22 year old male, unsure if alcoholic or not
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 1
22 year old male, unsure if alcoholic or not
Hello
To cut a long story short, I am in two minds of whether I am an alcoholic.
At points I have been certain I am, and other points unsure.
I think I without question have a problem with alcohol though.
So,
1) I don't necessarily drink everyday. However, if my bank account allows it, I will definitely find myself drinking anywhere from 2-5 times a week. The only time its less is when I don't have the funds to.
2) I cannot stop once I start drinking. 1 drink will often lead me to drinking until 3am! I just love the feel/buzz too much and don't want to loose it. I am constantly by the bar getting more and more drinks. I never feel like I have had 'enough'.
3) I sometimes drink by myself. I gladly can have 1-2 bottles of red by myself. Just dancing away in my room while getting drunk. And maybe even drunkenly stumbling out into town by myself afterwards.
4) I sometimes crave alcohol. As in I just think how great it would be to be drinking red wine. I do enjoy the taste of wine, but my issue is not being able to drink in moderation at all.
5) I have caused myself financial difficulty from drinking in the past. I have been behind on rent, spent large amounts of money rapidly (drunkenly buying loads of drinks in clubs etc). However, I am a student therefore don't have a huge stable income, and not massively supported by family.
6) I am mentally obsessed about drinking. When I am not drinking I am often thinking about how much I would love to go and get drunk.
However,
1) I am not an angry drunk. I am actually very fun loving when I drunk.
2) I rarely daytime drink. I have also never woke up and drank in the morning.
3) I have never had withdrawal symptoms (yet).
4) I like to go clubbing when I drink. Even though I do drink by myself, I often like to go to bars and clubs, and dance. I feel that I have an element of enjoyment with my drinking.
5) I do blackout on occasion but usually not full blackouts, more often partial. When I was around 19-20 I had some bad blackouts, but I think they have improved due to increased tolerance?
So this is the picture of myself and drink.
To any alcoholics there, if you were to have to give me an honest answer, do you believe I am an alcoholic or not? As in if you had to tick yes or no on a piece of paper, which one would you tick?
Many thanks in advance
To cut a long story short, I am in two minds of whether I am an alcoholic.
At points I have been certain I am, and other points unsure.
I think I without question have a problem with alcohol though.
So,
1) I don't necessarily drink everyday. However, if my bank account allows it, I will definitely find myself drinking anywhere from 2-5 times a week. The only time its less is when I don't have the funds to.
2) I cannot stop once I start drinking. 1 drink will often lead me to drinking until 3am! I just love the feel/buzz too much and don't want to loose it. I am constantly by the bar getting more and more drinks. I never feel like I have had 'enough'.
3) I sometimes drink by myself. I gladly can have 1-2 bottles of red by myself. Just dancing away in my room while getting drunk. And maybe even drunkenly stumbling out into town by myself afterwards.
4) I sometimes crave alcohol. As in I just think how great it would be to be drinking red wine. I do enjoy the taste of wine, but my issue is not being able to drink in moderation at all.
5) I have caused myself financial difficulty from drinking in the past. I have been behind on rent, spent large amounts of money rapidly (drunkenly buying loads of drinks in clubs etc). However, I am a student therefore don't have a huge stable income, and not massively supported by family.
6) I am mentally obsessed about drinking. When I am not drinking I am often thinking about how much I would love to go and get drunk.
However,
1) I am not an angry drunk. I am actually very fun loving when I drunk.
2) I rarely daytime drink. I have also never woke up and drank in the morning.
3) I have never had withdrawal symptoms (yet).
4) I like to go clubbing when I drink. Even though I do drink by myself, I often like to go to bars and clubs, and dance. I feel that I have an element of enjoyment with my drinking.
5) I do blackout on occasion but usually not full blackouts, more often partial. When I was around 19-20 I had some bad blackouts, but I think they have improved due to increased tolerance?
So this is the picture of myself and drink.
To any alcoholics there, if you were to have to give me an honest answer, do you believe I am an alcoholic or not? As in if you had to tick yes or no on a piece of paper, which one would you tick?
Many thanks in advance
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,785
I can't tell you if you're alcoholic or not. But if I had the same behaviors and warning signs, I'd think I had a problem.
I suggest you go six months completely sober and see how your life goes. I'm willing to bet it will improve. Some of the things you list could be risky.
Try going sober for six months.
I got sober over 8 yrs ago and don't regret a minute of it.
I suggest you go six months completely sober and see how your life goes. I'm willing to bet it will improve. Some of the things you list could be risky.
Try going sober for six months.
I got sober over 8 yrs ago and don't regret a minute of it. 
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 120,877
Welcome to SR, rdude; glad you found us.
All of the things that you listed under your 'concerned' list are red flags for alcoholism. I would definitely be inclined to check 'yes' BUT only you can decide.
The fact that you are and questioning your drinking speaks volumes. Normal drinkers don't usually question their drinking habits.
hy not give sobriety and recovery a really good try. Maybe you will find what many already have found - that sobriety and recovery rock!
All of the things that you listed under your 'concerned' list are red flags for alcoholism. I would definitely be inclined to check 'yes' BUT only you can decide.
The fact that you are and questioning your drinking speaks volumes. Normal drinkers don't usually question their drinking habits.
hy not give sobriety and recovery a really good try. Maybe you will find what many already have found - that sobriety and recovery rock!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 446
Like the others say, it’s for you to decide. But 2), that you cannot stop once you start, is a dead giveaway in my opinion.
Do this: quit for a trial periode of 30 days and then reevaluate how you feel. Stay here on SR, we’ll be with you on the journey.
Do this: quit for a trial periode of 30 days and then reevaluate how you feel. Stay here on SR, we’ll be with you on the journey.
Grateful
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NC
Posts: 1,763
In AA's text book, Alcoholics Anonymous (big book), it speaks of two things that most alcoholics have in common.
1) Mental obsession - this is when you constantly have thoughts about alcohol when you're not drinking (commonly known on this forum as the AV or alcoholic voice).
2) Phenomenon of craving - this is a physical reaction once you take the first drink and can't stop. There's a long scientific explanation behind this, but basically it has been shown that an alcoholic breaks down the chemicals in alcohol differently than a normal person causing our "off switch" to be broken.
You mentioned both of these issues (2 & 6) in your post.
1) Mental obsession - this is when you constantly have thoughts about alcohol when you're not drinking (commonly known on this forum as the AV or alcoholic voice).
2) Phenomenon of craving - this is a physical reaction once you take the first drink and can't stop. There's a long scientific explanation behind this, but basically it has been shown that an alcoholic breaks down the chemicals in alcohol differently than a normal person causing our "off switch" to be broken.
You mentioned both of these issues (2 & 6) in your post.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 3,781
I'd print this post out, get a piece of paper, mark a line down the center vertically.. Put the Pro's of drinking on the left and the con's on the right.. Bet the right side has more pain and drama..
only you know if you have it.. give it up for 30 to 90 days and you'll have a better idea..
Living a life of sobriety isn't a death sentence.. it's really the total opposite..
Wishing you the best.. you're 22, clean up and there's nothing you can't accomplish!
only you know if you have it.. give it up for 30 to 90 days and you'll have a better idea..
Living a life of sobriety isn't a death sentence.. it's really the total opposite..
Wishing you the best.. you're 22, clean up and there's nothing you can't accomplish!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 22
I ticked just about every box of your checklist! I'm 32 years old and coming up on 5 years sober.
All the things you list as not doing was the same as me but I eventually changed.
I went from being a fun drunk to an aggressive, horrible, annoying person (especially towards my wife) to anyone who was near me.
Day and morning drinking became a regular thing although I didn't drink everyday.
Blackouts became a constant which after some 2-3 day blackout benders I got scared enough to quit for good.
Like everyone says, try and stay off it for a while and see what you think.
Best of luck to you in whatever you do.
All the things you list as not doing was the same as me but I eventually changed.
I went from being a fun drunk to an aggressive, horrible, annoying person (especially towards my wife) to anyone who was near me.
Day and morning drinking became a regular thing although I didn't drink everyday.
Blackouts became a constant which after some 2-3 day blackout benders I got scared enough to quit for good.
Like everyone says, try and stay off it for a while and see what you think.
Best of luck to you in whatever you do.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: UK
Posts: 6,902
If someone continues to drinking even when it is becoming problematic for them, then this is not a sane decision, but comes from a place of compulsion. Also, not being able to reliably stop drinking once started sounds like a red flag as well.
Have you tried the AA questionnaire? (There are similar questionnaires elsewhere as well if, like me, you are inclined to say "well, they would say that!"
https://www.aa.org/pages/en_US/is-aa...you-can-answer
Why do you think that, all things considered, you're here posting, yet haven't done the obvious thing (to a non-alcoholic) and just cut down the number of days you drink and the amount you drink. If it's because that isn't possible for you, well, that might be the answer there flashing at you.
BB
Have you tried the AA questionnaire? (There are similar questionnaires elsewhere as well if, like me, you are inclined to say "well, they would say that!"
https://www.aa.org/pages/en_US/is-aa...you-can-answer
Why do you think that, all things considered, you're here posting, yet haven't done the obvious thing (to a non-alcoholic) and just cut down the number of days you drink and the amount you drink. If it's because that isn't possible for you, well, that might be the answer there flashing at you.
BB
Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 77
Alcoholism is an elevator ride to Hell. If you think that you have a problem its up to you whether you get off the elevator or ride it to the bottom. Unfortunately the elevator only goes one way. Best to you, Jimmy
Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,499
Originally Posted by rdude1 
So this is the picture of myself and drink.
Originally Posted by rdude1
To any alcoholics there, if you were to have to give me an honest answer, do you believe I am an alcoholic or not? As in if you had to tick yes or no on a piece of paper, which one would you tick?
I recommend that you stick around here and read some. Consider your relationship with alcohol seriously. Whether you decide to accept the label 'alcoholic' doesn't really matter. You know you have a problem with alcohol and it's cost you already. You can do something about it now or you can wait for worse to happen ... and it could get a lot worse.
Good luck, and please do take this seriously.
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,613
I’m an alcoholic, and I see my self in your posts. By the time I got to your age I was actually quite a bit worse. I like the social aspect, but was shut out of that for the last two lonely years. I liked dancing as well, till I shat myself on a crowded dance floor.
Alcoholism is a progressive terminal illness. It is not about weak character, and it is not anyone’s fault. Some of us just cannot drink and should not drink.
The question is have you passed the point where you can stop on your own power. Like someone else suggested, knock it on the head for a time, like three months, and see how you feel.
The big giveaway for me is the loss of control once you start. That doesn’t happen in non alcoholics.
I got sober at age 22.its not the end of the world, in fact it was the start of a much more satisfying life.
Alcoholism is a progressive terminal illness. It is not about weak character, and it is not anyone’s fault. Some of us just cannot drink and should not drink.
The question is have you passed the point where you can stop on your own power. Like someone else suggested, knock it on the head for a time, like three months, and see how you feel.
The big giveaway for me is the loss of control once you start. That doesn’t happen in non alcoholics.
I got sober at age 22.its not the end of the world, in fact it was the start of a much more satisfying life.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Colorado
Posts: 202
Originally Posted by Gottalife
I’m an alcoholic, and I see my self in your posts.
sober style
Join Date: May 2016
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 2,388
Originally Posted by MissPerfumado
I recommend that you stick around here and read some. Consider your relationship with alcohol seriously. Whether you decide to accept the label 'alcoholic' doesn't really matter. You know you have a problem with alcohol and it's cost you already. You can do something about it now or you can wait for worse to happen ... and it could get a lot worse.
Good luck, and please do take this seriously.
Good luck, and please do take this seriously.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,183
There are lots of self-tests to give you a better idea of where you are on the spectrum, here are two I like:
https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publicati...et/dsmfact.pdf
https://www.ncadd.org/get-help/take-...olic-self-test
Trick with these tests are, you gotta be absolutely honest when you take them. If you start to feel yourself getting creative in your answers and dodging the questions, "what do they mean by 'the'...", then you're probably not being honest, which itself is a bad sign.
But, regardless of labels, how about this: Give it a break for a month or 3, don't drink a single drop during that time, none, and then see how you feel at the end? Sometimes we can't see things clearly when we're dealing with addiction problems, and we have to set the substances aside for a good while before we can see things as they are.
https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publicati...et/dsmfact.pdf
https://www.ncadd.org/get-help/take-...olic-self-test
Trick with these tests are, you gotta be absolutely honest when you take them. If you start to feel yourself getting creative in your answers and dodging the questions, "what do they mean by 'the'...", then you're probably not being honest, which itself is a bad sign.
But, regardless of labels, how about this: Give it a break for a month or 3, don't drink a single drop during that time, none, and then see how you feel at the end? Sometimes we can't see things clearly when we're dealing with addiction problems, and we have to set the substances aside for a good while before we can see things as they are.
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