Physical addiction
 

This question is out of curiosity and something that kinda sits in the back of mind that I worry about.
At what point did people become physically addicted and suffer withdrawals? Also how much alcohol was being ingested to get to this point..
I feel fortunate that after 25 years of what would be considered excessive drinking I don't suffer withdrawals but I feel I may one-day cross that line..

I get some withdrawals for usually 2-3,days and that’s from drinking a pint or so a night for about a year.

You can't quit. Isn't that addicted enough?

You may not suffer withdrawals but what about the damage you are doing to your mind and body?

Red,

Ime....after just a few drinking sessions where I drank excessively...e.g. more than about 5 drinks...I was physically addicted.

I started having bad withdrawals in my late 30's that I let escalate due to the addiction.

The mental addiction is for life. There are folks that regret relapse after decades of not drinking.

As a child or at least young adult, if I had this info., I would have had a way better chance to quit drinking then, rather than wait until I nearly killed myself.

That is why I love this site.

The real mental addiction, the desire to make all perceived problems go way and slip into euporia, is what I as an addict still crave.

I had to find other ways to find that happiness. I suffered hard for well over a year, and still suffer today sometimes because I crave that buzz.

Just recently I was sober for 112 days. Today is my Day 2. My withdrawals aren't as bad this time as last time, probably because I only drank for a few days. Nonetheless, I have some anxiety and depression lingering today Quite frankly, I wasn't expecting to have any on Day 2. I don't know if it's kindling, but I'm glad I didn't hang out there and continue drinking before it got too bad.

This is just my opinion, but I think ultimately everyone who drinks to excess will experience physical and/or mental repercussions. How can they not?

Everyone is different...I was an EXTREME case of consumption and I spent a good deal of time (months, then ups and downs the first year, nearing two even) in withdrawal well after the actual alcohol was out of my body. PAWS, if you will.

I have only quit drinking once, but I never plan to go through ANY amount of pain from quitting again. My only solution to this is to stay sober and living in recovery.

Best to you.

Rar that was awesome having 112 days...what happened..how did you go back to drinking ? i have done many times in the past too. I am only on day 4 ....just trying to get some more info that may help...

I was physically addicted WAY before was aware of it. I never put 2 and 2 together. I blamed all my symptoms on anything but drinking. Anxiety, nightmares, depression. It wasent till I started having the shakes really bad that I had a wake-up call and figured out I was introuble.

Red78...you've never been hungover? Never had a little hair of the dog on a Sunday morning? Never felt anxious and nervous all day until you have a drink?

I find that difficult to believe after, "25 years of what would be considered excessive drinking."

Also, you've posted this exact same question a couple times in your threads. Once in December of 2016, and again in October of 2017. The answers don't change. Maybe look at the replies in those, and your thoughts in those threads.

It doesn't really matter, either. If alcohol is a problem, the solution is to stop drinking.

Red, I knew that I had crossed the line when I woke at 3:00 am every morning with a racing heart and terrible anxiety. That little tremor in my hand when I reached for a cup of coffee or the mouse to my computer screen was also a warning sign that I was experiencing a little more than a hangover. Looking a little too anticipatory-like to my evening drink was also a warning sign.

If you look more closely to your symptoms and behaviors, you may see some clear signs of addictions. They are subtle at first.

Red, for me it totally crept up on me--I thought 'I can quit anytime.' When my life had become horrifying and utterly out of control I decided to quit all at once and found out the reality--within 12 hours I was dealing with alcohol hallucinosis and a situation where I was in hell.
Everyone has a different physiology but no matter how you react the truth is that alcohol is xtremely damaging physically and mentally and the best thing to do is remove it from your life. Wishing you all the best.

there is more to addiction than just the physical aspect. one description is a Mental Obsession coupled with a Physical Compulsion. (AA). once we get a period of sobriety, fully detoxed, it is the mental obsession that takes us back to the drink. we seem to not be able to use even the most minimal shred of common sense.

Heavy drinkers as well as alcoholics can suffer withdrawals, and not suffering them does not disqualify one from being alcoholic.

The question ought to be more about the power of choice and whether you have lost it or not. A better indication of alcoholism would be ifyou want to stop and find you cannot.

Why not take a break from drinking, say three months, and see how it goes.? That should give you a clearer picture.

Don't recall doing that, my bad.
I have had severe hangovers, one's that have lasted a couple of days, these weren't withdrawls this was because I ingested so much poison after being sober for quite a period. I don't have hangovers every time and no not once have I got up and had another drink ever.. maybe at the end of the day..
My addiction is mental and I'm on day 2.

A hangover is withdrawal...

Also, have you read about kindling?

Kindling - NIH

the answer is that I'm addicted. I have given up 3 times before, my most successful time was when I did it with my ex. It was so hard because I was living in the middle of Edinburgh, people were partying around me 24/7 and I had a lot of issues giving up. I hardly drank for a year and a half but as soon as we broke up it was game on again as he was like my policeman..
I'm on day 2, yesterday was easy today will be harder.

Today is my day 2 as well.. 112 days is good going and I'm sure you will get there again. I have mental addiction and I get hangovers but no withdrawls.. I don't get the shakes, sweats or anything like it, maybe I get some anxiety or depression with a bad hangover but that's it..

I never had shakes or sweats either. Anxiety, lethargy and depression for me. My Day 2 will be over in 35 minutes. (but who's counting).

We can do this Red. We'll do it together. I'm wishing you well. ((HUGS))