Hey guys... thanks for all the encouraging messages, and to all of you who are going through the same - good luck and stay strong.
As for the 'how much and how long' question, thats tough to answer. Im 36 and Ive been abusing sunstances since I was 12. Started sniffing glue and progressed to weed, booze, acid, then Ecstacy (big here in the Uk obviously with the rave scene in the early 90's) then coke (which consumed me until 4 years ago) and all the while my booze habit grew and grew and grew. Ive never been a bottle of spirits a day guy, but there's been lots of days Ive drunk a bottle of spirits (if that makes sense??)
My maintenance level of drink is a few cans of beer a night (5% up to 9%) - and then in social situations much much more - depends on how much weed I smoke (the only thing that stops me going nuts on the booze).
Im basically NEARLY there with it... the coke nearly killed me, it was off the hook, I would think nothing of snorting half an ounce or more myself (and get like 5 hookers at the same time) so my financial and medical situation was getting pretty critical a few years ago... my goal was always to stop drugs, which I have, and I never ver worried about the booze ever.
For two years I drank A LOT, but in the last two years its really calmed down since i met my GF and we had baby, but I was still drinking daily though and drinking till i puked and drunk drove and things, so what seems like 'calm' to me is probably scary to someone else...
I know know I have a drink problem and I suspect that the drink opened a lit of doors to my other behaviours too... I am scared that as long as I drink, the door is open to go back to my old terrible ways, and also, I dont want to be drunk around my beautiful baby or girlfriend ever again and I want to live to see my daughter get married and graduate and all that imprtant amazing stuff.
I am at the end of my tether with it, its disgusting, and I dont intend to drink ever again....