What's wrong with just one drink?
Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: canada
Posts: 7,242
RockSea,
nothing wrong with one drink.
nothing at all.
but you didn't stay there, obviously.
will it always be like this? will it ever be different?
no-one can answer that for you but you.
when i understood and knew deep down and accepted that it would and could never be different for me, i turned around and could finally quit.
nothing wrong with one drink.
nothing at all.
but you didn't stay there, obviously.
will it always be like this? will it ever be different?
no-one can answer that for you but you.
when i understood and knew deep down and accepted that it would and could never be different for me, i turned around and could finally quit.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: ohio
Posts: 3,615
Well if one is a normal drinker, there is absolutely nothing wrong with one drink.
If someone is an alcoholic like me, "one drink" turns everything on it's head. My last relapse started with "one drink." The funny thing is, I had the following thoughts in a row: this tastes like crap. I don't like it. I don't like how I feel. This is stupid. I need another!
Those thoughts all happened in the space of a minute. There is definitely something wrong with how my brain processes alcohol. That just isn't normal. Which means I'm not a normal drinker. So, alas, I can't drink.
If someone is an alcoholic like me, "one drink" turns everything on it's head. My last relapse started with "one drink." The funny thing is, I had the following thoughts in a row: this tastes like crap. I don't like it. I don't like how I feel. This is stupid. I need another!
Those thoughts all happened in the space of a minute. There is definitely something wrong with how my brain processes alcohol. That just isn't normal. Which means I'm not a normal drinker. So, alas, I can't drink.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Gulf Coast, USA
Posts: 2,229
I can only speak for myself. One is never an option; and I've tried plenty of times to moderate. One always leads to two and by the time I'm at three, there is no stopping until I hit the bed. Doesn't matter what time of day I start, there is no stopping after I've had that first drink. But for me, that's why I drank.
Like other's have said, I would never have "one drink" just to have "one drink". The goal is to get to that "buzz" or "high" as quickly as possible.
A lot of us here have tried everything under the sun to moderate, justify drinking, justify continuing to drink, convincing ourselves that we don't have a problem.
Bottom line for me is that I do have a problem and it starts with that first drink.
Like other's have said, I would never have "one drink" just to have "one drink". The goal is to get to that "buzz" or "high" as quickly as possible.
A lot of us here have tried everything under the sun to moderate, justify drinking, justify continuing to drink, convincing ourselves that we don't have a problem.
Bottom line for me is that I do have a problem and it starts with that first drink.
Professional zombie fighter
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Texas
Posts: 341
Originally Posted by wehav2day 
My last relapse started with "one drink." The funny thing is, I had the following thoughts in a row: this tastes like crap. I don't like it. I don't like how I feel. This is stupid. I need another!
It's like "another" will be the conclusion I draw *no matter what* thoughts came before that.
learning to live
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,665
For me, YES it will always be that way!
I have practiced too many times and it is ALWAYS that way.
I avoid this by not drinking one drink. There was never one drink for me. Once I had that one drink the obsession was off and back to the races I went on the merry go round of insanity.
I heard once; "whats the point of two drinks, that's just getting your mouth dirty"....that's the way I see it. I cant just have one or two drinks! Do I like that, No. But, that is who I am and it is just easier for me not to drink. I'd rather go through my whole life wondering if I am an alcoholic over trying this test over and over to end in a revolving sick state of mind every single time.
That's me. Sounds like from your example above you might be the same. I wish you well. You can also avoid that first drink to avoid the above situation!
I have practiced too many times and it is ALWAYS that way.
I avoid this by not drinking one drink. There was never one drink for me. Once I had that one drink the obsession was off and back to the races I went on the merry go round of insanity.
I heard once; "whats the point of two drinks, that's just getting your mouth dirty"....that's the way I see it. I cant just have one or two drinks! Do I like that, No. But, that is who I am and it is just easier for me not to drink. I'd rather go through my whole life wondering if I am an alcoholic over trying this test over and over to end in a revolving sick state of mind every single time.
That's me. Sounds like from your example above you might be the same. I wish you well. You can also avoid that first drink to avoid the above situation!
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: USA
Posts: 872
If I have one drink either two things will happen:
a.) I will drink the one and feel unfulfilled - like eating just one potato chip when you are hungry, its harder to stop at one than if you never had any at all
b.) I will continue to drink and likely drink too much
I've seen the script before, and the best thing is just to stay sober.
a.) I will drink the one and feel unfulfilled - like eating just one potato chip when you are hungry, its harder to stop at one than if you never had any at all
b.) I will continue to drink and likely drink too much
I've seen the script before, and the best thing is just to stay sober.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: USA
Posts: 872
Originally Posted by bigsombrero
The problem is, we're not in the game for "one drink". We don't get that special feeling we crave from just one drink. We're in this to get buzzed and drunk, and once that euphoria hits us, we only want more of it.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 37
Originally Posted by josharon
I could probably have one. Then one the next day. Then three the day after that. A few days later, a bottle...before long, a bottle every day. Downward spiral quickly ensues. I'm still learning that this is how it works for me. It always has, and if I keep having that first drink, it always will.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
Originally Posted by rocksea46
How come? Will it always really be that way? Anyone here different?
Will it always be that way? Well,no. If you are an alcoholic, it will probably get worse.
Different? Me? For an alcoholic? No. As time went on alcoholism progressed and my tolerance dropped.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,444
Originally Posted by rocksea46
This is the questions that keeps on cropping up for me. Last time I was sober for a while I went out with a friend and had one glass of wine. Fine right? When I got home I went out and bought a bottle and drank it. The next day 4 cans of beer, bottle of wine and then that or more everyday since I gave up on the 3rd.
How come? Will it always really be that way? Anyone here different?
How come? Will it always really be that way? Anyone here different?
sometime I balasted off right away - sometimes it took too a while...but blast off was always inevitable.
D
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
Posts: 25,826
You answered your own question, the problem with 1 drink is it opens the flood gates!!
. . . and yes, if like me you have a problem with alcohol it will always be that way, the only answer is to part ways with alcohol on a permanent basis!!
My life has been looking up ever since!!
. . . and yes, if like me you have a problem with alcohol it will always be that way, the only answer is to part ways with alcohol on a permanent basis!!
My life has been looking up ever since!!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 39
My take..
Odd first post I know. This one peaked my interest. I joined a year ago but I lurk and read just not posted.
Over the last 10+ months I have substantial time completely sober. And probably equal time moderating. Sounds like I'm normal and appears as such outside my private world. The truth is I can begrudgingly moderate but as others state it just isn't what comes natural and white nuckle discipline is not what most folks practice. What started as me wanting to change my young children's exposure to drinking has morphed into if I can't drink like I want to then I'll pass and that then turned into waking fresh and clear on Monday feels pretty good. Or waking up and doing yard work on Saturday ain't so bad. In short my dislike of the negative consequences eventually trumped my equal dislike of having to set limits and feel like a prisoner to something I honestly do not really want to moderate to begin with.
Over the last 10+ months I have substantial time completely sober. And probably equal time moderating. Sounds like I'm normal and appears as such outside my private world. The truth is I can begrudgingly moderate but as others state it just isn't what comes natural and white nuckle discipline is not what most folks practice. What started as me wanting to change my young children's exposure to drinking has morphed into if I can't drink like I want to then I'll pass and that then turned into waking fresh and clear on Monday feels pretty good. Or waking up and doing yard work on Saturday ain't so bad. In short my dislike of the negative consequences eventually trumped my equal dislike of having to set limits and feel like a prisoner to something I honestly do not really want to moderate to begin with.
The New Me starting 1/11/09
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: California
Posts: 678
One of my favorite quotes comes from the book Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp.
When you question your alcoholism, you say to yourself: If I am an alcoholic, I shouldn't drink and if I'm not an alcoholic, I don't need to. That's a nice piece of logic. You say: People who aren't alcoholics do not lie in bed at two-thirty in the morning wondering if they're alcoholics. A good reality check.
So to answer your question, if you aren't alcoholic, you won't need even the first drink. It was this logic that has kept the voices in my head from overwhelming me. I know that I do want that drink, so this tells me something.
When you question your alcoholism, you say to yourself: If I am an alcoholic, I shouldn't drink and if I'm not an alcoholic, I don't need to. That's a nice piece of logic. You say: People who aren't alcoholics do not lie in bed at two-thirty in the morning wondering if they're alcoholics. A good reality check.
So to answer your question, if you aren't alcoholic, you won't need even the first drink. It was this logic that has kept the voices in my head from overwhelming me. I know that I do want that drink, so this tells me something.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: California
Posts: 2,693
I remember something in the book Under the Influence about how non-alcoholics begin to feel uncomfortable after 3-4 drinks. Either sleepy, dizzy, loopy, nauseous. Whatever one so they stop. They aren't holding themselves back from 6, 8 or 12. Alcoholics the pleasure seems to keep increasing.
The first six we're simply the warm up, like accelerating the car to 70 mph on the freeway. The next six-eight were simply maintaining the drunk for the next six hours.......or OOOPS blacking out.
The first six we're simply the warm up, like accelerating the car to 70 mph on the freeway. The next six-eight were simply maintaining the drunk for the next six hours.......or OOOPS blacking out.
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