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Alcoholism?

Old 12-22-2011, 01:52 PM
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Alcoholism?

I think I may be an alcoholic, but I'm so afraid to admit it to my wife or even myself. I just finally found the register button to join the forums. I would like to get a hold of some information to see if there is someone out there that I could talk to about my concerns. I drink moderately, maybe 4-6 days a week, and I hide most of the drinks I have from my family. They usually assume that I'm drinking to escape life, but I really just like to relax after work. I've recently started drinking around work time (approximately 1-2 drinks beginning a shift and 2-3 drinks at lunch). I'm not sure what constitutes someone as an alcoholic, but I'm scared that I might have reached that point. I just want to get some information and advice before I get too overworked about this. Thank you for any help you can get me. I would like to think that my drinking is still at a point where I can adjust my consumption to a sociable level. Thank you kindly in advance for any information or advice!

-Jeremy
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Old 12-22-2011, 02:02 PM
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Hi Jeremy,

You sound a bit like I did, about 10 years prior to me going to my first A.A. meeting. I thought I had a 'drink problem' rather than being an alcoholic.

I guess that was because I wasn't in a gutter screaming at pigeons; you see my concept of what an alcoholic is kept me from recovering.

But there's loads of red flags in your post that should cause concern. Hiding the level you're drinking from your family, drinking 4-6 nights per week, drinking at work; you know there's something wrong here; obviously otherwise you wouldn't be here.

My answer (which is only from an A.A. point of view and others are welcome to disagree) is that being an alcoholic is a little bit like being pregnant, in that you either are pregnant or not pregnant; there is no inbetween; however it shows more in some than in others depending on the stage of the pregnancy.

I hope that makes sense and I've explained it properly.

It's also not our job to tell you if you're an alkie or not; that's for you to decide.

Why don't you try stopping drinking for a period? Say a couple of months; Start again in March 2012 maybe? How does that idea make you feel? Is it out of the question? For a non alcoholic, a few months abstinence would be no problem.
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Old 12-22-2011, 02:12 PM
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Hi Jeremy,

It's up to you decide if you are an alcoholic or not. It doesn't depend on how much or how often you drink, as much as what happens to you when you drink. Are you able to stop drinking after one or two drinks? In my opinion, if you're drinking at work, that's a problem, and so is hiding your drinking from your family.

There is lots of support here and lots of information too, so take a look around and keep posting.
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Old 12-22-2011, 02:35 PM
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Hi Jeremy

I often think it's better to leave the label for now and just focus on the issue - is your drinking causing you problems? if so, what are you going to do about it?

I don't believe anyone can diagnose you as alcoholic but there are tests online that may help you pinpoint problems.

this is a standard one:
Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST), Revised

welcome to SR

D
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