcohol and live a happy and fulfilling life. I go out to parties and dinners and laugh and have fun – without drinking. My children and family are proud of me. I feel as if I am a much better person because of my experience. I have more compassion and understanding for others.

If you are in the misery of drinking too much, feeling lonely and knowing that you are making others unhappy too, do something about it to stop drinking. There is hope for everyone. Get the help that is there for you and start living a happy and fulfilled life again.

Call the Haynes Clinic on 01462 851414 for free advice.

HELP Me to Stop Drinking Please