KeepingOn

Good afternoon,

There are several places/sources (including the Big Book) that differentiate between Heavy Drinkers and Alcoholics. One radio interview suggested that Heavy Drinkers may find help on SoberRecovery.

Certainly both groups have problems with alcohol, but they're a bit different, so I'm wondering if there's a forum for the Heavy Drinkers, or only for those who identify as "alcoholics"?

Thanks,

KeepingOn

SDH73

Hi, KeepingOn. Not sure about the differentiation you speak of, I haven't read the Big Book. I didn't drink in the mornings to calm the shakes or sneak a few before work, but my alcohol consumption was definitely a problem for me. I'd say SR is for anyone who thinks they have a problem with it.

Welcome!

Anna

Welcome!

We try to be inclusive here and it seems to work. I think if you look around, you will find many things you can relate to.

If you are a heavy drinker and not an alcoholic, then you should have no trouble stopping drinking. If you can't stop drinking, then you are an alcoholic. And, try to remember, it's just a label, a word.

JensDestiny

I totally agree that this site is for anyone who may have a problem with alcohol. I am also unsure what difference you are looking for but think that I have an idea. Are you seeking someone who could identify to the amount of alcohol that you are consuming who has been able to quit successfully?

Cauliflower

If heavy drinkers can't quit without AA or SR then I would suspect that they are alcoholics. Once you lose control, then you know there is a problem.

biminiblue

The label or name you give it isn't important here in the least.

As has often been said, if alcohol is a problem, the solution is to stop drinking.

No one can label you except you. Does your drinking concern you?

Welcome to the site

MIRecovery

I was a heavy drinker and could stop anytime I wanted. The problem was I never wanted to

Dee74

Hi and welcome KeepingOn

Like Anna said , I'm sure you'll find a place here, no matter what you identify as

D

greens

I don't worry about the labels . All I know is that drinking isnt right for me

sva777

I thought I was a heavy drinker, it sounded better to me than alcoholic. Looking back now I was always an alcoholic, just afraid to come to terms with it until my wife took me to the ER.

This place is great, people with all kinds of different stories here to support each other.

bigsombrero

Are you a heavy drinker who wants to quit drinking? Then you're in the right place! No worries on what you call yourself. Many of us have had struggles with abusing alcohol and this has been a good place for support for problem drinkers of all levels.

Sasha4

Why do you think you drink heavily?
Do you think the heavy drinking is a good thing?
Do you want to stop?

least

If alcohol is a problem, stopping is the solution. If you stop drinking but find your problems continue, then you might need outside help.

SR is a good resource for those of us who want to live sober.

Gottalife

For an alcoholic stopping is the only solution. For a heavy drinker, he can stop or moderate given a good enough reason. Alcoholics often have very good reasons to stop, but cannot.

An alcoholic would stop if he could.
A drunk could stop if he would.

Twas my ambition to be a heavy drinker, but I lacked the control. Would have been a bad health choice too.

Zufrieden

Hi Keeping On
I understand the question and have found myself entertaining it myself the past two weeks. I have decided that for me it is an unhelpful concept to contemplate because, as others say in various ways, it is sort of splitting hairs.
I wrecked, or handicapped, many years of my life by drinking excessively and I really don't want to do that anymore. I never succeeded at moderation for more than a day. Regardless of the label I'm just happier and more whole without it.
Good luck.
D

FreeOwl

Yeah that part in the Big Book that talks about the heavy drinker versus the alcoholic was always pretty tempting for me. Even as I read this I found myself briefly thinking; 'hmm..... Yeah.... Maybe I was totally just a heavy drinker all those years... Maybe I just needed a good enough reason to drink moderately'.

But honestly I think heavy drinker and alcoholic are not so different in the impact to life.... And I believe that the one eventually leads to the other.

If you can get help from this or any other source to go from 'heavy drinker' to truly moderate status.... Well then, my hat is off to you.

I tried that.... It didn't work.

esinger

Hello KeepingOn,
I find labels unimportant and sort of annoying. I .just drank too much until I drank all the time. That was a problem. Is your drinking causing you a problem? If so there's a lot of caring people here that might be able to hear you out and offer you their insight.

Good Luck!

CaseyW

There is a lot of great stuff in the Big Book and a lot of antiquated bad writing too. I'd definitely put that whole bit about heavy and other types of drinkers in the latter category.

If you want to quit drinking or using other drugs but can't quite seem to do it on your own, then SR is the place for you whether you call yourself an alcoholic, a drunk, a binge drinker, a heavy drinker, a functional alcoholic, an addict, or whatever other label you prefer.

Welcome to SR, KeepingOn. Hope you'll stick around and take advantage of the support and wisdom to be found here.

MaidenNZ

Trying to differentiate between being a heavy drinker and alcoholic is like saying youre a little bit pregnant isn't it? Either way you have an issue right?

site1Q84

I would say if you're looking for help and support quitting, you're an alcoholic.

There are people I've met who only drank for a few years that are alcoholics and in AA. I drank the amount of a heavy drinker, but I did it alcoholicly. I definitely wasn't at my rock bottom, but I recognized what was happened and knew I needed to stop and needed help doing it. They say that alcoholism is like an elevator- you can get off at any level and don't have to ride it all the way down, but either way you're still on it and an alcoholic.