TOPIC: Once An Alcoholic/Addict, Always An Alcoholic/Addict. Ur Thoughts?
Life the gift of recovery!
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Home is where the heart is
Posts: 7,061
Originally Posted by Dee74 
if they can drink 'only one', wheres the problem ?
ok...I'm obviously not entirely following you, and I'm not entirely sure why it seems I have to agree with you.
help me out here ?
you're trying to differentiate between habitual alcoholic drinkers and those, for whatever reason, turn to the bottle for a period, stop and return to drinking normally, right ?
IMO, one group are alcoholics, the other aren't - I guess - although I know a lot of people here who started as binge drinkers...
so, to the letter of the law, yes I suppose there are some people who have followed alcoholic patterns for a period in the past and who then returned to normal patterns.
and....that helps *us* how ?
D
ok...I'm obviously not entirely following you, and I'm not entirely sure why it seems I have to agree with you.
help me out here ?
you're trying to differentiate between habitual alcoholic drinkers and those, for whatever reason, turn to the bottle for a period, stop and return to drinking normally, right ?
IMO, one group are alcoholics, the other aren't - I guess - although I know a lot of people here who started as binge drinkers...
so, to the letter of the law, yes I suppose there are some people who have followed alcoholic patterns for a period in the past and who then returned to normal patterns.
and....that helps *us* how ?
D
Alcohol Dependence Syndrome
The term "alcoholism" refers to a disease known as alcohol dependence syndrome, the most severe stage of a group of drinking problems which begins with binge drinking and alcohol abuse.
Types of Alcohol Problems
Alcohol problems occur at different levels of severity, from mild and annoying to life-threatening. Although alcohol dependence (alcoholism) is the most severe stage, less severe drinking problems can also be dangerous.
Binge Drinking
Officially, binge drinking means having five or more drinks in one session for men and four or more for women. Another definition for binge drinking is simply drinking to get drunk. It is the most common drinking problem for young people, under age 21.
• Binge Drinkers Have Highest Risk of Injury
• Heavy Drinking Dangers
• Brief Intervention Effective for Binge Drinkers
Alcohol Abuse
Binge drinking turns into alcohol abuse when someone's drinking begins to cause problems and the drinking continues anyway.
Alcohol abuse is when someone continues to drink in spite of continued social, interpersonal or legal difficulties. Alcohol abuse can result in missing time at school or work, neglecting child or household responsibilities or trouble with the law.
Alcohol Dependence
Alcohol abuse becomes alcohol dependence when drinkers begin to experience a craving for alcohol, a loss of control of their drinking, withdrawal symptoms
Alcoholism - What Is Alcoholism - What Is Alcohol Dependence - What Is Alcohol Abuse
The term "alcoholism" refers to a disease known as alcohol dependence syndrome, the most severe stage of a group of drinking problems which begins with binge drinking and alcohol abuse.
Types of Alcohol Problems
Alcohol problems occur at different levels of severity, from mild and annoying to life-threatening. Although alcohol dependence (alcoholism) is the most severe stage, less severe drinking problems can also be dangerous.
Binge Drinking
Officially, binge drinking means having five or more drinks in one session for men and four or more for women. Another definition for binge drinking is simply drinking to get drunk. It is the most common drinking problem for young people, under age 21.
• Binge Drinkers Have Highest Risk of Injury
• Heavy Drinking Dangers
• Brief Intervention Effective for Binge Drinkers
Alcohol Abuse
Binge drinking turns into alcohol abuse when someone's drinking begins to cause problems and the drinking continues anyway.
Alcohol abuse is when someone continues to drink in spite of continued social, interpersonal or legal difficulties. Alcohol abuse can result in missing time at school or work, neglecting child or household responsibilities or trouble with the law.
Alcohol Dependence
Alcohol abuse becomes alcohol dependence when drinkers begin to experience a craving for alcohol, a loss of control of their drinking, withdrawal symptoms
Alcoholism - What Is Alcoholism - What Is Alcohol Dependence - What Is Alcohol Abuse
My experience is that I quickly progressed to a binge drinker stayed there for a few years then became an alcohol abuser. At that point there was no turning back for me. I am pretty sure at the binge drinking stage I could not have stopped and started drinking like a normal person. I had no interest in trying to stop at that point. Maybe that is because I am an alcoholic, who knows. I do know where it all led was to alcohol dependence for me.
Life the gift of recovery!
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Home is where the heart is
Posts: 7,061
Sorry for the double post. I wanted to address the once an alcoholic/addict always an alcoholic/addict question. My answer is yes. But if the question was once a binge drinker always an alcoholic. My answer would be maybe depending on the person. This is just my opinion. As I stated below when I was at a binge drinking stage I was probably well past being able to stop on my own but some people might be different than me.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,237
Thanks guys for sharing ur ESH with me and other
SR members.....ur thoughts r very much
appreciated.
I found another story in the Big Book to
share with you. So many stories told
allow us to see that we were not alone
in our disease.
From "The Housewife Who Drank at Home":
"I had problems. We all have them, and I thought a little
brandy or a little wine now and then could certainly hurt
no one. I don’t believe, when I started, that I even had in
mind the thought that I was drinking. I had to sleep. I had
to clear my mind and free it from worry, and I had to relax.
But from one or two drinks of an afternoon or evening, my
intake mounted, and mounted fast. It wasn’t long before I
was drinking all day. I had to have that wine. The only
incentive that I had, toward the end, for getting dressed
in the morning was to get out and get 'supplies' to help
me get my day started. But the only thing that got started
was my drinking."
© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition;
Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 296
This story I can relate to too. One
drink was never enough. I had to
go to any lengths to make sure i
was set up to do more control
drinking.
Where did it lead me? How about u?
For me it was in the bottom floor of
the crazy ward at Parkland Hospital
back in Aug 90. In fact i was escorted
in my the police under a court order
to have me evaluated. Was I crazy
in trying to end my life or what
was it to lead me down the road
of distruction?
After a full day of test in which i
passed mentally....results ended
with me having an alcohol consumption
problem.
28 days learning about my disease
with the knowledge and tools handed
to me....i was set on the path of
a new life learning to live life one
day at a time alcohol free.
Today i still use those important
tools handed to me to continue
living life as normally as i can.
You can too.
Thanks for letting me share.
Continue sharing ur own ESH
because ur experiences could
help another just walking in
recovery searching for answers
about their addiction.
SR members.....ur thoughts r very much
appreciated.
I found another story in the Big Book to
share with you. So many stories told
allow us to see that we were not alone
in our disease.
From "The Housewife Who Drank at Home":
"I had problems. We all have them, and I thought a little
brandy or a little wine now and then could certainly hurt
no one. I don’t believe, when I started, that I even had in
mind the thought that I was drinking. I had to sleep. I had
to clear my mind and free it from worry, and I had to relax.
But from one or two drinks of an afternoon or evening, my
intake mounted, and mounted fast. It wasn’t long before I
was drinking all day. I had to have that wine. The only
incentive that I had, toward the end, for getting dressed
in the morning was to get out and get 'supplies' to help
me get my day started. But the only thing that got started
was my drinking."
© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition;
Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 296
This story I can relate to too. One
drink was never enough. I had to
go to any lengths to make sure i
was set up to do more control
drinking.
Where did it lead me? How about u?
For me it was in the bottom floor of
the crazy ward at Parkland Hospital
back in Aug 90. In fact i was escorted
in my the police under a court order
to have me evaluated. Was I crazy
in trying to end my life or what
was it to lead me down the road
of distruction?
After a full day of test in which i
passed mentally....results ended
with me having an alcohol consumption
problem.
28 days learning about my disease
with the knowledge and tools handed
to me....i was set on the path of
a new life learning to live life one
day at a time alcohol free.
Today i still use those important
tools handed to me to continue
living life as normally as i can.
You can too.
Thanks for letting me share.
Continue sharing ur own ESH
because ur experiences could
help another just walking in
recovery searching for answers
about their addiction.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Baton Rouge,La
Posts: 9
haveing 24 plus years sober i once thought that i could drink and control it, didn't take long to find out otherwise!!! am i a acoholic ( big yes ) and i will always be one.today with the help of the AA fellowship, the 12 steps, and most fo all my H P i did not feel it necessary to take a drink today.
today i can live for today, that's all i have been granted, one day of sanity.liveing today in the will of my H P.
today i can live for today, that's all i have been granted, one day of sanity.liveing today in the will of my H P.
Another Day in Paradise
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Upland, CA
Posts: 900
I am not sure of too many things in life; however I am sure of a couple.
1. I have size 12 feet.
2. I am a recovered alcoholic (recovered just for today).
I can try and wear size 9 shoes, because after all a lot of people who I know I am smarter than, and more successful than, and better looking than, etc.... wear size 9. Whenever I try to wear size 9 I am OK for awhile but after awhile my feet get sore, then blistered, then I can't walk and I fall down. I can't get up and take care of those around me in fact I really can't even take care of myself!!
As for alcohol, (SEE PARAGRAPH ABOVE).
Some things in life just are: the sooner that I face that and quit trying to figure a way around the facts of MY life the better my world seems to become.
Jon
1. I have size 12 feet.
2. I am a recovered alcoholic (recovered just for today).
I can try and wear size 9 shoes, because after all a lot of people who I know I am smarter than, and more successful than, and better looking than, etc.... wear size 9. Whenever I try to wear size 9 I am OK for awhile but after awhile my feet get sore, then blistered, then I can't walk and I fall down. I can't get up and take care of those around me in fact I really can't even take care of myself!!
As for alcohol, (SEE PARAGRAPH ABOVE).
Some things in life just are: the sooner that I face that and quit trying to figure a way around the facts of MY life the better my world seems to become.
Jon
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