Aellyce

Another thread on semantics...

Oldselfagain

Haennie that's the shortest post I've ever seen from you buddy! Lol

PurpleKnight

Aellyce

That's only because I'm writing a paper in parallel, which is long and complicated enough to occupy me

newwestdork

Have to agree with most of the posters here, especially jdooner. People who don't have problems don't wind up on a board called "Sober Recovery" asking recovering alcoholics if they should drink or not. If you don't identify with the term "alcoholic," would "problem drinker" agree with you more? How hardcore of an alcoholic would you like to become before you decide to give it up?

If you think you can moderate, more power to you - we certainly can't stop you. I couldn't moderate, as much as I wished that I could, and trying to do so only dragged out my unnecessary suffering for years and years as my drinking spiralled even further out of control.

Sudz No More

Nail on the head, ding ding ding.

Besides, look at it another way. Alcohol just isn't healthy, if you have managed to stay away from it for this long count it as good health choice and keep staying away from it. It's a bad habit whether you are an alcoholic or not and you stopped. Why start again?

PhaseTwo

Even if you're not an alcoholic, what leads you to believe drinking would solve your problems? Unfortunately getting sober isn't a magical cure to all life's issues, but it does make dealing with stuff A LOT easier.

alwayssober1

Apologies again, sorry if i offended anyone, what was I thinking posting I wasn't an alcoholic here on soberrecovery.

Truth is I am an alcoholic, I was dependent on alcohol, that's why I'm here on sober recovery, I'm not happy because I'm no longer drinking, I needed alcohol to feel normal, I'm trying to justify my drinking habits, just because I didn't drink a bottle of whiskey a day I tell myself i didn't have a problem, I did.

Dependency to alcohol is alcoholism, excuse me for creating this ******** thread, i think I'm still struggling because I am yet to fill the void now I'm not drinking.

I appreciate everyone's advice and I'm sorry for sounding like such an arse!

PurpleKnight

We're here for you AlwaysSober!!

alwayssober1

Thanks purpleknight! And everyone else for giving me a kick up the backside!

This is what I do, instead of cracking and relapsing.....I post a ridiculous, selfish thread, I write down my AV thoughts, irrational clouded thoughts, I can't hold them in...

Already I am reading all your replies and you all make such logical sense! Lol.

Sometimes I struggle to think rationally.....

Aellyce

AlwaysSober, perhaps what happened is that you just got caught in a certain kind of resentment towards yourself. This happens all the time on SR, I think, when people bring up words and terminology in defense of their momentary feelings. And the responses also tend to be the similar type of strong reactions.

I think we all are quite emotional about these subjects and would rather see the problems disappear forever, that is all. Don't worry about it!

EndGameNYC

I don't think that you posted a "selfish, ridiculous thread," though I do agree that it's time to start filling the void.

Working to build a better life is, in itself, living a better life.

ImperfectlyMe

Always I'm 15 months in and struggled the whole way actually declaring myself alcoholic. As plain as I can state it, I choose no label for my issues. I was not the quintessential textbook old school narrative of an alcoholic either. But that's not to say I had a healthy relationship with alcohol. I think your honesty in this thread is quite commendable and may have thwarted you from returning where you don't want to go.

I had my moment of clarity a few days ago (see thread below) and I now know no matter what you call me or it i just can't drink alcohol again. And like haennie said it really all is semantics.

feeling-good

Always Sober just want to say thanks for this thread. I'm 19 months sober now and I struggle with a lot of my thinking and don't really feel 'better' so I totally get what you are saying. Stick in there and be proud of your sobriety!

newwestdork

Hey, we all need an objective second opinion now and again. Glad you've come around.

I don't think there's any need to apologize - stuff like this is exactly what this board is for.

zjw

maybe you where not maybe you where just headed in that direction? or maybe your looking for a reason to drink?

Patriciae

Hi AlwaysSober

Why not attend some AA meetings, you will not only feel better, make some great sober friends but those AAer's actually have a program of Recovery that really works to fill that empty void

silentrun

It's not a BS thread Always. That "real alcoholic" thing can trip a lot of us up. It almost got me at about one year. Then I read that is common to think like that and then relapse. Instead of relapsing you came here. Like IM I struggled with that word most of the time. I had a drinking problem works fine for me now. The way to solve that problem is to not drink. (and hang out on SR)

sugarbear1

Binge drinking will be added to the definition of alcoholism in the new version of the DSM book (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Medicine).

Can you live without drinking? if it's a simple "yes" then there is no problem

if ya can't, there might be a problem. You decide.

alwayssober1

Thanks again everyone, what I mean with "I don't feel any better" is the fact that though I have stopped the everyday drinking, I haven't turned into a..ME 2.0!....I'm still the nervous, anxious, pessimistic, lazy, unmotivated person I was when I was drinking, quitting drinking isn't the magic wand that changes a person dramatically, to me that was disappointing.....sobriety means you've got all this time on your hands and your no longer slowly killing yourself with alcohol.

For years while drinking I said to myself alcohol is the reason I'm all these negative things, the reason I'm anxious, shy, depressed, lazy, unmotivated, crap at small talk, bad with the ladies lol, now I'm sober I'm still have all these negative traits, I have to force myself in life as much as I did when I was a drinker....just now I've got more time on my hands.....overwhelming! I don't know where to start!

But I guess I have to learn to grow as a person overtime to overcome these personal challenges and get on in life.