Newbie and not really sure
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 30
Newbie and not really sure
if i am an alcoholic but i do know i ready to stop drinking. no ones knows im a closet drinker.
drinking has caused major issues in one relationship i have but it hasn't affected any other relationships
how do i know if im an alcoholic and need to attend AA. since i don't think my issue is really bad, could this site be the support i need w/out meetings!
TIA
drinking has caused major issues in one relationship i have but it hasn't affected any other relationships
how do i know if im an alcoholic and need to attend AA. since i don't think my issue is really bad, could this site be the support i need w/out meetings!
TIA
~sb
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 15,967
Welcome to SR!
Alcoholism has little to do with how much or how often you drink, it has to do with liking the effect and once we have a sip or one drink, we often don't stop. Physical dependence is a sign of long term drinking, not alcoholism.
Read Alcoholics Anonymous, it's online at silkworth.net.
There are several programs available to help you. For now, stop drinking. See a doctor as stopping cold turkey can shock your body and be lethal. Once you stop drinking, start working a program of recovery.
Glad you are here!
Alcoholism has little to do with how much or how often you drink, it has to do with liking the effect and once we have a sip or one drink, we often don't stop. Physical dependence is a sign of long term drinking, not alcoholism.
Read Alcoholics Anonymous, it's online at silkworth.net.
There are several programs available to help you. For now, stop drinking. See a doctor as stopping cold turkey can shock your body and be lethal. Once you stop drinking, start working a program of recovery.
Glad you are here!
Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: London, England
Posts: 724
We can't say whether you're an alcoholic or not. Only you can say that.
I'll ask one question.
When you start drinking, do you ever drink more than you mean to?
The question of whether you can quit when you decide you want to might be one you can't answer at the moment.
As for me, I was a binge drinker for years. I could go for maybe 3 to 4 weeks without a drink a while back. But when I started drinking... it was a case of getting as much down me as I could in the time available.
And then I went from being a binge drinker to a daily drinker...
And then I tried to quit and found I couldn't. That's why I'm here and in AA.
I'll ask one question.
When you start drinking, do you ever drink more than you mean to?
The question of whether you can quit when you decide you want to might be one you can't answer at the moment.
As for me, I was a binge drinker for years. I could go for maybe 3 to 4 weeks without a drink a while back. But when I started drinking... it was a case of getting as much down me as I could in the time available.
And then I went from being a binge drinker to a daily drinker...
And then I tried to quit and found I couldn't. That's why I'm here and in AA.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 30
i always say i just wont to get tipsy and go a little overboard 
. so to answer your question, i often drink more than i mean to.
i drink about 4 times per week hard liquor
i think i know the answer, it just hard to say. im functional, and can work and everything else while drunk. so no one knows that ive been drinking.
i wonder do my friends and family know and are scared to confront me.
. so to answer your question, i often drink more than i mean to.i drink about 4 times per week hard liquor
i think i know the answer, it just hard to say. im functional, and can work and everything else while drunk. so no one knows that ive been drinking.
i wonder do my friends and family know and are scared to confront me.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Water's Edge
Posts: 239
If you are not sure you have a problem with alcohol, why not try 100 days without alcohol? That will give your body, your brain, time to get over most of the residual effects of alcohol abuse and you would be in a clearer frame of mind to make your decision about it. I was not sure how long I was going to abstain from alcohol when I decided to give sobriety a try. By two months sober, I had a far better idea of the toll it was taking on my health, my mood, my productivity, attitude, so much I cannot even say. I also progressed to feeling extremely confident that I wanted to lead a life without alcohol.
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,574
Welcome ts - I'm glad you found us. This is a great place to discuss your drinking habits & what they're doing to your life.
Sugarbear is right - it isn't how often you drink, but what it does to you when you do pick up. If unpredictable & dangerous things happen, then it's good you're considering kicking it out of your life. You've probably heard it said, "Alcoholism is a progressive disease". I never realized what that meant, until I found myself drinking all day, every day as an older person. I started out in my 20's, and it was all fun and exciting back then. I didn't know that over the years I was becoming dependent on it. Glad you are here - please keep posting and reading.
Sugarbear is right - it isn't how often you drink, but what it does to you when you do pick up. If unpredictable & dangerous things happen, then it's good you're considering kicking it out of your life. You've probably heard it said, "Alcoholism is a progressive disease". I never realized what that meant, until I found myself drinking all day, every day as an older person. I started out in my 20's, and it was all fun and exciting back then. I didn't know that over the years I was becoming dependent on it. Glad you are here - please keep posting and reading.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Cleveland, OH
Posts: 1,191
THis is what the book Alcoholics Anonymous says about this:
"If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely,; or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic."
Take a look at two things choice and control. Can you choose to quit for good and be successful in doing so on your own? And when you do drink, do you ever drink more than you intended? End up drunk on accident?
An alcoholic lacks choice and control. At times I could go periods without booze, but would always end up drunk no matter how firm my resolution to stop. On occasion I could tell myself I would only have x amount of drinks and hold to that decision, but more often than not I would drink more than I intended.
"If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely,; or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic."
Take a look at two things choice and control. Can you choose to quit for good and be successful in doing so on your own? And when you do drink, do you ever drink more than you intended? End up drunk on accident?
An alcoholic lacks choice and control. At times I could go periods without booze, but would always end up drunk no matter how firm my resolution to stop. On occasion I could tell myself I would only have x amount of drinks and hold to that decision, but more often than not I would drink more than I intended.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 30
Originally Posted by Auvers 
If you are not sure you have a problem with alcohol, why not try 100 days without alcohol? That will give your body, your brain, time to get over most of the residual effects of alcohol abuse and you would be in a clearer frame of mind to make your decision about it. I was not sure how long I was going to abstain from alcohol when I decided to give sobriety a try. By two months sober, I had a far better idea of the toll it was taking on my health, my mood, my productivity, attitude, so much I cannot even say. I also progressed to feeling extremely confident that I wanted to lead a life without alcohol.
ive done and said some pretty crappy things to my ex now roommate (that im still living with due to our money issue and lease stuff) due to drinking. we neve really drinked together , i would literally go into our closet drink, which would lead to really crazy behavior from uncontrollable tears or really bad anger towards him.
im really embarssed about the things ive said and did while drunk. i feel really abnormal, i cant believe im a drunk
~sb
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 15,967
Stopping cold turkey can put your body into shock. You were drinking vodka, that's pretty hardcore alcohol. See your doctor for a proper detox. Read about Alcoholics Anonymous and see if you can relate to anything in the first 164 pages. Specifically the first 43 pages. It's also on an audio version on silkworth.net
xa-speakers.org gives me hope
SMART, AVRT, Rational Recovery, SOS, Life Ring, Women for Sobriety are some programs you may want to read about.
I wish you well!
Love & hugs,
xa-speakers.org gives me hope
SMART, AVRT, Rational Recovery, SOS, Life Ring, Women for Sobriety are some programs you may want to read about.
I wish you well!
Love & hugs,
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 30
Originally Posted by bbthumper
THis is what the book Alcoholics Anonymous says about this:
"If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely,; or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic."
Take a look at two things choice and control. Can you choose to quit for good and be successful in doing so on your own? And when you do drink, do you ever drink more than you intended? End up drunk on accident?
An alcoholic lacks choice and control. At times I could go periods without booze, but would always end up drunk no matter how firm my resolution to stop. On occasion I could tell myself I would only have x amount of drinks and hold to that decision, but more often than not I would drink more than I intended.
"If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely,; or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic."
Take a look at two things choice and control. Can you choose to quit for good and be successful in doing so on your own? And when you do drink, do you ever drink more than you intended? End up drunk on accident?
An alcoholic lacks choice and control. At times I could go periods without booze, but would always end up drunk no matter how firm my resolution to stop. On occasion I could tell myself I would only have x amount of drinks and hold to that decision, but more often than not I would drink more than I intended.
shouldve ask myself wtf going on when the 100 proof voldka starting going down like water--no burn what so ever
tonight will be the 1st sporting event ive gonna to sober in a long time
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 102
Definitely sounds like stopping is a good idea. Don't forget alcoholism is progressive-so if you don't like where you are today, if you keep drinking it'll only get worse.
Good luck to you, keep checking in here. It's been a lifesaver for me and many, many, others.
Good luck to you, keep checking in here. It's been a lifesaver for me and many, many, others.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 5,678
Welcome to SR Tia 
I always underplayed my drinking and made out like it wasn't that bad but really I had been covering it up for so long that I had almost convinced myself that. After coming here and going to AA I found I had a lot more in common with other alcoholics than I might have thought at first. AA isn't the only option though. Check out some of the other recovery methods too. I'm sure SR will be a big help to you as well x
I always underplayed my drinking and made out like it wasn't that bad but really I had been covering it up for so long that I had almost convinced myself that. After coming here and going to AA I found I had a lot more in common with other alcoholics than I might have thought at first. AA isn't the only option though. Check out some of the other recovery methods too. I'm sure SR will be a big help to you as well x
Powerless over Alcohol
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Trudging the Road to Happy Destiny!
Posts: 4,018
Welcome
Well you got good adivice . Just asking the question is a pretty good thought to give sobriety a shot. Try 30 days, then 60 ect. Its amazing what happens without the alcohol fogging up the brain.
Well you got good adivice . Just asking the question is a pretty good thought to give sobriety a shot. Try 30 days, then 60 ect. Its amazing what happens without the alcohol fogging up the brain.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 30
Originally Posted by hypochondriac
Welcome to SR Tia
I always underplayed my drinking and made out like it wasn't that bad but really I had been covering it up for so long that I had almost convinced myself that. After coming here and going to AA I found I had a lot more in common with other alcoholics than I might have thought at first. AA isn't the only option though. Check out some of the other recovery methods too. I'm sure SR will be a big help to you as well x
I always underplayed my drinking and made out like it wasn't that bad but really I had been covering it up for so long that I had almost convinced myself that. After coming here and going to AA I found I had a lot more in common with other alcoholics than I might have thought at first. AA isn't the only option though. Check out some of the other recovery methods too. I'm sure SR will be a big help to you as well x
Last night, I went out to a sporting event and turned down drinks!!!! I didnt have a drank before I left home!!
I'm on Day 2
Guest
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 557
here's a little self-test that can maybe help you decide
About.com: http://www.aa.org/en_is_aa_for_you.cfm?PageID=71
About.com: http://www.aa.org/en_is_aa_for_you.cfm?PageID=71
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