Economics of Alcoholism
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 2
Economics of Alcoholism
Hi all -
I am soon to get a PhD in economics, and also an alcoholic. I'm sober about 40% of days now. Anyways, to keep myself grounded I read up on the economics of addiction and alcoholism.
About 45% of the alcohol sold in the US is consumed by 5% of the drinkers. To be in this "elite" club, you must consume 18 or more drinks every day. I was a member of this group for a few years. At my worst, I averaged close to 30 drinks a day.
The theory describing addiction is Gary Beckers "rational addiction" model. Becker won a Nobel Prize in economics some time ago. All it says is addicts consume more over time because it gives us more utility.
If you give heroin to 100 people, 15 of them will develop an addiction. Of those 15, about 12 will die because of it. If you give alcohol to 100 people, 15 will develop an addiction. Of those, 12 will die because of it. Heroin and and alcohol have similar addiction profiles. In fact, these numbers hold for a lot of addictive drugs.
I know for me, what helps is reminding myself of the costs. I go to the wikipedia page on the harmful effects of alcohol abuse. Still, I am only partially successful. On a lot of days, I don't care and it seems life isn't worth it without drinking. But then a few days and a garbage can full of empty wine and liquor bottles later, I again come to the realization that drinking for me results in 30 drinks a night.
Oh well... Tonight I am sober so that means no sleep.
I am soon to get a PhD in economics, and also an alcoholic. I'm sober about 40% of days now. Anyways, to keep myself grounded I read up on the economics of addiction and alcoholism.
About 45% of the alcohol sold in the US is consumed by 5% of the drinkers. To be in this "elite" club, you must consume 18 or more drinks every day. I was a member of this group for a few years. At my worst, I averaged close to 30 drinks a day.
The theory describing addiction is Gary Beckers "rational addiction" model. Becker won a Nobel Prize in economics some time ago. All it says is addicts consume more over time because it gives us more utility.
If you give heroin to 100 people, 15 of them will develop an addiction. Of those 15, about 12 will die because of it. If you give alcohol to 100 people, 15 will develop an addiction. Of those, 12 will die because of it. Heroin and and alcohol have similar addiction profiles. In fact, these numbers hold for a lot of addictive drugs.
I know for me, what helps is reminding myself of the costs. I go to the wikipedia page on the harmful effects of alcohol abuse. Still, I am only partially successful. On a lot of days, I don't care and it seems life isn't worth it without drinking. But then a few days and a garbage can full of empty wine and liquor bottles later, I again come to the realization that drinking for me results in 30 drinks a night.
Oh well... Tonight I am sober so that means no sleep.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 5,678
Welcome to SR Stratozyck 
I would imagine it is very tiring being successful 40% of the time. Do you want to quit completely? On the plus side of that, I always used to complain that I couldn't sleep if I didn't drink, which was true while I was drinking but that soon cleared up after a few weeks of sobriety and now I sleep better than ever before. Glad you're here x
I would imagine it is very tiring being successful 40% of the time. Do you want to quit completely? On the plus side of that, I always used to complain that I couldn't sleep if I didn't drink, which was true while I was drinking but that soon cleared up after a few weeks of sobriety and now I sleep better than ever before. Glad you're here x
now's the time
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,181
Wow, those are amazing numbers. I would've bet money i'd be in that 5%, but I was an 8 - 12 per day girl, so I guess I wasn't. It would be interesting to see the distribution graph; I wonder how steep the drop off is after that initial 5%.
~sb
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 15,967
"I'm sober about 40% of days now."
Basically you aren't drinking on these days, but it's not being sober.
Our bodies are still under the influence even when not drinking.....until we have continuous sobriety. Give yourself a year of continuous sobriety and tell us the changes your body feels throughout this year. The DSM will be adding binge drinking to the definition of alcoholism.
Find a method of recovery and you can stay stopped, too. Staying stopped is difficult. My alcoholism was defined as me not being able to live without drinking.
I wish you well!
Basically you aren't drinking on these days, but it's not being sober.
Our bodies are still under the influence even when not drinking.....until we have continuous sobriety. Give yourself a year of continuous sobriety and tell us the changes your body feels throughout this year. The DSM will be adding binge drinking to the definition of alcoholism.
Find a method of recovery and you can stay stopped, too. Staying stopped is difficult. My alcoholism was defined as me not being able to live without drinking.
I wish you well!
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada. About as far south as you can get
Posts: 4,768
Semi-sober .... on the fence ... was the most painful time in my life. I wasn't at home on either side.
I tried everything to get/stay sober but nothing worked in the long run.
Surrendering to AA was the only thing that kept me off the "suicide list" (12 will die).
All the best.
Bob R
I tried everything to get/stay sober but nothing worked in the long run.
Surrendering to AA was the only thing that kept me off the "suicide list" (12 will die).
All the best.
Bob R
formerly IMHomerSimpson
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Connecticut,USA
Posts: 115
Hate to admit it but I,too, was on the suicide list. It was made very clearly to me that if I continue to drink and smoke my "pre-cancer" in my mouth will change on the cellular level to "CANCER"! I can only hope(without sounding like a preacher) that "my" situation is a wakeup call for others as it was to myself.
(former drinker and smoker),
Patrick
(former drinker and smoker),
Patrick
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 2
"When I want to"
I've quit so many times I am fairly good at it. Heh.
I usually get about 5 days into it and think, hm my life is pretty empty and boring, might as well.
I can always stop temporarily for a reason. This week its because of a major presentation in a few days and I know I am on top of things when I have a few days without and can get real sleep.
Regarding the top 5% thing - remember that isn't a perfectly accurate measure of addiction as 8-12 drinks for a female is different than the same for a 240 lb male.
The thing is, I don't know how strong my motivation is regarding staying away 100% of the time. I drink in part because being a graduate student is pretty lonely. I've lived 6 different places in 10 years.
I don't get near the amounts I did 3 years ago. Now if I drink, its "only" 15 drinks or so. Excuses, excuses right.
The point I am at now is, only thing preventing me from drinking daily is wanting to be rested a few days a week (quitting means two sleepless nights at this point, no sweating and shaking like before).
When I made it 3 mos I took up jogging and still keep up with that.
In the back of my mind is a feeling of, so what? In my extended family, all the non drinkers have gotten cancer and most have died in their 40s and 50s. Heck my aunt died of lung cancer and never smoked. It spread from other areas. My brother died at 25, and he was very sober.
I guess where I am at is, I can stop for short periods of time regularly - I have a few days every week without drinking - but just lack the desire to cut it out completely. I don't drink and drive, and have no spouse or children I am harming. I remember going to church a lot at one point and theyre like, "God loves you regardless." And my thought was, "if He loves me as a drinker, then why stay away?"
I usually get about 5 days into it and think, hm my life is pretty empty and boring, might as well.
I can always stop temporarily for a reason. This week its because of a major presentation in a few days and I know I am on top of things when I have a few days without and can get real sleep.
Regarding the top 5% thing - remember that isn't a perfectly accurate measure of addiction as 8-12 drinks for a female is different than the same for a 240 lb male.
The thing is, I don't know how strong my motivation is regarding staying away 100% of the time. I drink in part because being a graduate student is pretty lonely. I've lived 6 different places in 10 years.
I don't get near the amounts I did 3 years ago. Now if I drink, its "only" 15 drinks or so. Excuses, excuses right.
The point I am at now is, only thing preventing me from drinking daily is wanting to be rested a few days a week (quitting means two sleepless nights at this point, no sweating and shaking like before).
When I made it 3 mos I took up jogging and still keep up with that.
In the back of my mind is a feeling of, so what? In my extended family, all the non drinkers have gotten cancer and most have died in their 40s and 50s. Heck my aunt died of lung cancer and never smoked. It spread from other areas. My brother died at 25, and he was very sober.
I guess where I am at is, I can stop for short periods of time regularly - I have a few days every week without drinking - but just lack the desire to cut it out completely. I don't drink and drive, and have no spouse or children I am harming. I remember going to church a lot at one point and theyre like, "God loves you regardless." And my thought was, "if He loves me as a drinker, then why stay away?"
CastAwayWolf
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 84
Strat,
I'm like you and have been right where you are now. University education, six figure income and functional for a few years stoned and later drunk. All gone now, prestige and jobs and money all gone.
You're at a decision point and probably fairly young. It gets bad, you know what I mean.
Pick the right path and stay the course, it's not always fun but blessings will come your way.
I'm like you and have been right where you are now. University education, six figure income and functional for a few years stoned and later drunk. All gone now, prestige and jobs and money all gone.
You're at a decision point and probably fairly young. It gets bad, you know what I mean.
Pick the right path and stay the course, it's not always fun but blessings will come your way.
Moth Without Flame
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: San Diego, Ca
Posts: 18
The numbers given in your first post are helping me a lot. As someone who also spent a long time on the fence and fighting hard without success for more than a few days until now, I would also describe my time in between drinking everyday and not at all as one of the most painful in my life. I was a very functional alcoholic too. I never drove drunk, I don't have children and I held a well paying job. Then, I didn't have a job or continue my education at all for a year and a half. The friends I did have who didn't drink all the time lost interest because I stopped leaving the house. It won't be what you think it will that will fall apart. Eventually, I simply ran my body into the ground and lost what I did have. I got drunk on the 4th of July, You know, extra-holiday-have no responsibilities today drunk. Then I fell and blew my knee. It didn't need surgery, but it took two years and special injections to heal. I still worked! However, the pain killers combined with alcohol that it took to work like that led to a depression, when I quit the meds, that was so bad I couldn't leave the house for a year. Again, a whole year of my life waiting to get better! Then, what did I do? Three years later to the day-4th of July- I got "that" kind of drunk again and fell on my bottom walking home from the pub and fractured my sacrum (broke my back). I believe now that it was God/the Universe saying, "QUIT"! I was still wishy washy for a while and my alcoholic boyfriend dumped me for my alcoholic behavior LOL! So, I finally got sober and we reconciled. Then, he dumped me because I was sober and wanted him to join me on the other side where the grass truly is greener. It will happen. This disease will kick you in the balls. Maybe, it will be in an unexpected way or in one you've thought of that you ruled out as something that could never happen to you. It doesn't matter. It will happen. In the Big Book it is described as a game we play against alcohol and ourselves trying to win. The only way to be %100 percent sure you will win is not to play anymore. Past pain and potential future pain are not today. Today you aren't dying from cancer. Today you are an alcoholic on the fence. Please get off and join the 3 who do live.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 69
Cheers!
Originally Posted by stratozyck 
Hi all -
I am soon to get a PhD in economics, and also an alcoholic. I'm sober about 40% of days now. Anyways, to keep myself grounded I read up on the economics of addiction and alcoholism.
About 45% of the alcohol sold in the US is consumed by 5% of the drinkers. To be in this "elite" club, you must consume 18 or more drinks every day. I was a member of this group for a few years. At my worst, I averaged close to 30 drinks a day.
The theory describing addiction is Gary Beckers "rational addiction" model. Becker won a Nobel Prize in economics some time ago. All it says is addicts consume more over time because it gives us more utility.
If you give heroin to 100 people, 15 of them will develop an addiction. Of those 15, about 12 will die because of it. If you give alcohol to 100 people, 15 will develop an addiction. Of those, 12 will die because of it. Heroin and and alcohol have similar addiction profiles. In fact, these numbers hold for a lot of addictive drugs.
I know for me, what helps is reminding myself of the costs. I go to the wikipedia page on the harmful effects of alcohol abuse. Still, I am only partially successful. On a lot of days, I don't care and it seems life isn't worth it without drinking. But then a few days and a garbage can full of empty wine and liquor bottles later, I again come to the realization that drinking for me results in 30 drinks a night.
Oh well... Tonight I am sober so that means no sleep.
I am soon to get a PhD in economics, and also an alcoholic. I'm sober about 40% of days now. Anyways, to keep myself grounded I read up on the economics of addiction and alcoholism.
About 45% of the alcohol sold in the US is consumed by 5% of the drinkers. To be in this "elite" club, you must consume 18 or more drinks every day. I was a member of this group for a few years. At my worst, I averaged close to 30 drinks a day.
The theory describing addiction is Gary Beckers "rational addiction" model. Becker won a Nobel Prize in economics some time ago. All it says is addicts consume more over time because it gives us more utility.
If you give heroin to 100 people, 15 of them will develop an addiction. Of those 15, about 12 will die because of it. If you give alcohol to 100 people, 15 will develop an addiction. Of those, 12 will die because of it. Heroin and and alcohol have similar addiction profiles. In fact, these numbers hold for a lot of addictive drugs.
I know for me, what helps is reminding myself of the costs. I go to the wikipedia page on the harmful effects of alcohol abuse. Still, I am only partially successful. On a lot of days, I don't care and it seems life isn't worth it without drinking. But then a few days and a garbage can full of empty wine and liquor bottles later, I again come to the realization that drinking for me results in 30 drinks a night.
Oh well... Tonight I am sober so that means no sleep.
No, I am not being sarcastic. You have won one over the ONE "how much have you saved in not buying alcohol today?" question. BUT how does it give us more "utility"?
** All it says is addicts consume more over time because it gives us more utility.}
thank you ~sb
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 15,967
Suggested by the National Institutes on Health:
Low-risk drinking for healthy men under age 65 is no more than 4 drinks on any day and 14 per week
and
for healthy women (and men over 65) is no more than 3 drinks on any day and 7 per week.
Moderate drinking, according to the U.S. dietary guidelines, is up to 2 drinks per day for men
and
up to 1 drink per day for women. (Per week, this corresponds to an upper limit of 14 drinks for men and 7 for women.)
Low-risk drinking for healthy men under age 65 is no more than 4 drinks on any day and 14 per week
and
for healthy women (and men over 65) is no more than 3 drinks on any day and 7 per week.
Moderate drinking, according to the U.S. dietary guidelines, is up to 2 drinks per day for men
and
up to 1 drink per day for women. (Per week, this corresponds to an upper limit of 14 drinks for men and 7 for women.)
All is Change
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,284
Originally Posted by stratozyck
I've quit so many times I am fairly good at it. Heh.
I usually get about 5 days into it and think, hm my life is pretty empty and boring, might as well.
I can always stop temporarily for a reason. This week its because of a major presentation in a few days and I know I am on top of things when I have a few days without and can get real sleep.
Regarding the top 5% thing - remember that isn't a perfectly accurate measure of addiction as 8-12 drinks for a female is different than the same for a 240 lb male.
The thing is, I don't know how strong my motivation is regarding staying away 100% of the time. I drink in part because being a graduate student is pretty lonely. I've lived 6 different places in 10 years.
I don't get near the amounts I did 3 years ago. Now if I drink, its "only" 15 drinks or so. Excuses, excuses right.
The point I am at now is, only thing preventing me from drinking daily is wanting to be rested a few days a week (quitting means two sleepless nights at this point, no sweating and shaking like before).
When I made it 3 mos I took up jogging and still keep up with that.
In the back of my mind is a feeling of, so what? In my extended family, all the non drinkers have gotten cancer and most have died in their 40s and 50s. Heck my aunt died of lung cancer and never smoked. It spread from other areas. My brother died at 25, and he was very sober.
I guess where I am at is, I can stop for short periods of time regularly - I have a few days every week without drinking - but just lack the desire to cut it out completely. I don't drink and drive, and have no spouse or children I am harming. I remember going to church a lot at one point and theyre like, "God loves you regardless." And my thought was, "if He loves me as a drinker, then why stay away?"
I usually get about 5 days into it and think, hm my life is pretty empty and boring, might as well.
I can always stop temporarily for a reason. This week its because of a major presentation in a few days and I know I am on top of things when I have a few days without and can get real sleep.
Regarding the top 5% thing - remember that isn't a perfectly accurate measure of addiction as 8-12 drinks for a female is different than the same for a 240 lb male.
The thing is, I don't know how strong my motivation is regarding staying away 100% of the time. I drink in part because being a graduate student is pretty lonely. I've lived 6 different places in 10 years.
I don't get near the amounts I did 3 years ago. Now if I drink, its "only" 15 drinks or so. Excuses, excuses right.
The point I am at now is, only thing preventing me from drinking daily is wanting to be rested a few days a week (quitting means two sleepless nights at this point, no sweating and shaking like before).
When I made it 3 mos I took up jogging and still keep up with that.
In the back of my mind is a feeling of, so what? In my extended family, all the non drinkers have gotten cancer and most have died in their 40s and 50s. Heck my aunt died of lung cancer and never smoked. It spread from other areas. My brother died at 25, and he was very sober.
I guess where I am at is, I can stop for short periods of time regularly - I have a few days every week without drinking - but just lack the desire to cut it out completely. I don't drink and drive, and have no spouse or children I am harming. I remember going to church a lot at one point and theyre like, "God loves you regardless." And my thought was, "if He loves me as a drinker, then why stay away?"
I've bolded some words for a reason. OK, you have a brain. It functions pretty well. I can identify with the apparent divide in your psyche. I think this is a difficulty with people who have a high functioning ability in the demands of the educationally minded. Mathematics to people like that makes sense because they see it as a language. It is, it is rational and it has rules. One thing leads to another and so forth.
When one 'over indulges' in this arena of the human mindscape it does happen that one separates somewhat from the 'mysterious', the 'super natural', and seeks an answer to its symptoms by the use of rational thought.
A difficulty with this is that the answer often lies in the direction of 'no-mind' and beyond.
In other words, the finding can be in the not looking. I suppose some may call that 'leaps of faith'. Certainly I'd caution against 'blind faith'. No matter, there are doors to the beyond where there is no boredom. Simply based on personal experience I suggest considering some creative pursuit like painting or some 'art' that may lead to a passion which allows the full feeling of a whole person to be experienced and therefore the very same situational components need not lead to boredom. If in the process of dealing with that you find that alcohol is still a problematic part of your life then you have confirmation that you do have an alcohol problem. A similar, real or simulated, approach can be applied to other 'feelings' that may be designated 'alien' (to some degree.)
failing that, go for a walk, smell the roses and howl at the moon. In moderation of course.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 98
Id say the percentage of average alcoholics is under rated and problem drinkers even more so. Most people don't admit or don't exactly know how much they drink I find. Also the government wouldn't publish an article if they found the majority of people drink too much because that would make them look bad keeping it legal and having loose advertising policies. Imagine on your bottle of booze it showed a man beating his wife, a woman neglecting her children or a teenager bleeding to death in a rolled over car on every bottle the way they do with cigarettes.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Bethlehem, PA.
Posts: 1,781
Originally Posted by FeelingGreat
Really interested in the stats. Alcoholics are keeping a big chunk of the economy going.
Well yea, think about it. They keep law enforcement and the court system busy. They keep the prisons well stocked. They keep the health care industry going. They keep the rehab industry supplied with plenty of frequent flyers. They keep retirement costs down as many don't live long enough to collect it. They keep the divorce courts and lawyers busy. etc.etc.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
