Alcoholic, under 20?
 

Hey gang, I may need some help. I get drunk every other night (drunk now), but I always get up and go kick-butt in school or at work. I have always made straight A's. I am currently going to a University full time, and working. I have been depressed lately, writing dark stories and painting pictures that some have said are a tad morbid. I feel like I perform above average in all my responsibilities but I wonder how long this will last. I have been drinking in secret, nobody (appears) to have the slightest idea. Just want some thoughts, and possibly prayers.

Please, help me.

If your drinking alcohol to help with your depression then you will need to rethink your thoughts on alcohol use. Don't worry about if your an alcoholic or not. If you have a problem that you don't like with alcohol then it may be time to stop using it. Why not going to the doctor for your depression and he may put you on antidepression meds to help with it. The earlier you deal with it then the easier to stay sober or not having a problem later on in life.

It's not easy but life is never easy.

Hey hon, easy, we'll get to you! It's always quiet this time of day (most Americans are sleepy :) ) but you'll get plenty of company if you stick around.

What you're describing is sometimes called a high-functioing alcoholic over here - able to hold down responsibilities and an often successful life but drowning in the booze off the radar.

Have you talked to a doctor about the depression?

xx

I think the drinking may cause the depression; not while drinking, but just realizing that it's the only fun I have. I havenot gone to the doctor, I am not suicidal or anything, just in the dumps.

H3, alcohol does make people depress. Stop now before it becomes a big problem.

Okay. Booze is a depressant (well yeah, you already knew that) and the thought of quitting is even scarier. But you're drinking in secret - is that as much fun as it sounds? Are you really havin fun, or just tryin to get wasted?

x

Hi H3minggway :welcome

People will be here to support you in your recovery. I used to drink to help with my anxiety & panic attacks and eventually found out twenty years later that it was the alcohol that was causing it ;-) Please dont wait that long to figure it out like I did.

It will take some hard work & effort but you can live a much better life sober. Its not easy but oh so worth it.

Take care & keep posting... we understand :ring

Hi and welcome H3minggway :)

Noone here can tell you how long the 'high functioning' will last...but yeah, it won't last forever - that's a given.

You'll find a lot of support here - a few ideas too :)

Good to have you with us...

D

It seems that a majority of alcoholics show greater intellectual prowess than most. I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s in part because some of us can still “function” on this excess capacity after ingesting large amounts of alcohol. However, this can take us down even faster while at the same time providing a convenient rationalization that our tender years render it impossible for us to have developed such a serious acquired condition. A keen intellect can be both a risk factor for the development of severe alcoholism, and an obstacle in its “treatment”. The tools that normally seem to work so well prove insufficient at a certain point in the progression of the “disease”.

Depression may precede, develop independently, or be generated by the alcoholism itself. That’s something for a mental health provider to sort out with you. I would suggest you see one if the depression is persistent and or severe. They will likely also make some referrals for assessment of the alcohol problem (which may or may not include AA). In any event it sounds like it’s time to take action. I would stop trying to do this on your own. Best wishes ….as well as a few prayers.

I got sober at 17, but at that point, I couldn't do anything. Stop drinking and see what happens.

To hear or see someone as young as
yourself wanting to help urself with an
addiction problem is absolutely wonderful. :)

Today there are many who are still struggling
yet there are many who have armed themselves
with the knowledge and tools of their addiction,
whether it be alcohol or drugs, and have become
an advocate against it and have bonded with
others to help the newcomers looking for help.

You are so young and have ur whole life of wonderful
awesome gifts awaiting for you in recovery.

I was 30 when i entered recovery for my alcoholism
and now 21 yrs later i have been and still on my
extraordinary journey in recovery. :)

So can you.

My 29 year old friend just celebrated 10 years of sobriety. It can be done! She uses AA. there are other programs available, too!

Do what it takes and get an "A" in sobriety!

These emotions commonly go along with alcoholic drinking and you can expect more of the same, worsening with time.

If you can stop this you're miles ahead of the game. If you can't then figure making these pleas for help and understanding several times a year is the broad blueprint for your life.

I'm a high functioning alcoholic and a hidden drinker, much like yourself. The problem with us is, by the time our problem gets out of control and becomes apparent, we're really pretty screwed up. I'm sorry that you're in this state but I envy the fact that you have a chance to get straightened out at a very early age. You're in the right place and talking to the right people. Reach out to the people around you. You can have a great life and don't have to make ALL our mistakes.

I can relate to you. I also am excelling in school, although I got my first B this quarter. It finally catches up to you. i didn't drink everyday either but I could see that I was heading that way. I was making more and more excuses to why it was fine to drink and it needed to stop before it got out of hand. You are in the right place for support. :)

Welcome Hemingway!..........Ahhhh I remember having to go to the doctor and take my depression test, filling out that questionnaire I realized just how low I was in life. I think I answered every question that pointed towards depression except for the suicidal ones(wasn't going to kill myself, but really didn't care if I woke up the next day). Doctor prescribed every drug she could, xanax, paxil, all that stuff. I think if she knew earlier that I was an alcoholic she wouldn't have wasted her time prescribing me these things. It was the alcohol that was causing my deppression, and I'm sure it's doing the same thing to you. Put down the bottle, focus on school. God Bless, keep coming back to SR!

Welcome H3mingway!

Alcohol definitely made me depressed and anxious. It also took away my interest in doing anything.... it became the only thing I really looked forward to.

I'm really glad you're here - fighting this alone is so difficult, because it's a constant battle in our heads between our addiction and our better thinking. Most universities have some kind of counseling and/or medical clinic that might be helpful. Get all the support/help you need..... we're here for you, too. It takes courage to stop drinking, but you can do it!:grouphug:

Pardon if this is presumptuous based on your title, but don't be fooled! Hemingway's writing makes alcohol look a lot more glamorous than it really is. Not many people drink like that all day and night for years and remain eloquent and profound.

Hemingway sure didn't; he rewrote after he sobered up in the morning, and had to fill in the gaps of the evening with his (wonderful) imagination. His quote: “Write drunk; edit sober." It wouldn't be pretty to see one of his first drafts!

Sincerely,
Another Hemingway Fan

double post