Hi everyone: I am new to this site, but glad I found it.
I find myself drinking far more than I did prior to Hurricane Katrina. I live on the Mississippi Coast, and lost my business and my house. The insurance co.'s are thieves to boot. I think some of the reasons why I am drinking more are due to 1. No structured routine since the hurricane 2. A sense of impotency regarding the horrible damage caused by this storm 3. "Normal" is not normal anymore 4. Depression caused by a sense of hopelessness, or is it the other way around?
My husband also drinks, so we are comrades in arms in that department. He's been an alcoholic for years, while it seems that I became one after meeting him.
Now I have tremendous guilt about my drinking that I didn't have in the past. More time to think about it, I guess. I can't seem to get interested in anything, or motivated. I have fear that another hurricane will just come and take everything away again, so why bother?
I know this sounds bad...but I'm a creature of habit, and loved my home. My business was lucrative, so I guess I have lost my identity which I so closely attributed to my work.
One thing that Hurricane Katrina has certainly taught all of us here on the coast that the only thing that remains static is CHANGE. Unpredictable change. How do I take this horrible situation and try to find/create a silver lining?
Thanks all for listening. I would greatly appreciate hearing back from anyone who lives in "Katrinaville".
God Bless.
Connie,
I live in California so I can't help you with having something in common. Sorry about that. I do however feel for you. My last bender that sent me to the hospital September 5th happened because of Katrina! I was so upset about the poor response and "Our" people suffering I went on a huge bender and ended up in the hospital with another bout of pancreatitus. September 5th was my last drink! Thank you for sharing your story and keep posting here. I have been coming here a short time and it really has helped me tremendously. Just wanted to respond to your post to say hello and welcome!
Your Friend
I live in California so I can't help you with having something in common. Sorry about that. I do however feel for you. My last bender that sent me to the hospital September 5th happened because of Katrina! I was so upset about the poor response and "Our" people suffering I went on a huge bender and ended up in the hospital with another bout of pancreatitus. September 5th was my last drink! Thank you for sharing your story and keep posting here. I have been coming here a short time and it really has helped me tremendously. Just wanted to respond to your post to say hello and welcome!
Your Friend
Hi Valarie: Thanks so much for posting. I was starting to believe that I was the only one on the internet today! LOL
I am surprised about your caring so much from such a great distance, and I truly appreciate it. Here on the coast, the best and most responsive help we recieved, and are still receiving, have been from hundreds of thousands of volunteers from out of state. FEMA assistance and SBA assistance, as well as insurance co. settlements are for the most part nightmare stories. Thousands of people whose homes were not lost, but their jobs were, are having their homes repossessed.
I understand that "down here" the hurricane and it's after effects has caused a lot of us to turn to something for escape. It's a by product of what came before. Who ever thought an alcoholic epidemic would become an inadvertent part of the disaster?
I'm trying to do what my father says; "Just pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get on with it!"
Thanks for caring and responding.
Connie on the Coast
I am surprised about your caring so much from such a great distance, and I truly appreciate it. Here on the coast, the best and most responsive help we recieved, and are still receiving, have been from hundreds of thousands of volunteers from out of state. FEMA assistance and SBA assistance, as well as insurance co. settlements are for the most part nightmare stories. Thousands of people whose homes were not lost, but their jobs were, are having their homes repossessed.
I understand that "down here" the hurricane and it's after effects has caused a lot of us to turn to something for escape. It's a by product of what came before. Who ever thought an alcoholic epidemic would become an inadvertent part of the disaster?
I'm trying to do what my father says; "Just pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get on with it!"
Thanks for caring and responding.
Connie on the Coast
Hi Connie,
Don't get discouraged....alot of times there are lots of people on the board but they just read. Sometimes people just don't feel like posting.
Yeah Katrina sent me for a loop. I have never been more pissed off and disgusted at our government. For Christ's sake we dropped food into Afganistan the day after we bombed but our own f***ing people were starving and left dead in the streets for 5 f***ing days!!!!!! Excuse my language mods but I was distraught after that. Anyway I don't want to get on a tirade again. I hope you are all recovering. I cannot imagine going through something like that. Now it's GD Hurrican season again????!!!!!! I am in Southern California so I suppose we are due for an earthquake.....hope not but I expect it.
Take care my friend
Don't get discouraged....alot of times there are lots of people on the board but they just read. Sometimes people just don't feel like posting.
Yeah Katrina sent me for a loop. I have never been more pissed off and disgusted at our government. For Christ's sake we dropped food into Afganistan the day after we bombed but our own f***ing people were starving and left dead in the streets for 5 f***ing days!!!!!! Excuse my language mods but I was distraught after that. Anyway I don't want to get on a tirade again. I hope you are all recovering. I cannot imagine going through something like that. Now it's GD Hurrican season again????!!!!!! I am in Southern California so I suppose we are due for an earthquake.....hope not but I expect it.
Take care my friend
Hi Connie, welcome to the boards, this is a great place here... I am also not close to Louisiana or Mississippi (I'm in Colo.) but was outraged at the shoddy treatment all of you down there received in the aftermath of Katrina... the son of one of my coworkers lives in New Orleans and lost everything he had, he came here for awhile but is back down there now, trying to start over. I hope you will continue to post, there really are some great people here, and no one judges.... cheers Connie, hope you'll have a good day...
HI again Valarie: Thanks for the outraged response! I know where that comes from regarding Katrina. However, now I am either just numb, or the very real possibility of another horrible hurricane never leaves the back of my mind. And regarding government agencies, I believe that their presence here was just a public relations ploy. I don't know of that many who made application for assistance that actually got any.
I have a friend who is now suffering from Post Traumatic stress disorder, and has not been able to get back to work since last August. He drinks his beer, and says he'll make up his mind what he wants to do when he grows up. He's 51. I have to say he's a really good guy, just wish I could help him, but that's tough become I'm not doing a good job of helping me. The depression is hitting me pretty hard...everything seems like a mountain to be climbed...you know?
And to Cioabella...my sister lives in Colorado Springs, and she felt the same outrage you did. I'm glad to hear that the nation was/is watching and paying attention. A tragedy the scope of Katrina unfortunately can affect any of us.
Enough of the moaning, time to get packing to get into my new house. (all redone after the storm with no help from the top brass) Unfortunately, the people that owned it before I bought it lost it to foreclosure.
Once again, enough of the moaning!!!!!!!!!! Thanks again to you both, and thanks for listening. You've been great.
Connie B. in Mississippi
I have a friend who is now suffering from Post Traumatic stress disorder, and has not been able to get back to work since last August. He drinks his beer, and says he'll make up his mind what he wants to do when he grows up. He's 51. I have to say he's a really good guy, just wish I could help him, but that's tough become I'm not doing a good job of helping me. The depression is hitting me pretty hard...everything seems like a mountain to be climbed...you know?
And to Cioabella...my sister lives in Colorado Springs, and she felt the same outrage you did. I'm glad to hear that the nation was/is watching and paying attention. A tragedy the scope of Katrina unfortunately can affect any of us.
Enough of the moaning, time to get packing to get into my new house. (all redone after the storm with no help from the top brass) Unfortunately, the people that owned it before I bought it lost it to foreclosure.
Once again, enough of the moaning!!!!!!!!!! Thanks again to you both, and thanks for listening. You've been great.
Connie B. in Mississippi
Connie
Do you want to stop drinking? I'm not sure if you are asking for help to stop drinking? Have you tried AA?
Do you want to stop drinking? I'm not sure if you are asking for help to stop drinking? Have you tried AA?
Hi 12 stepper: I went to AA meetings for years, when I wasn't much of a drinker, but went to support my husband, who had been alcoholic since his teen years. However, that came to an end when my husband accused me of just going to the meetings to meet men. I also attended meetings for relatives of alcoholics.
Since the hurricane, local resources like AA disappeared. I understand that there is one now open again in our town. Their meeting facilities had been destroyed.
I was drinking a lot before the storm, but didn't pay attention to to extent of it because I was so busy. I didn't think much about it. However, now, I have more time to "see", and thus more guilt and a sense of shame that wasn't there before. I was productive, and now I don't feel like I am.
I am researching a new program here on the coast that gives intensive intravenous amino acid therapy for ten days, which they claim takes care of the physically addictive part of the desease in that short time, which appeals to me if it really works so quickly. AA or counselling could address the psychological aspect of it. The program is quite expensive, and I don't know if they are charlatans or not. Do you have any knowledge of this new type of therapy?
I can say that when I wake up in the morning, I pray to God to help me end all of this.
Since the hurricane, local resources like AA disappeared. I understand that there is one now open again in our town. Their meeting facilities had been destroyed.
I was drinking a lot before the storm, but didn't pay attention to to extent of it because I was so busy. I didn't think much about it. However, now, I have more time to "see", and thus more guilt and a sense of shame that wasn't there before. I was productive, and now I don't feel like I am.
I am researching a new program here on the coast that gives intensive intravenous amino acid therapy for ten days, which they claim takes care of the physically addictive part of the desease in that short time, which appeals to me if it really works so quickly. AA or counselling could address the psychological aspect of it. The program is quite expensive, and I don't know if they are charlatans or not. Do you have any knowledge of this new type of therapy?
I can say that when I wake up in the morning, I pray to God to help me end all of this.
After all you've been thru I can see why your alcohol consumption would increase but it sounds like it's gotten way out of hand. I never heard of any amino acid detox but who knows? I would be leary of it but what do I know? Maybe an easier way would be to just go to a meeting and see what's going on there. They would probably know if there is a detox open yet or they will be glad to help you themselves. The first thing would be to stop drinking and the rest will fall into place. Are you getting DTs when you stop yet? Has it gotten that bad yet? If you've been to meetings you know we help each other. Go talk to them.
I'll tell ya, I'm in Fort Lauderdale and those hurricanes scare the crap out of me too. We've been lucky as far as the damage goes but they are still scarier than hell. But I am lucky to have a great support group so if anything happened I am sure we would get together somewhere. Good luck, Connie. Let me know how you make out.
xoxoxox
I'll tell ya, I'm in Fort Lauderdale and those hurricanes scare the crap out of me too. We've been lucky as far as the damage goes but they are still scarier than hell. But I am lucky to have a great support group so if anything happened I am sure we would get together somewhere. Good luck, Connie. Let me know how you make out.
xoxoxox
Hey Connie the best way to deal with the anger you have is to turn it into a will to get sober goe to AA and take your H with you as all that will happen is the resentments you have will build and build and you will be the only person loosing sleep because of it apart from everyone else using whatever to cope with the after affects of the hurricane. Think of the potential to change lifes for the good when you have sorted your own out. You could be in the next hotbed of recovery. Go to meetings they cost the price of a coffee and are there for ever offering support.
Light and love Zac
Light and love Zac
Connie,
Hope you are having a better day. Isn't this board just wonderful? I have found that it is my biggest support. I would definately go to a meeting or find some sort of therapy for help. I also have never heard about the amino acid therapy.
12 Stepper I love the little picture of the guy with all the cigarettes. Not sure if I ever mentioned it to you but good job on not smoking. I read the thread on nicotine and was very jealous of you. I smoke like a chimney. Way to go! You are awesome!
Hope you are having a better day. Isn't this board just wonderful? I have found that it is my biggest support. I would definately go to a meeting or find some sort of therapy for help. I also have never heard about the amino acid therapy.
12 Stepper I love the little picture of the guy with all the cigarettes. Not sure if I ever mentioned it to you but good job on not smoking. I read the thread on nicotine and was very jealous of you. I smoke like a chimney. Way to go! You are awesome!
Valarie
Puff on one for me please. I hate quitting but I have to because I smoked for a few too many years. Just wait, your day will come <BEG>
Have a great afternoon
Puff on one for me please. I hate quitting but I have to because I smoked for a few too many years. Just wait, your day will come <BEG>
Have a great afternoon
Kat.....you are awesome. I think smoking would prove more difficult for me than booze perhaps. Just wanted to acknowledge it as you are always sooo supportive of people. I think perhaps I may have taken alot of your posts harshly but the more I read of them it is obvious you mean well. Just don't want some of us to go down the road you have traveled. Keep up the good work puff free!
Take Care
Take Care
