I was where realization-88 was for a long time. Bargaining with myself about how I was a strong person, I could control this, I would only drink x number of drinks a week, blah, blah, blah. Of course, it all failed. If you even have to have that conversation with yourself, you're in over your head. I, like one of the earlier posts am a "high bottom" drinker. Solid marriage, great kids, nice house but things began to get worse about a year ago. I found myself having a couple of drinks in the middle of the day, waking up with a hangover almost every day, realizing my hands trembled sometimes, starting to hide how much I was drinking ... Today is day two for me after a false start last week. I feel great (but dang, I'm HUNGRY all the time) Whenever I start to have those "well, maybe I can stop for a while and go back to being a social drinker" I remember to just concentrate on today and then slap my forehead and remember I've NEVER been just a social drinker.