Che

Melinda has it exactly right. People know the difference between a personality that is outgoing, relaxed and forward, and someone who is drunk, even when they're not saying "I'm soooo drrunnk"; It's very easy to trick yourself into thinking you look like the former, but it's one of those things you remember with a lot of embarrassment when you stop drinking. It's not just former alcoholics being extremely attentive either.

Consider tobacco smoke. Chain smokers hardly notice the smell of their clothes at all. Non-smokers have to put their clothes thru the wash if they've been sitting in a cafe with smoking allowed. Your brain tunes out things that are constant.

Latte

I can call myself whatever I want to but in the end-I don't do well when mind controlling substances enter my body. I've tried repeatedly to control it-and I always failed.

My life goes pretty well when I don't ingest crap. I don't eat junk food, I don't consume alcohol and sure as heck don't use drugs-I've got a good thing going here and it can be gone in an instant-just ad booze/drugs.

That is just my personal experience. Take it for what it's worth.

Cobalt

I'd say if you're drinking every day and having to hide it from your girlfriend, you've got a problem with alcohol.

Normal drinkers don't have to drink every day, and they aren't preoccupied with thoughts about alcohol. I've struggled with booze for over 5 years and the most difficult part is the mental obsession. If you can do without alcohol, you simply stop drinking and move on from it, meaning you put down the drink and no longer think about it. But with people that have drinking problems, even if they abstain, they always have a mental battle to deal with. I know this is what it's like for me, and that is why I and many others end up returning to our old behavior. There is some sort of change that occurs in the brain that makes one preoccupied with drinking. Even during my longest period of sobriety, I thought of alcohol often. Even if it wasn't a craving per se, it was a fantasy or a romantization that wasn't really rooted in reality.

It sounds like you've not fallen too deep yet. I suggest you come clean to your girlfriend and seek help with quitting alcohol if you feel you can't do it alone. The first step is realizing you have a problem.

thisisme

Hello Robert.
Ask your reflection.
I hope you see a sober life is always better.

Soberwolf

Can you stop drinking whenever you want every single time ?

Life is better sober but you have to experience it to know for yourself

MelindaFlowers

Absolutely brilliant and so true. When I think back over the last two years of drinking it didn't seem like two years. It truly felt like 700+ tomorrows.