StrangeEyeAm

I'll start off with the dirty details. I drink a 6 pack of Bud Light EVERY night. Sometimes... if I have a day off (which is rare), I'll drink 12 Bud Lights... and start some point after 12pm. After a long day of work... I truly look forward to a "few" beers at the end of the day. Except a few has become a 6 pack. I CAN go without beer at all when I'm out of town and just don't have access to get any.

But if you don't consider me an alcoholic now, I'm on my way there. My biological (I'm adopted) parents have a history of alcohol abuse, my adoptive mother IS an alcoholic, and pretty much everyone in my family (both adoptive and biological) has had an issue. So if it's not a BIG problem now for me, it WILL be at some point.

Guess I'm just voicing how I feel. Not really sure where to start... but after speaking with a friend about getting on track to lose weight, obviously cutting out beer is a start... and that got me thinking about the fact that I drink a 6 pack every night. So, yeah. Hi... maybe I do have a problem.

Dee74

I think it's easy to get caught up on the A word...maybe it's best to focus on the fact that drinking a 6 pack every night isn't normal...and that it's a problem for you?

welcome to SR - you'll find a lot of support here

D

StrangeEyeAm

Thanks. It's certainly not normal. But I guess I'm not necessarily the "A word"... but... I definitely could end up like that. I live a normal live and work a normal job. But when I get home, I want to catch a buzz and fall asleep. Thanks again!

TTBABP

Welcome - you are already off to a good start by posting.

noanxtime

I agree with Dee74 - I know there are those who might disagree about the 'genetic' predisposition to being and addict of a chosen substance and jumping to the 'A' word can draw some conclusions that may or may not be valid.
If YOU are thinking 6 beers a night is too much and twice that on your 'off' days, there will be no argument here about wanting help, advice, cry towel, whatever you need.
If I would compare myself to my biological family it would run from severe, out of control alcoholics to stringent, never-touched-a drop people and everyone in between.
You will find an ocean of advice and help here.

Dee74

I think the parameters of 'alcoholic' are wider than people think - there's not many of us here who were homeless, toothless, unwashed, slept under bridges or drank wine from grimy bottles in paper bags...

that being said, it's not necessary to adopt the mantle of alcoholic to do something about a drinking problem either

D

Paddler

I used to look forward to a few, a buzz, and falling asleep. Eventually it caught up with me and 6 became 6 and a tallboy. Then 6 and two tallboys. Then a quick tallboy before 6. Weekends became definite 12 pack days starting with Friday night. It was harder to get up on weekdays and my work was less productive. I started out drinking early in the day on Saturday's only for really, really fun events. Vacations, holidays, tailgating, etc...

Eventually I was drinking early on Saturdays because it made me feel better from Friday night... My hangovers became worse and worse to the point I felt like I could die. Once your body becomes used to the higher level of alcohol it will take more to get the effects you want and the withdrawals and hangovers become less tolerable and more dangerous. That is how it progresses...

I don't know how old you are - but I'm 33. I drank a lot but perceived it as normal or "not too bad" for a long time. It caught up with me... and I am an alcoholic, now. One can argue if you are born wired to be an alcoholic or if you become that way... whatever the case for me my drinking patterns led me to desire and drink booze beyond my control.

But, I am grateful I have come to the realization I am an alcoholic before my body, my life, and my dreams are completely shot. I can put it down and move on, now. I hope.

If you think you have a problem and it could get worse... do yourself a favor. Move on from the bottle. If you continually question moving on and your self assessment of a "problem"... and hang onto the desire to drink... be very careful. I found just holding on became a cycle of rapid decline.

StrangeEyeAm

Thank you so much, both of you! I already feel better about my journey to becoming a better person - whether you could define me as an alcoholic or not.

hypochondriac

Yup, this was me. But even without your drinking spiralling out of control you can do serious damage drinking like that. I drank pretty much the same amount daily for over a decade and it was pretty damaging to my health. I too was able to not drink for a few days when required, but when I tried to quit drinking of my own accord I ran into difficulties. I found out I was a lot more dependent on it than I thought. It made sobriety not a walk in the park to start of with but I have learnt a lot about myself getting sober and definitely prefer it this way. Have you thought about giving it up? x

Paddler

You mentioned giving it up to kickstart loosing weight. I read an article in either Outdoor or Men's Health about a guy that started out around 25 drinking a 6 pack. By the time he was 30 he was up to 8 - 15 beers on a week night and had gone from roughly 160 - 280 lbs or something. I'm sure the alcohol led to pretty poor food choices, too... plus in that time he had graduated college and started his career... which also led to a more sedentary lifestyle.

Long and short... he started getting back in shape by quitting beer. At first he talked about how difficult it was. Eventually he was back down to his 160 or whatever and looked pretty ripped. He was doing triathlons and other outdoor adventure races. He went on to talk about how he didn't realize how the beer had formed a foundation AGAINST everything he dreamed to be... and had proven nothing like the commercials...

You know, when Lance Armstrong rides his TREK while holding a Michelob Ultra?

Personally I found my runs, workouts, kayaking, diet, etc... all improved when I drastically cut back. I'm still quitting... one day at a time. Good luck buddy.

Hevyn

Welcome StrangeEyeAm. My history is similar to Paddlers, though I'm much older. I once enjoyed a few at night - but my tolerance became huge. Fast forward 20 yrs. & I could drink a 30-pack all by myself in a day - and I'm just a small woman. In the end, I was drinking all day, and it was never out of my system.

So - you are doing a wise thing, Strange. You'll never go through the hell that many of us have. You see the warning signs and know where this could lead. I'm glad you are taking action. We're so glad to have you here.

wanttosucceed

Dr Drew says an addict/alcoholic is someone who continues to use in the face of consequences. For example I have consequences such as not remembering conversations, terrible hangovers, shame etc. Does your drinking cause unpleasant consequences for you? Either way you are a heavy drinker, if not a bonified alcoholic. And that isn't a healthy way to live.

MeSoSober

Welcome to a fellow Virginian! I'm in Fredericksburg but originally from Lynchburg.

If you decide to tackle your drinking now you will be soooooooo far ahead of the game. I should've done it ten years ago and have paid a great price for waiting.

In any case, we're here for you!

Booniecat

Welcome Strange. I never considered myself an alcoholic until I stopped drinking. I just had a problem with drinking too much. For me, what started as social drinking became daily drinking. Over the years, it increased and I began lying to my non drinking wife and hiding liquor. I would pre drink before going to a party so others did not know how much I drank. I finally reached a point where I was having regular blackouts at night and drinking anywhere from 10-20 oz per day of vodka. I knew I needed to "cut down". All my efforts failed and I finally decided I was not someone who could moderate my drinking.

I reached one month sober today and am loving life. It has not been always easy but I have made a decision to not drink at all. I would really recommend spending time on this forum and reading as much as you can. It was here I learned I had to have a plan so I wrote it out and shared it with my wife. Being accountable has made all the difference in saying no to the first drink.

One day last year, I asked my brother who is a recovered alcoholic if he thought I had a drinking problem. He replied that if I was asking that question I probably had a problem.

Good luck with the process beginning in your life.

StrangeEyeAm

Thanks to everyone for sharing their personal stories. And congratulations to all of you whom have been sober!

Drinking doesn't interfere with my daily life - but I can't imagine drinking a 6 pack every night can be that healthy. Regardless, with my family's history (both biological and adoptive), I'm just afraid that if I'm drinking a 6 pack now and hardly catching a buzz... what's going to stop me from drinking a 12 pack a night instead? Quit while you're ahead, right? It's already a borderline problem - I don't want it to be a full blown problem.

Hopefully on the way to a healthier and more sober me.

sugarbear1

women should drink no more than 2 a night and not more than 12 a week.

You are drinking a lot, alcoholic or not, you are hurting your body.

Only you can decide if you are an alcoholic.

Stop drinking, if you feel great, alcohol was a problem so don't drink.

Stop drinking, if life makes you irritable, restless or discontent, alcoholism may be the problem and there is a way out.

Hugs,
~SB

fancybritches

Hey Strange,
I have a similar problem-however-now my drinking has impacted my career within the past year, so I too decided to cut back and stop drinking...I had a few slip ups this weekend, but I'm ready to start fresh to feel better both mentally & physically. Welcome

1free1

Hey Strange, welcome. I can't tell you if you are an alcoholic or not, but why do you drink so much? Go to several Aa meetings and find out. I do know that alcoholism is progressive and it gets worse overtime or at least it was for me. Alcohol killed my whole family . Mother, father, aunts, uncles, cousins. Oh one aunt commited suicide at 19, one aunt was agoraphobic, and one cousin has been institionalized his entire life. I was the 1st an only one who broke the pattern, but not before being locked up in a mental instition escorted by two sheriffs, and several attempts at suicide. Oh yeah, I never lost a job and before I retired I was in the top 5% income bracket of women in the USA. I didn't think I was an alcoholic either. It caught me off guard when I finally surrendered. Today I'm happy joyous and free. No need for alcohol in 15 years. Bless you and let us know how you are doing. Love from a sister in the program of AA.

llastchance8

Hi Strange, As other SR friends have mentioned, it really does not matter . From your, 1st post, it is really aparant that you believe , the poblem will become worse.. Yes... This is the key.. Alcohol addiction, Alcohol problem, Binge drinking, problem drinking, Alcohole Abuse Syndrom or alcoholism.. Whatever one might call it... It is progressive.. It never slows or tapers down . It can neither be controlled, nor be tappered down for sustained periods.. I used to have 2 glass of wine with dinner and turned into 2 bottles of wine, before I even realized it.. As you mentioned, few beers became six and numbers are very much likely to go up.. This is, irrespective of any genetic or family background issue. Alochol, if abused , can turn any one into problem drinker , at a very slow and profound way.. Hence, please stick to this realization and take the actions , needed as early as possible. Tomorrow never comes. I wasted 8 precious years of my life ,while I was always thinking of tomorrow to quit. However, I am glad that I did. I am happy now. Wishing you all the best and same happiness.