Originally Posted by
fredstorch 
Because this is so new to me, I haven't yet encountered the negative consequences that may come my way if I leave the door open to the possibility of being a "normal" drinker down the road. I'm not talking about going on a 3 day binge, but just sharing after dinner drinks while catching up with old friends.
This would seem unlikely given your own description of your drinking habits. It doesn't sound like you have any interest in being a normal drinker:
Originally Posted by
fredstorch ....I get irritated when it is only appropriate to drink a glass of wine or two. I can't wait to get through, so I can head back back home where the amount I choose to drink isn't contrary to the protocol of the situation.
Originally Posted by
fredstorch I am not posing this question to be flip, or disrespectful, but is moderation not an option at all?
Strictly speaking, AVRT is about across the board abstinence from all recreational, hedonic, mood-altering drugs. It is incompatible with moderation.
Originally Posted by
fredstorch Maybe not, but I haven't given it a chance, so I don't personally know.
Given what you write next, it would seem that you do suspect that moderation would not work very well for you:
Originally Posted by
fredstorch Right now, I do know that if I have a drink at 5:00 pm, that certainly will not be the last drink of the day, because the Beast will be out of the cage, and I will continue to drink until bedtime.
The only people who yearn to drink moderately are precisely those who have already proven that they cannot do so. Why else would they yearn to drink moderately? Moderate drinkers like your wife don't yearn to drink moderately, they just do it, without giving it much thought.
Originally Posted by
fredstorch I realize I am on a "sober recovery" site, which would obviously not advocate moderation, so I apologize if I have been inappropriate by suggesting it as a possibility.
Although I advise against moderation for problem drinkers, and you appear to have some good reasons to quit drinking, whether you decide to actually quit or not is ultimately up to you. At the end of the day, when you log off this web site, it is your own life that is at stake.
Originally Posted by
fredstorch I am still trying to learn how best to accomplish my goals of personal growth, and providing a healthy and happy atmosphere for my family.
Personal growth follows secure abstinence, not the other way around. You said you planned to order the book. The book has a lot of information, and once you read it, you will have a better understanding of all of this.