grail

Hello, I fell I may be slipping down the wrong path, but I'm not sure. I know that the numbers are different for everyone, and that body type and other factors determine how much a person can handle. All that aside, I'm curious as to how much drinking other people were doing before they realized they had a problem.

I was in the military, and started hitting the beer and sometimes bottle more frequently when I returned from a deployment. It's been two years, and I've tried to cut down a few times. I make it a few weeks at most and then I get back into the routine. For me it's mostly beer. I'll drink about 7-8 beers (stronger beer) three or four times a week. It's enough to be inebriated, but I don't have problems with passing out or DUIs and am pretty functional in my daily life. I've seen all of lists that are supposed to indicate that someone has a problem, but I don't think that I fit very many of the criteria.

The hangovers are extremely annoying, and I am disappointed that it's been this long, and I still haven't gotten into a healthier way of life. I'm also worried about the damage I might be doing to myself. I smoke copiously while I'm drinking.

I'd be interested if anyone could share what it was like for them if they were in a similar situation that got worse. I'm not sure that I'll suddenly start drinking more, but it may be helpful to know how that works. Is there a point of no return where someone starts drinking more? I'm an average sized male, otherwise healthy, and just want to know how much other people drink/drank before they got help. Thanks.

nandm

Welcome to SR!

Tolerance of alcohol varies from person to person. Two people of the same height, same age, similiar body types, and same sex may get drunk with two completely different amounts. There are people that pass out after a couple of drinks and there are those that are still up and functioning with a blood alcohol content over .20. Trying to determine if one has an alcohol problem based on comparison drinking can be quite misleading.

Here are a couple of things that might indicate you have a problem:

• Difficulty controlling amount drank
• Social problems, family problems, job difficulties, legal problems related to alcohol use
• Black outs, brown outs, memory blanks or lapses
• Problems with thinking about drinking when trying to stop drinking for a period of time.
• etc....

This list can go on and on. But I am sure there will be others along shortly who will be able to share some other indicators with you.

StayinAlive

Hi Grail and welcome, noticed this was your first post. I cant imagine you came back from deployment unscathed. I used to drink for any excuse but i mostly drank to forget. For me it progressed slowly to the amounts your at. Then suddenly went down hill real fast and completely out of control. The only thing that would stop my drinking session was unconsciousness. I ended up loosing everything.

When i went to rehab for the third time they ask me two qualifying question.

1. Do you ever drink/use more than you intended to?
2. Do you have a desire to quit?

apparently i qualified to be there

stick around Grail

Tazman53

Grail you ask us do we think you may have a problem...... this is a question only you can answer and have the answer matter.

First of all answer this one:

Do you think people that do not have a problem with their drinking come here? (I am not being mean when I ask that, just want you to take a closer look as to why you are here)

Follow this link Alcoholics Anonymous : it is a 12 question test, answer the questions honestly.

Alcoholism is a progressive disease, as long as an alcoholic drinks thier alcoholism gets worse, if an alcoholic stops drinking entirely for 10 years and then starts drinking again within a week or less they are at a minimum right back where they left off and in many cases far worse.

If I had taken the test I gave you the link for when I was 19-20 I would have answered 4 of the questions with a yes, 35 years later it was 11 out of 12 questions yes.

Just be honest with your self, the sooner one quits drinking the easier it is to quit, the really hard part is staying stopped.

least

How much I drank before I got help? Well, too much, I guess, or I wouldn't have felt I needed help. I was drinking one, often two, bottles of wine a day, and just last fall started drinking in the morning to stop the shakes or a hangover. I don't so much think it was the amount or the frequency of my drinking but the fact that it bothered me and I was beginning to wonder about its effects on me.

I figured that if I was questioning it, there must be a problem or I wouldn't be thinking about it so much. It took me many failed attempts to finally quit but I've got 26 days today and am starting to feel quite human. (now if I could only start feeling 'employed')

Tazman53

LOL I am not laughing at you being unemployed, I am laughing at how you said it!!!

Well least today is the only day you can control. I assume it will be spent on recovery and finding a job. Action, action, and more action!!!

CarolD

Welcome to our recovery community....
Thank you for serving our country.

I was 48 before I tried to quit.
I suspect you are much younger
so how much I drank and how much you drink
can not be compared.

According to the CDC....

Moderate drinking is no more than 2 drinks a day for men..1 for women
They consider a drink to be
12 oz. of beer..5 oz. of wine...1 1/2 oz liquor.

Your body and mind processes all 3 toxins equally
so drinking only wine or only liquor or only beer
or mixing them is of no importance.
They all do the same damage.


Soooo....you are no longer a moderate drinker.

Glad you found us....do keep posting.

problemchild

If you look closley you have already mentioned progression in your post , for me it was slow, first the weekend then why wait till the weekend , first 6 then 12 then 18 and so on, cleaver packaging on the beer huh? Well like others have said it will be easier to stop now than it will be later.

Take care,
John