Brian316

Something I've been thinking about and trying not to do myself in sobriety because I have found I usually don't make my best decisions when I act on my emotions. I have learned alcoholics like myself are generally driven on selfishness and fear. So my question is it an alcoholic trait to make decisions based on your emotions?

BarrelRoll

I'd say my decision making wasn't so much based on emotion, but it was hampered by my brain being drowned in poison. Every choice became the path of least resistance. I'm not sure that's the same thing though. It did make me tune out those around me, which certainly is a selfish quality. I didn't drink because I was selfish, initially, but I suppose it turned out that way.

sugarbear1

a typical person looks out the window, says the grass needs cutting and does it

an alcoholic looks out the window, says the grass needs cutting and doesn't do it cause he or she doesn't feel like cutting it....

Maybe, maybe not.....

advbike

Yes, some of us do, especially those of us for whom our emotions are not well-regulated. I for one struggle with my emotions and make bad decisions when they're in the driver's seat. I have purchased cars and motorcycles and I even bought a second home last year in the mountains which was mostly an emotional decision because I was drinking regularly at the time. Decided to get married to my first wife under emotional distress. Fear is a big part of it. Yeah, I'm a piece of work, lol, but I'd say you're on the right track.

EndGameNYC

Some might argue that drinking heavily (whether intended or not), continuing to drink despite the known adverse consequences of drinking, or picking up the drink following some sober time are all "decisions based on your emotions."

RobbyRobot

Or too lack of personal internal perception for feelings/emotions... "feeling empty" and trying vainly to fill myself with alcohol empowered feelings/thoughts/emotions is also a working definition (in part) of my alcoholism illness.

Music

No, it's a human trait to get emotional and try to make decisions. Alcohol makes us STUPID.

caboblanco

my emotions get confused when i drink...i would say i would make a risky decision not feeling the possible consequences so much because of the the warm fuzzy bubble im in

RaiseAnchor

I drank based on any little or large reasoning I could come up with. For example as a college student, I found reason to drink if I *thought* I did poorly on an exam. I would also in turn drink to celebrate when I did better than I thought I did on that same exam.

I would will myself into thinking I was having a bad day to personally justify drinking at irresponsible times. Perhaps it made me feel better about the self-destructive and addictive behavior I was engaging in.

These are some of the personal realizations I have discovered as I've been sober. It definitely helps to talk about it. Nice topic.

yeahgr8

It's an alcoholic trait to drink to suppress emotions and feelings, that's the whole point of the drinking. I made emotional decisions whether drink or sober and they were the emotional decisions of a child because at some point I stopped growing emotionally and that was way before I took my first drink.

Sobriety gives is the opportunity to grow, but we need to change to be able to achieve it and for that I needed guidance I couldn't do it alone.