Am I a drunk?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 2
Am I a drunk?
I don't know if I have a problem. I drink when I'm stressed from work. once or twice a week I come home stressed enough that I drink, often starting with beer (3-6 bottles), then ending with wine (full bottle). I'm 6'1, 230 lbs, so my tolerance tends to be high.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Minnesota, USA
Posts: 1,468
My boyfriend is a 'normie' and for him, he will drink once a week in a group setting, usually at softball or with friends. When softball isn't in season, he rarely drinks alcohol. He can do with or with out it. I would consider that a normal alcohol consumer.
I don't think drinking alone is normal, I'm not sure if you're drinking alone or not.
I can't speak for anyone else however, I'm an alcoholic and I have no idea personally what normal drinking as My normal was binge drinking on the weekend. I could drink 3 beers and be done while other nights 10 beers, mixed drinks, wine or whatever else in excess.
Is the drinking affecting your life, home, work, so on?
I don't think drinking alone is normal, I'm not sure if you're drinking alone or not.
I can't speak for anyone else however, I'm an alcoholic and I have no idea personally what normal drinking as My normal was binge drinking on the weekend. I could drink 3 beers and be done while other nights 10 beers, mixed drinks, wine or whatever else in excess.
Is the drinking affecting your life, home, work, so on?
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,431
Hi Hodg
I don't know what you are - and I'd never call anyone but me a drunk - but what you're drinking
is a lot more than recommended guidelines
I don't think anyone comes here by accident...y'know? 
D
I don't know what you are - and I'd never call anyone but me a drunk - but what you're drinking
beer (3-6 bottles), then ending with wine (full bottle).
What does moderate drinking mean?
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans,1 moderate alcohol consumption is defined as having up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men. This definition refers to the amount consumed on any single day and is not intended as an average over several days. However, the Dietary Guidelines do not recommend that people who do not drink alcohol start drinking for any reason
What is a standard drink in the United States?
A standard drink is equal to 14.0 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in
12 ounces of beer (5% alcohol content).
8 ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol content).
5 ounces of wine (12% alcohol content).
1.5 ounces or a “shot” of 80-proof (40% alcohol content) distilled spirits or liquor (e.g., gin, rum, vodka, whiskey).
https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm .
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans,1 moderate alcohol consumption is defined as having up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men. This definition refers to the amount consumed on any single day and is not intended as an average over several days. However, the Dietary Guidelines do not recommend that people who do not drink alcohol start drinking for any reason
What is a standard drink in the United States?
A standard drink is equal to 14.0 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in
12 ounces of beer (5% alcohol content).
8 ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol content).
5 ounces of wine (12% alcohol content).
1.5 ounces or a “shot” of 80-proof (40% alcohol content) distilled spirits or liquor (e.g., gin, rum, vodka, whiskey).
https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm .
D
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,613
3-6 bottles of beer and a bottle of plonk would be dangerously high to consume on a regular basis, certainly beyond official guidelines.
Are you a drunk?
A drunk could sober up if he would.
An alcoholic would sober up if he could.
Try the three months dry time suggested, and see how it goes.
Are you a drunk?
A drunk could sober up if he would.
An alcoholic would sober up if he could.
Try the three months dry time suggested, and see how it goes.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Posts: 28,663
What does it matter what you think about a label. If your life is effected by alcohol to the point where you alter your behaviour, or depend on it- or are worried..then do something about it. Support to you.
Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 14,919
Yes.
Based on the behavior you described, which is exactly how I started down the path to alcoholism.
Bottom line - You are drinking alone to change the way you feel.
Alcoholism is progressive. Eventually you may reach a point where you don't like how you feel (physically, emotionally, or whatever) because of your drinking. And then the madness is, you drink to escape those feelings, only to have them return the next day.
Based on the behavior you described, which is exactly how I started down the path to alcoholism.
Bottom line - You are drinking alone to change the way you feel.
Alcoholism is progressive. Eventually you may reach a point where you don't like how you feel (physically, emotionally, or whatever) because of your drinking. And then the madness is, you drink to escape those feelings, only to have them return the next day.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
Originally Posted by hodg33 
I just don't know if what I do is 'normal' or excessive. I'm trying to level set my behavior
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: UK
Posts: 6,902
Originally Posted by hodg33
I don't know if I have a problem. I drink when I'm stressed from work. once or twice a week I come home stressed enough that I drink, often starting with beer (3-6 bottles), then ending with wine (full bottle). I'm 6'1, 230 lbs, so my tolerance tends to be high.
What happens if you try to just have a couple of glasses instead of a couple of number of bottles?
I came to sobriety with the notion that people ALL really drink alcohol to get drunk. Blasted. Blotto. Numb. Wasted. Took a while sober to realise that some people really do only just have a couple and can enjoy them and stop at that. OMG - and you know what they're referred to by many in recovery? 'The NORMIES' Ha. I didn't think there was much normal about that kind of behaviour. Surely, if you're drinking you need to do the job properly??!! But, seems that I'd got that one wrong. Anyway - because I'm an alcoholic, once I start drinking the off switch doesn't work so good, and nothings going to convince me I should just stop. But I couldn't see that at the time because I didn't drink every day. Hell, I even did a month sober for charity once, although I think most people probably would have willingly given me the money to just go have a drink and stop being a melodramatic whining b**** that month. (Frankly I didn't do it with good grace!) So, the only way for me to make drinking not problematic for me is to not take the first drink. Ever. Then I'll be okay. That's sobriety.
Dealing with stress and the like without alcohol - well, that's something different. Learning to do (and practicing doing) that is what I think of as my recovery work. I've had to learn a whole new armoury of ways to get through life on life's terms. Most of the things that used to 'make' me drink are still there, but they don't bother me so much or for so long nowadays. My stressful day at work can finish either as Ieave work, or shortly after if I need to work through something that my mind keeps replaying.
Anyway - glad you're here and reading. Whether or not you want to think of yourself as a drunk or an alcoholic, or whatever, it sounds like your health and work situation would benefit from you at least cutting down on the booze (if that's possible for you - for many of us it is not), and learning some new and better ways to deal with stress.
Take care.
BB
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,497
If you're really unsure, take a break from alcohol for 3 months and see how it goes. I suspect that you know deep down, but don't really want to accept it at this point. If alcohol is causing problems in your life, then stopping drinking is the solution.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
