Originally Posted by
WilsonSmith 
Ok, This is day 4 and have failed this time before. My body is feeling better, still jittery but I still have the urges and cravings. Because my body is feeling better and my head clearer it lulls me into just having a drink (and this could be anytime of the day when most sensible people wouldn't) I'm thinking no problem and I am fearing failure because I start to feel good. Is this common?
Hi Wilsonsmith, and welcome.
You sound to me like someone who doesn't want to believe he's a real alcoholic....but suspects the worst. If you are actually an alcoholic, you suffer more than a simple addiction to a substance. Alcoholism is a condition by which we actually process the substance maladaptively, and the biochemical result is that instead of satisfying our craviing, each drink seems to call for another...and another. AA describes it as "an allergy of the body and an obsession of the mind." The hallmark of alcoholism is the loss of control: planning to have just one, and realizing as the bar is closing that "I've done it again." And it IS progressive. The loss of control may not be readily apparent in the early daze, but there comes a time when an alcoholic definitely crosses that line, is out of control, and is also subject to the denial of his/her condition. I've heard alcoholism described as "a broken promise." We promise ourselves to stop, and can't.
So tapering down is probably not a viable solution if you really are an alcoholic. And yes, "cold turkey" can be dangerous. Alcohol is one of the few drugs that can cause serious problems, even death, through rapid withdrawal without medical attention.
I wish you well. If you happen to have a copy available of the book, "Alcoholics Anonymous,"...the AA textbook....I'd suggest you read page 25, which details many of the ways we have unsuccessfully tried to cut down rather than quit.
blessings
zenbear