MIRecovery

Being on SR would be pretty low on my list of things to do if I were not alcoholic

jdooner

What is being described in this OP is described as the great quest of all alcoholics. The delusion that you can somehow drink normally again. Many men and women so convinced of this quest have chased it to their graves.

No is my experience.

Sober wolf, I like your perspective

FeelingGreat

I think the vast majority of alcoholics can't ever drink, however there are some people who have gone through phases where they were heavy drinkers who may be able to drink under certain controlled conditions.

The thing that I found most workable and comfortable is knowing I won't be drinking alcohol. My mind has adjusted to this well enough for me not to allow myself to be tempted.

tomsteve

Can an alcoholic become a 'moderate' drinker?

this alcoholic cant.

Tang

One if the things that kept me from quitting was worrying about how would I handle event xyz in my future (near or far). What about that graduation? What about that wedding? To me this type of thinking is clearly that of an alcoholic (or problem drinker or insert alcohol label here).

ru12

Some alcoholics learn to moderate. There are documented studies that prove the point. Google it. Pretending otherwise is simply dishonest or ignorance. I don't think most can though, at least not consistently. I think that some ex-smokers may be able to have the occasional cigarette, but probably not most. Could I moderate now? I don't know and don't care. My life is complete without alcohol. It is a risk that I'm not willing to take.

soberclover

I had 13 years and one day decided now that I was married, had a child, finished my degree in college, and had a great job, I had everything under control. 8 years later I got sober. I lost my marriage, my car (wrecked two), my job, my health...and so on. I am sober 22 months and pretty gosh darn happy and won't be fooled in to thinking "I got this".

ReadyAtLast

A period of abstinence, no matter how long, does not suddenly lead to control.

dSober

Good guess.

ESD907

I am and will always be an alcoholic. I was not an active on until my early 40's. I went decade w/o drinking more than a drink every few months. But I'll tell you, I knew early on I was going to be here someday. When I was a teen, we'd drink on Friday nights. I really really liked it, I mean Really liked it. I was smart enough then to stick with Fridays and then in college, believe it or not, I rarely drank. Then with new career, very rarely. It wasn't until I quit working to be a stay at home mom that it got hold of me. But I knew early on, I just knew. Same as I once tried cocaine, I remember the date June 26, 1983. It was our HS graduation party, and I was leaving next day for my grandmas in Norway. First and only time I tried it, it was too good, I knew I"d be an addict very quickly. I think the signs are there for most of us. I'd never close the door to others, but I know I never could drink again.

DefconOne

Yes. But only if they have no control and free choice over the supply and dosage they receive. Under those circumstances most alcoholics would prefer to drink something else. It would be a form of torture to be given a sip then shut off. I'm mean seriously, I drank to get drunk, the stuff tastes horrible without being diluted.

Confuzd

A friend of mine drank heavily and used drugs throughout college. She got in trouble with the law, almost failed out of college, and had serious health problems. Eventually she started seeing a psychiatrist. She cut back on her drinking and drug use and basically became a social drinker. To my knowledge she has been able to be a moderate drinker for three years. So maybe it is possible. In my opinion though, it is very risky. Maybe my friend will be able to moderate successfully for 10 years, but get out of control again in year 11.

In my opinion it is too risky for anyone who has ever had problems controlling their drinking to try and drink moderately again. There are many more stories of alcoholics unable to moderate, than of people like my friend who seem to be able to moderate.

If I had a potentially fatal allergic reaction to peanut butter, you can be sure I would avoid peanut butter for the rest of my life. Even if doctors came out with a magic pill that claimed to cure peanut butter allergies, I would not want to risk trying peanut butter again. It would just not be worth it. Same with drinking, for me. I would rather put in the effort to remain sober, one day at a time, than risk an failed experiment with moderate drinking which could potentially end very badly.

jaynie04

Weird analogy..but. I have a potted plant that at some point got mold in it's soil. I have tried to dry it out, expose it to sunlight, etc. Every time I add even a little bit of water the mold starts growing right away. The mold is just sitting there waiting for the opportunity.

Now the plant needs water to live. I don't need alcohol to live. In some ways not drinking is a much easier decision than whether I should throw the stupid plant out.

Thatdeliveryguy

In the annals of time it has probably happened, but I know I am not that guy.

anattaboy

cart before the horse? I mean, once I make it to alcoholic going to moderate drinker is like trying to be 10 yrs. old again (impossible) but we all have tried.

pakman

For long time I wish I could moderate. Actually, I still wish I could moderate. But, after failed attempts and relapses, I now know that I CANNOT. I wish I had realized this many years ago.

pakman

ultradad

There is a HUGE difference between an alcoholic and a heavy drinker. An alcoholic has a disease and can NEVER drink moderately, that's the diseases. A heavy drinker can learn to moderate his/her drinking. As to which you are, only you know that.

Hobbers

FreeOwl

Harvard Medical School says; "probably not"

Alcohol abstinence vs. moderation

SoberHoopsFan

Bingo, "normal" or "moderate" drinkers are not anything to envy, most of them are addicted to alcohol on a lesser level and don't even realize it. They may not suffer as many negative consequences as some of us, but they suffer too for their consumption, sometimes in very major ways. And most of them are not in the control they think they are, otherwise the "had one too many last night" talk we often hear from these people on certain occasions would never be the case.

Regular and consistent consumption of alcohol (even in smaller doses) is drug addiction, just in a "societally acceptable" way. For me, letting go of alcohol was letting go of wanting to drink "moderately" or "normally."

But for those of us who have passed a certain point in their drinking, I don't believe there is ever any going back no matter how long of a period of sobriety you may have.