Lakia

Obviously... everyone comes to this decision on there own.

For me... My husband and son was telling me that they know longer recognized me when drinking. My father was an alcoholic, as was my grandfather, as was my step-father and, as is my sister.

I know there are different definitions of alcoholics. My family are very successful alcoholics. I think we are called functioning alcoholics.

For me... this is a hard diagnosis. We are financially quite successful so how can we be alcoholics????

I tried to prove that I could live without alcohol. I have no physical withdrawals but I can not go without drink for longer than a few days.

I am no longer master of alcohol... it now controls me!

I am still in the early stages where I am trying to moderate my drinking. But am losing the fight. I am aware this is a process and am in the early stages of my alcoholism.

When did you all realize that you have a problem???

Sapling

I think when I read this....It sealed the deal for me.

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.

BB pg 44

I had also lost everything I had...Wife...House...Job included....And I was unemployable because I shook like a leaf without it.

NatalieN

When I broke a promise I made myself to never ever drive drunk with my small child in the car. I knew then.

You can do this. Don't drink today, find a meeting if that appeals to you and come to this site often. That's how we do it.

Natalie

pipparina

I knew when I woke up hungover after having promised myself yet again to not get drunk. It was clear to me I could not control how much I would drink once I started. Scared me to death thinking I could be an alcoholic. 14 sober years later, I still get the willies thinking of that day.

WantToHeal

Welcome, Lakia! For me personally, it was when attempts to limit or moderate my drinking repeatedly failed, when I would abstain for long periods of time, then pick up right where I left off, when friends and family started to let me know I was hurting them, when I became worse at keeping promises, when I started to become ashamed of my drinking and try to hide it, when I started to see consequences of my actions. I could go on and on.

And for what it's worth, I'm financially successful, have a good job and family, a master's degree, etc. Not unlike how you describe yourself.

Functioning alcoholic, non-functioning alcoholic...the road leads to the same place for all of us. I believe AA describes these places as "jails, institutions, and death." Some of us are just a little further along on the progression than others, ya know?

Stick around and keep reading and posting...it helps!

Hevyn

When I couldn't make a move without it. When life looked boring and pointless unless I was drinking. When I started driving while drinking, and taking it with me everywhere I went. When I turned into someone I didn't even recognize - an argumentative, emotional, obnoxious drunk. Wish it hadn't taken years to admit it.

Glad you are here, Lakia.

hypochondriac

I think I have always known I was an alcoholic, but in my early 20's I know I had my suspicions which I just ignored. It wasn't til I had honestly tried to quit for a few years unsuccessfully that I finally accepted it. I also thought I was a functioning alcoholic too... until someone pointed out to me that that isn't a 'type' of alcoholic so much as a 'stage of alcoholism'. Then I started to see holes in that thought and saw how things had gotten progressively worse for me and would continue doing so until I stopped drinking. I hope you don't stay too long on that 'moderation' path Lakia x

least

When I woke up every morning hating myself and wishing I were dead.

Dee74

I drank all day everyday - nearly died...yet, for me it wasn't until I came here and saw myself in so many other posts that my denial died....

good to see you again Lakia

D

Mizzuno

I knew I was actively engaging in alcoholism when:
I told myself only 2 glasses and I drank the whole bottle everytime
When I drank 2 bottles
When I was hung over every morning
When showering consisted of me in prayer pleading and begging for strength to quit
When I was a emotional wreck of a person, almost psychosis, after I overdid it the night before
When my drunken escapades started to effect my marriage
When my step-son told me that my favorite drink is wine
The list goes on and on.

penny74

When l saw that others didn't drink when they had a hangover and l needed a beer to get out of bed.

BoozeFree

When drinking was no longer fun and instead consumed my life and I became a slave to the bottle.

sugarbear1

I didn't want to drink and bought it and drank it anyway. When I just wanted one, I drank all that I had. When alcohol controlled me.

Only you can decide if you are an alcoholic or not.

Glad you are here!

DisplacedGRITS

i knew it when i had to drink in the mornings to face the day, no matter what day it was. i no longer could function without alcohol. i was an alcoholic long before then but neither i nor the people around me really knew it. i was just a happy party kinda gal that got her drink on at night, laughed and had a good time. i met my responsibilities and took care of business. when i was living alone, i started drinking earlier and earlier and later and later until i was drinking 'round the hour. i knew i was an alcoholic and i didn't care. i didn't care for a very long time. i'm glad i care now!

EternalQ

To boil it down, it was this:
1) I could not go one day without drinking.
2) I kept it a secret. And
3) I put other important things at risk and still drank.
Those three things sum it up.

And as for what you wrote about your life situation, I have a masters degree, own my own house, a good job, a nice family, a dog. Alcohol does not care who you are.

aussieblue

One drink was never enough I had to drink till I dropped
Hideing booze in the house
Daily drinking
Every day I would promise myself I wasn't going to drink and every day I did.

Panacea

I have known that i was in deep trouble for a long time: I would not attend events or would attend them begrudgingly without booze, I always predrank prior to going anywhere, I drank and drove consistently (with kids), I drank in the morning (sometimes just to get out of the bed - hair of the dog), I would not consume food without alcohol, my memory/recall was shot, I was severely hungover every single day of the week, etc...the list is a mile long.

I stopped drinking because I could never remember my conversations with my kids, I couldn't even remember what I made for dinner. Whenever I had a glass in hand - my kids asked if it was Vodka (and it usually was). I am so angry and ashamed......my family deserves better. I hope I deserve better.

Panacea

effortjoy

When the focus of my day revolved around how and when I could drink
When I ran out of hiding spaces
When my daughter asked me why I was drinking something that my husband called 'poison'
When I couldn't imagine coping without drinking
When I stopped caring how much I drank
When I couldn't figure out why normal people would want to do anything without drinking
When I drank because it was hot, because it was cold, because I was happy, because I was sad...
And in the end, when I drank because I drank
I never want to go back there again

bjames

I was a pretty slow learner (or good at denial). It took me an OUI, numerous lectures from my parents, brothers and husband, making a fool out of myself at functions, my husband threatening to leave with our daughter, shaking like a leaf until I had 3-4 drinks, drinking at work, drinking in the morning, throwing up every single morning, my eyes turning yellow, liver pain, panic attacks... finally after hospitalization #4 with a BAC of .314, after my husband found me passed out in a puddle 3 miles away from a restaurant I had been drinking at (I lied to him and said I was meeting with my therapist).... finally after all that it hit me that I CANNOT drink. Please, recognize it early... don't end up like I did. If you cannot control it, I suggest you're at least well on your way to being an alcoholic.

isaiah28

I knew when the thought of not drinking on a daily basis drove me crazy. Six days sober and fighting.