How Long
Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Surrey, UK
Posts: 99
Ok, seriously, if you're talking about alcoholism, it's a very serious condition, an addiction and a mental and biological propensity towards addiction, you're pretty much stuck with it your whole life and you have to manage it through permanent abstinence. If you're just talking about problem drinking which, in my view, is where one's habit of drinking causes problems (and can easily be mistaken for alcoholism) then perhaps 'normal drinking' can be resumed when one has dealt with the problems and behaviour that was underlying the drinking.
I've got one year sober. As much as I 'think' I'd like to return to normal drinking, I have had to accept that I am an alcoholic and therefore can never drink safely (i.e. without becoming addicted immediately and re-entering the world of pain I escaped from a year ago).
What's your story, buddy?
I've got one year sober. As much as I 'think' I'd like to return to normal drinking, I have had to accept that I am an alcoholic and therefore can never drink safely (i.e. without becoming addicted immediately and re-entering the world of pain I escaped from a year ago).
What's your story, buddy?
Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 86
I'm an alcoholic. I will never be able to drink socially again. For me to have another drink is to begin another long descent into depression, blackouts and trouble with the law. No, no, no no. I have worked too hard to get to this point to ever go back.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,373
Welcome legalage.
I don't know your story, but I'm afraid I don't believe we can reset ourselves like that...not if you're an alcoholic like me.
Based on my experience, if you drink like I did, you cross a line and you can never get back over it. I tried, believe me.
Alcohol and I settled into a toxic relationship. I don;t believe I can undo that - and part of my stopping drinking was accepting that.
No matter how much time passes between drinks, I know the outcome will be the same for me because I've tested it time and time again over 20 years.
I don't know your story, but I'm afraid I don't believe we can reset ourselves like that...not if you're an alcoholic like me.
Based on my experience, if you drink like I did, you cross a line and you can never get back over it. I tried, believe me.
Alcohol and I settled into a toxic relationship. I don;t believe I can undo that - and part of my stopping drinking was accepting that.
No matter how much time passes between drinks, I know the outcome will be the same for me because I've tested it time and time again over 20 years.
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,473
Yeah, alcoholics cannot drink socially or any way at all, for that matter.
Believe me, if we could reset ourselves and start over, we would.
When you cross the invisible line, there is no going back.
Believe me, if we could reset ourselves and start over, we would.
When you cross the invisible line, there is no going back.
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: NS, Canada
Posts: 160
I have been sober for 16 months after years of daily drinking. I know that one drink .. one tiny little hint of a buzz .. will take me right back to that dark place .. and it will happen quickly, as if those 16 months never happened. I don't know the answer to your question.. but I can say for certain that, for me, "when" is "never". It has to be never.
Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 411
The fantasy of pretty much every alcoholic is that they will eventually be able to get their drinking "under control" and return to "normal drinking." Letting go of that fantasy is part of recovery.
GG
GG
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 737
Originally Posted by legalage 
For those of you that have been clean from drink for a good amount of time (several months/years), I have a question. How long before you can return to normal social drinking?
Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: NJ
Posts: 66
Originally Posted by TwelveSteps
The fantasy of pretty much every alcoholic is that they will eventually be able to get their drinking "under control" and return to "normal drinking." Letting go of that fantasy is part of recovery.
GG
GG
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NC
Posts: 1,737
Originally Posted by legalage
For those of you that have been clean from drink for a good amount of time (several months/years), I have a question. How long before you can return to normal social drinking?
No thanks, Legal. Not even mildly interested...
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: east coast
Posts: 1,711
I know someone who just relapsed (after 7 years) and thinks she can control it--still working and what not and it's been about 2 months since she started. Of course I hope she stops before it gets bad and if not, I hope she can control it. However every alcoholic I know that relapsed eventually slips back to their old ways within less than a year...does anyone agree with that time frame?
Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Highlands, TX
Posts: 1,192
I've heard it said many times that if you are an alcoholic and start drinking again you quickly end up where you left off. The thing is that it is also progressive which means you will quickly surpass the toll it took on you before and the quantity will escalate. You might be ok the first couple times but inevitably the time will come when alcoholism hits back and hits HARD
I've been sober since August, 2004. I was very sick from the drinking and getting sober was the hardest thing I have ever endured. I have no desire to EVER go back to that hell again. No drink is worth it.
As people have said already, if you are an alcoholic then there is no returning to controlled drinking. There is a saying about controlled drinking and alcoholics. "When I enjoyed my drinking I couldn't control it and when I controlled my drinking I couldn't enjoy it." Sums it up well.
Take care,
Kellye
I've been sober since August, 2004. I was very sick from the drinking and getting sober was the hardest thing I have ever endured. I have no desire to EVER go back to that hell again. No drink is worth it.
As people have said already, if you are an alcoholic then there is no returning to controlled drinking. There is a saying about controlled drinking and alcoholics. "When I enjoyed my drinking I couldn't control it and when I controlled my drinking I couldn't enjoy it." Sums it up well.
Take care,
Kellye
Gratefully Sober
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: va
Posts: 56
Originally Posted by legalage
For those of you that have been clean from drink for a good amount of time (several months/years), I have a question. How long before you can return to normal social drinking?
Gratefully Sober
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: va
Posts: 56
Originally Posted by quitforme79
I know someone who just relapsed (after 7 years) and thinks she can control it--still working and what not and it's been about 2 months since she started. Of course I hope she stops before it gets bad and if not, I hope she can control it. However every alcoholic I know that relapsed eventually slips back to their old ways within less than a year...does anyone agree with that time frame?
Baby Girl D
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: x..Manchester, England..x
Posts: 592
If you stopped drinkin for a period of time and stayed sober you seriously don't wanna "have a social drink" because that's the beginnin of goin back to bein an alcoholic ...
Believe me I've been there ... I did 5 days sober n guess what I had a drink biggest mistake of my life now I'm scared if I can't stop
Believe me I've been there ... I did 5 days sober n guess what I had a drink biggest mistake of my life now I'm scared if I can't stop
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