UPDATE on me guys (have been drinking) :(

[nate_1989]

So I have been on here off and on for about 2 years. Anyway I quit drinking all last summer because I was on probation. Now I have been getting drunk nearly every weekend since october of 2010. Some bad things have happened since then that have hurt me physically and mentally. I black out almost every time and I think its time to quit. Thank god I have not gotten any DUIs or hurt myself or anyone else. Not only this but more importantly my relationship with god is deteriorating, I have been losing the desire to pray/go to church/ read my bible. This to me is the most critical aspect of getting sober and the part that hurts the most. I have been holding down a full time job and plan on going to Nursing school in the fall at my local college or state university whatever one I get accepted to. So my future is bright, its just this alcohol that is hurting me and causing unneeded stress and events that hurt me physically/mentally/spiritually. Any tips everyone? I need help, What should I do? Does AA really help? I dont even feel like going to AA because i feel like its a waste of time and I could be watching TV or lifting weights. Also I have been suffering from depression, which I am wondering if it is from alcohol? I am depressed because I have never had a girlfriend sounds stupid but I am. Thanks.

 

[LifebyChrist]

Hello,

Well a few things, since you do bodybuilding, drinking could be messing you up big time on that, calories from drinking could be better spent on other calories.

The Bible actually does not say drinking is all that bad, too be honest I think you simply ought to regulate it and put a balance to it, drinking too much not only will affect your health, your mood and your time, it is also very costly and if you are very drunk can cause trouble while on probation.

1 Timothy 5:23 "Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses."

Proverbs 31:6 "Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish;"

Proverbs 31:7 "let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more."

However you have so much more hope than just living in anguish,

Proverbs 31:4 "It is not for kings, O Lemuel--not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,"

1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

You probably understand alot of about pain and pushing through your pain because you do bodybuilding, it is aesthetic compared to powerlifting but either way it is not a walk in the park, you don't just become ripped overnight by eating twinkies and watching television all day.

The same thing is with your faith,

Matthew 7:24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock."

Just like bodybuilding you must push yourself, so you must push and challenge yourself with the gospel, in bodybuilding you often need supplements to accomplish what you could not otherwise accomplish.

For the gospel the supplements you need are...

The Holy Spirit,

John 16:13 "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."

The blood and flesh of Jesus Christ

John 6:53 "Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."

You also need the right genetics, a mule cannot become a horse no matter how well you train it, you need to be a pure bred champion horse, and for this you must become born again!

Jeremiah 12:5 "If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?"

John 3:5 "Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."

How do you get all of these things?

One way and and two things to have and do.

John 14:6 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Jesus is the only way,

it is by faith

Romans 5:1 "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"

Now how does one get faith?

Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."

What can you do with this?

Two things,

1. Ask with faith

Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

2. Obey with faith

Luke 11:28 "He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

For not feeling good about a girlfriend,

Proverbs 31:3 "do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings."

Because you do not yet have a girlfriend, you could really just step it up in your faith life, in your bodybuilding and your career, build yourself up on a solid foundation first, you are still young. By then you will not only be very well equipped and desirable, you will also be more mature and prepared for a relationship. It is good that you do not have a girlfriend yet because you have more time to really focus on other things to build yourself up first and establish a strong foundation, living your life centered on Christ Jesus.

Take care and God bless you,

 

[Kristen.NewCreation]

Drinking excessively on the weekends is likely to cause ongoing problems for you and can compromise the bright future that you have. How did you quite drinking while you were on probation? I'd go back to using the tools you had then to quit drinking.

It sounds like you already know that your drinking has caused problems, and you are looking for a way out. Another support group in addition to AA is Celebrate Recovery which helps with all sorts of addictions and struggles. It is Christian based so it will help you with your walk with God as well as your drinking.

Bottom line is you are worth the changes that you'll need to make to stop drinking, and your future goals and plans are worth the changes. Your relationship with God is definitely worth the changes. Don't let the lies of the world talk you into decisions that you know aren't healthy for you.

BTW... alcohol is a depressant, and chronic use of it can definitely cause problems. It sounds like you've been drinking a while, so while only a counselor can diagnose depression and the causes of depression, it would likely help your mood if you weren't drinking (not initially - initially you might feel worse than better).

 

[neoh]

Are you drinking by yourself or with a group of friends? I've had substance abuse in the past, that came with my job and lifestyle (club promoter/DJ) I left those things behind to organize my life, and have been fine since.

If it's individuals that bring you to it, or a certain time and place where you are most likely to do it, then consider doing something else with your time.

We can choose those who we want to be associated with and spend time with. Choose wisely.

 

[madison1101]

Hello,

Well a few things, since you do bodybuilding, drinking could be messing you up big time on that, calories from drinking could be better spent on other calories.

The Bible actually does not say drinking is all that bad, too be honest I think you simply ought to regulate it and put a balance to it, drinking too much not only will affect your health, your mood and your time, it is also very costly and if you are very drunk can cause trouble while on probation.

1 Timothy 5:23 "Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses."

Proverbs 31:6 "Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish;"

Proverbs 31:7 "let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more."

However you have so much more hope than just living in anguish,

Proverbs 31:4 "It is not for kings, O Lemuel--not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,"

1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

You probably understand alot of about pain and pushing through your pain because you do bodybuilding, it is aesthetic compared to powerlifting but either way it is not a walk in the park, you don't just become ripped overnight by eating twinkies and watching television all day.

The same thing is with your faith,

Matthew 7:24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock."

Just like bodybuilding you must push yourself, so you must push and challenge yourself with the gospel, in bodybuilding you often need supplements to accomplish what you could not otherwise accomplish.

For the gospel the supplements you need are...

The Holy Spirit,

John 16:13 "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."

The blood and flesh of Jesus Christ

John 6:53 "Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."

You also need the right genetics, a mule cannot become a horse no matter how well you train it, you need to be a pure bred champion horse, and for this you must become born again!

Jeremiah 12:5 "If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?"

John 3:5 "Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."

How do you get all of these things?

One way and and two things to have and do.

John 14:6 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Jesus is the only way,

it is by faith

Romans 5:1 "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"

Now how does one get faith?

Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."

What can you do with this?

Two things,

1. Ask with faith

Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

2. Obey with faith

Luke 11:28 "He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

For not feeling good about a girlfriend,

Proverbs 31:3 "do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings."

Because you do not yet have a girlfriend, you could really just step it up in your faith life, in your bodybuilding and your career, build yourself up on a solid foundation first, you are still young. By then you will not only be very well equipped and desirable, you will also be more mature and prepared for a relationship. It is good that you do not have a girlfriend yet because you have more time to really focus on other things to build yourself up first and establish a strong foundation, living your life centered on Christ Jesus.

Take care and God bless you,

An alcoholic cannot moderate the amount of alcohol they consume for very long. Eventually, the disease takes over and they begin drinking more, and blacking out. It is a progressive disease that gets worse over time, and moderation is impossible eventually.

Please do not tell an alcoholic to moderate their drinking. They could end up driving drunk and kill someone. Unless an alcohol completely abstains, they will continue to wrestle with the amount they drink, and lose that wrestling match. Unchecked alcoholism leads the alcoholic to one of three places, JAILS, INSTITUTIONS, OR DEAD.

 

[madison1101]

AA does work, IF YOU WORK THE 12 STEPS. Many people go to AA meetings, and never get a sponsor and never complete the 12 steps, and then go out and drink again.

I know people in AA with many years of sobriety. My own sponsor has been sober since September 1989. I know people with over 30 years of sobriety. They all worked the 12 Steps with their sponsors.

You can find out more about AA at www.aa.org You can also find a meeting at that website.

I was a sporadic binger, and eventually, my drinking progressed to daily blackouts.

I have not had a drink since January 2010. I had been in AA for many years, but never completed all 12 steps with a sponsor. I have not had a desire to drink since January 2010.

God bless.

Trish