fromthisday

Maybe just wishful thinking but is it possible that I am not an alcoholic and can learn how to drink socially?

I haven't had a drink in 4 days and I've thought about it but haven't wanted to drink, is my mind just playing tricks on me or can I muster the willpower to just have one or two?

bigsombrero

Probably wishful thinking. What brought you here in the first place? I tried to get a "handle" on my drinking for years, but I was just delaying the inevitable. Much like the Death Star, I was being slowly pulled in by the tractor beam, and eventually into the belly of the beast. One of my biggest regrets is that I didn't quit sooner - I might have saved my relationship, my job, and my finances. Unfortunately I thought I could "get a handle" on things and needed to hit rock bottom before I saw the light.

Don't fool yourself. People who are not addicts don't ask themselves these questions.

visch1

Hi and welcome. For probably 99% alcoholics a simple statement will be "we cannot drink in safety." However we can and do play games in our heads that maybe xxxxxxxxxxxx. If your really concerned try not drinking, for any reason, for 90 days. If you don't suffer from some of the feelings many posts here show then perhaps you have no problem. However what ever the case remember alcohol is NOT a known health drink. BE WELL

Celticgirl

I have to agree . . . thought I could handle it too, but I couldn't. Starting day 2 now.

jazzfish

I tried and failed for close to 30 years. I can send you the list of everything I tried that didn't work.

To answer your question, yes, it does happen occasionally (less than 5%), but the vast majority of problem drinkers and alcoholics find they need to opt for permanent abstinence.

ArcticSA

I don't know if I'm doing exactly what you mean but...my drinking was out of control last winter and I decided to get completely sober Feb2nd. I stayed completely sober for 4 months and then decided to have a glass of wine. It was fine. Another month passed and I came into a really awful place in my life and had a 6 pack. Since then I have drank maybe 4 or 5 times. Nothing like before. No black-out-drink 15 beers-can't remember anything drinking episodes.
I don't know if it's called a handle but as of right now I am pleased that I have been able to drink a few beers without spiralling out of control. It is certainly not controlling my life like it used to!

Then again, I do think about drinking quite often and it is a job to not drink more often, it is a big responsibility and probably more work than being completely abstinent, but I guess I just don't want to do easy!

Louise82

I could go for 3 weeks without drinking, but when I did drink, I drank alcoholically. It wasn't how much I drank or how often I drank that makes me an alcoholic - it was the reasons why I drank and what happened when I drank that makes me an alcoholic.

whiskeyman

give it a try and tell us what happens.

I think we know the outcome. but everyone has to discover on there own

Dustyboots

This reminds me of a section of the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous that rings true for me about wondering if we can control our drinking: Here are some of the methods we have tried:

"Drinking beer only, limiting the number of drinks, never drinking alone, never drinking in the morning, drink- ing only at home, never having it in the house, never drinking during business hours, drinking only at parties, switching from scotch to brandy, drinking only natural wines, agreeing to resign if ever drunk on the job, taking a trip, not taking a trip, swearing off forever (with and without a solemn oath), taking more physical exercise, reading inspirational books, going to health farms and sanitariums, accepting voluntary commitment to asylums—we could increase the list ad infinitum.
We do not like to pronounce any individual as alcoholic, but you can quickly diagnose yourself. Step over to the nearest barroom and try some controlled drinking. Try to drink and stop abruptly. Try itmore than once. It will not take long for you to decide, if you are honest with yourself about it. It may be worth a bad case of jitters if you get a full knowledge of your condition."

Does any of this sound familiar? For me it was all to close to home. The truth is that if you wonder whether your an alcoholic, the fact that you are even wondering is a pretty sure sign you might be. The "normies" don't even have to think about it.

duane1

I have found that I actually have more problems when I try to moderate. Reason being is my tolerance drops off, but my appetite for drinking doesn't once I get that first drink in me.
So did moderation seem like an option the first day you decided to quit?

Nattythreads

You know there was a time when I used to enjoy drinking and I used to enjoy doing drugs. There were no negative repercussions- well bar the odd broken bone or two. And then it slowly but inexorably changed. I drank to get drunk. I used to get f*cked up.

Only you can decide the nature of your drinking. Whether it is just a distraction or whether it is something more destructive. The fact you're here suggests you're at the very least concerned that it's the latter. And if that is the case, well best of luck with the moderation attempt. Chances are it's not going to end well I'm afraid.

hellomynameis

its wishful thinking...imho

Mits78

When I think I have a handle on it and get the "all clear signal" to drink then I drink. And then I spend the next 4 or 5 days dealing with major anxiety and trying to fix what was only 1 night of drinking.

It took all those " I have a handle on it" nights to realize i dont have a handle on it.

jkb

I had to try and try and try and try.... to drink moderately. Then when I "learned" how little my "normal" friends drank and tried to stop with them (or even worse I see people dump a 1/4 of a beer out because it got warm....uugghh)... It was just not worth it.

"Could I drink normal?". Probably if I forced myself. Will I ever actually do it.... nope. The craving for more beats me every time.

ClearLight

Moderation has always lead to unmoderated drinking for me. Usually before I realized it.
Screw alcohol.
And what is "normal" anyway? I don't want to be average - I want to above average.

resolute50

Alcohol had a bigger handle on me than I had on alcohol.

tomsteve

if I didn't have a problem with alcohol, I wouldn't have to learn how to drink socially.

jkb

So true. My friends that drink moderately never think about it. They were more likely to ask me "why the hell did you drink so much last night?". the thought of not being moderate was silly to them.

DoubleBarrel

Do you really WANT to drink in moderation?

Cause I told myself that, cause I just wanted ANY taste of what I was craving.

Not for nothing, but regular people don't seek out an addiction site. They just have a beer while watching the game, and go on with their lives, like I have a chicken wing, and don't go out and buy two dozen more.

Eleni58

They say if you are trying to control something, it's already out of control

As for me, I rather drink nothing than one or two because I was always after the "effect" alcohol gave me and one or two drinks didn't cut it.