Sandy2

I will try to keep this as short as possible. I have been a drinker since college. Got bad in my early 20's- mellowed to current levels around age 25 (I am 39). I have worried about my liver for all these years. If not that I obsess about cancer, MS etc. I have been diagnosed as OCD and mainly obsess over health. I have no children by chioce and am a career women. Workout 5-6 days a week.

Up until 2 weeks ago, I was drinking 27 beers a week. This has been lower or a bit higher throught the years but has stayed pretty consistent.

No problem with the law, family etc. They say my constant worrying about all aspects of my health is my big issue. I smoke a pack a week (cigs). I know I sound like a idiot. I will prolly get lung cancer first!

Finally went to the doc and spilled the beans ALL of it! He advised to cut down to 14 beers a week,and does not feel I am a alcoholic. None of my family thinks I am a alcoholic. No One thinks I am a alcoholic. ME, I am unsure. I base this soley an the amount I have drank in a week.

I read here over and over "it's not how much its what it does to u". How can the amount not matter? So I obsess. I am ok when not drinking, but look forward to it too. Same as I feel with my pop and cigs.

My question: Anyone here similar to me? Please offer any advise that you can. BTW..I have cut down after seeing doctor, but still wonder what the heck is wrong with me and the continual questions.

Stimmed

Hi Sandy welcome to SR :-)

Maybe try quiting all together, if your health bugs you so much... See if your head clears. Long term alcohol use, and in excess can have some weird and not very wonderful affects on how one thinks, and can become habit that gets out of hand.

Advice your doc gave you tho is spot on for starters.

:-)

ste

Welcome Sandy,

There is no true Pass/Fail test for alcoholism. If you save up your 14 beers in a week, and drink them all in one day, I might start to worry.

Reset

A couple of years ago I went to my doctor for a physical. He asked about my drinking and I wasn't exactly forthcoming but I did tell him that I had 4-5 drinks a night.

He advised me to cut down.

Recently, I went in for something else and he asked about my drinking. I told him I used to drink about 4-5 a night but I recently quit. His response was, "that's good, you should probably not start again."

The point is that doctors don't always fully understand your situation when it comes to alcohol and addiction. You know yourself better; do what you need to.

Kjell

General practitioners may not always understand alcoholism.

I would concentrate more on how you feel about your drinking.

Do you, sometimes, feel like you're drinking when you honestly don't want to?
Do you, sometimes, drink more than you intended for no real reason?
Are you happy with who you are when you do drink? Any regrets? Shame?

Maybe start there and also read around here on SR and see if you identify.

Good job coming on here and posting as the power is in the asking.

Kjell~

CarolD

Many people quit drinking and smoking before they
have health problems.
They may or may not consider themselves alcoholic.
why not err on the side of caucion?

Perhaps thet would make your mind more peaceful....

Welcome to SR....

sleepie

I know all about OCD. I had similar worries for a long time, before I even knew I was dealing with the OCD monster. You may not want to hear this- but I think getting the OCD treated would be very beneficial. And I bet your brain is saying,"That's not going to matter if I have liver disease". I have been through it so many times. Treating OCD can be done in a number of ways and in the end unfortunately it boils down to really hard work. But it can be done and worrying less is definitely beneficial to one's health. Hang in there, please don't be worried and PM me if you want to know how I've been handling it. :ghug3

Anna

I agree with Carol, that if you think you're okay now, stop while you can preserve your health and the rest of your life.

I also agree with people's comments about drs. Family doctors are often very uneducated about addiction, as are others who are not in our shoes. They just don't get it. You are here seeking support and there's something that urged you to come here and seek help.

Sandy2

Thank-you for your helpful responses! Sleepie, it is comforting to know you have had the same experience. I am on Lexapro 20 mg. for OCD. I have refused to take more, but maybe it should be considered. When I mentioned heavier drinking in my early 20's it was to control the anziety/worrying. I drank to escape it, as it was horrifying. Panic attacks etc. Things have been better since I have been treated but still a long way to go. I have heard that many people drink to releive anziety or at least thats where it started.

Thanks for the responses, I feel supported in my thinking here.

LaFemme

Welcome Sandy!

Alcohol amplifies and causes anxiety also...I found that worrying about the label "alcoholic" did me no good....life is massively better sober so I no longer drink...there's a lot more to it but that's how I view the "alcoholic or not" question

TwelveSteps

I'm not a therapist or a doctor, but for me a key part of being an alcoholic was using booze to manage my negative feelings rather than learning constructive ways to deal with them. Every life has dark days and if the only way you can find to handle it is by drinking, I think that is problematic. "Normal" people have a couple of drinks to socialize or relax, but don't rely on it as their primary way to cope with how they feel.

I'd say try quitting for a couple of months and see what happens. That's something I was never able to do -- even for a month -- before I recognized I was an alcoholic and came into AA.

GG

UniqueNewYork

I don't really get the point of alcohol in any capacity, whether its 1 or 30. If I need to hit on someone, I will walk up to them and start a conversation. If I need to look like an ass, I'm perfectly capable of doing that on my own. If I need health problems, I'll go out in the sun and tan til i'm getting things cut out of my skin every year.