anattaboy

I've worn that hat. Used to say folks that hadn't seen jail weren't doing it right. It's a sick juvenile boast but thankfully the pendulum swings. We all wish for those with a problem to quit sooner as we would like to have done ourselves. Lotsa unnecessary pain. This guy was just being a dude and had a juvenile moment. I still have a few now and again and I'm 53. Congrats to all Low-Bottom drunks out there It's kinda like prostate cancer--if caught early it won't be as much a pain in the ass to treat. Left untreated it will get worse and probably kill me.

CupofJoe

When I was still drinking (and unrecovered) I was guilty of this type of thinking. I would never say it to anyone, but I definitely thought it when I heard people talk about how they recovered if they hadn't (in my sanctimonious opinion) suffered enough. I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I thought and did a lot of things as a drunk which I no longer believe or do.

I think that I was just looking for an excuse on why they had been able to quit drinking and I hadn't. It was easier for them because they had a higher bottom, it's easier for them, they don't understand how hard it is for ME, blah blah blah. A lot of my judgment came from fear and resentments.

I don't think such things now and I'm thrilled to see people quit before things get really bad.

I hope no one would have taken me seriously with my petty judgments and I hope you won't take anyone who thinks in that way seriously either.

yinzer

I remember reading the book by Caroline Knapp when it first came out, and being very judgemental....thinking that she can't be alcoholic because she's not drinking morning, noon and night at a case of beer a day like me.

It means nothing. I was just a very pathetic, small person, trying to make me look like I was good at SOMETHING. Even if it was being a horrid drunk.

jryan19982

I guess my rule of thumb is- Do you think YOU have a problem? Do you think YOU drink too much? Do you think it is ruining or destroying some part of you, your life, your family, your happiness? If you answered yes to any of those, then it is what is it and at least you know and you can work to fix it.

It doesnt matter what some other addict thinks of you. It matters what you think of you. If you think you are better off not drinking, then by all means dont drink and work towards that goal.

BirdsAteMyFace

I'm just learning about people's perceptions of "high bottoms" and "low bottoms". To me, a bottom is a bottom. I may not have hit my deepest low when I decided to quit, but I sure as heck wasn't going to consciously sink any lower.

My low was bad enough for me.

jryan19982

Yeah like maybe that first floor was hard enough, I dont want to feel what the concrete feels like...

CAPTAINZING2000

Actually, I admire people coming to grips with their drinking problem before they hit a terrible bottom !!!

JanieJ

Yeah, me too !