oregon_guy

Hi rOxY85philly,

I am a recovering alcoholic after drinking for 21 years. I started drinking as a teenager and began drinking heavily around age 21. I typically drank a pint of 100 proof liquor every night and more on the weekends, but i never considered myself an alcoholic; I was jost someone who drank. i was a "functioning" alcoholic. How I made it to work and how I finished college is beyond me.

After 17 years, one divorce, and 6 kids (all boys) later I finally realized I had a problem and I accepted the fact that I was an alcoholic. I realized that my children (some teenagers) needed a father who could set a decent example. That, along with my religious convictions (which I had not followed up to that point) was my turning point and I started to attend AA.

Like many Alcoholics, I relapsed a few times. After each binge I once again stop drinking and would suffer through withdrawls. I didn't find out till later that each withdrawl period is worse than the one before. The DT's were a nightmare turned real. I ended up in the hospital twice, once because I couldnt stop shaking and sweating and I had anxiety so bad I was afraid I was going to die, after 3 days of the DT's I hoped I would die.

The second hospital trip was by ambulance after a grand mal drop seizure. I was going to the courthouse with my current wife to sign some paper work and as I approached the front doors (I only remember walking down the side walk towards the main entrance) and without warning I keeled over backwards, knocked a metal newspaper dispensers over with my head and bled all over the sidewalk. I came to surrounded by strangers, EMTs, and my wife, who had been waiting for me to get there. I was disoriented, aggitated, and delusional. I thought it was a big trick that had been played on me by someone. I didnt think it was because of alcohol withdrawls because I hadn't drank in 4 days and had gotten over the DT's. I was wrong. I'm always worried now that I'll have another seizure.

I began to go to an alcohol counseler and they started me on Camporal, a medication that works on a subconcious level to suppress alcohol cravings and restore the brain chemistry to a pre drinking state. It has worked very well for me ( it takes a month or so to really kick in) and I rarely think about drinking anymore and when I do my seizure experience flashes through my mind, I think about the DT's, the headaches, and the overall horror of alcohol withdrawls and the cravings go away. I recommend Camperal to anyone who is trying to quit drinking and stay sober.

Through counseling, AA (I have laughed harder at AA meetings than I ever have before), and Camperal I have succeeded where I had failed so many times in the past. Those of us with addictive personalities suffer from a disease and it can be managed if bitterness, denial, and rationalizing are left behind. Non alcoholics (or addicts) dont know how hopeless we feel and how overwhelming the desire is to drink. We come to the understanding that this disease is lifelong and will come back with a vengence if we give in to the temptation to have "just one drink" as a reward or to relax or whatever the rationalization may be. The most important thing is to never give up trying to get sober, we don't fight the cravings, we let them go, we can choose not to drink.

The best place to start is at AA meetings you can find your a local meeting through calling the group nearest you at [url]http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/en_find_meeting.cfm?PageID=29[/url]. There they can give you a copy of the Big Book. The Big Book can also be read online at [url]http://www.aa.org/bigbookonline/[/url] . Sorry this was so long, hope it helps.

"When someone asks me if I'd like a drink I just tell them I can't because I break out in spots...Reno, Las Vegas, strange hotel rooms. But really, they don't have enough alcohol to make it worth my while" Fellow AA Member

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When asked if I want a drink I just tell them I can't cause I break out in spots...Reno, Vegas, odd hotel rooms. But really, they don't have enough alcohol to make it worth my while.-Fellow AA Member