Hello All
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Oak Harbor, WA
Posts: 1
Hello All
Hello everyone, please forgive the silly name. It's a moniker that I've used for several years online now.
I've recently come to terms with accepting that I am an alcoholic. I am 28 and have been drinking heavily since about age 17. Although the frequency of my drinking has decreased as I've aged, I continue to binge drink to the point of blacking out, albeit by myself and without any negative incidents outside of my own health and well being. I am in the military and working on a doctorate degree in business administration, so it's hard to say that drinking has negatively impacted my career or personal life. I have tried several times to quit drinking with moderate success. This last attempt lasted about 6 weeks until I caved and let my thoughts get the best of me. I'm tired of having alcohol control my thoughts and actions, and all I want is to give up the booze for good. There aren't any AA meetings on this tiny island I currently live on, so I found this website.
Does anyone have any suggestions for a highly functioning alcoholic? It seems almost worse to be doing well and drink as much as I do. I almost wish there had been a rock bottom over the last 10 years.
I've recently come to terms with accepting that I am an alcoholic. I am 28 and have been drinking heavily since about age 17. Although the frequency of my drinking has decreased as I've aged, I continue to binge drink to the point of blacking out, albeit by myself and without any negative incidents outside of my own health and well being. I am in the military and working on a doctorate degree in business administration, so it's hard to say that drinking has negatively impacted my career or personal life. I have tried several times to quit drinking with moderate success. This last attempt lasted about 6 weeks until I caved and let my thoughts get the best of me. I'm tired of having alcohol control my thoughts and actions, and all I want is to give up the booze for good. There aren't any AA meetings on this tiny island I currently live on, so I found this website.
Does anyone have any suggestions for a highly functioning alcoholic? It seems almost worse to be doing well and drink as much as I do. I almost wish there had been a rock bottom over the last 10 years.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,427
Hi and welcome 
I think a recovery plan is vital - this is a good link about what that might be for you
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ery-plans.html
I think use all the support you can find - post here regularly, maybe join the Class of July support thread in this forum as another means of support apart from this thread.
Don't worry about being on a small island either...if you want to follow an AA kind of course there are online AA meetings on the web ...other meeting based approaches like SMART or LifeRing also have an online presence.
Basically you'll get back what you put into your recovery - so give it all you've got
D
I think a recovery plan is vital - this is a good link about what that might be for you
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ery-plans.html
I think use all the support you can find - post here regularly, maybe join the Class of July support thread in this forum as another means of support apart from this thread.
Don't worry about being on a small island either...if you want to follow an AA kind of course there are online AA meetings on the web ...other meeting based approaches like SMART or LifeRing also have an online presence.
Basically you'll get back what you put into your recovery - so give it all you've got
D
Canine Welfare Advocate
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 10,962
Originally Posted by TairyHesticles 
Does anyone have any suggestions for a highly functioning alcoholic? It seems almost worse to be doing well and drink as much as I do. I almost wish there had been a rock bottom over the last 10 years.
But I wouldn't recommend it.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 418
Hi TH,
I have a juvenile sense of humour and appreciate your nick.
I understand what you're saying about not having any negative consequences from drinking, but the following:
is also true.
I (along with others here, I'm sure) drank to excess on the way up the ladder in their chosen field.
Continuing to drink is just playing Russian roulette with your life. One day you'll pull the trigger on the proverbial loaded chamber and perhaps you'll be lucky enough to live and tell your tale.
I hope you decide to stop drinking and have a better and brighter life.
I have a juvenile sense of humour and appreciate your nick.
I understand what you're saying about not having any negative consequences from drinking, but the following:
Originally Posted by doggonecarl
Functioning alcoholic is but a stage of alcoholism, not a type of alcoholic.
I (along with others here, I'm sure) drank to excess on the way up the ladder in their chosen field.
Continuing to drink is just playing Russian roulette with your life. One day you'll pull the trigger on the proverbial loaded chamber and perhaps you'll be lucky enough to live and tell your tale.
I hope you decide to stop drinking and have a better and brighter life.
Sobriety is Traditional
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Orcas Island, Washington
Posts: 9,066
Welcome!
There are several AA meetings every day in Oak Harbor. I hope you get to one soon!
Alcoholics Anonymous (A. A.) Meetings in Oak Harbor, Washington
There are several AA meetings every day in Oak Harbor. I hope you get to one soon!
Alcoholics Anonymous (A. A.) Meetings in Oak Harbor, Washington
Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Upper Midwest
Posts: 1,730
I was "highly functioning" before my last drink 2+ years ago. For me, the drill was no different than for anyone else, except that my physical withdrawal symptoms weren't severe enough to require medically supervised detox.
Other than that, you make a plan, stick to it, and above all accept that you are an alcoholic, that you will always be an alcoholic, and that you will never be able to moderate. Ever.
That was my method. And it has been successful. So far.
Good luck. And welcome to SR.
Other than that, you make a plan, stick to it, and above all accept that you are an alcoholic, that you will always be an alcoholic, and that you will never be able to moderate. Ever.
That was my method. And it has been successful. So far.
Good luck. And welcome to SR.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Reno, Nv
Posts: 411
Welcome Tairy...I like the name too 😜
If you need some "scaring straight" about how bad it CAN get if you keep drinking like you are, maybe check out some of the stories here...
Stories of Recovery - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
If you need some "scaring straight" about how bad it CAN get if you keep drinking like you are, maybe check out some of the stories here...
Stories of Recovery - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 8,704
Welcome to SR. Just a thought, but if you are pursuing a PhD in Business Administration it is likely that you will land somewhere high up on the food chain in business (I'm speculating, but hear me out). And when you do, you will likely be surrounded by alcohol. A lot of business occurs around alcohol and if you can quit now, you'll be well ahead of the game.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
I think each of us creates our own "bottom."
If you want to stop the downward slide - get off at any time.
Alcoholism is a progressive condition. Believe me, it won't get better, only worse.
Welcome, from another PNWer.
If you want to stop the downward slide - get off at any time.
Alcoholism is a progressive condition. Believe me, it won't get better, only worse.
Welcome, from another PNWer.
p***enger
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: NYC
Posts: 19,039
Hi Tairy -- Yay for your desire to quit. "I can't quit because I haven't hit bottom" is one of the ways alcoholics persuade themselves to keep drinking. It's total b.s. -- you can quit any time. All you do is, every time you might drink, you don't.
For support, I suggest you start by getting yourself some books on recovery & use the forum daily.
As for high-functioning, I was that & was considered successful in a prestigious career. Yet I was steps away from an institution when I quit, completely isolated, unable to read or write, and had lost all respect for myself.
I heard someone say "high functioning means you kept your job but lost your soul." Don't do that to yourself. If you quit now, you'll be able to reach goals you can't now imagine!
For support, I suggest you start by getting yourself some books on recovery & use the forum daily.
As for high-functioning, I was that & was considered successful in a prestigious career. Yet I was steps away from an institution when I quit, completely isolated, unable to read or write, and had lost all respect for myself.
I heard someone say "high functioning means you kept your job but lost your soul." Don't do that to yourself. If you quit now, you'll be able to reach goals you can't now imagine!
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