I'm in trouble.....

One last thought... If the AA is "off-putting," There are many other methods that are very helpful in getting straight. http://www.secularsobriety.org/ http://www.soberrecovery.com/ http://www.smartrecovery.org/ http://www.rational.org/ there's also - Antabuse You could even buy that On-line, Sort of "Dumping Syndrome" for Alcohol.... Just passing these on… Best Wishes- Dx

I don't think Hee Haw is all bad.. Exhibit 1:

and don't forget "the Twins!"

You crack me up dude!!  LOL

I don't see how can you compare overeating to alcholism...
Get behind the wheel "drunk" and someone could die
Get behind the wheel "fat" and the seat belt is a bit uncomfortable.

Big difference.

Good Luck
-A.J.

I agree that Connecticut is a **** hole.  I am leaving as soon as I retire.  I am sorry that you are having problems but to say that you have a problem and that you don't want help is a little unreasonable.  It has a lot more to do with than drunk driving.  I was just using that as an example to maybe slap you in the face a little so hopefully you could see how bad it really is.  I hope that you can couquor this thing and lead a long and healthy life. Scott

I’m a bit late in on the thread, but hope in the morning or later, you get a chance to read… "Buck-Up" is right…. You’ve got to…. Now how do you get from where you are to where you need to be? Well, it’s hard, but you CAN get there from here… Sorry to be wordy---- "How I overcame ‘My Little Problem." I understand the drinking. Not the driving, But when you’re drinking- the driving, I assume, Isn’t a rationale choice you’re making. Yes? Back when I was just coming up on my first year out, I was still dealing with some pain, I was certainly dealing with complete insomnia. My first year was pretty rough, and so that was "excuse enough" at the time To have a glass of wine every few nights Just to help me get to sleep. It worked great. I loved it. So much so- That it quickly became every other night, and an occasional Scotch. (neat) One day I looked up, and I noticed that I was having "a little something" Every night. EVERY. And it had moved from a glass or two, until it was typically half a bottle or more with a big last swig as I headed to the bed. It happened over about 3 months. I had started later at night (10:00- to 11:00) to get to sleep. By the time I caught myself, I was starting to "prep for bed" around 6:30. I had seen countless old college professors lost in a spiral of "****tail hours." My own family is littered with alcoholics. This was my first slide off in that direction. I rationalized that I "had been" on IV Morphine for over 5 weeks, Followed by pain killers, followed by pain, etc, etc,… I had tons of "reasons" that I tried to use to make it "seem OK." But none of them really stuck. I was heading into a depression, ashamed at being weak, numbing that pain and shame with the next night’s "Sleep." My solution was "medical intervention." Since my "rationale" was using it to "get to sleep," and to manage ongoing pain, I went to a Psyche-Doc and asked for something that could do that job, Without the nasty side-effects of increased depression, addiction, liver damage, relationship strain, etc…. The Doc gave me Trazadone. When I would desperately want a drink in the evening, (and I had begun thinking about "When?" earlier and earlier each day…) I would take my Trazadone and it would knock my azz out in 15 minutes. Trazadone is an Anti-depressant that works very well, but the side effect that keeps it from being widely used, Is that it will knock you flat out! No chance of "Trazadoning & Driving." By the time you feel the effects, you’re OUT! It’s a totally different situation than the slow intoxication of booze. With drinking, there’s always that time where you are still effecting those around you with what you do or say, But while not in full control of what you are doing at all. With the Trazadone? No such time. It hits like an IV shot of Heroin, and then you’re asleep. No harm done to anyone else. No words you wish you could take back. Nothing to be "Ashamed of." Just Sleep.

It also has it’s anti-depressant effects the following day… I had more energy, a general sense of well-being, happier with my life.

I went from drinking nightly, to None. In one night. Followed by another night, and another…. After about 3 weeks of Happy Days and Knockout-Sleep Nights, The Doc lowered the dose just a touch. It would knock me out a good bit slower…. (it also has another side effect- It works a bit like Viagra) (yep, last groggy 30 minutes of each day, with the wood of a 16 year-old) By the start of the next month, I was happy, As was my wife, and I sprang (literally) from the bed each morning Ready to face the world. The thoughts of drinking later that day? Those were gone. I started up an exercise program, a couple of months later, the doc tapered me off the Trazadone, And here I am tonight, happy as can be, but still some work to finish before I go to bed. I’m hoping you’ll contact a psyche doc in the morning. Falling into the grips of Alcoholism is far more damaging To you, your family, your friends, etc… Than any type of heart disease you can imagine. But, If you were having a heart attack, you’d stop what you were doing, right now, And go get it fixed. Right?

So, Stop what ever it is you are doing. Call in sick at work. Get a psyche doc on the phone, Go see him. Get help at once. The shame? The pain? The regrets? All that is beside the point. That was yesterday. "Buck-Up." Then, about 3 years from now, when someone posts- "I am really asking for help here –" Tell them how you overcame "your little problem." In hind-sight, it really is small. It’s only huge and life-threatening in the present And if left to grow. Yes? If you need help finding an available psychiatrist in your town, PM me privately and I’ll find you one. "Buck-Up." Now…. Best Wishes- Dx

Okay, I made the reply below before this one, but I wanted to reply to Dx - man, leave it to you to be a beacon of calm rationality.  I'm consistantly amazed at the information you can come out with. Trazadone works well, I've heard of it before.  I just hope that the orginal poster understands that, and I'm speaking for myself here, I may have focused on the drinking and driving and flew of the handle a bit, I do understand the addiction and how hard it is to defeat it. I have family members who have been hard drinkers at least my entire nearly 40 years on this planet, and even though thier body is failing from the ravages of the alcohol, they still have that next beer. WIthout medical help, our friend here isn't going to be able to stop drinking.  He won't be able to make it through the detoxification.  He needs the medical help. Anyhow - thanks again, Dx. 

Quoting Ardberg: "Otherwise you're a raging assholic, and that's harder to fix than any of this." I have one thing to say about that line. ROFLMAO - he SO has that coming. To the original poster: It's like I said twice now.  We're here to support you as long as you can make the positive steps towards recovery.  We cannot make them for you!!  But many of us have been through that, and can relate, and will be here to support you. But, drinking and driving has no excuse.  Period.  I don't give a flying **** if you're at a bar, you drink yourself stupid, and then have to drive two blocks home - there is still traffic in those two blocks, there are still innocent people that don't know you or give a **** that you're drunk, and you are taking thier lives in your hands and creating the possibility that they may not make it home.  And that's on YOU and no one else.  Well, I personally feel the bartender should be held partially responsible for not cutting you off, but that's a different debate all together. So if you can't take the style of support we offer, maybe you should go post your plight out on the main board.   Just don't drink and drive.  If you're plege is actually true and sincere, then the support will be here for you.   Incidently, I agree with what's been said here several times.  Alcoholism is a bit different, in that the first time you take a drink, and then the next, and the next, and so on  - that's making a choice.  You don't need alcohol to survive.   You have to eat to survive.  Period.  Food is something that you need to have, but learning to make the right choice with it is what's caused most of us our problem.  So it's hard to compare the two. I don't think that 12 step programs work if that's all you're doing.  If you're drinking yourself to black out several times a week and can't control it, then you need professional help - a rehab center of some sort.  Maybe even psychiatric help.  A 12 step program isn't going to work to help you quit.  It may help you stay off of it once you're detoxed, but you really need medical help to detox.  But as long as you're drinking, you're going to be in denial.  And I'm not talking about the river. In spite of your asshole like reply, I do wish you well, and I hope you defeat that demon of alcohol, and learn how wonderful life can be.  I just hope you can admit to yourself you need that help before it's too late.

This is the MEN'S Forum. It is time to start acting like a MAN and be responsible for your actions.  We ALL have problems, and it is OUR responsibility as MEN to address them, especially when they can have a negative impact on those around us.