Already in his 20s, Jesper Åberg knew he was addicted. He tried to get out of the addiction himself in different ways. But the real turning point came when he was dying.
– I came from the people I hung out with and we had a lot of strong sleeping pills in a bag. It’s raining and it’s early autumn. As I sit sheltering from the rain, these guys I don’t know that well come. They brought two plastic cups with berries, which I sip, he says.
They got out on a jetty and the guys he was with wanted him to go swimming.
– On the way to the bridge I felt that I could not speak and I understand that there was not only beer in these mugs. I felt that I needed to sleep, but their task was for me to go into the water and fall asleep there. I succeeded with what I believe all people have in them, survival: “I’m not going to die now”.
“I thought about my mother”
Against all odds, Jesper manages to get to the beach where he is later found by the police. Then he is completely blue, he says.
– But it was quiet and still in the head, strong insights: “this is completely to hell, I have to ask for help and receive it”. I didn’t want to die. I thought of my mother.
Daniel was fired from several jobs
Daniel Asp’s drinking spilled over into work. When he lost his job as a bartender, he got a job as a salesman. But there was a problem when he didn’t show up in the morning because he had been drinking the night before.
Finally, he was summoned to the manager, who gave him one last chance. Still, he couldn’t stop himself from going to a party that night, which got him fired the next day.
– This is how the disease works: what happens tomorrow is gone in the present. Alcohol is not only a problem, it is a solution for the drinker. I became brave, dared to speak, function and have fun. My brain was kidnapped, says Daniel Asp.
The incident led to him moving home and eventually seeking help.
First step towards getting out of it
Today, they both work as alcohol therapists and devote their lives to helping others out of the disease. They say that it is often the relatives who contact them, or that the person in question has been told to call. It is not always easy to accept that you have a problem with alcohol. They often think that they have to solve the problem themselves, they say.
As a first step, you can try sticking to the amount you have agreed on for a longer period of time.
– Not just a weekend or two, but do it over and over again. If it becomes too much, it is a sign that it is an addiction. Many people have a wrong idea of who is addicted. You see these people sitting on the park bench, but often they have jobs and families, says Daniel Asp.
They both think that you should get help from someone who is trained in addiction disorders.
– According to our experience, doing it on your own rarely works very well. You have to be able to test it yourself, everyone will probably want to try it, but sooner or later you get to the point that you can’t fix it, says Jesper Åberg.
Daniel Asp and Jesper Åberg’s advice
Self-diagnosis – Try sticking to a certain amount of alcohol for a longer period of time. If it becomes too much, it is a sign that it is an addiction.
Listen to podcasts – It can be an easier step to listen to a podcast if making a call feels difficult.
Consult – If you have not decided whether you want help, you can still consult with someone who is trained in addiction care.
Get help – It is difficult to get out of the disease without professional help.
Here you can go:
The alcohol line: 020-84 44 48
Alcoholics Anonymous: 08-720 38 42, [email protected]