sml2007

Hello everyone. I became addicted to painkillers after being treated for migraines for several years. I went to a 28-day rehab facility, became active in AA and have been painkiller-free since April 2005. Initially I also abstained from alcohol because of all the talk about cross-addiction and because I was active in AA instead of NA (there weren't many NA meetings where I lived and I felt like I "clicked" better with the AA crowd). I have never had a problem with alcohol. I recently started drinking wine with dinner on occasion. I drink about 2-3 times a week, always able to quit after 1 or 2 drinks. Is it not possible to be addicted to a specific drug but not to alcohol? The reason my recovery "worked" with drugs is that I had specific examples of unmanageability in my life with the drugs; I was desperate. I knew I had a problem with them. The first step states "our lives had become unmanageable..." it is therefore really hard to practice the program regarding alcohol since I have NO examples of unmanageability with it. I would appreciate hearing about people's thoughts and/or experiences with this. I know all the usual explanations about "if you are addicted to one thing, you are addicted to everything." But I don't think that's necessarily true with every addict. Many behaviors are addictive; it's not like since I am addicted to narcotics, I am by default addicted to gambling or sex, etc. Why can't that apply to alcohol as well? Anyone with a fresh perspective or anyone who feels like I do - I would love to hear from you. Thanks.

Peter

The same euphoria I get from getting high on drugs is the same feeling i will get from alcohol.

Alcohol is a drug.

The same phisiological reasons that caused me to become addicted to one drug is the same thing that will cause me to become addicted another.

Painkillers never made my life unmanagable either but i would be making a big mistake if i think I could start popping a few pills just because it makes me feel nice.

Afraid2Succeed

I think everyone is different. For me too I can drink casually with dinner. I never purchase alcohol for the home, though.

For me there is a caveat: if I drink a lot then I start seeking out weed (my DOC). But if I have one beer with dinner, everything is A-OKay.

ccgirl

I don't care for alcohol very much, but every so often I like one of those fru fru frosty drinks. If you're thinking and worrying about it though, you might want to re-think drinking alcohol.

P.S. I'm a migraine sufferer and I can tell you that alcohol triggers them big time.

janied

I can understand why you'd be worried about alcohol with your history of addiction to painkillers.

I have migraines occasionally and know how awful they can be. Alcohol hangovers can also cause migraines.

If you are concerned about drinking, follow the recommended guidelines for consumption. I can't remember what they are - can't follow them... Something like 3 to 4 drinks per day for men, no more than 14 per week. No more than 1 to 2 per day for women, no more than 6 per week.

Alcohol addiction can start off gradually and escalate. The important thing is to be honest with yourself.

Sugah

Many people (myself included) make a distinction between physical dependence (being "hooked") and the disease/illness/disorder of addiction. There are some substances that with regular use will always result in physical dependence, and that dependence can be very difficult to break. That, to me, does not indicate what I call addiction. Doesn't mean that it might not require medical supervision and a change in lifestyle to overcome.

The way I have come to understand addiction, which is found in consensus among other addicts like me, is that the physical element is only part of the puzzle. If you've been active in AA, you know that there's a mental conundrum to deal with as well as a spiritual element.

Any substance I take into my body that alters me and aids in my spiritual or mental or physical escape is going to have an effect on the other two and I'll be right back at it. Therefore I won't risk, without damned good reason, putting anything in me that has that effect. As a recovering opiate addict (among many other "addictions" -- though they were all one and the same), I had no choice but take opiates following a very serious injury. I survived it without a relapse, but it was scary. Not something I want to play with.

My suggestion to you would be, if you feel strongly about taking the wine with dinner, keep a very close, honest eye on your behavior. If you see it changing, if your consumption increases, you may want to re-evaluate how important it really is to have wine as part of your routine.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

DoingWell

I am 40 years old. Growing up as a teenager I was not into experimenting with drugs, using drugs, I watched my friends get dumber and dumber using weed and I think I tried it twice. Later on in life when I was 18, for the first time I went to a bar with some girls from work, I was not really a drinker nor a follower but for some reason that night felt compelled to just go for it, afterall I was only 20 min from home. I wrapped my car around a telephone pole..first time out, first time drunk (go figure) well that scared me so that I NEVER drank another drop no matter how far I had to drive. Yes I drank socially and occasionaly, nothing regular.. maybe a couple drinks out with friends (I did not drive not even just with one drink)
I have no idea how I crossed that line and threw on the switch. In 2001 my now xhb decided he was going to take up crack cocaine for his midlife crisis. Me.. I bought a new car <g>
anyway it was about 4 years of HELL and somewhere in those four years I began abusing alcohol. I justified the abuse of it by drinking ONLY alone, NEVER would I drive while drinking and I wasn't hurting anyone. I continued this cycle drinking every night and again justified by not getting drunk, I didn't go into rages, for most part I was just easing lonliness, past hurt, and just plain old self-medicating.
So I was just like you.
What I came to learn through much education is that I was an addict LONG before I took any drug or substance. People too often think of addiction in terms of just drugs or alcohol..not true. The addict (before any drink or drug) possesses addictive behavior, in my case it was work and other things that I didn't realize until later (video games, tv/soap opera's..etc) anything I did, I overdid in some way. That was addiction.
I know many different kinds of addicts and some can drink, some can't. I at one point stopped drinking and began another addiction with benzo's, then it was a combo cross addiction. Even now at almost 8 mos clean/sober I have to watch for many signs that the addictive personality wants to take over.
I chose to educate myself, get in with a therapist and I also go to group therapy and I've attended behavior modification (also being diagnosed bipolar)
and these tools have helped me be on the look out for anything that could cause the addictive beast to emerge.
If I were not diagnosed with problems with my stomach (direct result from drinking)
I have no idea where I would be right now. I didn't wake up and have any kind of spiritual revelation, my life was NOT unmanageable (in fact it was getting better climbing out from my xhb's devasation). My doctor told me that any amount of alcohol could cause me internal bleeding and that was it for me. I picked up books, read every article I could think of and I saw where I could be had I kept going.
Maybe this won't happen to you, but it could and you must be somewhat worried if your asking.. for me that would be enough to stop.
I think I know where you are coming from though .. not every addict has to hit a bottom to realize there is a problem.

windysan

I can have some beers and don't have a problem with it. I'll have a couple and stop. I do know that most cokeheads can't drink cuz it makes em want coke.

Everybody is different I think. If the booze causes problems for you I'd say stop.