Never had a hangover
Alcoholic
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Calais Maine
Posts: 37
I found the progressive nature of alcoholism to be true in my case. In the beginning, although I couldn't control how much I drank (sometimes) and I couldn't control when I would drink (sometimes), I was able to function quite well (all considered). Thru almost 40 years of drinking, this all changed. I was one of those "It will never hapen to me!" type of guys. Believe me, if your a drinker like me, the good old days of no hangover will pass too... Good family, children, jobs, health, cars, freedom, ... these too shall pass.
Om, Aum, Ohm...
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Punxsutawney/Pittsburgh
Posts: 4,797
laura, way back when you began to post, didn't you talk about verbally abusing a friend in a blackout -- and some problems with your husband/SO? But then you went on to say you didn't really see any consequences of your drinking because it's not affecting your work or study. So... as long as you, personally, aren't hurt by it, it's okay? I'm not "bitter" -- I have just come to a place in my life where I know it's not all about me and what affects me. You're the one who decides if you have a problem. If hurting other people isn't problematic to you, then what's to worry about?
Peace & Love,
Sugah
Peace & Love,
Sugah
Focus
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 206
Originally Posted by Sugah 
laura, way back when you began to post, didn't you talk about verbally abusing a friend in a blackout -- and some problems with your husband/SO? But then you went on to say you didn't really see any consequences of your drinking because it's not affecting your work or study. So... as long as you, personally, aren't hurt by it, it's okay? I'm not "bitter" -- I have just come to a place in my life where I know it's not all about me and what affects me. You're the one who decides if you have a problem. If hurting other people isn't problematic to you, then what's to worry about?
Peace & Love,
Sugah
Peace & Love,
Sugah
Om, Aum, Ohm...
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Punxsutawney/Pittsburgh
Posts: 4,797
Laura, I had to have it pointed out to me, too. One of the consequences of my drinking was the way it narrowed my perspective. Everything that wasn't me fell at the fringes -- and by the time I realized how much of a problem I had, those fringes were pretty frayed.
One of the blessings of not taking a drink today is that I will wake up tomorrow without any regrets.
Peace & Love,
Sugah
One of the blessings of not taking a drink today is that I will wake up tomorrow without any regrets.
Peace & Love,
Sugah
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: md
Posts: 3,042
Near the end of their lives, which were cut tragically short due to liver failure (one in her 50's and two died in their 60's), 3 of my Grandparents all got to the point where they always had some alcohol in their systems, and they stopped having hangovers.
My father and I have always gotten really ill really quickly when we drank more than two. My dad always said this was God's way of keeping us from becoming alcoholics. A blessing. He may have been right about that, but later both of us became pain pill addicts. The disease of addiction finds another way to hook us until we work on the inside part.
Your disease is finding a way by letting you get drunk without hangovers, I bet. Don't let it. What are you doing now about the questions you've had about whether you have a problem? Have you given 12-step meetings a chance?
Love,
KJ
My father and I have always gotten really ill really quickly when we drank more than two. My dad always said this was God's way of keeping us from becoming alcoholics. A blessing. He may have been right about that, but later both of us became pain pill addicts. The disease of addiction finds another way to hook us until we work on the inside part.
Your disease is finding a way by letting you get drunk without hangovers, I bet. Don't let it. What are you doing now about the questions you've had about whether you have a problem? Have you given 12-step meetings a chance?
Love,
KJ
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Colorado Prairie
Posts: 1,417
We should find out whatcauses a hangover before we continue.
Re: What causes a hangover?
Hangover - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Re: What causes a hangover?
Hangover - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: East Coast
Posts: 437
Hi Laura,
Just want to add my two cents. I never had hangovers or got sick and I too think that was a curse. I did have alot of "never happened to me's" but I have listened to all here and came to the conclusion that I was as bad as I want to go. I still am not sure if I am an alcoholic but after one year I am not willing to test the waters. I am too afraid. They say it never goes away. I think a high tolerance is a deep red flag. If you can stop do it now. Give yourself 90 days. I did that and then thought 90 days wasn't enough so I gave myself one year. All I told myself was if after one year you still wanted to have a drink then I could. You are a runner as am I so it seems like you are healthy or at least trying to be. I now can not believe how much poison I was putting into my body. I think I probably could have a glass of wine, which is how much they say is a healthy amount, but all that would do for me is either make me tired or want more so for me I am not going to test it. I do not go to AA but after a year I am still posting here. The fact alone tells me I had a problem. Good luck and keep posting and reading. There is a wealth of knowledge on this site.
Also wanted to add along with others about your chances of becoming an alcoholic are increased if you are a women. I don't think there is enough research done on women but as more of us realize we have a problem then maybe some more awareness will come out.
Just want to add my two cents. I never had hangovers or got sick and I too think that was a curse. I did have alot of "never happened to me's" but I have listened to all here and came to the conclusion that I was as bad as I want to go. I still am not sure if I am an alcoholic but after one year I am not willing to test the waters. I am too afraid. They say it never goes away. I think a high tolerance is a deep red flag. If you can stop do it now. Give yourself 90 days. I did that and then thought 90 days wasn't enough so I gave myself one year. All I told myself was if after one year you still wanted to have a drink then I could. You are a runner as am I so it seems like you are healthy or at least trying to be. I now can not believe how much poison I was putting into my body. I think I probably could have a glass of wine, which is how much they say is a healthy amount, but all that would do for me is either make me tired or want more so for me I am not going to test it. I do not go to AA but after a year I am still posting here. The fact alone tells me I had a problem. Good luck and keep posting and reading. There is a wealth of knowledge on this site.
Also wanted to add along with others about your chances of becoming an alcoholic are increased if you are a women. I don't think there is enough research done on women but as more of us realize we have a problem then maybe some more awareness will come out.
Last edited by Philly; 07-09-2009 at 12:16 PM. Reason: Addition
Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 679
The science behind it (from ScienceNews Magazine):
located at Sensitivity To Alcohol Connected With Alcoholism Risk / Science News
located at Sensitivity To Alcohol Connected With Alcoholism Risk / Science News
Sensitivity to alcohol connected with alcoholism risk
An imperviousness to alcohol’s effects may not be so good
By Nathan Seppa
Web edition : Friday, May 22nd, 2009
Being able to drink your buddies under the table may garner grudging respect around the bar, but it bodes poorly for the long term. A new study finds that young men for whom alcohol has little effect face a greater risk of developing alcoholism later in life than those who readily feel alcohol’s effects.
Reporting online May 22 and in the September issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, scientists find that the added risk a man carries by being more resistant to alcohol’s effects endures even after accounting for other factors such as teenage drinking habits and family history of alcohol abuse.
Since the 1970s, scientists have been investigating an apparent link between a person’s resistance to alcohol’s effects and a higher risk of alcohol abuse later. “But many didn’t believe it was real,” says Marc Schuckit, a psychiatrist at the University of California, San Diego in La Jolla and the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System.
To nail down the correlation, Schuckit and his colleagues analyzed data collected on 297 men, all about 20 years old, between 1978 and 1988. Every participant underwent tests to measure his response to alcohol. Despite similar blood-alcohol levels, the degree of impairment varied substantially among the men. The young men also provided drinking-related information, including how much they drank, their age when they had their first drink and whether alcoholism ran in their families.
The researchers interviewed the volunteers again after 10, 15, 20 and 25 years. These follow-up visits showed that men who were least affected by alcohol at age 20 were two to three times as likely to be alcoholic at age 30 or 40 as were those who were easily affected by alcohol as young men, Schuckit says. These differences in risk remained even when the researchers compared only men for whom the other risk factors — family history, age of drinking onset and amount they drank when young — were equal.
The adjustments for earliest drinking age and quantity of consumption help to ensure that the measured effect “was not just a consequence of earlier, heavier drinking or tolerance,” the authors note.
Schuckit speculates that 60 percent of alcoholism risk is genetic and about 40 percent stems from lifestyle and other environmental factors. Resistance to alcohol’s effects — a different measure from tolerance, which to some extent can come from a familiarity with alcohol’s effects — would seem to be a hardwired genetic trait, he says. Schuckit and his team are currently investigating genes that they suspect play a role in alcoholism risk.
While sensitivity to alcohol’s effects might offer some protection against future alcohol abuse, other factors — including those that the researchers accounted for in this study — could still increase the risk. And less common traits, such as having bipolar disorder or being highly impulsive, might add to the danger, Schuckit notes. Thus, just being very sensitive to alcohol’s effects is no guarantee that a person won’t abuse it, he says.
An imperviousness to alcohol’s effects may not be so good
By Nathan Seppa
Web edition : Friday, May 22nd, 2009
Being able to drink your buddies under the table may garner grudging respect around the bar, but it bodes poorly for the long term. A new study finds that young men for whom alcohol has little effect face a greater risk of developing alcoholism later in life than those who readily feel alcohol’s effects.
Reporting online May 22 and in the September issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, scientists find that the added risk a man carries by being more resistant to alcohol’s effects endures even after accounting for other factors such as teenage drinking habits and family history of alcohol abuse.
Since the 1970s, scientists have been investigating an apparent link between a person’s resistance to alcohol’s effects and a higher risk of alcohol abuse later. “But many didn’t believe it was real,” says Marc Schuckit, a psychiatrist at the University of California, San Diego in La Jolla and the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System.
To nail down the correlation, Schuckit and his colleagues analyzed data collected on 297 men, all about 20 years old, between 1978 and 1988. Every participant underwent tests to measure his response to alcohol. Despite similar blood-alcohol levels, the degree of impairment varied substantially among the men. The young men also provided drinking-related information, including how much they drank, their age when they had their first drink and whether alcoholism ran in their families.
The researchers interviewed the volunteers again after 10, 15, 20 and 25 years. These follow-up visits showed that men who were least affected by alcohol at age 20 were two to three times as likely to be alcoholic at age 30 or 40 as were those who were easily affected by alcohol as young men, Schuckit says. These differences in risk remained even when the researchers compared only men for whom the other risk factors — family history, age of drinking onset and amount they drank when young — were equal.
The adjustments for earliest drinking age and quantity of consumption help to ensure that the measured effect “was not just a consequence of earlier, heavier drinking or tolerance,” the authors note.
Schuckit speculates that 60 percent of alcoholism risk is genetic and about 40 percent stems from lifestyle and other environmental factors. Resistance to alcohol’s effects — a different measure from tolerance, which to some extent can come from a familiarity with alcohol’s effects — would seem to be a hardwired genetic trait, he says. Schuckit and his team are currently investigating genes that they suspect play a role in alcoholism risk.
While sensitivity to alcohol’s effects might offer some protection against future alcohol abuse, other factors — including those that the researchers accounted for in this study — could still increase the risk. And less common traits, such as having bipolar disorder or being highly impulsive, might add to the danger, Schuckit notes. Thus, just being very sensitive to alcohol’s effects is no guarantee that a person won’t abuse it, he says.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 185
Hi Laura, Its certainly interesting that you dont get hangovers, and I can understand why you feel the way you do, but the damage is certainly still occuring in your body. Your Liver will not hurt until it has been extremely damaged...
Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: LA - Lower Alabama
Posts: 5,068
Sfgirl's post is spot on and is in total agreement with the book Under the Influence.
If you are not experiencing hangovers this means you are more likely to have or develop a problem. It is a clear danger signal.
If you are not experiencing hangovers this means you are more likely to have or develop a problem. It is a clear danger signal.
Dr. Bob Focus
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 206
Originally Posted by Firehazard
Dr. Bob, co-founder of AA, also thought it was very strange that he had never had a hangover. If you read his story, "Dr. Bob's nighmare" you might find some similarities. 
Guest
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 2,013
Originally Posted by lauraandersen4
I have never had one. It doesn't matter how much I drink, how often I drink... I just don't get them. I have no idea why this is. I have had nights full of wine, vodka, rum, tequila... 10+ strong drinks within a matter of only a couple of hours and other than occasional acid reflux at night... I have never suffered any sort of negative physical symptoms the day after. My friends complain of pounding headaches, nausea etc.
Am I just lucky? Anyone know why this is the case? Even when I rarely drank and only occasionally binged, I never experienced one.
Am I just lucky? Anyone know why this is the case? Even when I rarely drank and only occasionally binged, I never experienced one.
Not being harsh here just my personal opinion, If you don't get any form of hangovers then why are you here? I class a hangover equally more 'mental' than 'physical', it used to be the other way round back in the day for me.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 50
I agree that it is a curse. I too never had hangovers when I was younger (teens & 20's). And even at the very worst where I blackedout almost every single night, I rarely had a hangover. When I did have one they were TERRIBLE tho. I think this is a very strong warning to you! JMHO
Focus
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 206
Originally Posted by NEOMARXIST
No not lucky, you just havn't drank enough!! I never believe anyone who says for some-reason they don't get a hangover, some scientific miracle? It reminds me of the 16 year olds who used to swear they can't get "wrecked", they were beggin for mercy after we'd showed them the way.
Not being harsh here just my personal opinion, If you don't get any form of hangovers then why are you here? I class a hangover equally more 'mental' than 'physical', it used to be the other way round back in the day for me.
Not being harsh here just my personal opinion, If you don't get any form of hangovers then why are you here? I class a hangover equally more 'mental' than 'physical', it used to be the other way round back in the day for me.
Oddly enough, I have stopped drinking about 3 times and after each... on the 2nd day without drinking, THAT is when I have had pins and needles feelings in my lower arms and fingers and a headache.
Guest
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 2,013
I guess what I meant was that a 'hangover' is any negativity that you get, which you wouldn't otherwise get, if it weren't for the consumption of alcohol.
That if enough alcohol is consumed to sufficiently poison and dehydrate your body then you will get the 'classic' symtoms. Obviously different people have differing levels that they can consume before they can reach this level of sufficient poisoning to give the 'classic' hangover symptoms. Everyone can get there, it just may take much,much higher levels but you will eventually get there.
Only my personal opinion of course and quite frankly I ain't really bothered, the only thing I know is that if I keep drinking after a heavy binge ie- a Beer or 4 as soon a I wake then any 'hangover' will be gone, hence why I am deeply in the Sh*t when it comes to my drinking and bingeing.
That if enough alcohol is consumed to sufficiently poison and dehydrate your body then you will get the 'classic' symtoms. Obviously different people have differing levels that they can consume before they can reach this level of sufficient poisoning to give the 'classic' hangover symptoms. Everyone can get there, it just may take much,much higher levels but you will eventually get there.
Only my personal opinion of course and quite frankly I ain't really bothered, the only thing I know is that if I keep drinking after a heavy binge ie- a Beer or 4 as soon a I wake then any 'hangover' will be gone, hence why I am deeply in the Sh*t when it comes to my drinking and bingeing.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: ca
Posts: 214
Hangovers were very minor for me around the first 6-8 years of my drinking, then they rapidly got muuuuch worse. This was what lead me to bypass the hangovers altogether...I would just wake up and keep the drinking goin for days/weeks....now there would no longer be a hangover......it would be full blown wd's. WHICH SUCKED
This happened many many times, and the wd's got worse every time...
If my hangovers remained minor I probably would have avoided a lot of benders and problems in my life.
This happened many many times, and the wd's got worse every time...
If my hangovers remained minor I probably would have avoided a lot of benders and problems in my life.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Northeast US
Posts: 1,340
Let me display how crazy I am:
<<voice inside my head>> Hmm, my tolerance wasn't that high (I blacked out and passed out all the time!), and I had hangovers that had me praying for death. Maybe I'm not an alcoholic after all! Sooooo how about that social drinking I hear so much about?
Sigh.
<<me to the voice>> Shut up, crazy.
<<voice inside my head>> Hmm, my tolerance wasn't that high (I blacked out and passed out all the time!), and I had hangovers that had me praying for death. Maybe I'm not an alcoholic after all! Sooooo how about that social drinking I hear so much about?
Sigh.
<<me to the voice>> Shut up, crazy.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 36
I can't remember the last time I got a classic hangover (dehydrated, headache, etc.). What I got was the first 18 hours of withdrawal symptoms (8 while passed out in bed... which is easy... 10 spent at work... not so easy).
That's when I realized that I needed to quit... when the withdrawal symptoms were becoming debilitating to me. It was either (a) stop going to work and lose my job or (b) continue going through the first few hours of withdrawal every single day of the week or (c) detox and quit.
C strikes me as the best option. That's why I'm going with C right now. I'm sure I'm in for a multitude of situations where I'm tempted to drink (maybe even situations that would be more fun when drinking), and I might even **** up at times, but I'm not normal. One night of drinking either turns into many nights of drinking or more withdrawal symptoms, neither of which are fun in the long run.
That's when I realized that I needed to quit... when the withdrawal symptoms were becoming debilitating to me. It was either (a) stop going to work and lose my job or (b) continue going through the first few hours of withdrawal every single day of the week or (c) detox and quit.
C strikes me as the best option. That's why I'm going with C right now. I'm sure I'm in for a multitude of situations where I'm tempted to drink (maybe even situations that would be more fun when drinking), and I might even **** up at times, but I'm not normal. One night of drinking either turns into many nights of drinking or more withdrawal symptoms, neither of which are fun in the long run.
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