TakingItBack

Hey guys, I've been lurking around SR for a while, but this is my first post! So I'll get right to it. I'm 32 with a great job and great marriage. My problem? I've tried and failed numerous times to cut back on Jack and Coke, my go to drink. I can max out at 4 days without it, but by then, I'm jonesing like crazy. I only drink at night after the kids are in bed, usually 4-5 nights a week. But when I do drink it, I go hard and tend to have a terrible hangover the next day. I can usually polish off a handle in 3 nights. Is it possible to be addicted to one type of alcohol and not another? Or is it possibly the caffeine that I'm addicted to? The thing is, I can have one beer and stop, no problem. I don't crave beer. But when it comes to JC, I crave it like crazy. All the soda is really taking a toll on my health, and it needs to stop, I know.

I feel terrible when I have to watch my two toddler boys in the morning when I'm hungover... it makes me feel like the worst father in the world. So, I figured this would be a great place for some accountability, since I can't seem to kick the habit on my own. Thanks for reading, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Anna

Hi and Welcome,

Alcohol is alcohol. The beer has less alcohol that then the Jack, so it likely affects you less. However, alcoholism is a progressive disease and no matter what kind of alcohol you drink, it will worsen over time.

We're here to offer support if you decide to stop drinking.

Coldfusion

Welcome!

SoberRecovery can be useful to helping you stay sober, but it takes work. The more you give, the more you get. That is, if you post something encouraging for another person, it helps your own sobriety.

Here's some good threads to join:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ml#post5380909

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ml#post5380817

doggonecarl

Welcome to SR.

If you are drinking that much, and can't go but a few days without drinking because the cravings are so bad, you are most like dependent on alcohol.

I drank mostly beer. Daily for 35 years. When I quit there was other alcohol in the house, but no beer. Beer was what I craved. But I also knew that if I drank anything else, all bets were off. So I didn't just quit beer, I quit drinking.

And it was the best decision I ever made and don't regret it for a second

ScottFromWI

Welcome to SR taking it back. Glad to hear that you are trying to make positive changes in your life, and if drinking is a problem in any way then quitting is certainly an honorable goal for both you and your family.

In response to your question above, all alcohol is exactly the same. It doesn't matter if it's booze, beer or wine - it's the identical chemical compound that causes the addiction. It's certainly possible that you prefer booze to beer, but at the end of the day an alcohol problem is an alcohol problem. I personally only drank beer....I would't touch wine or booze even if it was the only thing available, but I would drink every beer I could get my hands on until it was all gone.

Most likely what you need is some support in the form of Meetings/Counseling/Self Help to help you accept your addiction for what it is and learn to live sober. Just "not drinking" is not very effective as it doesn't help you learn how to live your life without alcohol. You may also have underlying issues to deal with besides the addiction. Some use structured programs with meetings like AA/Smart/etc, others see a counselor and use self-paced methods. Some go to rehab and others do a combination of all the above.

You can find a lot of support here and info about all these types of recovery methods...read lots and ask lots of questions.

greens

I always found the sugary drinks much more addictive then beer

CaseyW

Welcome to SR, TakingItBack! You've found a place with a ton of great support and wisdom.

Alcohol is alcohol. I am 100% sure that if you cut out the Jack and Coke and stuck to only beer that you'd be drinking a similar amount of beer every three days before too long.

PurpleKnight

Welcome to the Forum TakingItBack!!

On The Road

Hi TIB

I can totally identify with you about feeling guilty. I've been the hungover a**hole Dad, which I know is a horrible thing.

But I'm finding redemption in sobriety. I'm exercising, eating well, sleeping well, and so full of energy that I really enjoying being with my kids - teaching and playing sports. Our relationships have never been better because they can see for themselves that I'm truly interested in them.

Before there was always a barrier between us caused by the mind numbing effects of alcohol.

I'm not a scientist or a doctor so I can't advise you on types of alcohol, etc. For me, all alcohol is bad because I'll drink whatever is available until either the bottle is dry or I'm passed out.

Soberwolf

Welcome Takingitback