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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Midwest
Posts: 7
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Hi,I'm a 23 year old male, I don't know what to classify myself as.
On a normal weekend, Fri and Saturday, you can find me downtown at a club , with a bottle or two of vodka with a few friends. This equals about 8 drinks, and usually I'll have a few shots also. With the club scene, also comes drug use. When I go out, I will also take some X, and also do cocaine throughout the night.
Each Sunday, I wake up and tell myself "I don't want to do this" , and that "I am going to stop". After partying last week, I got sick, and haven't done anything for a week, I feel this is a good step, I really don't want to do this stuff anymore.
Mon-Fri Afternoon, I live a healthy life, workout each day, eat right, goto school. Seems when the weekend comes I go on benders.
What can I do? I want to stop because I want to focus on other things in my life. I feel that these benders are also causing a depression, when I come down, and off everything, I feel low.
I am my own worst enemy, If I have too much time on my hand, that's when problems start to happen.
On a normal weekend, Fri and Saturday, you can find me downtown at a club , with a bottle or two of vodka with a few friends. This equals about 8 drinks, and usually I'll have a few shots also. With the club scene, also comes drug use. When I go out, I will also take some X, and also do cocaine throughout the night.
Each Sunday, I wake up and tell myself "I don't want to do this" , and that "I am going to stop". After partying last week, I got sick, and haven't done anything for a week, I feel this is a good step, I really don't want to do this stuff anymore.
Mon-Fri Afternoon, I live a healthy life, workout each day, eat right, goto school. Seems when the weekend comes I go on benders.
What can I do? I want to stop because I want to focus on other things in my life. I feel that these benders are also causing a depression, when I come down, and off everything, I feel low.
I am my own worst enemy, If I have too much time on my hand, that's when problems start to happen.
April 18, 2010
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,117
Hi MNL -
Welcome to SR! This is a great place to learn and meet people who have gone through similar struggles.
I lived a similar lifestyle in my early 20s. My drinking continued long after the other partying stopped, and increasingly became part of my daily life, and that was what brought me here. At 10 months sober I am really happy I am living life without alcohol. I am a little shy of 30 now, but I wish I'd quit years ago.
If you really want to change, and it sounds like you do, a program of support is important -- using SR frequently, or attending AA/NA, or seeing a counselor. It will be a big change to meet new people and change your habits and re-discover how to enjoy life in a healthy way, but you can do it. So many of us here have.
Welcome to SR! This is a great place to learn and meet people who have gone through similar struggles.
I lived a similar lifestyle in my early 20s. My drinking continued long after the other partying stopped, and increasingly became part of my daily life, and that was what brought me here. At 10 months sober I am really happy I am living life without alcohol. I am a little shy of 30 now, but I wish I'd quit years ago.
If you really want to change, and it sounds like you do, a program of support is important -- using SR frequently, or attending AA/NA, or seeing a counselor. It will be a big change to meet new people and change your habits and re-discover how to enjoy life in a healthy way, but you can do it. So many of us here have.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Irish
Posts: 552
for been here and admitting you may have a Problem with Substances.Mood altering Alcohol,Drugs....etc.Save yourself a lot of pain and grief and try and stay clean..............it gets worse,believe me.
Its very hard for a young person to stay Clean and Sober because of peer pressure.What will I do where will I go.There is so much more to life besides waisting it dopeing yourself.Stay with the winners.........I have so much to keep me busy now days I would not have time to drink..........not that I want to.
I bet you have plenty of talents.........go get involved with something that is healthy,Sport,Music,Charity Organisations,No Name Clubs,the list is endless............good luck.
i've done my almost
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 1,934
Hi MNL-
Yep, that was my 20's too and it was a lot of fun, but on the flip side of that coin, it was also scary b/c sometimes, I really didn't want to be doing what I was doing.
It also progressed with me, very slowly and very slick, but I eventually crossed "a line" sometime before I hit 30 and then my alcoholism and drug addiction totally took over and I went downhill fast.
Do you think you're an alcoholic and/or addict? (that's usually a good place to start)
Kjell
Yep, that was my 20's too and it was a lot of fun, but on the flip side of that coin, it was also scary b/c sometimes, I really didn't want to be doing what I was doing.
It also progressed with me, very slowly and very slick, but I eventually crossed "a line" sometime before I hit 30 and then my alcoholism and drug addiction totally took over and I went downhill fast.
Do you think you're an alcoholic and/or addict? (that's usually a good place to start)
Kjell
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Midwest
Posts: 7
Thank you for the responses.
What is a actual addict? I don't really like drinking or doing drugs, seems I only do them on the weekend. I don't crave anything, but then again who is to say I am not a addict?
What is a actual addict? I don't really like drinking or doing drugs, seems I only do them on the weekend. I don't crave anything, but then again who is to say I am not a addict?
i've done my almost
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 1,934
To tell you a little about myself, maybe you can identify.
I usually didn't drink everyday. It was mostly a weekend thing, but of course that progressed to Thursdays nights, then Monday nights too.
I would often drink/drug more than I intented too. Once I started, I sometimes had little control over when I would actually stop. I would also engage in a lot of bad behavior while intoxicated (with women, wreckless behavior at times, selfish behavior, embaressing, shameful, and regretful acts). Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all bad, but there were times...
I would also think about drinking and drugging alot. It was my entire social network and it's really all I did for fun (as in no matter what the activity, there was always drinking and drugging going on).
...and in the end, in those last 2 years, I ended up not being able to stop on my own. I also couldn't not drink.
Kjell
I usually didn't drink everyday. It was mostly a weekend thing, but of course that progressed to Thursdays nights, then Monday nights too.
I would often drink/drug more than I intented too. Once I started, I sometimes had little control over when I would actually stop. I would also engage in a lot of bad behavior while intoxicated (with women, wreckless behavior at times, selfish behavior, embaressing, shameful, and regretful acts). Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all bad, but there were times...
I would also think about drinking and drugging alot. It was my entire social network and it's really all I did for fun (as in no matter what the activity, there was always drinking and drugging going on).
...and in the end, in those last 2 years, I ended up not being able to stop on my own. I also couldn't not drink.
Kjell
unlearning
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: russia
Posts: 343
Originally Posted by mnl23 
I wake up and tell myself "I don't want to do this" , and that "I am going to stop".....
What is a actual addict? I don't really like drinking or doing drugs, seems I only do them on the weekend. I don't crave anything, but then again who is to say I am not a addict?
What is a actual addict? I don't really like drinking or doing drugs, seems I only do them on the weekend. I don't crave anything, but then again who is to say I am not a addict?
When I was young I worried more about (maybe "craved") my "friends" and peers and socializing more than what drugs and alcohol might do to me, including legal consequences. Didn't want to give up my way of life (too painful to), besides, plenty of time to change.
That thinking brought on 30 more years of addiction and underachievment. Those friends all long gone, the addiction remained. I didn't even think I had a problem at 23. You're wise enough to realize something is wrong, and can work (not easy, I know) on changing your life into something you feel more comfortable with in your old age. Wish I did.
Lots of support here, lots of good advice from others above, please keep posting.
Stopping the Train...
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Sevierville, TN - in the valley of the Great Smoky Mountains
Posts: 978
I had to answer the question of whether I was an addict or not even though I used everyday. I knew I had a problem, but an addict?? Took a minute to get there.
Here's an IP (Information Pamphlet) that helps with some of the questions, but its up to the individual.
IP #7 - Am I an Addict? <---click
For me - my life was unmanageable. I kept doing the same things over and over in an endless loop of obsessive/compulsive patterns with no hope of ever stopping. Not knowing how to stop. It's a personal choice...but I have to say...if you're here and asking - you may already have the answer.
Here's an IP (Information Pamphlet) that helps with some of the questions, but its up to the individual.
IP #7 - Am I an Addict? <---click
For me - my life was unmanageable. I kept doing the same things over and over in an endless loop of obsessive/compulsive patterns with no hope of ever stopping. Not knowing how to stop. It's a personal choice...but I have to say...if you're here and asking - you may already have the answer.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Cary, NC
Posts: 715
Hi mnl Welcome to SR 
I'll just relate some of my experience as a sober 22 y/o. I thought binge drinking and benders were the norm and partied like just about everyone I know. I drank and drank to get drunk and usually woke up feeling remorseful. I made a lot of promises to myself - I'll stop here and stop there - but I always seemed to break those promises whenever I went out next.
For me to answer the question - am I addicted to alcohol - I really had to look at my entire drinking career. From start to finish, I just seemed to drink more and more often, still always drinking to drunkenness. I didn't see this at the time but it was a death by increments - a little more and a little more and it never seemed unnatural or a problem. Until it was. The truth is, it was tough to tell in the beginning if I was addicted, simply because everyone I knew drank somewhat like me. But the progression was the killer and a hallmark of addiction. Then quitting became a matter of when, and since quitting now is easier than quitting later...
Anyway, enough about me. Glad you're here
I'll just relate some of my experience as a sober 22 y/o. I thought binge drinking and benders were the norm and partied like just about everyone I know. I drank and drank to get drunk and usually woke up feeling remorseful. I made a lot of promises to myself - I'll stop here and stop there - but I always seemed to break those promises whenever I went out next.
For me to answer the question - am I addicted to alcohol - I really had to look at my entire drinking career. From start to finish, I just seemed to drink more and more often, still always drinking to drunkenness. I didn't see this at the time but it was a death by increments - a little more and a little more and it never seemed unnatural or a problem. Until it was. The truth is, it was tough to tell in the beginning if I was addicted, simply because everyone I knew drank somewhat like me. But the progression was the killer and a hallmark of addiction. Then quitting became a matter of when, and since quitting now is easier than quitting later...
Anyway, enough about me. Glad you're here
Cause no harm
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Missouri
Posts: 596
Obviously, the longer you allow alcohol to be a part of your life, the more it will absorb you and make it more difficult to quit later in life. I have been a heavy drinker for over 40 years and it was tough making the decision to quit and following through. I am on my fifth serious attempt. I'm going to do it this time! You are young enough to stop before the heavy addiction sets in. Believe me, you don't want that to happen. Go clean now.
Padraic
Padraic
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Midwest
Posts: 7
I appreciate the responses dearly, I know I want to finish school, and I have plans, and goals. Just when I get in the "fog" my goals seem to become distant, I am in a EMT class right now, and will be done in 2 months, and then plan on going to Paramedic school. I haven't done anything for 9 days now,not much time, but still feel good.
To others I might seem like just a 23 year old, but I am my toughest critic. I have expected myself to be done with school by now ,but things have happened. It seems when I get idle time, that's when I become more susceptible to going to the clubs, drinking and drugging.
To others I might seem like just a 23 year old, but I am my toughest critic. I have expected myself to be done with school by now ,but things have happened. It seems when I get idle time, that's when I become more susceptible to going to the clubs, drinking and drugging.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Midwest
Posts: 7
A little more about me, like I said I am 23, most of my friends are in their 30s(they party on the weekends, have very successful careers). What does this say about me? I relate more to people at least 7-10 years older than me, I really don't have friends my age, because I don't like the way most people my age act. I have ADHD, and I only need about 4-5 hours of sleep to function.
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