Beastlifter8

Hi guys I would like to hear some adive on what you guys think.. I'm 22 years old and have been drinking since 15 years old. I would drink 1-2 times a week EVERY weekend and would overdrink everytime. It started out as the fun thing to do with friends on the weekends until I started to feel anxiety and always depressed. I eventually started to limited myself to drinking once a week and tried to control how much I drank sometimes I would control it and sometimes I would mess up and have complete black outs.. Ive always had high anxiety especially around people and always fighting depression.. I thought that it was just how I am, I tried quitting, lasted a month but then had no fun in my life and missed the good times I use to have. Everytime I go out now I need atleast 15 shots to start to feel good, my tolerance is so high but I only drink every other weekend because the anxiety got so bad and alcohol definetely seems much worse the next couple days(can bearly leave the house the following days). I definetely dont need alcohol or crave it at all, Im just wondering sice my tolerance is so high could this be the root of all my anxiety and depression? 1 month of no drinking didnt seem to change much, might have been a bit more stable.. please give me some advice to what you think? I dont see how it can be the source of the problem if im only drinking once every 2 weeks?

dox

For what it's worth, in my humble opinion, you have many of the signs of being an alcoholic. Normal drinkers don't have to try and control their drinking.

But, my opinion means nothing. It's your opinion that matters.

For help with your self-diagnosis, I suggest that you check out the "AA 20 Questions".
You can Google it.

~dox

GracieLou

As stated above, I feel you qualify but that is for you to decide.

There is a difference between chronic drinking and binge drinking but they both fall in the same category as alcoholism. I was a chronic drinker.

I would check out the questions and then go from there.

visch1

Hi BL. A lot of us have similar experience as yours, You have a leg up because of your looking honestly at your situation. Early on I was told that if I thought I had a problem with my drinking that I probably did. I learned that alcohol is a depressor so that may explain something. We found that continued drinking will worsen our physical and mental health because alcohol is a toxic substance. After I stopped drinking I became comfortable in my own skin plus so many great feelings and things that have happened. BE WELL

kenc

in our book of alcoholics anonymous on pg 44 it asks us two questions: if when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely,or when drinking you have little conrtol over the amount you take then you are probably alcoholic. these questions helped us to qualify ourselves if we answered them honestly. the next step is to find someone to take you thru the steps if you want to stop drinking for good and all. hope all works out well for you either way.

flutter

For a lot of us, drinking WASN'T the primary 'problem', it was more like an awful solution to other stuff going on. I know for me, figuring out WHY I drank, and working on that, helped solidify long term recovery.

Sasha4

Does it matter?
It sounds like drink is no fun for you from what you describe?
It was the same for me.
449 days without a drink and not one day have I had to put up with those feelings again.

My best to you

Threshold

I think it's immaterial if me or anyone else here thinks you are an alcoholic.

If you see correlations in your life between problems and your drinking, and you want to stop drinking. You are in the right place.

If you are an alcoholic, but DON't acknowledge connections between problems and your drinking, then you won't want to stop, and SR will do you no good.

So I try not to get caught up in an "is he or isn't he" debate. It's more of a do you want to stop drinking and live a life free of alcohol and alcohol related issues thing. If you do, then this is the place for you!

deeker

(The test questions are used at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, MD, in deciding whether or not a patient is an alcoholic).


Take this 20 question test to help you decide whether or not you are an alcoholic.

Answer YES or NO to the following questions.

1. Do you lose time from work due to drinking?
YES __ NO __

2. Is drinking making your home life unhappy?
YES __ NO __

3. Do you drink because you are shy with other people?
YES __ NO __

4. Is your drinking affecting your reputation?
YES __ NO __

5. Have you ever felt remorse after drinking?
YES __ NO __

6. Have you ever got into financial difficulties as a result of drinking?
YES __ NO __

7. Do you turn to lower companions and an inferior environment when drinking?
YES __ NO __

8. Does your drinking make you careless of your family’s welfare?
YES __ NO __

9. Has your ambition decreased since drinking?
YES __ NO __

10. Do you crave a drink at a definite time?
YES __ NO __

11. Do you want a drink the next morning?
YES __ NO __

12. Does drinking cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?
YES __ NO __

13. Has your efficiency decreased since drinking?
YES __ NO __

14. Is drinking jeopardizing your job or business?
YES __ NO __

15. Do you drink to escape from worries or trouble?
YES __ NO __

16. Do you drink alone?
YES __ NO __

17. Have you ever had a complete loss of memory as a result of drinking?
YES __ NO __

18. Has your physician ever treated you for drinking?
YES __ NO __

19. Do you drink to build up your self-confidence?
YES __ NO __

20. Have you ever been to a hospital or institution because of drinking?
YES __ NO __

What's your score?

If you have answered YES to any one of the questions, there is a definite warning that you may be an alcoholic.

If you have answered YES to any two, the chances are that you are an alcoholic.

If you answered YES to three or more, you are definitely an alcoholic.

(The test questions are used at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, MD, in deciding whether or not a patient is an alcoholic).

Fallow

So why not quit drinking?

I don't know if you are an alcoholic. I don't know if I am an alcoholic either. I just know alcohol became a problem for me. So I quit.

I say try to quit for good and you will soon find out what your relationship with alcohol really consists of. I know I did.

Best of luck.

Beastlifter8

I want to thank everyone for there response and time, Ive decided Im going to quit and see how or if my life changes from it. I think thats the only option hopefully I start feeling better soon thx guys!

Deckard

Great idea, beastlifter! I hope you continue to share your progress on this thread or in this forum. I've found SR to be a great help in making the change you now want.

Grungehead

If you have had anxiety and/or depression before you started drinking then alcohol would make it worse. If you quit drinking and the anxiety and/or depression lingers then you might want to get some treatment for those issues. I've always been a bit prone to anxiety and depression even when I was sober. I now know that I was using alcohol to treat the anxiety and depression which was just making it worse. I have to treat the anxiety and depression when I am sober or I know I will eventually drink again to try and get some temporary relief from it. It's a viscous circle for me.

Good luck and I'm glad you found us!