I love to drink!!!!!
 

I do. It's insane. But I love to be sober too. I was on this sight for a long time until I had a drink about 16 months ago. But I make plenty of coin and am raising a nice family. Daily I struggle with the question " Am I a drunk? I will tell you, in 23 years of drinking, never have I had only 1 beer. What defines an alcoholic. UUUGGGGHHHHH

I thought I loved drinking. Until I tried to quit. Then I realized that I needed to drink. That's different from loving it.

YOu had a drink 16 months ago. Where did it lead you? Right back to here.

Welcome. Hope you stick around.

I hope you stick around too MB8. welcome back :)

D

If drinking is causing problems then it's time to quit. And if you're back here it must be causing some problems. Just because you get paid well and have a family doesn't mean alcohol isn't causing problems.

i dont know why but questions like am i an alcoholic or wnat defines an alcoholic seem to be coming up a lot lately.
and ill suggest the same thing- drop the label and look at underlying issues. look at problems alcohol has caused.
people without a drinking problem dont love to get drunk. they dont question whether they have a problem. they dont struggle with the question whether they are alcoholic or not.

Good to see you, MB8.

I loved it and it was fun for a long time. I also never had one drink, ever. I kept playing with it until I was completely dependent on it. I knew long before I quit where it was heading - I just didn't want to face it. Glad you want to talk things over. :)

Alcohol does not discriminate. Rich or poor, old or young, black or white or purple, it can get its meathooks into anyone. And while for years and years it appears there are no consequences, eventually you have to pay the bill. Whether it be via health reasons, divorce, the law, CPS or your profession. Its not a free pass...ever. I wish you the best.

Eventually you have to pay the piper...
There is no free pass if you drink like I use too.

I loved drinking until it nearly destroyed my world, Hope you make the right choice.

You might love drinking, but it will not love you back.

Stick around have you got a plan

So was Philip Seymour Hoffman. Turns out it wasn't the most important thing going on in his life.

First off, if you need to see a Dr. Do it.

I managed to quit on my own with the help of God, the internet, and SR.

Before I quit, I would be saying I hate booze as I drank it.

I would wake up hung over saying I hate booze.

I was a binger. I didn't realize the long term issues until I got educated.

Alcohol dulls areas in the brain that act up, make us feel anxiety, when the alcohol wears off. That is when we think, I could use a drink. Really, we need a drink to re-dull those receptors. It is a viscous downward cycle. Anxiety is the trigger.

I am lucky. I was on borrowed time. 1 DUI, 1 alcohol related Domestic Violence issue etc. Would have ruined me. I need to drive to take my kid to school, to go to work, to play golf, to hit the gym...I am lucky I never got popped.

Now I am educated, thanks to the internet and SR, I will never let that poison pass my lips. So help me God.

This is so similar to my very first post. Same questions and a similar scenario. I'm new to this so can't offer any words of wisdom other than I know I love/ loved to drink.

But I prefer this current feeling and I know I can't do or have both ways of life.

Good luck it you.

Are you powerless over alcohol ,is your life unmanageable ? .

AA used to have a pamphlet titled ''20 Questions '' and if you answered so many then it was likely you were possibly alcoholic .

It really does not matter how often you drink or the quantity or quality of what you drink , what matters is '' is alcohol causing you problems ''
Heard the story of a funeral where the deceased had died with liver disease and was a very very heavy drinker . Woman asks deceased wife ,'' how come he never went to that Alcoholics Anonymous ? '' his wife replied '' Oh for God's sake he Wasn't That Bad '' .

Saying goes you are ''not a little bit pregnant '' so be honest with yourself ''have you a problem ? '' you may fool others but you cannot fool yourself .

Regards .
Stevie.

Maybe you should quit now while you're still ahead. The longer you let this go on, the harder it is to get out. Don't wait for it to become your ruination....

Steve.... Good stuff. I definately am full blown drunk. I have sober bouts of 5,6, and 11 months. Can get anymore than that. Can imagine life without cold beer.

I couldn't imagine a life without wine, MB8; now I cannot imagine going back to it.

You can get more than 5, 6, 11 months. You can get the rest of your life as a sober man.

Hope you go for it.

My problem was I loved to be drunk - blotto - slama jamma falling down drunk. Love to drink? Sounds so very nice compared to the insidious insanity I was locked in.......I have had to go way up in class to simply "drink"

Thanks for the reminder, glad your'e here posting.
I too made a bunch of money. My wife often quipped - make certain the life insurance is paid up.

What a way not to live.......

Whenever my clients ask me this question, I always give the same response.

Only you can really tell if you're an alcoholic or not, and deep down we usually already know. Hence why we ask the question.

However, if you are either hurting yourself or somebody else as a result of your drinking than you most likely have a serious problem with alcohol.

And by hurt someone else, I mean driving drunk, missing out on precious memories with your children, not being present with your wife, wasting money that could be put to better use like a college fund for your kids, etc, etc,

You don't HAVE to be, no matter what you think. You can change your thinking, because you really do not have to be.
Rooting for ya