eJoshua

Well even if you're not an alcoholic, with symptoms like those I would wonder why you would continue to drink at all?

Eddiebuckle

Or go to a cubs game, have a few beers... come to, and the cubs have won the world series - twice.

Seriously, Midwest. You seem to put more effort into highlighting all the reasons you are not an alcoholic, and yet you keep posting. A couple of drinks and you have withdrawal symptoms? No doctor, and certainly no one on an internet forum, can convince you if you won't put any credence in your own body's reaction to an admittedly small intake of alcohol.

All I can say is caveat emptor, and good luck. If you are an alcoholic, the evidence will pile up quicker than you suspect. Hopefully you are not an alcoholic, but I wouldn't bet my life on it. Seems to me you're willing to do just that.

sugarbear1

I never craved alcohol. I never needed pills for withdrawal either.

I never had the shakes or hallucinations in withdrawal.
Am I an alcoholic?

I drank to escape

I also didn't self prescribe pills or self diagnose.

I went to AA and they told my story.
Hi, I am sugarbear, I am an alcoholic. Keep coming back, it only gets worse.

Supercrew

Great article! This is what made quitting the only decision for me. I didn't realize it was "the kindling effect", but the detoxes got progressively worse to the point that I broke my brain.

I know it sounds kind of funny, but I am glad I got to that point, because I am basically unable to drink now without severe detox consequences. Having that thought in the back of my mind makes the decision to not pick up the first one pretty easy. Of course i didn't realize this is what I was going through when I struggled to quit during my first 6 weeks of recovering with the mental obsession. But now the decision is pretty simple with a sober mind. Thanks for the article.

Tosh

There's various definitions, depending on where you look, but I'm an A.A. member and this is A.A.s definition in layman's terms.

There's two parts to being an alky, and you need both parts.

1. A physical craving that develops when you put alcohol into your body. For me, when I was younger, I might call into the Naafi bar just for two beers - and sometimes I could have just the two beers - but often I'd end up there till closing time and have about 15 beers. I used to call it the 'taste'; "Ah, I've the taste for it now", but it was a craving for more than I had planned to drink.

2. A mental obsession; this is the tough bit to explain. For me, it translated into planning my drinking when I wasn't drinking. If, for example, my wife wanted me to go shopping somewhere, I'd make sure we left early in the day, so I could be back home to start drinking early.

The mental obsession means you can't just 'stop' drinking easily. At some point you'll drink again, triggering the physical craving, which means you'll get drunk.

It's like a vicious circle; the mental obsession means you can't stop taking the first drink and the physical craving once you start means you can't drink in moderation.

But some alkies will remember a time back in 1986 when they planned to have three drinks, only drank three drinks, and then left the bar; and from that sort of thinking, they'll deny they're an alcoholic.

My period of denial lasted about 20 years!

Reset

I'll say what I usually say: who cares if you fit some definition of alcoholic? Don't get hung up in the labels because it just causes confusion and gives you a reason to keep drinking.

Instead ask yourself if your drinking is a problem and if you really want to quit.

sugarbear1

LITE beers have the same alcohol content, it's the calories that are "lite"

sugarbear1

I will bet that Amy Winehouse passed away due to the kindling effect. Sad, but ONLY a doctor can treat an alkie, not the alkie himself, although most of us think we know better! And, you'll probably do ok, but remember that alcoholism is a Progressive Disease and continues even when we don't drink. Getting sober and then drinking and then getting sober AGAIN increases the risk for medical PROBLEMS.

Mad4Chaos

Wow, I never looked at it that way. I was exactly the same. I just needed some time. I very rarely drank with my Wife around. If she was going to visit a friend or be home late from work, I would mentally calculate the time I needed to get a good buzz, recover & be semi-able to handle myself by the time she got home. I'd sometimes leave work early to get a head start. Then I'd set myself an amount I could drink in that time period she would be gone & also a cut off time. Then I'd pound the beer & shots until that time. My body processed the booze so quick that I'd be pretty ok an hour after I stopped drinking. Still red eyed & red faced, but able to carry on a conversation. She didn't like the state I was in, but she tolerated it.

As I re-read the paragraph I typed, it's really sad that I let alcohol dominate my thoughts to that extent. It seems like I learn new things about myself & my disease everyday I read the post here. Thanks Tosh.

Brian

Tosh

Hi Brian, if you identify as an alcoholic, and have an interest in finding out how to get rid of that mental obsession, why not give A.A. a visit; if you don't already?

I didn't think the program would work, I thought life would be grey, miserable and dull not drinking; but that's so far away from the truth that it's laughable.

Regards,

Tosh

Boleo

THIQ may be involved as well:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...teresting.html

Spawn

I was curious to know what MidWestGem thought.

my question was how do you define an alcoholic?

hawkeyefan

I'm and alcoholic and your withdrawals sound like mine, without hallucinations (I'm sure they were around the corner along with seizures and will be if I drink again. Anyway, whether you're an alcoholic or not, it's the kindling effect, allergic reaction to alcohol, or something else, I would seriously consider not drinking again. I know it you think you'll miss out on "fun" but at least you'll be healthy. Young people with diabetes, I'm sure, feel bummed they forever have to watch their diet and avoid a lot of tasty food, but it they want to live a long, healthy life they do want they must!

sugarbear1

Alcoholism, to me, is not being able to live without drinking.

I had a living problem, not a drinking problem.

Today, I can live alcohol and drug free. Wow.

bob8619

You know this thread is from 2011 right

Dee74

It is but I removed a more recent post for medical advice

D

foolsgold66

It is still quite useful for newcomers to see how deep the river of denial can be...

Sometimes I think the label 'alcoholic' does more harm than good....

hawkeyefan

Yes, I saw that, and maybe the original poster will never see this. But..I like reading as many post as I can for insight and support. Alcohol caused the same problems for people back then that it is causing for people now, and will continue to cause people in the future. Until alcohol is removed for the earth there will be alcoholics. I learn from old posts and many newcomers like me can find support by bringing up an old issue that hasn't been brought up for awhile. This is a support group and for me a place where I can gain a lot of knowledge I can't find on Google. I'm not being snotty..I can see where you would think an old post is well, and old post!

Dee74

Many old threads are still useful - replying to or asking questions of the original poster is likely to end in non satisfaction tho, which is why I usually point out old threads

D

bob8619

Just making sure you were aware that its old that's all. This type of stuff never dies I agree.