VitaminB6

Something I've been thinking about recently. I'm aware of the fact I am an alcoholic and can't just have one drink without going on a binge which lasts up to 4 days at some points. I acknowledge this and am doing the best I can to nip it in the bud.

However, I'm 24, and I know among people my own age, my drinking habits would not be considered a serious problem, or that I'm an alcoholic. A typical binge for me would be 8 cans/pints in a session, then again to following night. I'd say a fair portion of men here, would do this regularly over the weekend. My cousin for example is like this, and often gets into worse states than myself, however he passes it off as laddish behaviour.

Do you think people don't realise this might be a problem and accept it as a part of being young, or are they just in denial but don't want to face the reality? I ask because, I know several people who drink the same amount as me but wouldn't consider themselves alcoholics. It's commonplace in Britain, I would say.

I think, a lot of people probably are alcoholics but just don't realise it. And some of these people will probably develop serious drink problems developed from this sort of bingeing behaviour.

ScottFromWI

I'm sure plenty of binge drinkers turn into full blown alcoholics, and some probably give it up completely after college.

What other people do isn't really of concern to me though, i know I'm an alcoholic and I have to work on that every day.

BackToSquareOne

Most of my hard driking friends I knew in my 20's got older and either quit or moderated on their own. I don't think it's that easy to figure out who will be able to do this and who won't, way too many factors at play. To suggest that some were never real alcoholics to begin with is just a quick and dirty way to explain the paradox in my mind anyhow.

tomsteve

many do it, know its a problem and don't ask for help.

dwtbd

everything about addiction is 'self' centered: the diagnosis, the responsibility and the cure

VitaminB6

Is what I think too.

MrTumble

I wouldnt bother comparing yourself. Ive tried that, usually it leads to me going out and getting drunk, as I can always find people who are getting drunk regularly to model myself upon -- "if they can do it every night and they are OK, then I can toooo.."

MaxxPower

Life is short. In my case, my life in the past 15 years feels like its gone by in a blink of an eye. being a functioning alcoholic. I remember more things from my childhood than I do when I was 24.

I woke up this past year..now i'm 32! wow..

alcohol doesn't help me think..





This past year

gaffo

I remember telling my mom "I am an alcoholic" when I was eighteen. I drank until I was forty-six. Time does fly when you're drunk/half drunk/hungover all the time.

TopFlight

I's interesting because during my time in college I actually studied abroad a couple different times and met fellow college students my age from all over. Ivy leagues, state schools, different countries, but when we formed groups and got together we would all get smashed. It was not everyday, but at least a couple times a week. Now I could use the excuse that we were in a different country, why not let loose, but in hindsight a lot of us drank way more than we should have. It was honestly a "gringo" shitfest most of the time. But we were in college, another country, had our own places.....I guess there was too much to justify not getting smashed all the time to realize maybe things got out of hand sometimes.