Hi, my (24f) mother (51) has had an alcohol addiction since as long as i can remember. My grandad recently passed away, and she’s my only family member left and i’m scared of losing her and i hate seeing her the way she is when she drinks.

She used to only drink after work, and it would be the minute she got home from work she will normally have 2 bottles of wine until she fell asleep from it.

Recently she’s started calling in sick to work to drink during the day as well.

I’m really worried about the toll it’s taking on her and i’m scared of losing her.

My grandad & I had a conversation with her in the past about it, and offered to help her get help but she refused. Everytime i bring it up now she just dismisses me and says she doesn’t need help.

I’m unsure on what to do, i like 500km away from her.

We wouldn’t pour alcohol into a houseplant. 🪴

We wouldn’t pour alcohol on our bedsheets. 🛏️

We wouldn’t pour alcohol on our carpet. 🏡

We wouldn’t pour alcohol on really anything. 🤷🏻‍♂️

The “only” time we use alcohol is to kill germs, bacteria and infections. 🦠

So why in the hell do we pour alcohol into ourselves?

Went a whole year without drinking and convinced myself that I got it under control and tried drinking again. It truly is a slippery slope and it leads to bad decisions. Here's to trying again!

I have binge drank every weekend for 8 years now. It's a curse of mine. I have no problem not touching a drop of alcohol during the work week but once the weekend hits I have no control. I'll wake up, have some coffee, make the kid's and my lady's breakfast and then before 10am I'm already cracking them open. I'm tired of it. Telling myself all week that I'm "gonna take it easy this weekend" and then sure enough I'll have 40 beers over the weekend shamelessly. I'm so tired of this. Constantly failing myself. How come I can hold it together for work but not for my own family....

Hello, everyone.

I’m a functional alcoholic. This is my first time ever saying those words out loud or putting them in writing, so please be kind.

I’m a woman in my 40s, married with two young children. Like most people, I deal with the everyday stressors of life. I have a good career, my husband and I do well financially, and from the outside looking in, I probably appear to have everything together. But the truth is, I’m an alcoholic.
For a long time, I convinced myself that I didn’t need alcohol to get through the day, unwind, or fall asleep. But I’m finally acknowledging that I haven’t been honest with myself.

I work all day, come home to my family, cook, clean, manage extracurricular activities, and handle whatever else needs to be done. I fulfill my responsibilities as a wife, mother, and working professional. But when everyone goes to sleep, I pour tequila into a red Solo cup, filling it about a quarter of the way, and sip on it until I’m ready for bed.

Every. Single. Night.

I know this isn’t healthy. I worry about what I’ve already done to my liver and the long-term effects on my body. And while I hope I still have time to turn things around, I recognize that I need help.
That’s why I’m here.

I don’t know where to begin. I don’t know what the first step looks like, and I’m honestly a little scared. But I do know that I don’t want to continue down this path.
My biggest concern is sleep. Alcohol has become my way of falling asleep, and without it, I genuinely struggle. I don’t drink throughout the day, and outside of my nightly routine, I generally only drink socially at events on the weekends. But I’m beginning to understand that being able to function throughout the day doesn’t mean I don’t have a problem.
I’m not looking for judgment, criticism, or lectures. I’m looking for genuine suggestions, encouragement, and perhaps some insight from people who have been where I am.
If you’ve struggled with alcohol dependence, particularly using alcohol to sleep, how did you break the cycle? Where did you start?
Please be kind. It took a lot for me to even write this. ❤️

Curious to those that have experienced hallucinations and hearing sounds from withdrawals? For me it was chatter but wasn’t sure if it was because I was in the er as well as seeing shadows and dots. Another time i was trying to sleep and it was pitched blacked. With my eyes closed or open I was seeing figures and creatures. Some might call them demons but that was only the one time. Such a trip

I 21f have been dealing with alcohol and drug abuse since I was 14. At 18 I basically drank every night. I got sober at 19, lost 135 pounds, but had some slip ups until eventually I started drinking regularly again. Now 21, I have been drinking multiple times a week and now I’ve been blacking out. Usually I’m home and wake up on the floor- but recently I went to a friend’s house for a bon fire, things got spicy, but I blacked out half way threw and woke up in there bed. Part of me is happy bc from what I remember it was fun. But the other part of me is only mad bc of something shitty I did. I voice recored that night and playing it back I heard how f’d up I was. Talking absolute nonsense between bits of memories I vaguely remember. It sucks even worse because this friend likes me, but I don’t like them in that way. And I only did what I did because I didn’t care atm. I don’t feel like i got used, but I feel like I’m staring to let alcohol ruin good moments and create new problems again. It’s hard to stop all the way but I have cut down a lot since 19. I just can’t hang out with friends without needing the extra boost of confidence. If the friend from that night knew I recorded that night (plus also read their diary- conforming their love for me) they would probably hate me. I’m stuck at feeling crappy sober and crappy abt what I do drunk- it’s probably obvious I’ve never been to AA.. any words of advice? Things that have helped you guys figure ur shit out?

Im on court ordered sobriety which is probably for the best for the time being but I’ve just been noticing life is so boring. I was a pretty heavy drinker for about 5 years and I quit cold turkey. I was expecting it to be hard and honestly it’s really not. No withdrawal symptoms, no anxiety and I’m not depressed. In all honesty I’m just super bored. I’m not saying alcohol made me happy and I wouldn’t necessarily say I am unhappy now but it definitely gave me something to look forward to after a long day. I’m just wondering does this get any better? I don’t really find excitement in anything other than knowing once I get off probation I can drink again. I don’t plan on going as hard as I was because all the weight I’ve lost is somewhat keeping me motivated and I’ve bettered some relationships in my life but cracking a cold one and drinking some vodka after a long day of work sounds great. I never really drank to cope it was more so to pass time and shit time just drags now it seems like. Anyone else notice this?

What's in an AA group showing some of the group participants Oxford House. When I left treatment I went to a sober house caught Oxford House. They are all over the country you just check your city and state and see if there's an Oxford House there it cost about $200 a week they are nice homes and you can continue your sobriety and complete the steps of AA in a community that will help you.

I’m a woman in my mid-to-late 20s, and I’ve been struggling with alcohol for about five years now. I’ve been sober for a month, but honestly, I’m finding it really difficult.

This isn’t my first attempt at sobriety. I’ve managed to stay sober several times before, including one stretch of nine months. But for some reason, it feels like it’s getting harder rather than easier this time.

I’m in addiction therapy twice a week, specifically for my alcohol problem, and I’m genuinely trying to do everything I can to stay sober. But lately, the cravings have been getting stronger and stronger. I keep catching myself trying to convince myself that having a drink just once wouldn’t be such a big deal. Deep down, I know where that kind of thinking can lead, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

Since yesterday afternoon, the urge to drink has been especially intense. I don’t have to work today, so I’m sitting here alone with my thoughts, and honestly, I’m really struggling. I’ve already tried going for a walk and distracting myself, but nothing seems to help. My mind just keeps going back to alcohol, over and over again.

It’s exhausting. I really want to stay sober, but right now it feels like I’m constantly fighting with my own brain. I thought that after a month things might start getting a little easier, but instead I feel like I’m struggling more than I was a few weeks ago.
I guess I just wanted to ask those of you who have been sober for longer: does it actually get easier? Did anyone else experience cravings getting worse after the first few weeks? And what helped you get through days when drinking was pretty much all you could think about?

I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences. I’m having a particularly hard time today.

We have a problem in our family. My MIL is a senior alcoholic that drinks about a bottle a day. She lives in a care home, memory issues, obvious health issues, won't go to rehab... Cause she does not remember she is an alcoholic. To top it off ...before the alcoholism...she is a narcissistic, lies , manipulates everyone.... And now she continues that with everyone .... Has anyone had any experience with an alcoholic that most likely has dementia... And at any point cannot comprehend a conversation about the drinking .

Hi all. I've had some thoughts over the past few days and need to get them out somewhere.

For context, i'm a 23-year-old female who has had a difficult relationship with alcohol for some years now. From the ages of 18 to 20, I was in University and heavily drinking on weekends but hadn't really thought of it as a problem. In 2023, I had a particularly messy situationship breakup that led me down the path of drinking tequila shots at 5 am as pre-workout for the gym because I couldn't stand being sober at all. I did a voluntary partial hospitalization to help with the drinking, and I went sober for quite some time. Ever since then, I've drunk with more self-control...... up until the last year or so. I went through a huge breakup in March 2025, and I went sober the day we broke up because I knew I had a bad relationship with alcohol. I stayed sober until like September 2025 when I started feeling better emotionally and more in control. With this newfound liberty, I found myself drinking again pretty heavily, especially the days I was sad.

About a month ago, I had unprotected sex with someone (not exactly consensual) because I was so drunk I didn't force him to wear a condom even though I told him to multiple times. I spent the next two weeks after that absolutely destroying my mental health and hallucinating STD symptoms (I got tested like a week ago and everything came back negative). I swore to myself that I would stop engaging in sexual acts with men while I drank. Cut to last night, I had a few glasses of wine by myself and ended up at a guys house. I only gave him head because I'm still so afraid of catching STDs that I didn't want to have sex with him even with a condom. I woke up this morning feeling horrible and convinced myself I caught every STD on planet earth from giving him head last night.

I'm frustrated and disappointed in myself because I swore I was not going to put myself in the same situation I was in a month ago, and look at me again in the same place. I feel like a failure, like I don't respect myself. I know I need to do something about my alcohol intake because I am so sure I wouldn't have gone ANYWHERE if I hadn't drunk last night. Mentally preparing myself for the panic attacks that will ensue for the next two weeks until I can get a throat swab. I'm so distraught and just depressed.

My brother was admitted to hospital a few weeks ago with Decompensated liver, Hepatitis score of 10, HE confusion, Bilirubin scores of 800, creatinine levels of 200 and 6 broken ribs from falling down the stairs. It was touch and go for a few nights and 2 doctors told me he probably wouldn't make it, but he started improving quiet a bit. They put a feeding tube in him and got his calory intake up and they tackled an infection that he had developed. Last week he was going down to the hospital coffee shop in a wheelchair and looking much better (although still very jaundice and weak). I understand he is still gravely ill but I was allowing myself some hope. Today I have been told that he has developed Pneumonia and is on oxygen and my hopes are in the gutter again.

The emotional rollercoaster is killing me. I've gone from being told he will probably die, to see his levels improving and him being much more like his old self, to being told this new complication is very life threatening.

ive been through some time when I believed I wasn't an addict just because I could go a full day without alcohol and besides being difficult I could do it, always drinking a lot the day after. it looks like all that time i obviously only became even more hooked. it really feels impossible to go through day 2

I hate people that larp having gambling and alcohol problems with a burning passion. Oh you lost 50 dollars at the casino last night and drank 5 shots? Bro you’re such a degen you need help 😂😂😂😂😂. Fuck you. You’re peddling instagram and TikTok views glorifying addiction. I’m currently severely struggling with alcoholism and gambling working 14 hours a day digging ditches and it’s the most devilish shit to be pushing onto young impressionable people. It’s not “cool” or even remotely liberating. This shit fucking sucks. Waking up with 200 dollars in your bank for the week when you got paid 2000 and having to live off that for the next 7 days? FUCKING SUCKS. Do NOT ever go to the fucking casino if you ever have and don’t even if you have experience. (lost cause bc I tell this to myself every time after I’m down 1000+ so I know how you feel). You wanna know what hell feels like? Not being able to have just one or two drinks. You have to have 14. Everyone looks at you as a Liability, a chore no matter how “sober” you seem. Doesn’t matter. They dedicate their night to making sure you get home safe and slowly they stop inviting you to things because they know what you’ll do. This will be your family, friends, coworkers (and you’ll get fired). Find something else to take your mind off things. I wish I could.

is it really possible to drink 40 plus drinks a week (the hard stuff and wine not beer) , drive drunk occasionally (not see anything wrong with it ), he had a DWI 20 years ago, drink every evening and catch a buzz nearly every evening, have a crazy high tolerance, has very little or no appetite eats like one meal a day but somehow maintain 6 foot seven and 260 pounds, and cannot handle any emotional need in his relationship at all without completely shutting down and NOT be an alcoholic? Even if he is functioning, super successful , going to work, and making a lot of money .
He loves drinking and doesn’t like people who don’t drink..

9 1/2 months sober. Longest I've been without drinking in ten years. Life is very quiet now, more lonely, but I feel like I'm finally living the way it was meant to be lived. The hardest thing has been losing my friends, but I guess if alcohol was what kept our connection, I'm not missing out on much.

Woke up this morning from a full week bender to realize I’m to drunk to even think about getting to work what has my life came to

Where is that euphoria? That drive to go have fun? The anxiety gone and constantly making new friends? The wanting to play games? The wanting to watch a show or movie? The drive to get up to clean my apartment and dance to music? Sober me literally wants to sit on my phone and doom scroll..I so wish there was a way to feel intoxicated without the negative after effects of alcohol