miss communicat

That has been true for me as well. If I compare myself to others, I can maintain my barrier against the truth. There will always be someone who drank more than I did, who was worse than I was. If I look at the matter from that angle, I am looking for ways to continue drinking.

If I look at others and relate to the common condition of suffering as a result of drinking and alcoholic behaviour, then I honestly stay on track and see where I need to work on myself.

Life is full of choices. In dealing with a drinking issue, those choices have life or death consequences,and need to be made each day with the choice not to drink.

Wii

Doesn't matter what the alcohol comes in. Can be Beer or Champagne, Scotch Whiskey or Harvey's ******* Cream Sherry it's all the same and we drink it for what it does for us. Some people think if you drink very expensive alcohol, your somehow a higher class Drunk and Never an alcoholic. Which is very amusing to us who have done that. I got just as smashed and disgusting on Bali Hai as I did on expensive Cognac. That's just a headgame we play with ourselves to justify our drinking. I've played them all.

BigSis

Hi TK... dang, you remind me of me.

I am pretty bright - always have been. Had a strong awareness of the alcoholism in my family long before I was offered my first drink. Wondered from the get-go if I 'might' be an alcoholic. Drank to find out. Had experiences like yours.

I know that at 19 or so, the stories of what "could" happen are just that ... stories. Stuff that happened to others who maybe weren't quite as bright and aware as I was. I expect you are thinking along those lines, but too nice to come right out and say so... smile.

I was a binge drinker... right from the start. For me, a clear indicator was the "no off button". When I got past my 2nd or 3rd drink - I was in for the night.

This comment of yours jumped right out at me. I spent over ten years trying to learn how to "drink normal". Others around me "chose" to get drunk or to just get buzzed or to have one drink and leave.

It finally occured to me that I didn't seem to have that choice, once I chose to drink... that was all she wrote.

You will do what you will do ... I hope this conversation online has helped raise your awareness of the "cunning" part of alcohlism. The changed thinking that tells us "well HE can't drink, but *I* can, if I just.... [fill in the blank]"

I pray you will be a quick learner and not cause harm in the process. ((TheKing))

Kellye C

I've read this thread and have a lot of mixed feelings on it. You say your father was brought to his knees by alcohol and you are wondering if you will be spared. You wonder if you can go into a party atmosphere with lots of drinking and not emerge an alcoholic. Basically you want to look into a crystal ball to see if you can get away with drinking (or at least that is what I am getting from this.)

The answer? Who knows? You've seen what alcohol can do to people, do you really want to take that risk for yourself? What happens if you get there, party a lot and cross that line from problem drinker into alcoholic? What then? Will you even know it or will you waste years of your life trying to justify and rationalize your drinking?

I grew up with an alcoholic uncle. I saw firsthand the hell that he and his drinking put my family through. I had it drilled into my head from an early age that alcoholism can be inherited. I questioned my drinking for the first time at age 19. At the time I wasn't getting drunk and certainly never had to be carried from a place by friends. I put the brakes on it. I got deathly sick for the first time at 22 from alcohol. That kept me from getting drunk again until I was 35. I drank from the age of 35 to 38 and became a full blown alcoholic who could not stop drinking. In that short span of time I had alcohol poisoning numerous times and had failing kidneys and liver. I never got a DUI, never was arrested, never was homeless or a lot of the other things that people (myself included) associate with an "alcoholic". These rationalizations kept me in the disease as I used them to justify why I couldn't possibly be an alcoholic. Not me! Yeah right. I have had the chemistry of an alcoholic all along I believe. My sponsor told me I have had alcoholic thinking all along too. It just took me a little bit longer than most to get going on the actual drinking part.

You are young and have your whole life ahead of you. You are smart enough to question these things now. I ask again, is it really worth the risk of you being wrong? I mean the worst that could happen is you can treat this as if you ARE alcoholic and therefore abstain from drinking. The best that could happen is that you could realize the problem now and spare yourself from going down that slippery road into hell. And trust me my friend, it is hell.

THE KING

I dont want to come off sounding like an ass

but you asked what if I cant control it?

if there is one person who can control it it's ME

I have been through so much that there is NO DOUBT IN MY MIND I could stop if I had to (thats assuming it got out of control)

just to give a couple of examples

I had seizures for the 1st 6 years of my life

in 19 years of my life I have spent more time in the hospital then most people will in their ENTIRE LIVES

until I was 6 I could not walk

when I was 6 the doctors TOOK OUT MY SPINE, CLEANED IT AND THE FUSED IT RIGHT BACK IN thus FINALLY giving me the ability to walk.

I have been under the kinfe about 5 times sense

did I mention I was born with CP?

I have been through all that and ALOT MORE and I am only 19

hence the reason I think that if I HAD to quit I could


I have beaten the odds ALL MY LIFE booze would just be another challenge that I would topple

not saying my goal is to be an alcholic it';s not

but I am not worried about it taking control of me cause quite simply IT CANT

GlassPrisoner

No. You are not. No human is.

I drank like a fish at your age. Even though I had a DUI, it didn't affect things too much. As time went by, it got worse and so did my problems. Eventually, I was completely powerless and my life had become unmanageable.

Had I dealt with the problem early on, things would have been a lot easier for me.

best

When you find out different, we will be here and show you a better way.
Some of us need to learn things the hard way. I hope the hard way for you is not as bad as it has been for so many of us.

Do as you please, we will accept you and guide you when the time comes to quit.

THE KING

I notice you only qouted the last part of my post and none of the edvidence that I used to back myself up, which kinda makes me sound like an ass

best

I could post my life's story before drinking a drop and could say the same...I am strong. I have made it through so much..I can do this.
Alcohol is alcohol. Take your chances... I hope you are one of the ones who can drink in a totally controled manner. If not, we will be here.

Rome

I don't think you need to kill yourself with drinking just to know if you can handle alcohol...why you want to know, why do you care...alcohol is bad, it makes you lose your real self...are you happy with who you are? So why do you want to meet another you...a drunk, fake version of you...think about it!

GlassPrisoner

2 Alcoholic parents
2 Divorces
Pedophile Step-Dad
Moved out at 18 with 16 YO (then) Girlfriend
Got a journeyman job, quickly moved up to a manager position
Had a baby
Played in a Rock Band
Had Another Baby
Continued to move up in company
Bought House
Became competitive mountain biker, raced in the expert class
Kept same Job 14 years, but quit because I was disgruntled
Took a few courses at local JC in Computer Science and got degree (30s)
Switched Careers at almost 40 years old
Took position as IT Manager, held THAT job 5 years.

Lot's to be proud of, right ? All of it was ME. I did all of it. Sheer will power.

I noticed my drinking problem and said the same thing as you. "Look at all I've done, surely I can beat this ! "

Yeah, right.....Alcohol kicked my a** from one end to the other and left me unemployed, divorced, mentally and physically beat!

As others have said, it has nothing to do with will, strength, experience, accomplishments, whatever.

You cannot beat alcoholism. But, as others have said, if you want to try, be our guest. And, we'll be more than happy to help when you come back.

Lastly, it would be easier if you don't try and prove it.

mikel60

“this is a decsion that could potenially destory me”

“like the fact that it is a EXTERMELY rare for alcohol to even touch my lips”

“I dont want to come off sounding like an ass
but you asked what if I cant control it?
if there is one person who can control it it's ME”

but I am not worried about it taking control of me cause quite simply IT CANT

“I was on holidays for 14 days and we drank for 10-12 of them and it never harmed me, sure I had to be carried hom twice but in a 14 day period 2 times doesnt seem to bad”

Like Best said, we'll be here should you decide you need us.

Midas

So...then you must admit you were actually spineless for a brief period. Amazing recovery!

Wii

That's for Damn Sure!!

nanita

Amen to that!!!

THE KING

yes for a very brief time I was literally spineless

THE KING

I cant belive this topic is still going I wonder can it reach 60 replies

Wii

I thought that "spineless" joke was tasteless and tactless.

THE KING

were you talking to me or the other guy? cause I DID have my spine briefly removed I wasnt joking

CarolD

Enjoy your life King..

This thread is now closed.

Thanks to all members who shared so honestly.