RobinW
11-01-2009, 03:06 AM
Alright, well this is a long story, but I can try to make it short. I have a severe fear of alcohol and drinking, and it's plaguing my life now that it actually affects it. I think I need help considering it's stopping me from being with my friends.
I think it's derived from situations from when I was a child. My father was and still is a severe alcoholic. He wasn't always around, but when he was, it was bad. I can recall many instanced of seeing him drunk, puking on the carpet, passed out, doing stupid things, being arrested. There were even instances where he'd get violent. He once put me in a headlock and i couldn't breathe. Another time I can remember him shaking my mom and pushing her into the refrigerator door. He used to drive me around drunk, take me to bars, all that stuff. His father was also an alcoholic, and so were a number of aunts and uncles of mine.
Now, I can't seem to feel better about this. The fear has just intensified in the past few years. I'm not into the taste of alcohol to begin with, so I've never really drank, but I can't seem to feel comfortable around other people who are drinking. I start to breathe heavily and fast, I get a headache, I start to cry, I get really nervous and my heart beats fast. I even shake sometimes. Tonight is Halloween even, and I almost got to my friend's place for a party, and I turned back. I couldn't handle it. I've had attacks of major anxiety while in the situations of being around anyone who's been drinking.
I just want to know, is there something really wrong with me? How could I possible feel better in these situations? Is this all in my head and out of line?
I think it's derived from situations from when I was a child. My father was and still is a severe alcoholic. He wasn't always around, but when he was, it was bad. I can recall many instanced of seeing him drunk, puking on the carpet, passed out, doing stupid things, being arrested. There were even instances where he'd get violent. He once put me in a headlock and i couldn't breathe. Another time I can remember him shaking my mom and pushing her into the refrigerator door. He used to drive me around drunk, take me to bars, all that stuff. His father was also an alcoholic, and so were a number of aunts and uncles of mine.
Now, I can't seem to feel better about this. The fear has just intensified in the past few years. I'm not into the taste of alcohol to begin with, so I've never really drank, but I can't seem to feel comfortable around other people who are drinking. I start to breathe heavily and fast, I get a headache, I start to cry, I get really nervous and my heart beats fast. I even shake sometimes. Tonight is Halloween even, and I almost got to my friend's place for a party, and I turned back. I couldn't handle it. I've had attacks of major anxiety while in the situations of being around anyone who's been drinking.
I just want to know, is there something really wrong with me? How could I possible feel better in these situations? Is this all in my head and out of line?