Am I an alcoholic at 19?
 

I've been struggling with a breakup for about a year now. I don't drink everyday but every odd week I'll just get absolutely smashed on my own. I feel better and like a different person when I'm drunk. I wish I was drunk all the time. I'm 19 at uni hoping to join the military when I finish. am I an alcoholic or just using alcohol as an escape while I need it? I'd consider myself a fairly self-aware person but I know you never know till you KNOW. Just looking for some advice.

Doesn't matter what label you attach. If you are drinking more than a couple on any occasion, it is or will become a problem.

I was an alcoholic before I turned 18. I went on to mayhem and destruction in my life and others' for the next 12 years. I hope you won't follow my path.

Whatever you're drinking now will increase and it gets exponentially more difficult to quit.

If you want to be in the military, quit now while it's still possible.

Welcome to the site! :)

Appreciate the response man, you're probably right. Anything I say is an excuse. Just need to look at myself properly I guess.

All I know is, if left unchecked it will escalate.
I went through periods of drinking in my life but the way I drank didn't change over the years. I drank to get smashed and to block something out, good or bad and if your doing it to block out feelings that is not a good sign. You will eventually have to face them. Try doing that now while you still can. Don't wait another 20 years like some of us.

The fact that you sought out, joined, and posted on a site named "Sober Recovery" says you already know what the answers to your questions are.

Listen to the side of you which says, "Do only that which is good for you."

I know I used to drink "at" exes too. It did temporarily numb out the sad/hurt feels from the breakup.

Then I would sober up and we were still not together. It takes a lot less time to get over hurts when I'm not drinking. I can process things very quickly now, but when I was drinking I just kept the resentments and misery going. Alcohol messes with brain function.

It's just so hard man. At my age I think the momentary bliss is worth the pain and I know that's not true and it will hurt me long term. It just hurts so bad man

If alcohol is...
 

Farbeit for me to pronounce you or anyone else to be an alcoholic, but as I understand it as a general rule it's suggested that if alcohol is costing you more than money. You might just have a problem...

There are lots of folks that can decide to have one, or two or twenty. Whether or not they have 20 often does not make them alcoholic. What I consider an alcoholic is someone like myself that if I decide to have 2 it will wind up 20. I had little control early on and almost zero if I drank now.

I was a full blown alcoholic at 15 and sobered up one month short of my 18th birthday. What woke me up was that I could not stop on my own. I could promise myself I wouldn't drink only to find myself drunk hours or even minutes later.

i found recovery through the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. That along with Narcotics Anonymous were all there was back in 1977 when I cleaned up. the only thing not drinking has kept me from doing these past 40 years is not drink.

Welcome to SR C0nspiracy :)

D