PotentialA

I will also add that the timing of joining this site is good because I have recently found that I have no desire to feel tipsy and have started to simply stop drinking as soon as I don't feel 100% sober which started me questioning why I even buy or start drinking beer at all. So I feel that I need to use this by taking a step back and simply questioning it now, not when I am in the middle of my third beer.

whalebelow

Personally I don't think your "alcoholic " because (unless your not being 100% honest) it seems you have control over the amount you drink each time you drink.

It's become a bad habit, habits are relatively easy to change.

You'll find plenty of help & support here from former habitual and problem drinkers.

Good on you for recognising it's not healthy and checking yourself before it really bites you on the ass

PotentialA

I didn't always have control - I used to drink night and day - took a lot of will power to clean up my act (to some extent) and just get on with life. This was probably more important than attempting to give up completely because I am pretty sure that at the time, I would have given in regularly and had a proper big binge to make up for it. At least at the moment I never feel a wanting to get plastered and I am here, so I still feel I need to improve. Maybe I have solved the hardest part or even managed to find a happy medium, but there is no harm in staying here a while to get some perspective, advice and support

sprout50

PotentialA, I am so glad that you stuck around. I am reading a lot of myself in your posts. Over the years, I also tried controlling my drinking-only 2 drinks-only a few days a week....it always ended up with me drinking every night again and way more than 2 drinks. The energy I was putting into trying to control it was exhausting and all I could think about was when I was going to reward myself with a drink. I am finding that it is better to simply not drink at all. No more secrets-no more hiding it.

Whatever conclusion you come to, I am glad that you keep checking the posts here. This place has been great for me-support without judgement.

PotentialA

Thanks for the support - I don't expect that I will change radically in the next week or so, but I will hang around and continue to question myself as it can only help me keep an open mind and perhaps improve myself.

PotentialA

Well, I managed to buy some groceries without purchasing any beer. I actually laughed because there were for some odd reason - 4 beer displays in the store!! They all had the beers I like and none of the cheap stuff. I just thought it was a set-up to mock me!

Deep down though I probably found it easy to abstain because I am being more questioning and still have not "given up" beer, or at least only for today. Having said that, everyone is sober until their next drink technically, so I could just carry on "postponing" the buying of alcohol indefinitely. Same thing but different perspective...

Soberwolf

Your addicted to this site

Addicted ?

Why would it take an effort not to buy the drinks

Alcoholics make an effort not to drink and that's what gives us hope

Somebody making the effort

Keep it up keep posting I'm really interested to see where this goes

Soberwolf

Me too

Soberwolf

One of my best friends always says I'll have a beer tomorrow and then he says this the next day etc

Wow