Is drinking a progressive activity?
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
I say answer your own question.
Do you drink more now than you used to?
Do you find your tolerance to alcohol has changed?
Do you ever plan to have one, but end up having six?
Do you drink more often now than you used to? Like maybe you went from weekends to Thurs-Sun, then daily or maybe all day on the weekends?
If none of those things apply to you my next question would be: how long have you been drinking (in years.)
Do you drink more now than you used to?
Do you find your tolerance to alcohol has changed?
Do you ever plan to have one, but end up having six?
Do you drink more often now than you used to? Like maybe you went from weekends to Thurs-Sun, then daily or maybe all day on the weekends?
If none of those things apply to you my next question would be: how long have you been drinking (in years.)
Ocean Lover!
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: You know nothing Jon Snow - UK
Posts: 2,604
Alcoholism is a progressive disease. With each period of abstinence and relapse the drinking increases in amount and frequency. There is a lot of of clinical evidence to support this and it is also supported by trained addiction counsellors and therapists.
The consequences of drinking may or may not get worse, that is not a given but in terms of the medical consequences then I’d say yes.
The consequences of drinking may or may not get worse, that is not a given but in terms of the medical consequences then I’d say yes.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 514
I can answer this question from experience. Alcoholism is most definitely a progressive disease.
I went many years without understanding what that meant, because drinking heavily was just something I did; I never saw it getting out of control. But that's just it, isn't it -- we never see it getting out of control. It just happens.
Briefly, let me describe in general terms what happened to me. Since late high school, I realized that I liked to drink. Very often when I drank, I drank too much and would get VERY drunk, while others perhaps were still just in the "fun zone". I didn't do this every day, it rarely caused serious problems. I had my boundaries.
Fast forward a few years in college, same thing, except alcohol is more readily available and I'm encouraged to drink to get drunk; everyone else is, and that is what "fun" is. My boundaries for what "drunk" means get pushed further, and basically a night is only a problem if something disastrous happens. It seems a success if I don't throw up somewhere inappropriate, if I manage to wake up in my own bed, if I don't lose anything, etc... these things were never possibilities before, but now they are the norm.
Drinking before class? Drink before work?? Never. Those are my boundaries. Steal for alcohol if I don't have enough money? Please. That would never happen.
I eventually did those things, but still managed to get by. I was fine, right? I was fine until I wasn't. Until I finally woke up.
You extend each of your boundaries, one by one, without realizing it. That is, until the day you finally realize that when it comes to alcohol, you have no boundaries. That's the level I reached. Something aggressively progressive like alcoholism can and will get worse if you allow it to continue. If you wake up to what is happening and accept that things must change, they WILL get better.
That's the best way I can illustrate it!
I went many years without understanding what that meant, because drinking heavily was just something I did; I never saw it getting out of control. But that's just it, isn't it -- we never see it getting out of control. It just happens.
Briefly, let me describe in general terms what happened to me. Since late high school, I realized that I liked to drink. Very often when I drank, I drank too much and would get VERY drunk, while others perhaps were still just in the "fun zone". I didn't do this every day, it rarely caused serious problems. I had my boundaries.
Fast forward a few years in college, same thing, except alcohol is more readily available and I'm encouraged to drink to get drunk; everyone else is, and that is what "fun" is. My boundaries for what "drunk" means get pushed further, and basically a night is only a problem if something disastrous happens. It seems a success if I don't throw up somewhere inappropriate, if I manage to wake up in my own bed, if I don't lose anything, etc... these things were never possibilities before, but now they are the norm.
Drinking before class? Drink before work?? Never. Those are my boundaries. Steal for alcohol if I don't have enough money? Please. That would never happen.
I eventually did those things, but still managed to get by. I was fine, right? I was fine until I wasn't. Until I finally woke up.
You extend each of your boundaries, one by one, without realizing it. That is, until the day you finally realize that when it comes to alcohol, you have no boundaries. That's the level I reached. Something aggressively progressive like alcoholism can and will get worse if you allow it to continue. If you wake up to what is happening and accept that things must change, they WILL get better.
That's the best way I can illustrate it!
D♭7♭9♯9♯11♭13
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 336
We're kind of conflating two types of people: normies and alcoholics.
Drinking is not a progressive activity
Alcoholism IS a progressive "activity"
If you're thinking you're in the first category, then you wouldn't be posting in this forum.
And I know people who have a bad day and want to tie one on, and that's what they do - have ONE drink and never more. The assertion that their lives are just not effed up enough to drink to oblivion every day over it is a fallacy.
Drinking is not a progressive activity
Alcoholism IS a progressive "activity"
If you're thinking you're in the first category, then you wouldn't be posting in this forum.
And I know people who have a bad day and want to tie one on, and that's what they do - have ONE drink and never more. The assertion that their lives are just not effed up enough to drink to oblivion every day over it is a fallacy.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: UK
Posts: 431
Originally Posted by dcg 
We're kind of conflating two types of people: normies and alcoholics.
Drinking is not a progressive activity
Alcoholism IS a progressive "activity"
Drinking is not a progressive activity
Alcoholism IS a progressive "activity"
The only reason I don't have a class A narcotics problem is I never took them. I was lucky in that I wasn't in circles exposed to class a drugs. I also recognised my addictive nature with alcohol and cigarettes and felt that was enough to be going on with.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 674
Yes. Also, fun fact, on relapse we tend to ramp up VERY quickly to the level of use prior to quitting regardless of time spent sober. It's like the body doesn't remember how long its been and just BAM kicks it right back to the same insanity in short order.
I've come to believe 100% that it's progressive and terminal for alcoholics.
I've come to believe 100% that it's progressive and terminal for alcoholics.
D♭7♭9♯9♯11♭13
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 336
Originally Posted by Gerard52
Normies become alcoholics through progressive drinking. If I never drank I in first place I wouldn't have the problem now.
The only reason I don't have a class A narcotics problem is I never took them. I was lucky in that I wasn't in circles exposed to class a drugs. I also recognised my addictive nature with alcohol and cigarettes and felt that was enough to be going on with.
The only reason I don't have a class A narcotics problem is I never took them. I was lucky in that I wasn't in circles exposed to class a drugs. I also recognised my addictive nature with alcohol and cigarettes and felt that was enough to be going on with.
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