daz135

Spent a long time in the yellow zone. towards the end I had one foot well placed in the red zone which helped me realize the game was up. Drank daily from the start tho. It was kind of like building a house. Started off laying bricks but wasn't very good so could only manage a few. But after doing it every day for years I could do a lot each day with ease.kind of built my problem brick by brick, drink by drink. Great post, puts a few great reminders of things that were bad that slip your mind

SoberLeigh

About 1.75 to 2 years in the red zone. It was an awful time.

Alphonse

That is very interesting, and for me accurate, breakdown of the stages. While I didn't hit all of the points, the basic progression was spot on. I drank fairly heavily in my early 20s, quit for almost a decade, and then resumed it for four years in my 30s. I'd say, very roughly, 1 year in the Green zone, 1-1½ in the Yellow, and 1½-2 in the red zone. In the first, it is so easy to see booze as a good friend that makes you relaxed and happy. In the Yellow denial sneaks in so you can keep that nagging concern away. In the Red, it because just too obvious your old "friend" is slowly killing you as you watch in horror. It is what made me say "enough already" and put an end to it. Now it is time to recover.

Girlie928

I had to go back and reread your zones because I thought I probably spent the last 15 years in the red zone. After rereading your zones, yep, probably 15 years in the red zone. Some months were worse than others. There was also an 18 month "dry" period in there. But, I did everything you listed in the red zone, except hide bottles, for at least 15 years. I didn't hide bottles because I thought that kept me out of the alcoholic category. But, I went to the liquor store almost every day, and twice some days. I'm surprised I'm alive. I kept God really busy. I learned some things about myself from this thread and the soul searching it took to respond. Thanks. Be well.

GnikNus

Many years in the red zone. So glad to have made it out.

leviathan

Every time I was in the green zone, it was by accident. LOL!
I Was comfortably in the yellow zone for 24 years. It was starting to be ORANGE when I got canned for my secondary pain pill problem. I was starting to morning drink regularly. I am absolutely sure my close to daily drinking would have gone red-zone soon if this disaster hadn't given me pause.

Clarebear13

I think I was in the yellow zone most of my adult life. Started flirting with the red zone the last couple of years

advbike

Never in the red zone.

gaffo

I think I was in the red zone for ten or more years. I'm blessed with very good health, perhaps from my moderately athletic youth but probably just lucky genetics. I almost never threw up for my whole drinking career. I got used to hangovers and practiced some mitigation techniques like the water and eating decently. In the end I just felt crappy most of the time and when I didn't I was drunk. Maybe that was my red zone. I spent at least $20 per day on beer. I didn't hide my drinking as much as I didn't do things that would require me to not drink. When I think back on that time with a little perspective I see how my world was shrinking to the size of a phone booth before my very eyes.

Happy Thanksgiving to me that I don't live that life anymore!

mm222

Great post. I can definitely relate. I don't think I was ever really green zone-maybe 17-20. I really feel like I got the ground running, though. There was never really a period of "normal" drinking. 20-33 yellow zone for sure, 33-35 alternating sobriety and red zone.

Good reflection for me today, and good reminder all of you are in the same boat.

Xx

KAD

With the exception of a few months of sobriety here and there, I was in the red zone the better (or worst) part of 7 years. I awoke every day wondering how I could possibly make it through another one.

kinzoku

Don't know if I hit a red zone in your description, but it was my personal red zone of drinking everyday. I functioned fine with only the occasional big incident. It just wasn't going anywhere good.

fantail

Hmm. Red zone for a year and a half before each of my two quits, so 3 years total. Although I'd say the year before red zone was more orange than yellow the first time around.

wibble

Fantastic post, i've been in the red zone for a couple of years now. Its got a lot more intense over the last 6 months. I can feel it escalating on a daily basis.
I've come very close to drinking in the morning which I always said to myself was the ultimate RED FLAG.

So tired, just utterly exhausted. I ache all over. I just need this nightmare to end.

red3215

I can't believe how many people were in red zone for a few years. Starting off early almost always made me do something so stupid or crazy later that day I would not have held a job or been able to function that long. It was mostly yellow zone then playing around with red zone for two years, starting and stopping a lot.

Introspectator

Interesting for sure! IMO the zones look pretty accurate. I would say I was in the Red Zone for 4-5 years. I arrived at easy bruising, tremors, etc. started freaking me out when my puppy and I would play, he would just nip at my skin with no violent intent and the next day my arm would look like that of a patient on Coumadin. I used Eye drops all the time, lotion to block the smell of alcohol coming out of my pores, Ritalin and coffee to get me going in the morning, and drinks in the vehicle for my after work commute home. Thankfully I am on day 16 and am feeling great! That final hangover lasted 4-5 days I think... Introspectator

OklaBH

way way to long!

tomsteve

1996 was when i crossed the line into full blown alcoholism. lost the power of choice. drank as often as i could and however much it took to get blackout drunk.
until 2005.