How Can He Tolerate SO MUCH ALCOHOL?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 212
How Can He Tolerate SO MUCH ALCOHOL?
Honestly, I just wonder that more A's don't die of Alcohol Poisoning.
He buys a 60 ounce bottle of vodka - every 2 days (sometimes more frequently).
The cost is $55. It contains 60 1 ounce shots.
Some nights he drinks up to 40 shots - straight - no ice - no mix.
He does this over the course of 3-4 hours in an evening.
He works full time and rarely misses a day.
I just imagine going into a bar and getting a double. Now I imagine a bartender serving someone 20 doubles (or 40 singles) over the course of 3-4 hours. That blows my mind. Most people would likely be hospitalized if they drank that much over such a short period of time. One double and I'd likely be drunk all night. Times that by 20.
I know that a tolerance for alcohol (or any substance) can build over time but I just can't comprehend this amount. If he were to buy this amount in a bar - say at $7. a double (not sure of the price). That would be approx $150. a night. That would cost over $3000. a month - literally pissed away. That is insanity.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised at the changes in his personality. I shouldn't be surprised that he doesn't remember many of our conversations during this time. He doesn't remember all of the damaging things he says and does while so intoxicated. What a waste of our precious time and money. What a waste of our precious lives ...
He buys a 60 ounce bottle of vodka - every 2 days (sometimes more frequently).
The cost is $55. It contains 60 1 ounce shots.
Some nights he drinks up to 40 shots - straight - no ice - no mix.
He does this over the course of 3-4 hours in an evening.
He works full time and rarely misses a day.
I just imagine going into a bar and getting a double. Now I imagine a bartender serving someone 20 doubles (or 40 singles) over the course of 3-4 hours. That blows my mind. Most people would likely be hospitalized if they drank that much over such a short period of time. One double and I'd likely be drunk all night. Times that by 20.
I know that a tolerance for alcohol (or any substance) can build over time but I just can't comprehend this amount. If he were to buy this amount in a bar - say at $7. a double (not sure of the price). That would be approx $150. a night. That would cost over $3000. a month - literally pissed away. That is insanity.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised at the changes in his personality. I shouldn't be surprised that he doesn't remember many of our conversations during this time. He doesn't remember all of the damaging things he says and does while so intoxicated. What a waste of our precious time and money. What a waste of our precious lives ...
peaceful seabird
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: floating
Posts: 4,822
Originally Posted by tryintosmile 
He buys a 60 ounce bottle of vodka - every 2 days (sometimes more frequently).
The cost is $55. It contains 60 1 ounce shots.
If he were to buy this amount in a bar - say at $7. a double (not sure of the price). That would be approx $150. a night. That would cost over $3000. a month - literally pissed away. That is insanity.
What a waste of our precious time and money. What a waste of our precious lives ...
The cost is $55. It contains 60 1 ounce shots.
If he were to buy this amount in a bar - say at $7. a double (not sure of the price). That would be approx $150. a night. That would cost over $3000. a month - literally pissed away. That is insanity.
What a waste of our precious time and money. What a waste of our precious lives ...
You have a choice to remove yourself from the front row of his addiction.
This is your one precious life.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,288
when I was in rehab, there was an elderly man there who said he'd been drinking 1/2 gallon of vodka for 20 yrs. AND! his doctor told him that he doesn't show liver damage????
maybe he's already dead and the alcohol is just preserving him as a walking/talking mummy.
maybe he's already dead and the alcohol is just preserving him as a walking/talking mummy.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: England
Posts: 116
Hello Tryintosmile,
I have just read your post,it wasnt the amount of money you have worked out that your A is spending that struck me,but more the amount of alcohol you are observing him drinking,that this can become our obsession,and expending time on observing this addiction which becomes baffling to say the least and that anyone can do this and continue to work is incredulous to us who does not have this addiction.
What helped me to understand this disease more, was talking to some wonderful AA members with lots and lots of years sobriety, one desrcribed it as being in a desert and having a constant thirst-but water never entered their heads to drink instead of alcohol,and another said 1 is too much and 30/40 drinks is never enough.Also I listened to a disk on The Allergy of Alcoholsm,what normal drinking is and what's alcoholc drinking is,after hearing these messages ,then everything just clicked with me.
All best wishes
I have just read your post,it wasnt the amount of money you have worked out that your A is spending that struck me,but more the amount of alcohol you are observing him drinking,that this can become our obsession,and expending time on observing this addiction which becomes baffling to say the least and that anyone can do this and continue to work is incredulous to us who does not have this addiction.
What helped me to understand this disease more, was talking to some wonderful AA members with lots and lots of years sobriety, one desrcribed it as being in a desert and having a constant thirst-but water never entered their heads to drink instead of alcohol,and another said 1 is too much and 30/40 drinks is never enough.Also I listened to a disk on The Allergy of Alcoholsm,what normal drinking is and what's alcoholc drinking is,after hearing these messages ,then everything just clicked with me.
All best wishes
A jug fills drop by drop
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 6,784
How can you tolerate so much pain, witnessing this? Honest question ..
I couldn't tolerate it that is why I left.
I also do not understand how they function fine and have better health than others who are not actively self destructing. In any case consequences might come later. Or even if they don't come - its already bad enough - can this be called living? I don't think so. It is NOT life for him nor for you, in my humble opinion from someone who was there only one year and cried too many tears, can only imagine what others go through... for me it was pain and sadness and mourning was even more pain and sadness and confusion.
I couldn't tolerate it that is why I left.
I also do not understand how they function fine and have better health than others who are not actively self destructing. In any case consequences might come later. Or even if they don't come - its already bad enough - can this be called living? I don't think so. It is NOT life for him nor for you, in my humble opinion from someone who was there only one year and cried too many tears, can only imagine what others go through... for me it was pain and sadness and mourning was even more pain and sadness and confusion.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 602
I've often thought that alcoholics are just people who've decided to kill themselves, and have found the most noxious, drawn-out way of doing so. I've thought about the As I've known: "Hey, you're done living? That's your choice. Just shoot yourself now and donate the money you would've spent on alcohol to a charity."
No, I never said that out loud (not a total monster), but I've thought it many times. The hope followed by despair followed by the hope is the worst thing about living with an A loved one. You're supposed to only grieve the loss of a loved one once...
No, I never said that out loud (not a total monster), but I've thought it many times. The hope followed by despair followed by the hope is the worst thing about living with an A loved one. You're supposed to only grieve the loss of a loved one once...
Belgian Sheepdog Adictee
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: In Today
Posts: 6,101
I too, like TC999 have to ask you, has YOUR Tolerance gone up over the last 3 1/2 years since your registered? How has your gone up?
See it sneaks up on you.
Akrasia, I understand where you are coming from, a 'rational' thinking mind. Alcoholics in the throes of alcoholism are anything but 'rational'. They live in a very FALSE reality, I know I sure did for many many years. Did I think I was killing myself? He!! no! Have others I have worked with over these many years in recovery thought they were killing themselves? NOPE.
Most of us felt for years that the alcohol and/or drugs was helping us to KEEP LIVING. It was our NUMBING AGENT so we could deal with life.
This is why the 'concept' of one alcoholic working with another alcoholic or one addict working with another addict can and does WORK! Now I know there are many therapists these days 'specializing' in 'addictions'. But there again, in my 30 plus years of continuous sobriety, my experience has been that the ones that they themselves are in long term recovery and have gained the credentials to work as a therapist specializing in addictions are the ones that seem to also work the best for one seeking recovery. J M H O
Love and hugs,
See it sneaks up on you.
I've often thought that alcoholics are just people who've decided to kill themselves, and have found the most noxious, drawn-out way of doing so.
Most of us felt for years that the alcohol and/or drugs was helping us to KEEP LIVING. It was our NUMBING AGENT so we could deal with life.
This is why the 'concept' of one alcoholic working with another alcoholic or one addict working with another addict can and does WORK! Now I know there are many therapists these days 'specializing' in 'addictions'. But there again, in my 30 plus years of continuous sobriety, my experience has been that the ones that they themselves are in long term recovery and have gained the credentials to work as a therapist specializing in addictions are the ones that seem to also work the best for one seeking recovery. J M H O
Love and hugs,
Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: wildwood NJ
Posts: 17
I have often wondered the same thing....my AF can drink a fifth of bourbon and then start another in the same day...sometimes for multiple days! I have seen him pass out and have taken him to the hospital once when I couldn't rouse him at all....so I guess my answer is...it catches up with him in the end. As he gets older he seems to affect him more and more. He was sober for 48 days and then binged which is when he ended up in the ER. I suppose tolerance is relative but also cummalative over time. Take care of yourself...I understand only too well how difficult it is to watch the train wreck!
Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Saltburn UK
Posts: 278
Dead right, how do they do it and keep functioning? that's what I don't understand-if I drank a quarter that amount of Vodka I'd be sick for days, or I'd fall asleep before I could stomach any more. It's hard to fathom how tough the constitution of some people must be, and to hold down a job and appear to function normally.
Drink seems to replace food for some people also-that's how bad it gets.
Sooner or later the effects begin to show in mind and body, there's no getting away from it.
Drink seems to replace food for some people also-that's how bad it gets.
Sooner or later the effects begin to show in mind and body, there's no getting away from it.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 204
They really do develop an amazing tolerance. My ex AH was a big muscular guy and he could drink incredible amounts. We took him to the hospital once and his BAC was .4 and that was after he'd not been drinking for a couple of hours. If you look that up on Wikipedia it says you should be dead at that level. My ex was in the ER walking around and talking to people. Yes, he was acting totally insane, but he was awake and that amazed me. Seeing his BAC and realizing he was probably that drunk at home ALL THE TIME really scared me.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 223
[QUOTE=tryintosmile;3152404} What a waste of our precious time and money. What a waste of our precious lives ...[/QUOTE]
Who's wasting whose life? Is he wasting your life...or are you wasting it hanging around watching?
Who's wasting whose life? Is he wasting your life...or are you wasting it hanging around watching?
Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 141
Tryintosmile -
Every cell in his body has literally changed physically in order to process the alcohol. In addition to that, the normal processes of the liver and brain have changed. These changes are apart of the addiction, but also keep your boyfriend alive when he drinks.
Alcoholics have different liver enzymes and their body and brain react differently when they drink. This difference explains why some people can drink without becoming addicted, while others cannot. These biological differences also explain why some people have a long line of alcoholics in their family, while others do not.
The best chance your BF has is rehab. There are free rehabs, but they are few. Studies have shown that the longer the stay, the greater the chance of recovery. So that is why the recommended stay is at least 3 months. Most addicts who go to rehabs for only 1 month relapse after being released.
Panther
Every cell in his body has literally changed physically in order to process the alcohol. In addition to that, the normal processes of the liver and brain have changed. These changes are apart of the addiction, but also keep your boyfriend alive when he drinks.
Alcoholics have different liver enzymes and their body and brain react differently when they drink. This difference explains why some people can drink without becoming addicted, while others cannot. These biological differences also explain why some people have a long line of alcoholics in their family, while others do not.
The best chance your BF has is rehab. There are free rehabs, but they are few. Studies have shown that the longer the stay, the greater the chance of recovery. So that is why the recommended stay is at least 3 months. Most addicts who go to rehabs for only 1 month relapse after being released.
Panther
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 11
Hi, my boyfriend drinks so much it shocks me. At times I've thought that he must always have a constant supply of alcohol in his body. He functions, gets up for work. Works 13 hour days. Never gets a hangover. I don't understand it. How that is physically possible. I wonder if he stopped for maybe 5 days...would he go into withdrawal?
Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Quebec
Posts: 2,708
When I met him, my XAH drank a bottle of JD every 2 days, plus some beers and often times some coke too. He was "fully functional" though he got moody when he didn't have his booze and boisterous/aggressive when he did. He continued to be functional even after he scaled back to "only" 4 or 5 Grolsch beers per day (approximately 2.5 liters of beer daily)...but things like the constant diarrhea, the shaking and dropping things, the lack of hygiene, the verbal abuse and self-mutilation only increased with time.
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