My husband and I argued last night about me drinking. He says I shouldn’t drink anymore because I’m schizoaffective. I got pretty upset and kept saying that it’s fine if I drink – that there is nothing wrong with me drinking. He kept saying that it’s harmful for me and will just make my mental illness worse.
He told me I’m dependent on alcohol to self-medicate. After arguing for a while, I finally admitted that I do self-medicate with alcohol, to quiet my mind and “get out of my head”.
I finally agreed to stop drinking, except a tiny bit here and there. But I hate it. I hate being stuck with my mind. I just want to unwind and escape myself for a little bit. What are some other ways to unwind when I’m stressed and overwhelmed?
I don’t have a solution. But i can tell you what i do. First of all, i NEVER drink. I recognised my health problems and i decided it wouldn’t be good for me. When i’m stressed i drink water, i read about something i enjoy, i talk to someone, i go for a walk, i eat, i study. It’s good you have someone that worry about you. I wish you can find your balance.
That’s why I take naltrexone. Not because I’m an sza alcoholic who’s gonna die of liver disease if I don’t stop drinking. But because I hated feeling trapped in feeling like I needed to drink. There are different meds u can try that help you stop drinking. Seriously that’s the only way I ever got out of my head. Was taking naltrexone every day along with my other meds. But if u have an addict mind/craving at all that it’s hard to stop well that’s my best recommendation. U can ask your doctor about it or give it a thought.
Use essential oils in your home for relaxing smells. Aromatherapy really helps. Take a long, hot bath with calming smelling oils. Go for a walk on a nature trail after a hard day but before it’s dark out.
self medicating is one thing but don’t go get yourself addicted. know when to stop. You sound like you are getting dependent. self medicating for pain if there is nothing else to a degree. But something worse could come upon you. Have a conversation with your husband who sounds like he is there to help and balance you. Call someone, scream in a pillow, draw a picture or a change of scenery, walking might help.
You should drink if you want to. Don’t let someone else run your life. I like to drink too and my friend says I’m self medicating but I don’t care what he says. I like to drink so I’m going to do it.
I know alcohol works short term for relaxation, depression and anxiety.
Most people drink obviously because alcohol is a drug and it gets them high.
But it’s a really bad mix if someone is taking medications as well.
It overloads the liver and really wears it down, not to mention what it does to the rest of the body, especially the heart.
Plus in time, it will stop making you feel better, instead you will just get sicker, your anxiety will get worse and if you already suffer from depression you will definitely be DAF.
Take some advice from a pro and don’t go down the same road I did.
Alcohol was a way for me to cope, I drank to celebrate the good times, I drank to numb myself to the voices, and I drank to the point of almost killing myself with, multiply times. For years I was on a constant drunk, to help the symptoms.never get a hang over when you’re constantly drunk…it got so bad I’d wake up in the middle of the night with the shakes, drink a couple shots just to get back into bed.
I had to realize I was worth more than what the voices called me, had to learn to cope without that crutch ruining my health and my relationships.
I miss it sometimes, and I have my weak days. But it can be better on the wagon than it sounds.
Wishing you luck coffee buddy, Hit me up if you ever need a chat
You’re gonna hear a lot of people telling you never to touch another drop of alcohol again. I am of the opinion that just because you’re on medication or have a condition, you shouldn’t be forever locked out of what is a large part of American society. I drink on Fourth of July every year, this year is actually an exception because I don’t have a car or someone nice living with me that cares enough to ask if I need something. Of course you have to be well enough to exercise responsibility, and if you are really bad off with your sz/sza, which you don’t seem to be, you probably shouldn’t touch it.
It’s annoying to hear someone tell you not to do something because you’re sick. You didn’t choose to be sick, and if the other person all of the sudden had a condition, would they never drink or party with their friends again because of it? That’s a lot to ask a person.
