InstantNoodles

Now I am questioning if I even need help...

As many of you know, I posted a little more then a week ago about my problem with drinking pretty much every night. I have made it a little over a week, and I feel great about it. Long story short- I think I pin pointed my drinking to bordem. I have since signed back up with the sport I love (which takes up an enormous amount of time), and got back on track with my life. Computers and hockey. Love it.

I havnt had a detox symptom since Thursday, and I havnt thought about drinking until tonight. It was sort of brought up in a way I guess you could say...

I was on the ice tonight, in a double overtime game. A teamate passed the puck to me- I faked the shot with a pass back to him *announcer voice* WIDE OPEN NET AND HE SCOOOREEESSSS. Crowd went insane, I could see my fiance going insane- this is what i live for.

anyways it was the game clincher, and the guys decided to go out for a beer afterward, of course they invited me. Why would I decline? Tonight was the biggest rush i've had in a long while. I was not worried at all with my 'problem'. I went, I had a single beer with my team, I stopped at one because it made me think of my prior addiction...

I dont regret it. I can stop at one, I have no desire to drink any more tonight, and I dont have any desire to drink tomorrow- because I dont have that craving for the drink. My fiance and I went out with everyone tonight. She was a bit reluctant when the guys ordered me a beer, but the truth was- mentally, I could have done without it. Having that feeling with the power to turn it away- was amazing. Heck last week I would have felt so powerless and just put bottoms up, I forgot what lifes about....

Now is this a failure for me, or am I really not an alcoholic? Is it possible that I have caught my metal addiction before it developed into something more serous? ...I really believe that me becoming aware that I may have an addiction, has shed light on what I have been wasting, and has shown me what I could have fallen into.

I havnt been this happy in months. New friends, an understanding, happy fiance, and I am back in action with the things I love to do, nothing will stand in my way this time...

Did I catch my prior addiction early enough to save me?

Jomey

HI IN - I don't really know how to answer your question. I am only 40-some days sober - it was actually pretty cool when I started losing track of that - but anyway, I guess I would just say "be alert". I know I can't do "moderation", I would guess some people can. Just watch, alcohol is tricky and it fools us...I have tried to quit many times over the years and often went months without drinking (esp. while pregnant) only to think, oh, well, I made it 9 months or whatever so surely I can just have one....It never worked for me. I hope it works for you if that is the path you choose. Just be cautious, my friend. I wish you the best in whatever decision you make about allowing alcohol in your life.

NOMOMERLOTMAMMA

Hey Instant,

Well, I don't know. Only you know.

I just wish you all the best..

Karen

Anna

You are the only one who can know whether or not you're an alcoholic.

I will also say that addiction is a very cunning disease. In your original post here at SR you said you had an addiction to an enormous degree and that when you drank you blacked out. You may have begun drinking out of boredom, but that doesn't mean that you are or are not an addict. People begin drinking for many different reasons. I began drinking to be able to sleep and to deal with depression.

I am very glad that you're feeling good now and I wish you well.

laurenlanai25

hey! i have no idea if you are an alkie!! but i can tell you that i quit for almost 4 years,stoppede when i was 21, so i was hoping i caught it early too!! well when i started drinking again i was just like you, i could take it or leave it. then i realized how good i was doing, so after about 3 weeks i decided i could handle more, so i drank more! i had no intention of getting wasted but that was what ended up happening!! then pretty soon i decided i was having too much fun and didnt care if i had a problem or not, it was my life and i was gonna live it how i wanted!! needless to say it went downhill from there and i am back in recovery!!

good luck!
let me know what you decide!!

CarolD

If you are an alcoholic....you will soon justify
more reasons to drink more.

BTW...Blackouts only happen to mid stage alcoholics.
...read our sticky post in Alcoholism
"Under The Influence" Post #35

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...influence.html

Blessings

miss communicat

Not too many non-alcoholics end up posting on a recovery forum that they have a problem with drinking and then, a week later, post that they are cured because they changed their routines..

Non-alcoholics would not be concerned this much with their drinking.

But, lets just say that you are a curious soul and you enjoy posting on this forum for the education. And, that as of 1 week ago, you were a blackout drinker, but now you are cool with drinking. Totally cool. It was simply boredom that was your problem.

I am happy to learn about this turn of events. It is very good news. May you never get bored again.

SaTiT

It dosen't happen overnite...i mean the hitting bottom part.

it's like waiting for that long ass train to end. Eventaully you find
yourself at the same cross roads...but you'll have less gas in you tank or run out.
the gas tank represent, you're love tank, you mental, physical, and spiritaul tank.

not any different than charging the crap out of your credit card.
Luagh now and cry later, kind of deal....the compound interest is a killer.
eventaully you might have to file for bankupt.

seriousely...did you think everyone of us intended to be an alki ?
why the hell else would anyone of us started drinking if it wasn't fun at first ?
about 99.99999999999999999% of all of us thought we can hadle it too.

InstantNoodles

Yes.. I did drink until I blacked out (I really do apprechiate the crittisism), I drank every friggin night for about year...

Being sober a week-- I am already sick of that life.

I do believe that this awareness has made me aware from this extrememe addiction. If i haev doubts, i will be sure to post here first.

I will keep you all informed. God bless you all. I appreciate all of your insight; from the bottom of my heart.

Afraid2Succeed

I believe for some people, addiction is a symptom of something larger, as a way of coping with life circumstances. For you, I believe you said you had an "ah-hah!" moment, an epiphany regarding why you drink - boredom. That knowledge is invaluable, and will help you 'consciously' understand your state of being, instead of automatically drinking to escape boredom.

If you don't have a 'pre-disposition' to drinking, genetics-wise, I'd say you have a good chance of overcoming your addiction. Sounds like you 'empowered' yourself tonight by finding 'positive' coping mechanisms (hockey/computers) instead of 'negative' ones. Cheers!

Jfanagle

The purpose of life is to enjoy it. If you are enjoying it and drinking adds to or at least doesn't detract from the pleasure of your life then you have answered the question to the only one who really knows; YOU!

I, and I suspect no one else on this site can answer your question execpt you. If you have a problem with booze, don't worry it won't just "go away" and you will know soon enough. If you don't have a problem, then YOU WON'T HAVE A PROBLEM!

Best of luck, either way you WILL know the answer.

Jon

pointmagnet

That is so true...

I have found that I enjoy life without or with (a little) alcohol.

Haven't been drunk in many months, but I have had one or two glasses of wine or beer in a social situation.

Hence, I think if a hockey player can celebrate a win without getting hosed, he's probably okay.

And, if you can get divorced from your wife of 22 years without getting really drunk, that's also okay.

I'm still sober, but pretty sad.

Alyce14

Hello Instant,

For me, boredom is a huge trigger. Something in me craves that high beyond just the drinking-I crave the hiding, the guilt, the "getting away with it"-the drama in short.

Beware, and good luck,
Alyce

Cathy31

Be careful - you seem like you have alot going for you...I too on many occasions controlled my drinking...however, it was the MANY times that I did not that caused chaos and upset in my life. My life was truly unmanageable and I would honestly be dead by now if it were not for recovery. Be careful and let us know.
Cathy31
x

Captain Kirk

Hi!
In my modest oppinion it sounds to me as if you've already answered your own question their.
Or psychological or psyical it's still an addiction, so to me that makes you an alcoholic.
Take care.

bval

To quote a message from a little group of addicts and drunks I hang out with a few times a week:

"If any man among us can do the right about-face and begin drinking like a gentleman, our hats are off to him. Lord knows we've tried enough times ... "

Perhaps ... you are one of the lucky ones, my friend.

Do us a favor and keep us all posted as to how this story ends up. I'd say your chances of not EVENTUALLY ending up right back in your old routine are ... slim. But I've been known to be wrong on occasion

Jersey Nonny

Hmmmmn...InstantNoodles? InstantRecovery? Once a pickle, always a pickle, never again a cucumber. Perhaps you aren't really an alcoholic...but, if not, why would it be so important for you to have that "one drink"? Just to prove you can stop at one? Normal drinkers don't have to do that.

Quote:

I was not worried at all with my 'problem'. I went, I had a single beer with my team, I stopped at one because it made me think of my prior addiction...

If you have a problem, it cannot be considered a "prior addiction"

dave47

Well done,sounds like you are in control (for now).I couldn't have a single mouthful without going for it,so good luck.

Captain Kirk

I hope you don't end up in that situation, but as much as I hate to say it, I concur with what our friend said above.
Good lcuk!