MileHi

This morning marks one week since I have had hard alcohol. I can't say that I haven't had any alcohol. Two nights of the week I have had 1 beer. That was enough to keep me from jumping into the car and heading to the liquor store. Two beers is quite a difference from the gallon+ of bourbon that I had been consuming per week. While I know there are many who say that it doesn't count but for me it is a victory.

I am concerned because I am heading off on a business trip next week with 3 colleagues. I fully expect us to end up at a bar every night. I don't really want to not drink because I feel that would be admitting to them that I have a problem with it. I am hoping that I can have the one beer and then use the excuse that I don't want to drink more because there will be other professionals in my field there and I want to stay sharp in case I have an interaction with them.

If anyone has any hints or ideas on how to handle this situation I would love to hear from you.

ScottFromWI

Mile Hi:

I had similar concerns when I first quit about being at work related functions around alcohol. Honestly, worrying about what other people think about your drinking ( or lack thereof ) should be the least of your concerns. Most people won't think twice about whether or not you are drinking. It's your mind percieving that they care because you are so accustomed to drinking, but in reality most of them don't even think about it.

I was a bit different than you though in that i decided to quit completely rather than cutting back, so I can't really give much advice on how to have just one beer, i'd advise against it if possible.

Either way, you need to do what is best for you. Telling people you don't want to drink more to stay sharp is an perfectly acceptable response, and it's not an excuse - it's the truth. Best of luck!

wiscsober

Contact AA in the city you are visiting.

Bill Wilson was in the same situation you will be at a convention...ended up with the beginning of AA

as ScottFromWI posted is the willingness committment to quit completely

MileHi

Ultimately I hope that I can quit drinking altogether. At this point I feel one beer is better than a pint of bourbon or tequila or vodka or rum. For some reason I don't get that same burning desire to have another beer that I do from the hard stuff. I think it has something to do with the mouth feel. Whenever I drank hard stuff I would always hold it on my mouth for at least few seconds, sometimes over a minute before I swallowed. If anything I think I am most addicted to that sting, that burn. There have been quite a few times that I caused my mouth to bleed. I have not read that or heard of than anywhere else.

ScottFromWI

From an overall consumption standpoint, one beer is most likely better for you than a bottle of booze, no question. From an additiction standpoint though, drinking beer is no different than booze or wine, it's all alcohol. I personally drank nothing but beer, i cannot stand the smell or taste of wine or hard liquor, yet I had no problem abusing beer.

Most of us have never been able to moderate, the one drink turns into 2, then 3 then 5 and so on. Sometimes it takes weeks or months, sometimes just a few days. It's just the nature of the beast...

doggonecarl

Tell them, "No thanks, guys, I'm heading to my room. My work day is over. No bar for me."

You say you don't want to admit to a problem...well, if you little experiment with "one" beer in the bar fails, they'll have a pretty good idea of your problem when you're drunk, won't they.

Business trips do not demand that you hit the bars...that's drinking thinking.

doggonecarl

No, you like the burn. You're addicted to alcohol.

Lifebeginsat41

Hi - I was actually at a business dinner last night in another city - where usually I'd still be in the bar at 3am.

At the table there were 10 bottles of wine between 12 of us, and at one week in I didn't touch a drop. One person asked if I'd like some wine and I said 'No thanks - I need to be on top form tomorrow' their reply was how sensible I was - and how great I was at being able to easily refrain.

After the initial torture of smelling the wine I drank my OJ and then water and had a laugh and didn't think about it again until the man next to me said that he would be I'll with heartburn if he'd drank that much OJ - he had drank over a bottle of wine at this point. All I could think of was that (a) I wouldn't be making a fool of myself (b) there would be no accidents in my hotel room to be cleaned up (c) I could drive the next day without the risk of losing my license (d) the only people talking about me would be praising my behaviour.

Honestly it was a revalation. Did I want to be drinki the wine? Yes!! But I didn't.

Good luck and I hope the trip goes well for you.