GraphicDesigner

Hello,

My name is Brandon. I am a 21-year-old college student and so obviously binge drinking is part of my weekends, going out with friends. Just recently, however, I went on a trip to a lake with a whole bunch of people from my school and we basically drank non-stop for about 5 days. I would get drunk, pass out, wake up, and start drinking again. Basically, I have continuously had alcohol in my body for about 7 days now. The last two days I was extremely hung over so I drank more alone to get rid of withdrawal symptoms and feel better, sleep, etc.

My main concern right now, though, is my health. I am very anxious and scared that I might die if I keep drinking and never sober up. I mean, how many days can a person be continuously drunk before they die?

It seems like 10 days of straight drinking would just kill a person.. but then again I've been told some alcoholics drink for years and years, every day.

I think I am an alcoholic (my grandmother had problems with drinking) because I like drinking alone. I like to have a 6 pack of beers and watch TV alone in my room. Often if my roommates come in, I have to hide the alcohol so they don't see it and I get pissed off if they interfere with what I'm doing.

I feel like crap right now, so I will probably have another drink just to be able to get some rest. Also after a bunch of hours of research, I became concerned with another issue. My last question is, Will I get Delirium Tremens? Or is that something that happens to people who drink a lot more than me?

I guess what it all comes down to is I want to know how I compare to other people on here in terms of how severe my alcohol problem is right now. If it is just in the beginning stages, I would like some help and perhaps some facts/ stories from other people that will help me on my journey to stop drinking completely.

I appreciate ANY help I can get. Thank you

best

Depending on how much a person drinks...One day with enough intake can kill a person. Alcohol poison is a reality. Those who have been drinking every day for years have built up to such a level. They didn't start with a 5th a day. Alcohol intake is progressive.

Best bet is stop now before real problems happen.

Been there done that and have the tux I passed out in and that I had gotten sick on to prove it.
Stopping now sure would be better then going through what I went through.

GraphicDesigner

I know what alcohol poisoning is, I'm fairly certain I won't poison myself because I never drink enough to even really get to the point of blacking out. Usually I will have 6-7 beers and just get to the point where I am tipsy or drunk enough to not have ****** withdrawal symptoms.

I have been actively drinking every weekend since high school, but drinking every waking hour is what is happening to me now. I just want to know how bad I am?

best

I left my house with beer. I left the party with 12 beers in me and a full pint of segrams 7 in me. My intent wasn't to drink whiskey. A dare/challenge became the fun for the night. Such actions happen when drunk and are not planned. Passing out on your back, the room starts a spinning, to drunk to move...before you know it, you could be dead from just getting sick and not able to move for being so drunk.
Amount of intake isn't always the how and why.

The stupid things we do when drunk sure can be a reason though.
Courage beyond courage. Thinking we have skills beyond our skills. To drunk to know any better.

Yup I remember the days.

best

Bad enough that you are looking for answers. How bad do you want to be?

GraphicDesigner

I guess it is pretty bad then

leviathon

I think the above quotes from you are highly informative, "I drank more to get rid of the withdrawal symptoms" and the fact that the alcohol is causing problems with sleep, your well being, you are drinking alone and that you became angry when others interfered with your drinking and hide that you are drinking all are signs of if not full blown alcoholism, then at least a serious problem.

I started with drinking 3-4 beer a day. Everything was fine. Then over time my drinking increased from that for the first two years or so to binge drinking excessively on weekends. That then evolved into drinking scotch whisky. That then evolved into a fifth of scotch a day for almost a year. Did I have a problem? You betcha. Did I get dimentia, no but my doc was seriously worried about it and had me take Vit B1 for the first few months to ensure I didn't. Was that scary to realize it was a possible risk? You bet.

In terms of tremens, I am not certain that it is confined to only those that drink a lot more than you, I think it likely is based on your body's reaction to the booze itself. Some will have it set in with less exposure and some may not get it until their drinking is really bad.

Kinda like smoking, if you smoke you are at increased risk for cancer. Will everyone who smokes get it, no but try to buy cheap insurance... you can't because the risk is significant.

Levi

GraphicDesigner

Thanks, Leviathon, that was exremely helpful.

CarolD

You really need some facts on Alcoholism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

is a great source to research.

Look under Medical for a start.

Let us know how you are doing...

earlybird

Okay,......the first thing that jumped out at me was the fact that you stated that you "HAVE" to hide it from your roommate or friends when they walk in. First of all, the 'having' to hide it is all in your head. Your subconscious knows your drinking is to an abusive level so you are automatically trying to hide it. Secondly, the getting pi55ed if anyone "interferes" with your drinking. I did that too. I would have a case of beer chilling in the fridge. A gallon of whiskey in the cabinet. And plans to drink it all day the next day. Then I would get a call from my Mom, telling me that all the boys (brothers) are coming over along with your Grandmother for a nice dinner. Now this should be a "nice" thing, right? Not for me. If dinner was at 3pm, that meant I couldnt drink like I WANTED to drink for fear that they would know. So I had to wake up earlier, drink til around 11am,....then stop so I wouldnt be "noticable". This ticked me off til no end. We always hear the phrase "This is cutting into my drinking time" in movies or in friends circles as a joke. To me,...it was real. And it made me mad. You SOUND like you have a big problem. After all,...you are here, arent you? Your drinking has caused YOU to do some research. That alone should tell you something.

earlybird

As fare as DT's. You might get them,..you might not. You may not have been drinking DAILY, but, alcohol takes 48 hrs to leave the body completely. You have kept a constant every other day flow coming in just as the old, is going out. So you have a constant sizable BAC level at all times. So yes,..you may go thru some very unpleasant withdrawals. But if you keep drinking to "put off" going through those withdrawals,....it will get severely worse,...fast.

REZ

It really doesn't matter how much a person drinks. The bottom line is what drinking does to them. Can you control your drinking? If not, you have a problem. Are bad things happening in your life as a result of drinking? Again, an indicator of a problem. It sounds to me like you do have a problem, but only you can be the judge of that. If you think you have a problem with drinking, or that you may want to stop, try going to some AA meetings. You will find many people there with experience, strength, and hope.

Just Randy

I'm not a doc, but I don't think the DT's are any concern for you. My experience with those who have suffered from the "bugs" has been in those chronically drunk for years not a few days or even weeks. You will however likley shake like a jackhammer for a day or two. Again, I'm not a Dr. but having been detoxed -- lots of water and vitamine B helped me. You might want to check into a detox center just to be monitored. Coming off a week+ bender can be very scary. But the good news is that most people don't die. I've been there so many times my friend I've lost count. But I'm still here and have my sights set on recovery --- sometimes I have to take it an hour at a time. I recovered once, and by God, I will again. Sobriety is just too sweet to live without. Hey, I'm on day #2 !

tryingtolive

Hi,

I am 22 and in college as well...and a frat so I know about drinking, heh. My question is how do you feel when you are not drunk. I was always a very social and outgoing person but after a while I started to not feel comfortable and had lots of anxiety around people unless I was drinking, even people I had known my whole life. That is when I realized alcohol might be a problem and I googled in something about alcohol problems and it led me to this site. How do feel and act when you are not drinking?

CDr55

Hi Brandon.

Everybody is different. It is true that many alcoholics drink for years and years, but it usually catches up with them sooner or later.

A scary factor to be aware of is for most people, over time the body needs more alcohol to produce the same effects. For example, towards the end of my drinking, I often would not go out with friends, because drinking at a bar was too moderate. I could drink a bottle of champagne, a couple of shots, and I felt "lightly buzzed." Over time I could feel a decrease in my health. I developed a pain in my left side "which I still have at times," the hangovers became so unbearable that I would often stay home all day if I could, and I had trouble eating and keeping food down.

I am not a health expert, but there are numerous alcohol related illnesses. Chirosis of the liver is can often take many years to develop, other diseases such as pancreatitis and gastritis can occur in a fairly short amount of time with heavy drinking.

The doctor told me that I may have an extremely minor case of pancreatitis, gastritis, or a pancreatic sist. In the last few months of my drinking my stomache felt so inflamed that it would hurt to sit up straight, and I am only 27.

In addition to all of this, there are always the risks of being drunk. I would stay up late and drink by myself at home, and quite a few times a lost my balance while walking. My mom told me that she was highly concerned about the risk of me walking into the mirror, and cutting myself or something of that nature.

Hopefully this helps

Chris

Broccoli

College was where I learned to drink. It was as you say and at the time we all laughed and thought we were hilarious. It was where I learned to socialise and now I have trouble doing it without a beer. Though hopefully not for long.

I think it is good that you are aware of what you are doing at this stage. It is so easy to get caught up in being a 'party person' but before you know it you are on the downhill slide to 40 and your body really can't take it any more. The fact that you are listening to yourself is fantastic - and inspires me to do the same. XXXXX