Binge drinking?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 1
Binge drinking?
Hey everyone, I am new to the forum. I have never been the person to drink daily, I can go weeks without a drink. The problem that I have is when I do drink- I cannot seem to only have a "couple" or a "few". I drink until I blackout. I have read that binge drinking IS alcoholism, and I have stopped drinking before for 9 months just because of binge drinking.
When I quit before I felt good, but always knew that I would eventually drink again because I don't need a drink daily. I am at a point where I don't really know what to do. I am hoping that someone has had a similar past and can help me out.
Thanks
When I quit before I felt good, but always knew that I would eventually drink again because I don't need a drink daily. I am at a point where I don't really know what to do. I am hoping that someone has had a similar past and can help me out.
Thanks
Guest
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: The Deep South
Posts: 14,636
Hi Matt, I had a similar drinking style. I consider myself a classic binge drinker (whatever that is, I guess I just made that up).
I would often go days and weeks without, but as soon as I started I'd drink to blackout nearly every time.
I had to quit drinking, period. I can not drink. It just won't ever be ok, under any circumstance, for me to pick up another drink.
I would often go days and weeks without, but as soon as I started I'd drink to blackout nearly every time.
I had to quit drinking, period. I can not drink. It just won't ever be ok, under any circumstance, for me to pick up another drink.
Living Sober
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 555
Hey matt21 _Welcome!
I was also a 'binge drinker' for many years when I first began, and usually kept it to my nights out. However, because alcohol problems are progressive, I later began drinking everyday. That too progressed to the point that I was drinking even in the mornings, to help with the shakes.
I guess the point is that just because you don't have the need to drink daily, that does not necessarily mean there's not a problem, so good for you for taking note and doing something about it. It's better to get ahead of the game early on.
This site is a great place for support and I look forward to seeing you around in here.
Lusher
Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 93
This is one of the reasons I dont like the alcoholism label at all. Its clear your abusing alcohol. Its clear that your smart enough to see it and wonder if its a problem. It is.
Maybe its a problem you can mitigate for 5, 10, 20 years. Or maybe it will kill you the next time you blackout.
Im glad your here looking for information. Keep reading for a while and find the support you need to make the right decision.
Maybe its a problem you can mitigate for 5, 10, 20 years. Or maybe it will kill you the next time you blackout.
Im glad your here looking for information. Keep reading for a while and find the support you need to make the right decision.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Boston
Posts: 39
You might want to look up the phenomenon of kindling. Repeatedly going hard at the bottle and sobering up/detoxing can actually catch up with you faster than decades of drinking daily from a danger standpoint because of the repeated upregulation/downregulation of GABA receptors in the brain.
Agreed with above posters - seek out support whenever and however you can, do your research and above all be honest with yourself about it!
[EDIT: Binging was how I got started initially, also!]
Agreed with above posters - seek out support whenever and however you can, do your research and above all be honest with yourself about it!
[EDIT: Binging was how I got started initially, also!]
Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 18
Hi Matt,
I was a binge drinker. I was able to just drink one or two days a week, but I never could drink enough on those occasions to keep me satisfied. So, i did some research and realized that this was alcoholism and it is a progressive disease that will only get worse if I continued. So, I joined AA 3 weeks ago and this Forum yesterday because I know this will only progress. I feel fortunate to be ahead of the bigger problems that would've eventually came. I think you are somewhat ahead of it too. So, climb aboard the sober lifestyle. We can do this!
I was a binge drinker. I was able to just drink one or two days a week, but I never could drink enough on those occasions to keep me satisfied. So, i did some research and realized that this was alcoholism and it is a progressive disease that will only get worse if I continued. So, I joined AA 3 weeks ago and this Forum yesterday because I know this will only progress. I feel fortunate to be ahead of the bigger problems that would've eventually came. I think you are somewhat ahead of it too. So, climb aboard the sober lifestyle. We can do this!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,831
Hi Matt,
The progressive nature of the beast bears repeating. Only in the past few years did I progress to the point of almost daily drinking. Now with some sober time under my belt it is clear when looking back how I progressed step by step from where you are to where I ended up. I'm not one to give much thought to the label of alcoholic. I am one by my own understanding, but when that line was crossed is hard to say. You are doing yourself a great favor by being very aware of your relationship with alcohol. Take care of yourself Matt.
The progressive nature of the beast bears repeating. Only in the past few years did I progress to the point of almost daily drinking. Now with some sober time under my belt it is clear when looking back how I progressed step by step from where you are to where I ended up. I'm not one to give much thought to the label of alcoholic. I am one by my own understanding, but when that line was crossed is hard to say. You are doing yourself a great favor by being very aware of your relationship with alcohol. Take care of yourself Matt.
Guest
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: The Deep South
Posts: 14,636
Originally Posted by walkingecho 
You might want to look up the phenomenon of kindling. Repeatedly going hard at the bottle and sobering up/detoxing can actually catch up with you faster than decades of drinking daily from a danger standpoint because of the repeated upregulation/downregulation of GABA receptors in the brain.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,195
I am a terrible binge-drinker. The kind to fight his friends, strangers and even family. I black-out and lose control of what I do and say. Eventually, I was binge-drinking every night and became physically addicted to alcohol. Binging on booze with no way to stop is a warning sign of a problem that can easily progress to full blown alcoholism.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,442
Hi and welcome Matt 
There are many binge drinkers here, or former binge drinkers who graduated to every day drinking like me.
I think binge drinking can sometimes be even more dangerous than daily drinking because we really concentrate the amount we drink into such a small amount of time.
It's incredibly self destructive and it stands to reason you want to quit.
You'll find a lot of support here
D
There are many binge drinkers here, or former binge drinkers who graduated to every day drinking like me.
I think binge drinking can sometimes be even more dangerous than daily drinking because we really concentrate the amount we drink into such a small amount of time.
It's incredibly self destructive and it stands to reason you want to quit.
You'll find a lot of support here
D
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 301
Hi Matt,
Binge drinker here as well - I can tell you that my experience has been that the binges progressively became heavier, more closely spaced apart, and more dangerous over time. I never reached the drinking heavily every day "phase" but I was well on my way there. Best to "nip it in the bud" early before it causes you even more problems. BTW, I am on Day 15 as well - we got this.
SD
Binge drinker here as well - I can tell you that my experience has been that the binges progressively became heavier, more closely spaced apart, and more dangerous over time. I never reached the drinking heavily every day "phase" but I was well on my way there. Best to "nip it in the bud" early before it causes you even more problems. BTW, I am on Day 15 as well - we got this.
SD
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 160
I'm a recovering binge drinker myself. It is absolutely alcoholism. I could go through the work week without drinking, but once the weekend came I lost control.
You think you are in control, but all you are really doing is being a functional alcoholic. Control is just an illusion. Like SoberD says, it is a downhill ride. It will likely get worse and worse. It did for me.
All my relapses have been when I thought "I have this beat!" "I can handle it" "I won't go back to the way things were...". All lies I told myself.
Eventually for me it got to the point where I had to stop. Really stop for good.
Good luck.
You think you are in control, but all you are really doing is being a functional alcoholic. Control is just an illusion. Like SoberD says, it is a downhill ride. It will likely get worse and worse. It did for me.
All my relapses have been when I thought "I have this beat!" "I can handle it" "I won't go back to the way things were...". All lies I told myself.
Eventually for me it got to the point where I had to stop. Really stop for good.
Good luck.
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