How bad is my problem?
 

Ok so for almost 10 years I drank a 6 pack a night. Im 30 now. About a year ago I cut down alot. I would start writing down how much I drank on a calander every day and average it out at the end of the month. First i was able to cut back to 3-4 a day on ave. Recently over the past 4 months Ive been alot better. 3 beers a day in June, 2.3 in july, .46 in aug, and so far about 2.3 a day this month. I know 2 a day is the recomended max in the USA, and I know some european countries have like a 4 a day limit. So if I keep it to 3 or below on ave is that cool? Ive gone a week or more here and there without touching a drop just to show myself I didnt need it. Hence the .4 a day I had in august.
Ive never had any problem such as DUI, violence, work issues ect. because of beer. Really its never affected me socialy other than $ Ive wasted lol. I just like to go out and also drink at home while I write poetry and stories and stuff. I do free lance writing. I feel like it has helped my creativity.

Hi Johnny

Welcome to SR :)

I dunno - I never found it useful to compare myself to anyone else at all.
I drank all day every day and still found people 'worse' than me LOL.

It seems like you're paying a lot of attention to this tho Johnny - are you worried about your drinking?

Cos in the end - no matter how much/little or how often you drink/don't drink - if you think it's a problem then I think it probably is.

D

Yeah, you really have to ask yourself why you're here. Your drinking, on face value, doesn't seem to be that bad to tell you the truth. A six-pack a day? I think you will find members here that that drank far more than that per day. Disclaimer: this doesn't mean that you are fine.

You obviouly came here for a reason. Why do you think that is?

And welcome to this group!

Well I wasnt always able to control it. I did rely on it for a while. I feel like now I really can control it though. I went to a few AA meetings when I first decided to cut back and they really frowned on my idea. I told them I just wanted to get to 2-3 a day ave for good and take a month off completely here and there. They told me there was no cutting back for an alcoholic, only quiting and I was playing with fire. The past few months have made me reconsider if i was one or just a problem drinker. The truth is I dont know lol. Yes i can go without it for a while and I do sometimes, I just like beer alot. My calander makes me control it though, if Ive had too many or my ave gets to high I just simply dont drink until its back where I want it to be.

Sometimes I only had 4 to 5 beers a night, usually after that half pint on the way home :)

It's not how much you drink... it's why. Shoot, if drank what you did, I wouldn't be here... wait... I did drink what you drink.... when I was your age... hmmm.

I'm just yankin' your chain a little, Johnny. Seriously, I have the same questions some of the others have... Why you askin'???

Mark

I think that the fact that you are keeping score is a warning sign. Do you drink alone?

I agree Johnny,, the fact that you are on here says that you are not completely comfortable with your drinking.......... personally i feel that if you neeeeed to have that drink, well then there is a problem.....one of the times i went to holyoake here in West Oz, i said to a councillor,,,, well what do i drink then instead of alcohol... she said to me what do you mean??????? you only drink something when yor thirsty, it sort of stopped me in my tracks... so if its not a problem for you,, why are you drinking them at all, i mean if you are thirsty - have a glass of juice or water or something and if you cant well maybe its something to look at..... just a thought anyway :)

Yeah I guess "how bad is my problem" means I have one lol. There obviously are different levels. I mean I know guys that have been drinking 12+ a day for 20+ years but I dont want to compare myself to them. Just because I can control it better than most doesnt mean I have total control. I dont know. I just ask myself, do I drink because I need it or because I enjoy it? Its a hard question for me because I can go without it and its not in super quantities. But I miss it after a week and thats not good either I guess.

I think you already know the answer to your question.

Welcome to SR.

Welcome!!!

There obviously are different levels

What you're referring to are commonly called stages.

Three stages, with the third being end stage, chronic alcoholism, pretty ugly.

IIRC have seen other descriptions that have more than three stages.

There is a lot of good reading on the subject of alcoholism here-in the stickies-and all over the internet for that matter.

Keep coming back, you'll find a lot of support here.

I like others that have already posted believe there has to be a reason why you sought a recovery board on this.
But to tell you the truth. And this is just from what you have said here. If you are not experiencing ANY negative affects than maybe it isnt AS bad as most.
But it certainly can go there fast.
I also agree that you should ask yourself some crucial questions.
Like why you drink. Could you put it down completely if you had to.
If ou can keep it to a very low minimum without it affecting you negatively. I cant say whether or not you have a problem or not. Only you know that answer.
But again. Keep in mind that it is progressive. And I do think that not everyone has a problem.
Welocme and I hope you stick around and draw your own conclusion.

Wow.. so you're actually taking averages of monthly consumption, computing them, and tracking them. That is just way too much mental obsession for my little head, and I'm really glad that one of the benefits of not drinking anymore, is never obsessing about it again.

Maybe take a few months off and see how you feel? You might find a lot of answers in that time.

Maybe take a few months off and see how you feel? You might find a lot of answers in that time.[/QUOTE]

Thats a fantastic idea.... I bet youl know then...

I agree - that's what I'm doing, but at least for a year, till I figure out WHY I feel the need to drink so heavily when I'm being social.

Johnny - I can't compare you to anyone else, but my sister was like that, about 2 years ago. She cut back on it a lot at the time, after her DUI last year - but she's now up to 10 beers a NIGHT. It really can sneak up on you. And like the others here have said, if you are concerned it's a problem...well, it's a problem. And dang, I don't even do that much tracking for my business financials! That sounds like a ton of effort. Finally, it sounds like you're afraid you might lose control - and that is worrying.

I'm here because I'm showing signs of early stage (more recently, later stages, eeks) of alcoholism - legal/financial problems, blackouts, etc. Not when I drink at home, but when I'm out with friends. Not very often - but enough to scare me (the blackouts that is). I'm not gonna let it sneak up on me! *gets out nunchuks* Don't let it sneak up on you either.

WELCOME TO SR!