View Poll Results: How long were you drinking problematically?
Less than 1 year
2
0.40%
1 to 5 years
43
8.62%
6 to 10 years
88
17.64%
11 to 15 years
101
20.24%
16 to 20 years
82
16.43%
21 to 30 years
117
23.45%
More than 30 years
59
11.82%
I am recovering from another addiction
0
0%
Other
7
1.40%
Voters: 499. You may not vote on this poll
How long were you drinking problematically?
Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 771
Even back when I was a normal drinker” I showed early signs of having a problematic relationship with alcohol. I used to sometimes go days, even a week or so without a drink, but tended to go way overboard every time I set out to just have one or two. Then I started to feel like I “need a drink” because of stress or whatever, so it progressed to every weekend, eventually every night, then starting earlier and earlier in the day. Thank goodness that’s behind me now, hopefully forever.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: West Tn
Posts: 3,043
I drank some in high school and got drunk some.
But I started in earnest in September, 1975 when I went off to college.
I got sober in September, 1988 in the same place.
I was drunk almost every night during that 13 year period.
Like Melinda posts, my consequences got increasingly worse.
There was no joy or happiness in the last 5 years or so.
But I started in earnest in September, 1975 when I went off to college.
I got sober in September, 1988 in the same place.
I was drunk almost every night during that 13 year period.
Like Melinda posts, my consequences got increasingly worse.
There was no joy or happiness in the last 5 years or so.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,525
11 to 15 
I hate to think it's been that long... but things began to get problematic for me around 2006, and it got worse until 2009-2010 when I really knew I had a real problem.
I did join here in 2010 and have been sober off and on since then. I had about 8 months when I first joined, then I was sober for 4 years 2 months from Sept 2012-November 2016, then about 6 months earlier this year. So... actually I've been sober for more than half of the past decade, if you add it all up. Unfortunately some of the time in between really sucked.
I'm hoping this is it and that I'm not back here checking the 16 to 20 year box someday.
I hate to think it's been that long... but things began to get problematic for me around 2006, and it got worse until 2009-2010 when I really knew I had a real problem.I did join here in 2010 and have been sober off and on since then. I had about 8 months when I first joined, then I was sober for 4 years 2 months from Sept 2012-November 2016, then about 6 months earlier this year. So... actually I've been sober for more than half of the past decade, if you add it all up. Unfortunately some of the time in between really sucked.
I'm hoping this is it and that I'm not back here checking the 16 to 20 year box someday.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,408
I never developed a problem until I was about 35.
Alcohol creeped in through the backdoor via my culinary tastes and interests. I developed a habit of drinking wine. Before I knew it, I was drinking a half a bottle a night, then a bottle, then a bottle and a half. That went on for 10 years.
Finally put a stop-gap in the whole thing around 2017 and have been making lots of progress overall, but still proving to be a struggle.
Alcohol creeped in through the backdoor via my culinary tastes and interests. I developed a habit of drinking wine. Before I knew it, I was drinking a half a bottle a night, then a bottle, then a bottle and a half. That went on for 10 years.
Finally put a stop-gap in the whole thing around 2017 and have been making lots of progress overall, but still proving to be a struggle.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 3,597
I put two to three years, but looking back now, I can see that I was drinking problematically, or even alcoholically, off and on, almost from the time I started drinking in my 20s. I really liked getting drunk, but I also had long periods, almost a decade, where drinking wasn't really a factor in my life. But I can see now that I exhibited signs of not being able to control my drinking as far back as college. I was more or less able to control it because my friends were (and still are) normal drinkers, whereas I was the guy who wanted to keep going and keep drinking, but I didn't want to be the guy among my peers who got drunk every time we went out, so I was able to keep it in check, at least around my friends. Later on, without their influence, it grew completely out of control until I was clearly drinking alcoholically.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,416
I was always drinking problematically.
From a kid when I would steal mouthfuls of beer to my teens when I first got wasted I was obsessed with changing my reality.
Drinking became a regular thing for me in my mid 20s.
I became self aware that I was drinking problematically after the first decade.
Took another decade to stop.
D
From a kid when I would steal mouthfuls of beer to my teens when I first got wasted I was obsessed with changing my reality.
Drinking became a regular thing for me in my mid 20s.
I became self aware that I was drinking problematically after the first decade.
Took another decade to stop.
D
Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,909
From the first time I drank. I never drank to get drunk, but every time I drank, I got drunk. The frequency of my drinking increased as time went by until it reached the point that if I was conscious, I was drinking. Drinking wasn't my problem, not drinking however was a problem. :~)
Do your best
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 67,047
Originally Posted by Dee74 
I was always drinking problematically.
From a kid when I would steal mouthfuls of beer to my teens when I first got wasted I was obsessed with changing my reality.
Drinking became a regular thing for me in my mid 20s.
I became self aware that I was drinking problematically after the first decade.
Took another decade to stop.
D
From a kid when I would steal mouthfuls of beer to my teens when I first got wasted I was obsessed with changing my reality.
Drinking became a regular thing for me in my mid 20s.
I became self aware that I was drinking problematically after the first decade.
Took another decade to stop.
D
No one drinks normal all the time I stand by that everyone has a bad day it the way everyone looks at it I guess ? People drink in secret and might not drink like that at first sometimes it takes years with others the thirst was always there like when D said changing reality that was it exactly
But D here you done it again seriously
Last edited by Soberwolf; 12-12-2019 at 06:44 PM. Reason: Me
Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 368
Looking back my drinking has been problematic from day 1 but luckily not very frequent. In the last 6 months things really ramped up with the onset of insomnia which is why I decided to quit for good.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 356
Hard to say. I drank but it was not an issue until about 1983 or so. Later I realized I had a real problem and cut back. Maybe in the 1990's. But all I did was stop drinking in public, I still drank alone. Things went off the rails in the 2000's as personal issues led me to use alcohol as a coping measure. Very hard to get a handle on things, as people here well know. Even when you know you have a problem it is hard to stop.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 68
Almost 12 years. Since spring 2008. I drank before that, but it wasn't the same. One day I just got up and realized that I had not been sober an entire day for 6 months.
But I didn't see it as a problem. I was lonely, bored, and single. And when I wasn't lonely or bored, I was drinking, meeting new people and drinking. Or at my home, alone, bored and drinking. I didn't see anything wrong, I was having fun, it was normal. I never had a problem before, so I must not have one now is the way I seen it.
But I did have a problem. I was now addicted and no matter how many times I woke up and said 'I need to take a break from alcohol, I'll do that next week.'. Next week never came.
I've now went 20 day without alcohol, first time in nearly 12 years.
But I didn't see it as a problem. I was lonely, bored, and single. And when I wasn't lonely or bored, I was drinking, meeting new people and drinking. Or at my home, alone, bored and drinking. I didn't see anything wrong, I was having fun, it was normal. I never had a problem before, so I must not have one now is the way I seen it.
But I did have a problem. I was now addicted and no matter how many times I woke up and said 'I need to take a break from alcohol, I'll do that next week.'. Next week never came.
I've now went 20 day without alcohol, first time in nearly 12 years.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 324
Originally Posted by Soberwolf
So from 15 to 19 you wasn't drinking problematically just asking ?
Well, I suppose I was drinking problematically. I used to go to gigs and pass out on the floor, aged fifteen. However I only drank at weekends, and I'd get drunk off four cans of cider. My real problems didn't begin until university...
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 8
Alcohol has always been a feature in my life. My parents split when I was a baby and my dad would always pick me up for weekend visits drunk, and drive me to the pub where we would spend the day. He’s still alive but he’s had many health issues.
my mum wasn’t always a heavy drinker until around 10 years ago, and became worse when my younger brother got cancer, aged 2. He’s in remission now but she continues to drink.
my grandmother who is like my second mum also has drank every evening for as long as I can remember. At least 6-8 cans a night and she’s in her 70s now.
as for me, I had my first taste of alcohol when I was around 8 (thanks mum). Then again when I turned 13. Then I went out and binged most weekends from the age of 16-21. I stopped during my pregnancies and for a while after. I had a period of drinking almost daily for about a year. Then went back to binging once or twice a month again.
I am 30 now and when I drink I am sick for weeks. I made the decision to stop based on this and the guilt I feel. My partner is a bit of an enabler. Tells me I’ll be fine and can just have a couple BUT that’s my biggest problem, I can not have a couple, ever! Now I’ve accepted this I know this time I have a better chance at succeeding. The other people I mentioned are still drinkers and I’ve always been aware I’m genetically predisposed to having problems with alcohol but I really don’t want to drink ever again. I’m only on day 7 now but already I feel relieved!
my mum wasn’t always a heavy drinker until around 10 years ago, and became worse when my younger brother got cancer, aged 2. He’s in remission now but she continues to drink.
my grandmother who is like my second mum also has drank every evening for as long as I can remember. At least 6-8 cans a night and she’s in her 70s now.
as for me, I had my first taste of alcohol when I was around 8 (thanks mum). Then again when I turned 13. Then I went out and binged most weekends from the age of 16-21. I stopped during my pregnancies and for a while after. I had a period of drinking almost daily for about a year. Then went back to binging once or twice a month again.
I am 30 now and when I drink I am sick for weeks. I made the decision to stop based on this and the guilt I feel. My partner is a bit of an enabler. Tells me I’ll be fine and can just have a couple BUT that’s my biggest problem, I can not have a couple, ever! Now I’ve accepted this I know this time I have a better chance at succeeding. The other people I mentioned are still drinkers and I’ve always been aware I’m genetically predisposed to having problems with alcohol but I really don’t want to drink ever again. I’m only on day 7 now but already I feel relieved!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: UK
Posts: 3,513
Originally Posted by Auchieshuggle
I assume this question was aimed at me. Apologies for not replying sooner, and of course you're welcome to ask.
Well, I suppose I was drinking problematically. I used to go to gigs and pass out on the floor, aged fifteen. However I only drank at weekends, and I'd get drunk off four cans of cider. My real problems didn't begin until university...
Well, I suppose I was drinking problematically. I used to go to gigs and pass out on the floor, aged fifteen. However I only drank at weekends, and I'd get drunk off four cans of cider. My real problems didn't begin until university...
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...inking-alcohol
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