Is it possible someone to become an [B]alcholic[/B]?
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Eastern, PA
Posts: 112
Is it possible someone to become an [B]alcholic[/B]?
First off, i have come to the conclusion that i now can NOT manage alcohol and therefore can not go back to drinking. I'm not now looking for an excuse to drink. I simply can not do so without dire consequences.
Having said that there once was a time when i did control my drinking. I was, at one time in my life, a 'moderate drinker.' In my twenties and early thirties i did a lot of self help and therapy. A therapist who was very influential instructed me only to drink on occcaision and to not drink at all when something was troubling me. I was able, for the most part, to stick with this. I could moderate my drinking without AA (Again, i am not trying to convince myself that i can drink now. I can not. Not worth trying.)
Anyhow things got bad with careers and other life issues and i fell to alcoholism. (I'm sure situational depression plays a large part in this.)
So i, more or less, was not an alcoholic and then became one? Stating such seems to go against AA's definition of what an alcoholic is. But it seems, to me, somewhat accurate. I'm just trying to understand myself a bit better and how i fit in to this recovery thing.
Having said that there once was a time when i did control my drinking. I was, at one time in my life, a 'moderate drinker.' In my twenties and early thirties i did a lot of self help and therapy. A therapist who was very influential instructed me only to drink on occcaision and to not drink at all when something was troubling me. I was able, for the most part, to stick with this. I could moderate my drinking without AA (Again, i am not trying to convince myself that i can drink now. I can not. Not worth trying.)
Anyhow things got bad with careers and other life issues and i fell to alcoholism. (I'm sure situational depression plays a large part in this.)
So i, more or less, was not an alcoholic and then became one? Stating such seems to go against AA's definition of what an alcoholic is. But it seems, to me, somewhat accurate. I'm just trying to understand myself a bit better and how i fit in to this recovery thing.
It sounds to me like you have always had a problem with alcohol. What you're describing with your earlier scenario sounds very familiar. The kids of control games that normal drinkers just don't need to play.
Personally, I think every human being has the capacity to become an alcoholic...it's just a heck of a lot easier for some people then others. For me, this explains why one person can be an alcoholic after a week of drinking and another person takes 40 years f drinking before they get to the point where it's alcoholism. But I am sure most people will disagree with me;-D
As I understand it, anyone who drinks enough for long enough will develop a physical dependency on alcohol.
Most people who regularly drink will develop a drinking 'habit' that creates at least some level of mental dependency.
Are these factors enough to create a 'true alcoholic'? I'm not sure.
Most people who regularly drink will develop a drinking 'habit' that creates at least some level of mental dependency.
Are these factors enough to create a 'true alcoholic'? I'm not sure.
"But what about the real alcoholic? He may start off as a moderate drinker; he may or may not become a continuous hard drinker; but at some stage of his drinking career he begins to lose control of his liquor consumption, once he starts to drink"
BB, Page 21...1st. Edition
BB, Page 21...1st. Edition
Last edited by CarolD; 10-20-2010 at 03:43 PM. Reason: Added Source per SR guideline
good thing AA's not a popularity contest.
and Tacks... I had MANY years of successful drinking, many years where I could take it or leave it, many years where there probably wasn't any sort of alcohol problem.
but......somewhere along the way......I crossed that invisible line to where I couldn't stop. period. could NOT stop no matter what I tried.
You can either stop on a non-spiritual basis or you can't. If you can, you're not an alcoholic - get some support, get some help, just don't drink, go to meetings, whatever....just stop drinking. If you can't, welcome to the club. Neither could I
and Tacks... I had MANY years of successful drinking, many years where I could take it or leave it, many years where there probably wasn't any sort of alcohol problem.
but......somewhere along the way......I crossed that invisible line to where I couldn't stop. period. could NOT stop no matter what I tried.
You can either stop on a non-spiritual basis or you can't. If you can, you're not an alcoholic - get some support, get some help, just don't drink, go to meetings, whatever....just stop drinking. If you can't, welcome to the club. Neither could I
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Eastern, PA
Posts: 112
Hi Freedom.
I believe that AA would take the position that one is either an alcohol for life or NOT an alcoholic for life. I don't think they would subscribe to the notion that one who is NOT an alcoholic can become an alcoholic.
I believe that AA would take the position that one is either an alcohol for life or NOT an alcoholic for life. I don't think they would subscribe to the notion that one who is NOT an alcoholic can become an alcoholic.
Once an alcoholic, there's no going BACK.
There are 1000's who are convinced they were alcoholic as far back as they can remember in life and others, like me, who had to work at it. The deal is, once you ARE, you are. period. I will ALWAYS be an alcoholic. I can wait 10 years....20 yrs.......30 yrs.....I'll still be an alcoholic. I can NEVER go back to "conventional" or moderate drinking. (and besides, NO alkie in their right mind wants to drink "moderately" for long)
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Eastern, PA
Posts: 112
and Tacks... I had MANY years of successful drinking, many years where I could take it or leave it, many years where there probably wasn't any sort of alcohol problem.
but......somewhere along the way......I crossed that invisible line to where I couldn't stop. period. could NOT stop no matter what I tried.
You can either stop on a non-spiritual basis or you can't. If you can, you're not an alcoholic - get some support, get some help, just don't drink, go to meetings, whatever....just stop drinking. If you can't, welcome to the club. Neither could I
but......somewhere along the way......I crossed that invisible line to where I couldn't stop. period. could NOT stop no matter what I tried.
You can either stop on a non-spiritual basis or you can't. If you can, you're not an alcoholic - get some support, get some help, just don't drink, go to meetings, whatever....just stop drinking. If you can't, welcome to the club. Neither could I
Very interesting. I appreciate you posting.
Isn't there a step in AA about the ego somewhere?
Or maybe it's a person like me who doesn't believe in spirituality and most definetly has an addiction problem to alcohol (the very definition of an alcoholic) who was able to stop on a non-spiritual basis.
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