• The General Mental Health Forum is now a Read Only Forum. As we had two large areas making it difficult for many to find, we decided to combine the Mental Health & the Recovery sections of the forum into Mental Health & Recovery as a whole. Physical Health still remains as it's own area within the entire Recovery area.

    If you are having struggles, need support in a particular area that you aren't finding a specific recovery area forum, you may find the General Struggles forum a great place to post. Any any that is related to emotions, self-esteem, insomnia, anger, relationship dynamics due to mental health and recovery and other issues that don't fit better in another forum would be examples of topics that might go there.

    If you have spiritual issues related to a mental health and recovery issue, please use the Recovery Related Spiritual Advice forum. This forum is designed to be like Christian Advice, only for recovery type of issues. Recovery being like a family in many ways, allows us to support one another together. May you be blessed today and each day.

    Kristen.NewCreation and FreeinChrist

3 days sober

Pinball Guy

New Member
Supporter
Jan 6, 2018
3
16
56
Auckland
✟47,348.00
Country
New Zealand
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Hi all I am a born again Christian and also an alcoholic.
I have been drinking on and off for 37 years (since the age of 13).
The last couple years the drinking has ramped up to stronger drinks, mixing spirits with beer, secret drinking. The last few weeks I have suffered memory loss and have been verbally abusive to my family. When my 18 year old son accused me of being drunk it was the last straw and the next day I knew I had to stop once and for all. That was 3 days ago.
I also suffer from extreme anxiety usually regarding my work, for which I am on medication for, of course I have also been self medicating with alcohol.
I am active in our church and also preach sometimes.
I am requesting feedback, advice and prayer support please.

Blessings to all
Pinball Guy
 

Bluerose31

Christian Flower
Supporter
Mar 27, 2017
4,310
6,638
36
US
✟419,338.00
Country
United States
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
Hi all I am a born again Christian and also an alcoholic.
I have been drinking on and off for 37 years (since the age of 13).
The last couple years the drinking has ramped up to stronger drinks, mixing spirits with beer, secret drinking. The last few weeks I have suffered memory loss and have been verbally abusive to my family. When my 18 year old son accused me of being drunk it was the last straw and the next day I knew I had to stop once and for all. That was 3 days ago.
I also suffer from extreme anxiety usually regarding my work, for which I am on medication for, of course I have also been self medicating with alcohol.
I am active in our church and also preach sometimes.
I am requesting feedback, advice and prayer support please.

Blessings to all
Pinball Guy
I am so sorry you have suffered so much. I will pray that Jesus helps heal you and protects you and guides you.
 
Upvote 0

Antig

Well-Known Member
Dec 19, 2017
453
278
Dublin
✟8,390.00
Country
Ireland
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
I empathise with you.

I have taken secret drink into work with me to get me through my shift.

I have turned to alcohol when everything in life is black. I understand. Alcohol helps me to push lifes issues to one side. Thing is, i know it is temporary! I know i need God so much.

Its hard to stop. Its hard to give advice.

One has to live in the shoes of the sufferer.

I am going through hell myself at the mo. I love God. I will NEVER give up on God.

Be strong friend. Trust in God. Thats all you can do.

TRUST IN GOD.

Blessings
 
Upvote 0

2Timothy2:15

Well-Known Member
Mar 28, 2016
2,226
1,227
CA
✟78,248.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Hi all I am a born again Christian and also an alcoholic.
I have been drinking on and off for 37 years (since the age of 13).
The last couple years the drinking has ramped up to stronger drinks, mixing spirits with beer, secret drinking. The last few weeks I have suffered memory loss and have been verbally abusive to my family. When my 18 year old son accused me of being drunk it was the last straw and the next day I knew I had to stop once and for all. That was 3 days ago.
I also suffer from extreme anxiety usually regarding my work, for which I am on medication for, of course I have also been self medicating with alcohol.
I am active in our church and also preach sometimes.
I am requesting feedback, advice and prayer support please.

Blessings to all
Pinball Guy

Stopping is the first part, being delivered is the next step. Honestly you should not be preaching in your current state.
 
Upvote 0

St_Worm2

Simul Justus et Peccator
Supporter
Jan 28, 2002
27,247
45,335
67
✟2,916,149.00
Country
United States
Faith
Calvinist
Marital Status
Married
Praying for you @Pinball Guy and PTL for your first 3 days sober!!

If you have not done so already, you should make this problem something that at least your elder board knows about (so that they can be praying for you and supporting you in other ways too). Secret drinking and especially using drugs and alcohol to "self-medicate" is about as sure a sign as we have that we are addicts/alcoholics, not just heavy social drinkers/drug users, so staying sober is not something you are going to be able to do alone/in secret. Rather, you are going to need a lot of prayer and hands on support/help, unless the Lord heals you of your addiction, of course (which you could certainly pray for and have others pray for as well). I know that this is an incredibly tough thing to tell others about, but addiction is a disease, and you are going to need all the help and support you can get.

Yours and His,
David
 
Upvote 0

Another Lazarus

Old Newbie
Sep 19, 2013
2,717
1,050
✟49,808.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
I was a heavey smoker once, but i just stop it.

I was also a drinker once, i just stop it.

You need to just STOP IT without arguments and murmuring then it will stop and you regain consciousness and prevent CKD (chronicle kidney disease) and worn out liver and heart burnt by alcohol. you will also recover from memory loss and slow recognition.

God has provided enormous kinds of beverages
healthy for us such as juices.

Our body is the Temple of God !
 
Upvote 0

Pinball Guy

New Member
Supporter
Jan 6, 2018
3
16
56
Auckland
✟47,348.00
Country
New Zealand
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Hi thank you all for your supporting replies, advice and prayers.
To answer the question regarding meds I have tried to cut them out before and slipped back into panic attacks. The Doc says I have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) The meds do help level thinks out a lot. I have a loving supportive, wife and family which is also a great help.
Thanks for all the comments.

Blessings
Pinball Guy
 
Upvote 0

John Goodness

Active Member
Supporter
Dec 18, 2017
115
72
Chicago
✟50,186.00
Country
United States
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
My suggestion: join AA, get a sponsor, and work the steps. Works every time.

Fully agree. I have a different addiction myself, which started when I was 13 as well. I have shared this in some of my posts here. What is working for me is being able to join our recovery program in our local church, and getting together on a weekly basis with other people who want to recover from different type of addictions. Our program follows the 12step principle that's been successful in AA.

I hope you find support around you. God loves you very much, and a lot of times, He works through other people.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Pinball Guy

New Member
Supporter
Jan 6, 2018
3
16
56
Auckland
✟47,348.00
Country
New Zealand
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Fully agree. I have a different addiction myself, which started when I was 13 as well. I have shared this in some of my posts here. What is working for me is being able to join our recovery program in our local church, and getting together on a weekly basis with other people who want to recover from different type of addictions. Our program follows the 12step principle that's been successful in AA.

I hope you find support around you. God loves you very much, and a lot of times, He works through other people.

Thanks for the encouraging words, it all goes a long way.
 
Upvote 0

dgiharris

Old Crusty Vet
Jan 9, 2013
5,439
5,222
✟131,531.00
Country
United States
Faith
Baptist
Marital Status
Single
I used to volunteer in an AA clinic and I absolutely feel AA is vital to staying sober.

Conquering an addiction is akin to guarding a bank against a million thieves that are plotting and scheming to rob that bank every single day.

The guards have to be vigilant 100% of the time every day, every second. However, the thieves only have to get lucky once.

Stop and think about the enormity of that situation. ON one side of the battle line (i.e. your sobriety), it requires you to be vigilant 100% of the time. On the other side of the battle line (i.e. your addiction) all it needs is a "single" point of weakness or failure to slip past your barriers and guards and hit you when you are vulnerable.

Fighting addiction is like siege warfare. You are beset by enemies on all sides every second of every hour of every day...

SO what that means is you have to be strategic and tactical in your defense.
#1) Don't trust yourself: Realize that you are your worst enemy in fighting your addiction which kinda sucks since you are the only person who can fight your addiction. I know, it's a paradox. THis leads to #2
#2) Remove Temptation anyway you can: No alcohol in the house, don't associate with friends that drink around you, don't go to places where alcohol is easily accessible, etc etc
#3) Join a support group like AA: It is vital you have support. You can't win this battle alone.
#4) Be wary of advice from non-addicts: Non addicts simply do not understand nor comprehend what goes on inside the head of an addict. And how could they? They have no clue that for addicts, drinking is as necessary as breathing.
#5) Realize recovery takes ACTIVE WORK: Simply "not" drinking is not enough. You need to read, you need to journal, you need to go to meetings, you need replace your bad habits with good habits, you need to identify your triggers then take ACTIVE steps to insulate and protect yourself, you need to eliminate the people, places, and things that trigger your drinking, etc

best of luck to you
 
Upvote 0

Ancient of Days

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Nov 29, 2017
1,136
860
Mn.
✟138,689.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Constitution
"Hi all I am a born again Christian and also an alcoholic.
I have been drinking on and off for 37 years (since the age of 13).
The last couple years the drinking has ramped up to stronger drinks, mixing spirits with beer, secret drinking. The last few weeks I have suffered memory loss and have been verbally abusive to my family. When my 18 year old son accused me of being drunk it was the last straw and the next day I knew I had to stop once and for all. That was 3 days ago.
I also suffer from extreme anxiety usually regarding my work, for which I am on medication for, of course I have also been self medicating with alcohol.
I am active in our church and also preach sometimes.
I am requesting feedback, advice and prayer support please."

I celebrated 9 years of sobriety on 1/11/18.
Advice: Pray, ask God for help.
Go to AA, 90 meetings in 90 days for a start.
GET A SPONSOR! CALL YOUR SPONSOR!
PM me if you want to talk...
 
Upvote 0

CallofChrist

Active Member
Supporter
Apr 24, 2012
324
335
St.Paul, MN
✟89,549.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Sober 10 years here.... it just gets better with time! God bless everyone here and may our LORD be with you in the midst of good times and struggles. We need Him!

never stop trying to quit, even if you slip.... it'lll take eventually, with God's grace.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0

HoustonReborn

New Member
Jan 14, 2019
4
16
56
Deer Park
✟16,741.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Divorced
I am coming up on three months sober soon. I did it only through Alcoholics Anonymous and God. Work all of the 12 steps, get a sponsor, and help others in the program and you too will be on your way to recovery. Seek to do His will daily, not your own. Prayers for you.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums
Jun 5, 2019
11
2
72
Longwood
✟15,269.00
Country
United States
Faith
Catholic
Marital Status
Married
Hi all I am a born again Christian and also an alcoholic.
I have been drinking on and off for 37 years (since the age of 13).
The last couple years the drinking has ramped up to stronger drinks, mixing spirits with beer, secret drinking. The last few weeks I have suffered memory loss and have been verbally abusive to my family. When my 18 year old son accused me of being drunk it was the last straw and the next day I knew I had to stop once and for all. That was 3 days ago.
I also suffer from extreme anxiety usually regarding my work, for which I am on medication for, of course I have also been self medicating with alcohol.
I am active in our church and also preach sometimes.
I am requesting feedback, advice and prayer support please.

Blessings to all
Pinball Guy
Seek a higher power.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Deep timbers
Upvote 0