Alcoholism

Dilly

Hey guys,

My cousin told me last night htat she believes she has a problem with alcohol and by the sounds of it, she does.

She is not comfortable talking to her GP about it and has heard bad reports about AA so I wanted to do some research on alternative support groups or people that she could talk to.

Rather than do a random google on the options I would like if anybody with experience of what alternatives there might be could recommend some places/numbers that she could contact (she's based in Cork) I would be very grateful.

Thanks in advance,

Dilly

the Guru

This is pretty excessive but it does work if your cousin want to stop drinking

Disulfiram (Antabuse) produces a sensitivity to alcohol which results in a highly unpleasant reaction when the patient under treatment ingests even small amounts of alcohol.


see link for details http://www.healthyplace.com/medications/disulfiram.htm

Asiaprod

the Guru wrote:

This is pretty excessive but it does work if your cousin want to stop drinking

Any drug needs to be properly administered and a DIY approach is not the way to go IMO as it could be dangerous. You cannot guarantee that there would be no side effect, and if there was, would your cousin know, or be able, to counteract it?
Besides, the drink is only one part of the problem, there is a physiological side to this that requires some kind of counseling therapy. You cannot just quit the drink and leave this other side untouched, the drink will only come back, or worse, your cousin could turn to some other means of elevating the root cause of the problem. Talking it through is vital to kick the alcohol problem. Seek professional advice to succeed.

Beruthiel

the Guru wrote:

This is pretty excessive but it does work if your cousin want to stop drinking

Disulfiram (Antabuse) produces a sensitivity to alcohol which results in a highly unpleasant reaction when the patient under treatment ingests even small amounts of alcohol.


see link for details http://www.healthyplace.com/medications/disulfiram.htm

this is NOT a medical board and you are NOT a doctor.
please do not recommend drugs on this forum again or I'll ban you.

OP
AA has worked for many, many people. So what if she has heard some bad reports, not everyone is going to be happy with any group. It's no skin off her nose to go have a look see, is it?
Why is she uncomfortable talking to a GP? She could just pick one she doen't know and will never see again if she's not happy with them.

Blub2k4

If the girl is uncomfortable speaking to their GP, there's no reason to be by the way he has a patient confidentiality pledge to uphold legally, but in any case she can go to another GP or phone St. Patricks and see if they can advise anything.

I know someone I helped on here a little while ago ended up doing a month in St. Pats, from a somewhat chronic alcohol addiction mind, but they are doing well so far since as far as I know.

If you wanted to do a bit of research you could look them up in the telephone book and have a word with them they might be able to give you some insight, another option would be to contact al-anon, they can help you as a friend or relative and the chances are they can advise you of options.

Good luck with it.


Antabuse is kinda a last stop solution for chronic cases, the likes of George Best, who just cannot make themselves stop drinking, total rubbish advice with the information presented.

evie33

Hi there,
I'm an alcoholic but stopped drinking about 11 years ago when i was 24. I did try AA for a while but as a young women found the experience pretty horrendous - felt like i had jumped from the frying pan in to the fire. I found it to be more suited to men as it didn't (in my experience) address the specific emotional difficulties that women tend to have when they are trying to recover from an alcohol addiction. I eventually discovered yoga and over the years it has helped me to regain my self-esteem, let go of the past and negative thinking and grow emotinally. I now teach yoga and am planning to set up a class in the new year, specifically for women who have alcohol problems (because there are few alternatives to AA, which is not for everyone).

Dilly I would suggest your cousin get one-to-one couselling and take it from there. Or perhaps contact a women's support group in the area?

all the best
x
c

Black Swan

Not sure why she cannot consult with a GP in confidence about this issue? Alcoholism is serious, and if she is in fact becoming one, she needs serious professional help, not an unqualified forum such as this.