txfan77

My alcoholic friend admits he has a drinking problem, but hasn't come to the point where he is willing to make major changes. He thinks he is making great strides because he is not drinking liquor (vodka) anymore and is only drinking beer. He is still getting inebriated, but not having the blackouts. His girlfriend is encouraging this change. He asked my opinion and I wasn't sure how I felt about it. My first reaction is that drinking is drinking, regardless of what the alcoholic is drinking. Any thoughts/experience with this? I'd love to hear thoughts from you wise folks. Thanks.

SparkleKitty

Drinking is drinking is drinking is drinking.

Kboys

My AH did the same thing for a while. He drank only beer for about four months or so, and it was better than drinking vodka in that he didn't get as drunk as he did with vodka... He couldn't drink enough beer fast enough I guess, to get him to the blackout point that he could quickly get to with vodka.
But eventually he went back to vodka.
It might make things a little more manageable for a while, but definitely not a long term solution.

NoelleR

You're absolutely correct. I learned the following early on in recovery; perhaps it may help. I know that there are many beers, and many wines, and not all are the same, not even with the same alcohol content, but for the most part, at least in the US, these numbers work, so here goes.......

Most beers (in the US, remember) have an alcohol content of approximately 5%; most wines have an alcohol content of 12%; and for this comparison, I'll use the most common form of hard liquor, having an alcohol content of 40% (80 proof).

OK, here goes (really):

1) A 12oz bottle of beer
2) A 5oz glass of wine
3) A mixed drink using a shot (1.5oz) of hard liquor.

Multiply the volume by the alcohol content to get the actual/true amount of alcohol in each drink.........:

1) 12 x .05=.6 oz of actual alcohol
2) 5 x .12= .6 oz of actual alcohol
3) 1.5 x .4=.6 oz of actual alcohol

So, therefore, if I drink a bottle of beer, or a glass of wine, or a mixed drink, I'm getting the same amount of alcohol................huh

(o:
NoelleR

Iconoclastic

Alcohol is a poison regardless of the type of beverage. The standard serving sizes of all alcohol beverages, beer, wine, and liquor are equal in alcohol strength and effect on the body.

Beer has the same effect as straight scotch or vodka. One 12-oz. beer has as much alcohol as a 1.5-oz. shot of whiskey or a 5-oz. glass of wine.”

The approximate standard serving sizes define a drink of alcohol as “12 oz. of regular beer, 5 oz. of wine, and 1.5 oz. of 80-proof distilled spirits, e.g. vodka.” All are equal in alcohol content.

MIRecovery

Either you are sober or you're not. There is no middle ground.

Like a pizza it doesn't matter how small the slices you still ate the whole thing

FireSprite

Alcohol is alcohol, no matter how you modify the container or delivery method.

I agree with MI - there isn't a middle ground in addiction. You are either active or in recovery.

greens

Being a recovering alkie I am guilty of the switch from liquor to beer .
looking back, it wss harm reduction so it did keep me a lil safer but only bc I got completely sober soon after.
drinking is drinking period.

LexieCat

Yes, all alcohol is the same, in sufficient quantities. Thing is, almost EVERY alcoholic tries to do certain things to "manage it" before they are ready to quit. I changed what I drank, counted drinks, alternated with water/soda, made sure I ate first, changed locations where I drank, etc. That was what it took to convince me, but I "experimented" for about four and a half years, with my alcoholism progressing, before I was ready to face the truth.

So don't be too hard on your friend. If he's seriously worried about his drinking, he will eventually realize that he isn't controlling it successfully. I wouldn't pat him on the back for his switch to beer, but it takes what it takes for us to get to the point where we're ready to quit.

LeeJane

This is one of the common games us A's play in trying to persuade ourselves that we can still drink. Is rubbish. Our addiction is so desperate for us to keep alcohol going into us, it makes up all sorts of weird ideas and rules about alcohol. I did it, my still drinking hub does it.

I got sober when I realised all these games were just that, mind games with myself.

Fly N Buy

Survey says - good answers!!!

Years back my then 16 year old daughter came home intoxicated on New Years eve. The next day, after she raked leaves for a few hours between expelling the vile bile, we had an alcohol awareness class.

She had consumed 190 proof grain alcohol and punch ( nice touch). I explained this was 95% alcohol and the comparisons to other beverages. BTW - Nice job NoelleR!!! Good job in your post explaining beer, liquor and wine comparisons......

Gee Dad, you know a lot about this stuff - good thing!

Oh yes dear, that's why dad is sooooo careful about how much and what he drinks.
Good answer, liar........

Horrible.........

lakeofglitter

Hi Txfan...well I am speaking only from my experience as a 30 year alcoholic. I only drank beer because I was terrified of liquor. My two biggest fears were drinking in the morning and converting to liquor. I quit before I did either of those things, but I know that alcohol is a progressive disease and eventually I would have been eligible too!

Truth is alcohol is alcohol...doesn't matter if you are abusing wine, beer or liquor. It's all the same - addiction; and it's a slippery slope.

SeriousKarma

The only difference is in how much you pee.

ajarlson

There is something to be said for how much volume it takes to get as drunk on beer as it would on vodka. When my XAH only drank beer he would fall asleep before he could drink enough to get violent/black out drunk. Also, for some reason, hard alcohol made him angry drunk while beer just made him sleepy. Drinking is drinking, but I definitely felt safer when he wasn't drinking hard alcohol. FWIW

IKneedaBreak

Mine switched to beer, his temper got worse.

LeeJane

I think I was like this. When still trying to 'manage' my alcoholism, I went through period of beer drinking but as it was so low in alcohol, I would get very angry and frustrated as I would be tipping it into myself but not reaching the required level of alcohol I needed.

So I ended up having to drink LOADS to get the effect I so desperately wanted.

I usually viewed beer as a mixer. Eg beer with vodka. Beer on its own was like water.

My thinking was so distorted. I observe the same frustration in AH when he tries to drink 5% alcohol instead of his usual 37.5%.

I can see how insane it is now, but couldn't at the time.

healthyagain

It is quite easy to slip and go to hard liquor once beer is not good enough. I actually liked my AH way better when he was drinking beer only. 1.5 years ago, he hit whiskey, drinking a quart a day now . . . and tell you what . . . no wonder people thought he was "only" manic depressive and had PTSD on top of that because he was in military 30 years ago. It is hideous behavior, every night after 19:00. Only I am not there anymore to watch the show.

But it is strange that people are so quick to blame it on some other "mental condition," "some past trauma," but the guy is a textbook example of an alcoholic, and I had the honor to sit in the first row and watch all that, being manipulated and lied to.

The only difference is that for the same effect, he has to drink 5-6 liters of beer, and I do not think people even can drink that much water. So no wonder he switched to something more concentrated with time.

LemonGirl

It is a shame, but I actually came across some websites and youtube videos trying to "help" problem drinkers by suggesting that they switch to beer because the bubbles make it harder to consume so much alcohol.
It is by no means a long term solution and I feel badly for the girlfriend who is entering into a "helping" role by suggesting something that seems like a baby step towards recovery....?

I agree with everyone here. I would also like to elaborate on what LeeJane said in that if the alcoholic cannot reach the desired affect, then he/she will most likely become frustrated... eventually, this will either lead to their own awakening, or worse, going back to the hard stuff. There is just no knowing as is ALL has to be his decision and choice.

Fluffer

Well, any alcohol keeps us in the trap, but I will say that the times I truly frightened myself were normally after drinking shots and/or using coke.

Dl1972ss

Definitely drinking is drinking. I tried to switch from hard liquor to beer in the beginning...........that only led to more beer.....then back to liquor.....of course I had to find that out myself. Being the good alcoholic that I am no one could tell me otherwise. I had to learn the hard way!!!