FightInside

Hi all,

I am new to this site...I searched for an alchoholics discussion forum b/c I feel quite alone...I wonder if I really have a problem? I don't know for sure and yet I feel like if I am wondering, then yes, I probably do. I drink at least 3-6 beers a day after work to unwind. I have never gotten a DWI/DUI, but I have called in sick for work b/c of hangovers. I have been drinking since I was 18. I am twice divorced and have a 12 year old son struggling in school b/c I think of my drinking?

After reading over some of the threads on this site, I feel the urge to go to the soonest AA meeting I can find!

I am rather scared. Scared to live without alchohol b/c I think life is tragically boring without it. What is wrong with me and where do I go to find the answer?!?

Please Help!

NellieM

Welcome to SR! Coming to this site is a good place to start. Keep reading and posting and most of all, don't drink. One day at a time.
Nellie

43395

This is not an attempt to dissuade you from using this site or attending AA meetings, all of which are beneficial to people, even those who don't drink there is a lot to be learned from them.

Some people are heavy drinkers or even alcohol dependent, but if you're a real alcoholic , like me the one thing thast alcohol will do for you that it doesn't do to anyone else, is that no matter where you are or what your circumstances it will instantly make everything AAAWWRRIIGGHHTT!

The name of the disease is alchol-ISM, alchol is then but a symptom, it's the -ISM's that have to be dealt with. More easily described as life itself.

However it is good to remember the old Chinese saying,'First the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes the man.'

Whateverbyou decide I wish you good luick and may the god of your understanding go with you. Mike W.

sampar

Hi,

Would like to welcome you to SR, its a great site with lots of information on it. I think its a great idea to go to AA, i have been a member 15 months now & have been sober since my first meeting. I knew deep down i had isssues with booze, but for me i considered an alcoholic to be the drunk on the park bench a down & out..................How wrong was i!!!!!!!
The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking. So go listen & identify with other people. No one is going to judge. I found it amazing how many ppl could have been telling my life story when they spoke about there own drinkin, so i found out how they got sober & learnt to deal with my mess of a life.
I wish you the best.

LeanaJo

Hi! yes, it sounds like you might have a problem. You don't have to have a DUI/DWI to be considered a drunk. I am and never had a DUI/DWI in my life (I guess you can say I was a "careful" binge drinking alcoholic; I never got behind the wheel when I know I was going out to drink). I was only a 1-2 times a week binge drinker (only on weekends ) and it was becoming a huge problem in personal life and public life in the last 7 years.

There are many different types of alcoholics. You sound like you have 1 of those categories. Me, I was a public drinker who only drank on Fridays and Saturdays and was very functional by Monday for work. Most wouldn't even know that I went drinking on Friday or Saturday night and came home drunk each time. I was stone, cold sober by Monday morning. I was a Functioning Alcoholic.

But if you have to have alcohol, everyday you get off of work, then you might have a problem. Go to the phone book, find the A.A. number, call, and go to the nearest meeting as soon as possible. :ghug3

rob312

Hi Fight Inside, welcome to the site! I went through a little of what you're talking about; I never considered myself addicted. Even though I drank at bars every night after work. Anyway, I did not use AA (personal preference), but I did get professional help through Counseling. Touring this site helped me a lot at the beginning. By the way, I did get a dwi; but I never really drank alone much; what I considered the alcoholic test. Those single answer tests are usually not a good gauge! I wish you the best of luck!!!
Rob

least

Going to some AA meetings might be a good place to start. And for more info and more replies, post your questions in the Newcomers forum. Lots of traffic there. Welcome to a wonderful place to recover!

CarolD

Welcome to all of our newer members.....

DJB

Glad to find this site. I have been drinking daily for five years now and even though everyone in my life has pointed out I have a problem I never fully realized until about fifteen minutes ago. How did I realize? Last week my friends and I went out and in four hours I binge drank so much that I had a seizure. I have no memory it took calling the cab companies whose chits i found in my purse, it took calling the ambulance company, and it all made sense why a week later my head still hurts when the cab driver told me i had a seizure on the way home. I guess today will be my first day well actually my first hour on this journey

43395

Alcohol-ISM, as I call the disease , takes no prisoners, niether does it delinate between race, colour, class or creed. Priolr to starting the journey of recovery, we each have to hit our own rockbottom, for some that rockbottom is death, for others our rockbottom comes to meet us, so you don't get a choice in that either. In alcohol - ISM, and our recovery, we each have our own journey, with one ultimate goal, sobriety, no more no less. . . .and just for those who suffer delusions about this, IT NEVER ENDS! May the god of your understanding go with you, Mike W.

marni

I am an alcoholic and consider myself lucky to know this without a shadow of doubt, l feel it has helped me in my journey to recovery.
l accepted my life was totally unmanageable 20 months ago and have not picked up that FIRST drink, one day at a time.
For me l knew because my life revolved around buying, hiding, drinking alcohol and then passing out, daily, there was a serious problem.
l was still functioning ( sort of ) l was working, without taking sick days, l did not have any legal issues including DUI's ( YET )and no-one knew except my immediate family what was really going on in my life.
Today my life is toatally different and sooo wonderful, finding this site has been amazing and reading the different blogs contributes to my ability to stay sober, one day at a time.
Thanks