Alcohol dependency V alcoholic
Alcohol dependency V alcoholic
Is there a difference? My doctor has said I have alcohol dependency... im kinda twoing and throwing with the term alcoholic... if I have an alcohol dependency am I an alcoholic? Im cool with it if I am but just wanted to know if there was an actual difference???
I don't really know if there is a difference. I do however think it is something for each person to decide. Sure people can look at the behavior and some and say "yikes, you drink too much" But there are also other times people will minimize the problem. I have had many people say to me "come one, it's not that bad. Just drink a little bit less" But I think that even if I am drinking one glass of wine, once a month, but it is something *I* feel uncomfortable with and something that *I* think is a problem then it is, it is not for anyone else to tell me it is not an issue, not even a doctor.
You know when I went to AA there was people there who had waaaaay worst problems than me lost everything, it made me question am I actually an alcoholic.... but but what I could Indentify with was my own association with alcohol, ok so I havent reached that stage where alcohol has ruined my entire life, my therapist said give it five years and the way you were drinking you could quite easily get to that stage, she said Ive caught it early. So... I guess I am a alcoholic... first stage i dunno or what? I dont want to lure myself into a false sense of security that I can manage my drinking... ive done that before and failed it lasts a couple a weeks then Im back to square one - a drunk. I need to remember that one drink leads me to become a drunk even if its not straight away eventually I will get drunk and that vicious cycle starts all over again.
blueberry - Count your blessings you stoped before you reached the point of no return Yes we can over come , but it gets harder each time we fall. Than by the time we realize we have a problem are health has paid the price .
You have said , It's hard to quit once you start . I don't think you need to put a label on it . Either way if you keep trying to drink You will become an alcoholic .
Stick with your plan , you'll be fine . It's no Fun fighting that Beast
You have said , It's hard to quit once you start . I don't think you need to put a label on it . Either way if you keep trying to drink You will become an alcoholic .
Stick with your plan , you'll be fine . It's no Fun fighting that Beast
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 4,225
I think everyone has an opinion on this, but, I would say - dancing with using too much alcohol as a "crutch" to deal with things could be classed initially as a dependency.
I certainly see my initial alcohol use in that light - but that's only now in hindsight. And I could have pulled in my behaviour at that point. HOWEVER, the tricky thing is, when we tell ourselves that it's only a passing overuse of alcohol, I don't think we see how grave the problem can become.
Alcoholics don't just wake up as raging alcoholics...it all starts with depending on alcohol too much to make us feel good and goes from there. I certainly didn't take any of my alcohol use as seriously as I should have, and in fact, that's part of the trick alcohol plays on us to keep us locked in the cycle. Denial.
Just some thoughts.
I certainly see my initial alcohol use in that light - but that's only now in hindsight. And I could have pulled in my behaviour at that point. HOWEVER, the tricky thing is, when we tell ourselves that it's only a passing overuse of alcohol, I don't think we see how grave the problem can become.
Alcoholics don't just wake up as raging alcoholics...it all starts with depending on alcohol too much to make us feel good and goes from there. I certainly didn't take any of my alcohol use as seriously as I should have, and in fact, that's part of the trick alcohol plays on us to keep us locked in the cycle. Denial.
Just some thoughts.
Guest
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Michigan
Posts: 772
If when you drink you have trouble controlling the amount you drink or if when you honestly try to stop you cannot you are probably an alcoholic.
It says it in the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous . Dont quote me on it look at it for yourself. Do you have a big book? The first 3 chapters help you to find out if you are an alcoholic or not.
You NEED to read this if you are having trouble.
It says it in the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous . Dont quote me on it look at it for yourself. Do you have a big book? The first 3 chapters help you to find out if you are an alcoholic or not.
You NEED to read this if you are having trouble.
you say potato, I say tomato
it just doesn't matter what you want to call it,
if you have a problem with alcohol and have a hard time stopping, you really should do whatever you can to stop and stay stopped.
it just doesn't matter what you want to call it,
if you have a problem with alcohol and have a hard time stopping, you really should do whatever you can to stop and stay stopped.
When drinking.... I drank and drank and drank til I passed out. I found myself drinking more and more and more til I reached a point of being completed wasted and pass out. I had the blackouts, the remorce the regret. I came to a stage where I was downing it like water and where I couldnt get enough... begging my husband for more drink even tho I was already wasted. That sounds like an alcoholic to me. I need to keep focused on my sobriety. My drinking scared me, sometimes at the time of the month Id never know how alcohol would affect me... like a flick of a switch I could be a happy drunk to almost psycohotic where by I scared my mum and my husband they both had said I was unrecognisable I have been abusive verbally and also physically. This is why I need to stay sober.
Hi blueberry -
Sounds like you're getting some good perspective and insight into your relationship with alcohol.
You mention that in the past you've had trouble staying stopped. What is your plan going forward to get you through the next time that you want to pick up?
Sounds like you're getting some good perspective and insight into your relationship with alcohol.
You mention that in the past you've had trouble staying stopped. What is your plan going forward to get you through the next time that you want to pick up?
Hi blueberry -
Sounds like you're getting some good perspective and insight into your relationship with alcohol.
You mention that in the past you've had trouble staying stopped. What is your plan going forward to get you through the next time that you want to pick up?
Sounds like you're getting some good perspective and insight into your relationship with alcohol.
You mention that in the past you've had trouble staying stopped. What is your plan going forward to get you through the next time that you want to pick up?
You know when I went to AA there was people there who had waaaaay worst problems than me lost everything, it made me question am I actually an alcoholic
Blueberry, I know this was an earlier post in your thread and since you have realized you need to stop drinking.
The reason I point it out is, (noting I am very early in my own sobriety) is this will be something that could come up again for you. It does for me, and I have read it time again from newcomers and those with longer sober time a like.
Comparing our problems (or lack thereof) as not so bad to others' problems can be a slippery slope, leading back to -" maybe I'll have just one, I really wasn't that bad, was I?"
It's a process, and sounds like you are doing great!
Blueberry, I know this was an earlier post in your thread and since you have realized you need to stop drinking.
The reason I point it out is, (noting I am very early in my own sobriety) is this will be something that could come up again for you. It does for me, and I have read it time again from newcomers and those with longer sober time a like.
Comparing our problems (or lack thereof) as not so bad to others' problems can be a slippery slope, leading back to -" maybe I'll have just one, I really wasn't that bad, was I?"
It's a process, and sounds like you are doing great!
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)