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Do I need help!

Posted , 10 users are following.

RedMick
RedMick

Hi guys, I'm new to this group and I'm looking for some guidance if possible. The problem is after drinking alcohol the next couple of days I suffer from really bad anxiety, to the point where I feel so down and physically sick. Sometimes I feel so ashamed and I go in to depressed mode. Also the last couple of years I've been having blackouts after really heavy sessions. I keep promising myself I will never do it again but it plays a big part of my social life and I feel pressured at times. I dont always blackout but when I do, I've been told I become aggresive and start to pick arguments or fights with people. When I hear the stories I feel discusted with myself because I'm not that kind of person, I would literally do anything for anyone within reason. I'm not alcohol dependant although 10 years ago when I was 18 I drank everyday for approximately 1 year as I wasn't in a great place. Its just that once or twice a week I have a really heavy blow out and I feel so ill for days afterwards, the anxiety is unbearable. I've also noticed that once I start drinking I find it difficult to stop once I've reached a certain limit. But I can actually take it or leave it some weeks, but then I need a blow out. I've spoke to a few close friends and one of them suggested AA but I'm not really sure if this is the right idea ? I do suffer from anxiety and panick attacks but the alcohol just makes it worse. Especially with the blackouts, I dont seem to have any pre warning with the blackouts. I can be feeling merry one minute and then I wake up in the morning with hours missing from the night. I know its easy to say just dont drink but I'm finding a big struggle to completely avoid it. Any advice would be really appreciated 

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  • Paper_fairy
    Paper_fairy RedMick

    Posted

    Paul will know. If no one knows will find out Monday. Maybe I'm wrong! Haha xx
    • vickylou
      vickylou Paper_fairy

      Posted

      I can only base my opinion of addaction from what other people have told me. One of whom, used to work for addaction, another namely my daughter who had a work placement with them as part of her level 5 care management course and from other service users I know.

      My daughter left after two days and taking advice from her assessor. She was far more highly qualified than the staff member who was her mentor, a basic level 2 in health and social care. Care plans, record keeping, medication reviews and staff training were totally out of date. The latest report from QCC with their recommendations had been ignored and when she asked why certain things were done was given the stock answer " well we've always done it that way", she queried why some service users' medication was left unattended in a communal area, only to be told " half of them don't know what they're taking so we just tell them to bring it with them and leave it on the side. If anyone's got any spare time they can update records, but we don't normally bother"!!

       

    • Robin2015
      Robin2015 vickylou

      Posted

      totally shocking way to work and quite beyond anything I have heard read or heard about...instant dismall of people in charge should be on the menu. Thanks for lettings us know. Cannot say that I know this service but good to know!! Robin
  • Paper_fairy
    Paper_fairy RedMick

    Posted

    Wow RHGB and Vickiilou, both your answers have opened my eyes. I'm going to put a complaint in for the way I've been treated. It's appalling and I could have died if I hadn't seeked help from my therapist in alcohol advisory service( they aren't connected and hate each other reading between the lines and alc ad service are constantly in battle) and advice and support from people on this site. I can't believe they are getting away with this. All they offer is drinks diary and Antabuse( way out of date). 

    To get help you have to damage yourself eg break your pelvis(which I did) or go to rehab which costs thousands. 

    My friend I tried to help last week went to hospital this morning as so ill from drinking. She's been told she cyrosis of the liver and blood clots. She tried addaction and gave up as they were useless. She could have been saved from this if addaction had done their job properly. I will start a new post later about my best friend later. Going to try and visit her later xx

    • RHGB
      RHGB Paper_fairy

      Posted

      In my case I was already detoxed in hospital last year, because I became jauniced, I was actually yellow in colour.

      I told them this, I told them I am under the care of the hepatologist at the local hospital (they knew him by name) and the hospital dietician, as well as regular tests with my GP/practice nurse and that they should call hepatologist and my GP to confirm the seriousness.

      They weren't interested, started talking about health checks, group therapy, more one to ones. Detox just wasn't going to feature.

      When I said that I was going to see my GP, she rather cockily said, he'll probably refer you back to us. I didn't want to say anything regarding my GP, but I felt like telling her that that was some mighty large assumption, then my GP explained that most GPs would have done that, because of the grief that it can cause them.

      I phoned them up to cancel the meeting, but I said I would be willing to attend, but to give feedback only. She brought the manageress in with her, I hardly got a word in edgeways, I don't think she noticed that it had turned into a monologue - I should have just let my head drop and started snoring, but I doubt it would have stopped her. They don't want feedback, they don't want to change.

      Paul has to be careful with his words, because he is in the industry, but I as an individual and have personal experience first hand and can back up anything and everything I say, I would say to people, Addaction is a last resort, and even then I wouldn't bother.

      And I have taken it to the top, their Head of Clinical and Social Governance, emailed and spoken to him, but I'm still not hearing good things about them.

      Oh, and by the way, if you go there, you have to sign a form, that says if you die on the premises you can't sue them, I kid you not.

      I did look up the alcohol advisory service after you mentioned them before, and we do have one in town. I'm going to pop in, just to see what sort of a set up they run and whether I would recommend them to anyone else.

    • PaulJTurner1964
      PaulJTurner1964 RHGB

      Posted

      The nature of death makes it difficult for you to sue them smile However, I have heard of this being added to rehab facility contracts and it is nonsense. If they were found to be neglectful, the contract wouldn't stand up.
    • RHGB
      RHGB PaulJTurner1964

      Posted

      But my spouse could...

      I am telling you seriously, I had to sign a form, that they could contact my GP and be given information, they could contact my consultant at hospital and be given information and the death contract as I call it. The mere fact that they include this clause, leads me to believe that they have had people die on the premises. I was there for alcohol, I don't touch drugs or tobacco, but I still had to sign it.

       

    • PaulJTurner1964
      PaulJTurner1964 RHGB

      Posted

      Oh I know those sort of contracts exist. What I am saying is that they wouldn't stand up in a court of law and wouldn't prevent them being sued if they were found to have been neglectful.

      My comment about the dead person not being able to sue was tongue-in-cheek, but what sort of contract is still valid when one of the parties is dead? If the person suing (nearest relative) hasn't signed it, it means nothing.

      The fact that such contracts are even written is worrying as it suggests that they are not willing to take responsibility for ensuring that you don't die. I wouldn't go near a place with such a contract.

      It would be, on the other hand, perfectly acceptable to get a client to sign a document outlining the expected behaviour to comply with a programme of care designed to keep them safe. Then, if something happened as a result of non-compliance, the facility could successfully defend itself by saying 'the client signed to agree to comply with our programme and didn't. The programme was designed to keep the client safe and we can't be held accountable when the client doesn't follow the agreement.'

  • RedMick
    RedMick

    Posted

    Hi guys, I'm still having these episodes. The black outs, the anxiety etc for example last night I had a drinking session with a few work friends. I woke up this morning with no recollection of half the night. It just keeps happening although I was told I was perfectly fine on this occasion. I know I mentioned previously that I can't cut alcohol out of my life, but I also can't feel like this anymore. Because I have an issue with alcahol is there any groups I could attend. I'm not alcohol dependent although it will be a big struggle to completely avoid it
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