Help-Addiction Issues

OMG!!!!!  I have heard, but never really thought about the fact that many WLS patients transfer addictions, and now I have read all of your posts and see that I fell into that same pattern around two years ago.  My problems were sleeping pills, and spending way too much, and doing so behind my husbands back.  Thank God he is very understanding, and loves me so much, because I know now that I could have lost him over some really stupid stuff.  I managed to ruin the checkbook, and it wasn't easy getting that back on track, and the sleeping pills, I just quit them on my own because I finally figured out that they were making me feel much worse.  I was just wanting to feel anyway other than the way I did.  I have a great husband, three great kids,  a loving extended family, and here I had lost all this weight and was looking great, and I just wanted to be numb.  I know it doesn't make sense, but I was so happy and so miserable at the same time, and I have just within the last year begun to feel better, but I still feel depressed, if I'm being totally honest.  I no longer do the destructive things I was doing, but I feel like I am destructing from within sometimes.  I take my vitamins/supplements, and have no energy, and no drive to do anything.  I have to drag my tail to do the things that I know must be done each day.  So, I don't have an answer for anyone, unfortunately, but I thought it might help someone, myself included, to tell a little about my struggles.  Thank you all for being there!!!!!

WOW! I knew this was a problem, and I was definatly ashamed. even as i wrote this yesterday i was schemeing ways to hold onto my addiction. It is so good to know that I am not alone.  My addiction is achohol. I was raised drinking with dinner etc. and up till about 8 months ago could go out to the bar and drink with no problems. Unfortunatly that didnt last. My husband and I both would hang out at home and drink casually at night, but i absorbed it faster and found myself extremely drunk many times.  We just living together at the time and engaged 6 months ago. He chalked it up to stress, the wedding and a 16yr old in residential treament. He didnt use it as an excuse but just hung in there pointing it out to me.  This weekend we got married. The wedding was great, but between the heat ect. and someone kept filling my glass i almost passed out. then sun. night i was drinking and thought the tv was a chair and pulled in onto the floor! MY WAKE UP CALL! Wedding is over, daughter is home, new hubby taking over a lot to give me time to get passed this. I have no more excuses and thanks to all of you, today i dont feel ashamed but know i can conquer this.  Yesterday I hid some wine, i am dumping it when I am done with this.  THANK YOU ALL and i am definatly checking out the addictions board

One of the things I have learned in my 18 plus years of sobriety in AA is that I drank (eat/shop/gamble/overmedicate) due to what we call "underlying causes".  They don't go away without a lot of hard work.  For me, although I was never a skinny person- I got sober and gained about 60 lbs right away and then more after the kids.  My old laugh was "when you feel like getting drunk- just have a donut".......even the Big Book speaks of the alkie needing sugar in order to curb cravings.  That is fine if you don't then transfer your addiction to food. I qualify for every 12 Step program out there - and if I had to go to meetings for each one of my "addictions" I would be at meetings 24/7!  I stick to my regular AA meetings and read a lot of 12 Step literature.  It is all the same- all you do is change the wording- for example: "Admitted we were powerless over (fill in the blank!) and that our lives had become unmanageable"---- the 12 Steps will get you to where you want to go if you work them.   Awareness is a great thing- now, what you do with it is your choice.  When my life becomes unmanageable- for whatever reason- I need to reevaluate and see what is going on.  I then rely on my Higher Power to help me make whatever changes I need to make- in whatever area. Good luck!

these articles are from Barbara Thompson's website  http://www.wlscenter.com/UseOfAlcohol.htm http://www.wlscenter.com/ResearchArticles/Intro.htm Jackie