Day 1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 10
Day 1
Hello all, I'm 27 years old and have gotten to the point where my drinking has definitely become problematic, yet I'm not sure that I'm an alcoholic or have to abstain forever, of course, I am hoping that is not the case... Going to try to fix this on my own by getting away from it for a good long chunk of time...a month? 3 mos? 6 mos? Not sure...but the longest I've gone is about a week (except for 2 pregnancies)...today is day 1...any encouraging thoughts would be appreciated! =)
Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Spain
Posts: 298
Hello, Bailey. Sorry, my english is not very good.
Here is a test used at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, MD, in deciding whether or not a patient is an alcoholic. Twenty Questions of AA That helped decide I was alcoholic Help for Alcoholics alcoholism addiction treatment and recovery
If your drinking is problematic, you may be alcoholic. That is not a stigma. That means that you have problems with alcohol and that you cannot stop.
Normal drinkers usually dont suffer problems related to alcohol and can stop when they want.
Try to abstain from alcohol during at least 1 month, preferibly 2 months. Then you can evaluate how your life has improved and if it is worthwhile drinking.
Alcoholism is a progressive disease, so it gets worse over time.
Take care.
Here is a test used at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, MD, in deciding whether or not a patient is an alcoholic. Twenty Questions of AA That helped decide I was alcoholic Help for Alcoholics alcoholism addiction treatment and recovery
If your drinking is problematic, you may be alcoholic. That is not a stigma. That means that you have problems with alcohol and that you cannot stop.
Normal drinkers usually dont suffer problems related to alcohol and can stop when they want.
Try to abstain from alcohol during at least 1 month, preferibly 2 months. Then you can evaluate how your life has improved and if it is worthwhile drinking.
Alcoholism is a progressive disease, so it gets worse over time.
Take care.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 120
Wow!
Thanks for posting this Mariano. I scored a 14! I liked the part where it said "if you scored 1, that may be a warning that your an alcoholic"!
So I guess it's great that I have been dry 9 weeks today!
My point to the OP is that you can abstain for a couple weeks, but it won't change the fact that you're an alcoholic or that it will not be any less debilitating. You're just kidding yourself by delaying the inevitable.
Thanks for posting this Mariano. I scored a 14! I liked the part where it said "if you scored 1, that may be a warning that your an alcoholic"!
So I guess it's great that I have been dry 9 weeks today!
My point to the OP is that you can abstain for a couple weeks, but it won't change the fact that you're an alcoholic or that it will not be any less debilitating. You're just kidding yourself by delaying the inevitable.
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,564
Bailey - that is a good test Mariano posted (thanks 
). I wanted so much to be able to control my drinking, but every time I drank, the results were unpredictable (and sometimes dangerous).
Keep posting & reading about others experiences - this is a great place to help you sort everything out & make your decision.
). I wanted so much to be able to control my drinking, but every time I drank, the results were unpredictable (and sometimes dangerous).Keep posting & reading about others experiences - this is a great place to help you sort everything out & make your decision.
~sb
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 15,967
Most (90%) of the alcoholics I know, knew they had a problem around the ages of 23-30, including me.
The red flag went up when I read, "I am hoping that is not the case" as those without a concern don't think like that. My opinion.
I answered several calls at the aa office. ALL of them have been 23-27 years of age.
Listen now, I didn't and progressive alcoholism leads to really horrible circumstances.
The red flag went up when I read, "I am hoping that is not the case" as those without a concern don't think like that. My opinion.
I answered several calls at the aa office. ALL of them have been 23-27 years of age.
Listen now, I didn't and progressive alcoholism leads to really horrible circumstances.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: CA
Posts: 176
Bailey, I've been where you are now, questioning and sometimes rationalizing. Try to abstain for a while and see how it goes. Here's a quote from Caroline Knapp's book, Drinking: A Love Story that I found helpful:
"When you question your alcoholism, you say to yourself: If I am an alcoholic, I shouldn't drink and if I'm not an alcoholic, I don't need to."
Good luck to you!
"When you question your alcoholism, you say to yourself: If I am an alcoholic, I shouldn't drink and if I'm not an alcoholic, I don't need to."
Good luck to you!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 38
Hi Bailey,
This morning I made a decision to quit. Tonight is the first night I am not drinking and thanks to all the support here...I am doing ok. The reality is you really do feel better when you don't drink. It is a bandaid to mask out something bigger in your life. Stay strong...you can do this....try to find something you enjoy doing to distract you....sending you many prayers...
This morning I made a decision to quit. Tonight is the first night I am not drinking and thanks to all the support here...I am doing ok. The reality is you really do feel better when you don't drink. It is a bandaid to mask out something bigger in your life. Stay strong...you can do this....try to find something you enjoy doing to distract you....sending you many prayers...
Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,410
Don't worry about labeling yourself as an alcoholic. It's really not that important. The important thing is to address your problem with alcohol. If your not happy with alcohol then stop drinking. Learn how you drink in the first place and deal with your problems head on. You may need to talk to your doctor about depression or anxiety if you suffer from it because they can give you med to help with it.
Life does gets better after alcohol and don't worry about the A word. It's really not that important but that's just me.
Life does gets better after alcohol and don't worry about the A word. It's really not that important but that's just me.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: MI
Posts: 720
Welcome Bailey - I agree that if you have any doubts of if you have a drinking problem, then there is a reason you want to quit drinking. As some mentioned, even if you are not a full blown alcoholic, quitting is still a good reason so that you don't become one. I wish I had realized it when I was your age. Good for you for stepping up to the plate. Now smack a home run and enjoy what sobriety has to offer. It's not easy, but it's worth every moment.
Nightswatch - great point:
"When you question your alcoholism, you say to yourself: If I am an alcoholic, I shouldn't drink and if I'm not an alcoholic, I don't need to."
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 10
Wow thanks everyone! Lots of great advice and insights! I'm hoping I haven't gotten "past that point", but time will tell. I really do enjoy the sober days a lot, but if I didn't like drinking I guess I wouldn't be on here. Either way whether it helps me get over my problem drinking or is the beginning of a permanent solution, taking a good chunk of time off is a must right now. Day 1 went great! usually gets hard for me on day 3 or 4. What's everyone's best ways to dealing with cravings? Seems like focusing on diet and exercise helps me quite a bit...but like I said about 1 week is my record, so again any advice = good. thanks again for all the replies!
Either way whether it helps me get over my problem drinking or is the beginning of a permanent solution, taking a good chunk of time off is a must right now. Day 1 went great! usually gets hard for me on day 3 or 4. What's everyone's best ways to dealing with cravings? Seems like focusing on diet and exercise helps me quite a bit...but like I said about 1 week is my record, so again any advice = good. thanks again for all the replies! Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 10
Yeah...is there a general amount of time that it suddenly becomes easy? Or easier? And if so how long would you sat that is? I've been wondering that for a while...I want to get to that point... I want to not want to, ya know what I mean..
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,442
I think thats different for everyone Bailey...
I drank heavily for years...the first 90 days were pretty rough for me...but others have reported it getting easier a lot sooner than that
D
I drank heavily for years...the first 90 days were pretty rough for me...but others have reported it getting easier a lot sooner than that
D
I'm here to learn!
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: I'm on it!
Posts: 2,038
I've been sober five months, and things were very hard for me the first 30. I had such a hard time that I relapsed many many times before making it to 30, so I decided to go to rehab for 30 days.
It can be hard, but IMO it is easier if you are working some kind of program rather than just going on will power alone. Some people's program just means being an active member of the SR "community", and that works great for them. Some others need a face to face support group in addition to SR. Whatever floats your boat and keeps you clean.
Personally for me things got a lot easier after the first 30, and then again after 60 and after 90 and finally by 4 months in until now I feel quite secure in my sobriety and I think it would take some major arm twisting to get me to drink again.
It can be hard, but IMO it is easier if you are working some kind of program rather than just going on will power alone. Some people's program just means being an active member of the SR "community", and that works great for them. Some others need a face to face support group in addition to SR. Whatever floats your boat and keeps you clean.
Personally for me things got a lot easier after the first 30, and then again after 60 and after 90 and finally by 4 months in until now I feel quite secure in my sobriety and I think it would take some major arm twisting to get me to drink again.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SC
Posts: 34
Welcome Bailey,
I know exactly where you are coming from! I'm also finding that I want to prove to myself that I don't have a serious issue. I would much rather think that I don't need or want to drink as opposed to I can't have a drink because I have a problem.
Good Luck on your Day 1
You can do this!
I know exactly where you are coming from! I'm also finding that I want to prove to myself that I don't have a serious issue. I would much rather think that I don't need or want to drink as opposed to I can't have a drink because I have a problem.
Good Luck on your Day 1
You can do this!
Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Spain
Posts: 298
Originally Posted by Bailey84 
Day 1 went great! usually gets hard for me on day 3 or 4. What's everyone's best ways to dealing with cravings? Seems like focusing on diet and exercise helps me quite a bit...but like I said about 1 week is my record, so again any advice = good. thanks again for all the replies!
usually gets hard for me on day 3 or 4. What's everyone's best ways to dealing with cravings? Seems like focusing on diet and exercise helps me quite a bit...but like I said about 1 week is my record, so again any advice = good. thanks again for all the replies! For me, it got better after 15 days, further better at 30, and even better at 60, 90... It still is getting better at 5 months of sobriety.
Take care.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
