what are the differences between alcohol abuse and dependency?
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Omak WA
Posts: 1,049
Alcohol Abuse??? Alcohol Dependency???????
To begin with I believe that if alcohol causes any specific problems in my life I am heading towards Alcoholism whether I binge drink, drink once a year, a month, or everyday.
My husband was an abuser of alcohol but could quit drinking for a year or two when he wanted to. By the time I asked for help the second time I was an end stage alcoholic which meant that I would start withdrawls at a certain time every day if I didn't have something to drink. I drank four years every day of the week...after work & all day on the weekends.
I made sure I had enough cash in my purse so I wouldn't have to write a check because my hands would be too shaky to write. I was 48 when I quit drinking the last time & have 21 years of Sobriety. I have done this with a lot of help & work on my part. The first year of Sobriety I attended meetings every night, worked my steps, had a Sponsor, & a lot of sober friends. I didn't go see my very best friend for a year because she was still drinking then when she quit we resumed our friendship....a very happy day!
I still take it One Day at a Time & use the Serenity Prayer every day along with meditation when I need help deciding what I can or can't change when a difficult decision comes my way.
I hope this helps you some,
kelsh
My husband was an abuser of alcohol but could quit drinking for a year or two when he wanted to. By the time I asked for help the second time I was an end stage alcoholic which meant that I would start withdrawls at a certain time every day if I didn't have something to drink. I drank four years every day of the week...after work & all day on the weekends.
I made sure I had enough cash in my purse so I wouldn't have to write a check because my hands would be too shaky to write. I was 48 when I quit drinking the last time & have 21 years of Sobriety. I have done this with a lot of help & work on my part. The first year of Sobriety I attended meetings every night, worked my steps, had a Sponsor, & a lot of sober friends. I didn't go see my very best friend for a year because she was still drinking then when she quit we resumed our friendship....a very happy day!
I still take it One Day at a Time & use the Serenity Prayer every day along with meditation when I need help deciding what I can or can't change when a difficult decision comes my way.
I hope this helps you some,
kelsh
Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Sweden
Posts: 1,649
Laurie6781:
Thanks for sharing that. I read your story when I first came to SR and it really had an impact on me. It was one of those stories that I just thought about over and over again when I first realized that I was killing myself with alcohol.
This discussion is always interesting because well, it is important. Some people who come to SR are heavy drinkers and not alcoholics. Heavy drinkers come and go here because they really don't need a program. But alcoholics, yeah, most of us need something: a program, help, support, whatever.
Semantics? Not really an issue unless it is the case of someone not recognizing their own drinking problem. You can find and use any word for it, but it boils down to rather simple stuff.
Do you drink abnormally? Can you not stop drinking after that first glass? Do you have all the signs of alcoholism? Well, then, you are probably an alcoholic.
Thanks for sharing that. I read your story when I first came to SR and it really had an impact on me. It was one of those stories that I just thought about over and over again when I first realized that I was killing myself with alcohol.
This discussion is always interesting because well, it is important. Some people who come to SR are heavy drinkers and not alcoholics. Heavy drinkers come and go here because they really don't need a program. But alcoholics, yeah, most of us need something: a program, help, support, whatever.
Semantics? Not really an issue unless it is the case of someone not recognizing their own drinking problem. You can find and use any word for it, but it boils down to rather simple stuff.
Do you drink abnormally? Can you not stop drinking after that first glass? Do you have all the signs of alcoholism? Well, then, you are probably an alcoholic.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 88
Originally Posted by littlefish 
Semantics? Not really an issue unless it is the case of someone not recognizing their own drinking problem.
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