cross addiction to alcohol

[gaelic girl]

Great to hear you had a good meeting and you are receiving support. Well done to on going to the party and not having a drink that is a real acheivement. As you say baby steps and we will still all be here to help you take those steps xx

 

[coley144]

I discovered, once I started losing weight, what the weight and the eating was doing for me. Eating was an emotional release and my weight a place of safety for me. Once I started dieting I discovered emotions I didn't even know I had. It would have been easy to take up drinking, shopping, exercise or anything else as a way to suppress these difficult feelings.

What I have done, I have just realised, is kinda spread it around a bit. Sometimes when I am stressed I find the gym works really well, sometimes I bend someones ear about it and sometimes I have a glass of wine.

Ideally you and I wouldn't need any crutch - food, drink, shopping, exercise, drugs, anything that gives you a happy thrill - and sorting out the issues that lead to the problems in the first place will certainly help with that.

At the moment I suppose I feel I've found one way to deal with it - spread it around a bit. I'm sure that you will find yours.

 

[dreamofbeingslim]

Well done on not having a drink at the party that is amazing will power. Glad the hospital are going to get you some councilling. Take care and don't forget we are here for you.

 

[The Rose]

I found this research paper which explains a little about cross addiction and is quite interesting to read. I hope it helps. Recognising you have a problem is a major step in the right direction.

Hugs
Rosie xx
Patients swap one addiction with another

 

[thinkbethin]

Hi Bellsie and welcome back. This has been brought up before in threads. First thing I want to say is WELL DONE on realising it was happening. Secondly WELL DONE on being brave enough to admit to everyone that there is a problem.And thirdly what a fantastic weight loss. Listen to whats been said about the psyche and also go and speak with your gp. There are pills out there that help supress the need to drink. I know some may think that thats going to be another addiction but you need some help in one form or another.
Good luck sweetheart and keep visiting us here for supportxx

 

[belbouteloup]

Firstly to say a huge thanks for all your lovely words and support, means a great deal to me ! have had a really great week so far, went to my sisters party tue night and last night was my best freinds 40th !!!! it was a HUUUGE do and my mates are serious party kids, party ended at 7 am this morning, go figure.... but not a sip of alcohol passed my lips, was home tucked up in bed with my new Penny Vincenzi novel at 2 ! also back to the gym (as i havnt had a hangover in weeks) have lost 5lb`s this week (no drink and gym i guess) bringing me to 8 stone 10, which is as low as i want to get, but actually not sure how to stop it now, i have lost 114 % of my excess body weight, which is madness.. so back to docs Again !!!! anyway guys, i know these are only little steps, but life is better and am in control again, might all go tits up next week... but hey life is a rollercoaster

 

[belbouteloup]

yipee, feeling so much better

oops sorry see above xx

 

[PinkyButtonz]

Hi Bellsie,

Lovely to see you posting on the forum and fighting and winning the battle with alcohol. Keep up the good work.

Take care
Pinky xx

 

[gaelic girl]

Fantastic Bellsie you are doing really well another party where temptation was high and you resisted it so so proud of you well done you may be taking baby steps but oh what steps they are xx

 

[dreamofbeingslim]

Well done fantastic weight loss and no alcohol you should be very proud of yourself.

 

[Isis]

Hi Folks

Long time !!! hope you are all well, have had a rough time of late and all though i`m petrified i think i need to talk to you lovely people. I had my op last Nov, and am now a gorgeous size 8/10 after losing nearly 7 stone, happily married with 2 amazing little kids,great freinds, infact life is good, but however for some reason i have swopped my old food addiction for alcohol and in a major way !!! i drink every day and it has been getting worse and worse, i was warned many many times that i could transfer my addiction with food to something else and it happened. cross addiction happens quite alot apparently. But why ???? i`m not unhappy, i just dont understand. i get drunk v quickly and have blacked out the last few times, Sat a week ago i went out with freinds, got drunk and banged my face quite badly, luckily for me it was a wake up call, and with support from hubby and familly i havnt had a drink for over a week, which is great, still want it badly, but am sooo ashamed of myself and my behaviour, i just cant get over it. sorry for the rant guys, just wondererd if anyone had been through this and what they did ??

Hiya Bellsie

Cross addiction or just replacing one substance, whatever that is, for another, is common. In my other life away from Minimins I work as a drug & alcohol counsellor and support people who have had very much the same experience that you have had.

It's good that you have had a wake up call after having black outs and a fall, it really is. I apologise now if anyone else has already suggested this further along in your thread but I really would recommend that you find out if you have a local alcohol agency near you as these are the people who can help you to place alcohol where you want it to be in your life. Be it, a social drinker, a controlled drinker or to be totally abstinent and help you avoid relapse, just the same as with food.

I really hope you are feeling better and I will read on through the thread now to see how you are.

You are welcome to PM if there is anything I can do to help away from the open forum,

Isis xx

 

[Isis]

Hey folks, thanks sooo much for all your support. Have been to hospital this morning, and had a really productive meeting, told them everything, and they were great, going to see a counsellor, they recommended some good self help books and tools and said they are always at the end of the phone if things get out of control again. Went out to my sis`s party last night and didn`t touch a drop, first was quite hard going, but then quite enjoyed everyone else around me getting wasted, instead of me for a change. I know this is only the beginning and it`s "baby steps" all the way. Feel so much more positive today, i have everything to live for and wont let this beat me. Thanks again guys xxxxxxxxxxxx

Hiya again

Just catching up further along and it is so good to see that your meeting went well and that you are being referred to a counsellor

Isis xx