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Happiness without alcohol
I have been depressed for years but it's gotten to the point now where I am stressed out just about all the time and angry at everyone. My anxiety is overwhelming and almost constant because of stress. I don't understand how one can be so angry when my life really isn't all that bad. I have a steady yet moderately stressful job that I don't really like but have friends that I can hang out with on my days off. Time by myself is limited because of my living situation but I am happiest when I get to be alone for a while. It would help if I had my own place but that's just not possible if I want to continue saving money. About the only the that brings me any relief is alcohol and even that is starting to fail me because of the hangovers getting worse and worse. There have been times where I have sought help and took meds but I end up just be an emotional zombie not happy or sad. The side effects usually deter me to keep trying so right now I am just at a loss for what to do.
Hey there,
What can you do?
You've been depressed for years, your anxiety is overwhelming, have a stressful job you don't like, you are angry most of the time and don't know why and really want to be alone.
You drink which helped but now the hangovers are hurting more than the relief.
Re read that would you and you tell us what you should do.
No lectures, I drank for 25 years or more and enjoyed most of it but eventually had to stop. I will not say it hurt me as it didn't in that I coped with my depression all those years without meds. I was a happy drunk though and never drank alone, only in crowds where laughter was the point. I only ever drank to get drunk, and quick. Like 15 minutes after I walked out the door at work I wanted to be pissed or well on the way. So I was.
A mate of mine had a cure for the hangover issue. Don't stop drinking. Seriously, he didn't until it too caught up with him. He was retired from his job young and employed as....a barman would you believe. Didn't stop drinking obviously, just changed career paths.
The main thinkg I'd concentrate on of that list you gave us is why you are angry. You say your life isn't all that bad but you say it like it really is that bad. Show me which bit is good for you. The depression, the anxiety, the stressful job, the hangovers, the need to drink, the unfulfilled need to be alone? Which bits are good?
You've told us and yourself what you need to do and frankly meds are not the answer at all. They may help you while you do it but the basic thing you need is to change your life and what is in it. You don't like what's in it now except for a few friends and I bet they are drinkers, right? All my good friends were drinkers and they vanished the moment I gave up. They couldn't stand me and I couldn't bear them.
You can't change evertyhing at once as it would increase your anxiety very quickly. The two things I'd focus on first are your living circumstances and your job. Not a good time to change jobs with the economic hooha but necessary for you. Remember money is not the target, peace and satisfaction is. Money will come when you find such work as you will be good at it.
The job too though would likely depend on an end to drinking as regular hangovers are noticed and reported to potential employees.
I can tell you when I gave up drinking I did not miss it one little bit. But I wanted to give it up. Do you want to change your life, then think this stuff through.
Everything I've written comes right from you, not me, just an anecdote or so of me.
What can you do?
You've been depressed for years, your anxiety is overwhelming, have a stressful job you don't like, you are angry most of the time and don't know why and really want to be alone.
You drink which helped but now the hangovers are hurting more than the relief.
Re read that would you and you tell us what you should do.
No lectures, I drank for 25 years or more and enjoyed most of it but eventually had to stop. I will not say it hurt me as it didn't in that I coped with my depression all those years without meds. I was a happy drunk though and never drank alone, only in crowds where laughter was the point. I only ever drank to get drunk, and quick. Like 15 minutes after I walked out the door at work I wanted to be pissed or well on the way. So I was.
A mate of mine had a cure for the hangover issue. Don't stop drinking. Seriously, he didn't until it too caught up with him. He was retired from his job young and employed as....a barman would you believe. Didn't stop drinking obviously, just changed career paths.
The main thinkg I'd concentrate on of that list you gave us is why you are angry. You say your life isn't all that bad but you say it like it really is that bad. Show me which bit is good for you. The depression, the anxiety, the stressful job, the hangovers, the need to drink, the unfulfilled need to be alone? Which bits are good?
You've told us and yourself what you need to do and frankly meds are not the answer at all. They may help you while you do it but the basic thing you need is to change your life and what is in it. You don't like what's in it now except for a few friends and I bet they are drinkers, right? All my good friends were drinkers and they vanished the moment I gave up. They couldn't stand me and I couldn't bear them.
You can't change evertyhing at once as it would increase your anxiety very quickly. The two things I'd focus on first are your living circumstances and your job. Not a good time to change jobs with the economic hooha but necessary for you. Remember money is not the target, peace and satisfaction is. Money will come when you find such work as you will be good at it.
The job too though would likely depend on an end to drinking as regular hangovers are noticed and reported to potential employees.
I can tell you when I gave up drinking I did not miss it one little bit. But I wanted to give it up. Do you want to change your life, then think this stuff through.
Everything I've written comes right from you, not me, just an anecdote or so of me.
Alcohol is a depressant, so self medicating like that only makes it worse. I have to tell you not all meds numb you out. I"m a living example of that, I'm happier and perkier then I've been in years. I'm not taking a SSRI but a drug in the mood stabilizer class which doesn't affect my libido either. I would highly recommend you get a psychiatrist to get on better meds and counselling.
I drank for about a year specifically to get rid of anxiety. Never got plastered just slowly throughout the day. It was to keep me on an even keel. I had to stop though because I knew it was killing me. You need to find some real help. Get off the alcohol and your life will start to get better. Go to a psychiatrist and be totally up front and honest and tell them exactly what you are going through. Tell them you can't go through life being a zombie and you can't go through life with all this anxiety. Hope you feel better soon.
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