Clare1234, Fema, Lily, Phase A,

Welcome to the thread.

This is a safe place to be honest and to give and get support.

I think when we put pressure on ourselves not to drink it can set us up yo be stressed and fall under the pressure.

Shesapple I think we all have the person who stays home and drinks tea and reads a book plus the person who breaks the rules and makes us full of regret the next day.

Quirky

Hey all,
Interesting topic this one. Just for context my history is this.... After 30+ years as an Emergency Service worker and fortunately? around the time I could retire I dissapeared down the rabit hole of PTSD, depression, anxiety etc.... Got quite sick for some while....This took some years to mostly resolve and is an ongoing issue but mostly manageable....
Booze and anxiety (the feeling of absolute certainty that something awfully bad is about to happen) seem to go hand in hand with me I am afraid. I know alchhol contrubutes to this but I always have another drink or five. I am rather poor at stopping at one drink let me say. Having an AFD is quite a challenge but it does occur here and there so thats positive.

So, thats the context...

Over the last few months the general anxiety levels are been rather high and I am getting quite tired of it all. The first step to address this issue is clearly cutting out the booze but it doesnt seem to happen. It doesnt make sense to go to the doctor again unless I have dropped drinking does it as this is the first question he will ask.

So why am I posting here?

Well, this is the first time I have "spoken" about this for a couple of years. Being open about this stuff is not easy and I am buggered if I know why but there it is. But, in my mind, I have now mentioned the current issue to someone so that is a big tick for me today.

Also, does anyone have some simple no fuss tips to staying away from the booze. I am not an alcoholic as I can have an AFD but, even after one drink, I lose all will power and continue on....

Anyway, thanks for listening.

Onwards.....

I struggle with anxiety and keep getting myself into a cycle of drinking to reduce anxiety, which then makes me feel more anxious- so I drink again to take the edge off until I end up writing myself and feeling horribly anxious and like a total failure. I was on medication to manage anxiety for about 5 years but found in the end it made me feel worse. I am proud to say I have managed to get off those pills, which was really really hard. I would really like to get to a point where I no longer get myself into this awful drinking to self medicate cycle. It just makes me feel like the biggest low life failure.

If someone has a mental illness then giving up alcohol is one of the best things to do. One of the worst illnesses to combine with alcohol is bipolar, as it makes the swings worse. You get used to telling people that you don't drink. Unfortunately therearen't many good alcohol free beverages, and most drinks are full of sugar. I usually start with a ginger beer, or lemon, lime and bitters, and then switch to water which is cheap, and non-fattening. If you get bored at home, go for a walk.

Onwards and A bell, sorry it has taken so long to reply . Welcome to the forum.

Just ken thanks for your post.

It is true that alcohol and some illnesses don’t mix and also some medications is not advisable with alcohol.

I like drinking mineral water with a dash of lemon.