Alcoholism - Kicking the habit

[gashin]

I am exactly like you. I liked drinking all the time - but what I realized is that it is HARMFUL to our health. I am not a violent or aggressive drunk at all and have no bad incidents (other than hitting on random girls I wouldn't have talked to in that way if I was sober) but I realized I was wasting a lot of time and money on alcohol. It made me lazy and prevented me from really achieving what I want in my life. I compared all my alcoholic friends to my sober friends, and my sober friends are far more successful and closer to achieving their own personal goals than I am becaeuse of the time I wasted drinking.

This is an interesting thread because lately I have been asking myself if I’m becoming an alcoholic, there are many definitions out there which constitute alcoholism,

First off all my friends are involved with families and don’t have the money or desire to go out boozing so as far as enablers or environment they are non existent

The second factor is I don’t drink to get drunk, no blackouts, no dui’s, no slurred speech, no hangovers, no abusive behavior, no vomiting, and no problems at work or with my relationships

But here is my concern, I drink every day; and to make matters worse I work 4 days and then have 4 days off. So every week is like a little mini 4day vacation. On the days I work I’m fine, I have one to three drinks and go to bed. However on my days off I drink all day starting early and finishing up before my wife comes home. It takes about 40minutes for a male my size to process one drink, on my days off I have about one drink every hour, so I never get drunk but I am drinking all day.

Now I can easily stop, I’ve done it before to loose weight, no withdrawals or anything; but I like to drink, I like the taste of a single malt scotch or a cold beer on a hot summers day, I like to drink when I cook and I like to drink when I listen to music, it’s something I enjoy to do. Now over a course of a week I may drink a lot but since I’m not getting drunk I’m not sure if I have a problem.

Now just for the record, I have a degree in Psychology, I’m from New England (known for being a place of heavy drinkers), and I come from an Irish family.

I know alcoholism when I see it, how it ruins not only the persons life but everyone around them, I’ve known a lot of drug addicts as well; I know the face of addiction, but with my drinking it just doesn’t meet any of the tell tale signs.

But I have to wonder am I in denial?

 

[gashin]

Thanks for sharing . I am also starting to hangout with sober people and I'm finding that I'm enjoying life more also and have improved in several areas already.

HI, My name is Brenda from Lubbock, TX and I am new to this site. I Was browsing around on here and came across your concern about Alcoholism. We all have different experiences and we all must write our own story. Personally I have been in recovery for over six years, Such a short time compared to the years wasted in my addiction. I am a very active member of AA. At first it was about how do I stay sober but now it is about helping others. I had to have a sufficient substitute and it is vastly more than that. I have a group of friends that build each other up and we have so much fun. It's not about OMG I can't drink r use today. It's about being the best I can in all areas of my life. Now for the Analogs I think you guys call them. I am struggling. One day at a Time

 

[mymalady]

I am just a lowly newb, but when I saw this thread, I just had to throw my two cents in, so here goes:

My dh has been an alcoholic for a year or so. I don't know why he went from social drinking to daily, heavy drinking, but it does run in his family, and his last few promotions offered little more money, way more hours, and far less time to deal with life and it's stresses.

I noticed him lying about drinking about a year ago. He just came clean to me last weekend about his drinking.

I wanted him to stop cold turkey(seems he thought I said "Wild Turkey" because he left soon after I said that for cigarettes, and came back smelling like whiskey or bourbon...)until I remembered how dangerous cold turkey can be for some one who has shown any signs of physical dependence, withdrawal, or delirium tremens. While rare, you can die. Personally, I'd rather die drunk than of DT. It would be an awful way to go.

I drank daily for two and a half years when I was in my late teens. When it occured to me that I may have a problem, I just quit. Didn't drink a drop until my mid 20's and now enjoy social, casual drinking, always in moderation. Apparently, drinking daily doesn't make you an alcoholic, your inability to stop or control it does.

I have seen people succeed well using AA. I have seen people succeed going cold turkey(when physical withdrawal symptoms are not an issue). I have seen people use the help of Doctors, with or without medication. I have also seen people just not succeed. It does not just run in dh family, it runs in mine as well. All of my grandparents were alcoholics. One set quit, after a long and dramatic battle, pretty much cold turkey. The other set never quit. When my grandfather died, my grandmother remarried: an alcoholic as bad as my late grandfather, and as bad as her. My grandmother was in rehab many times, and each time, she came out sober and that lasted a few days.

There are so many options. Please shop your options. If you have friends or family in AA or NA, and they are doing well, then join them and see if it is for you. Having people you know be a part of your recovery can be good.

It is my PERSONAL opinion, and apparently the opinion of a few others here, that AA and NA is pretty annoying and has made many annoying, self righteous, hypocrites.

However, sometimes, that is what works for some, and maybe for some the ONLY thing that works, and most people agree, most addicts are better off annoying and self righteous than they are drunk, violent, mean, or dysfunctional.

My husband says he will "wean" himself off of the bottle. I hope for our families sake he can, but, that has not been effective in his attempts to stop smoking... I will give him the chance to, but if and when it does not work, I will help him decide what is best for him. He refuses AA and inpatient rehab. Which would be fine, if he'd have tried them, or was willing to try them as a last resort if all else fails...

Try out a meeting, if it can help you, great. If not, then go see your Doc. There are medications out there that can help. Most of the time you can get your rehab outpatient. Sometimes you won't need any medication. It usually takes a professional to know. I had an uncle who drank for years. AA failed. Inpatient rehab failed. A very strict church failed(and I think made him drink more,lol)but finally, they put him on "Antabuse", which I believe makes it so that alcohol makes you violently ill, and although it is old school and not used much these days, it worked. My aunt had to administer it to him, watch him swallow it, check his cheeks and under his tongue, etc, for a year or so, but, that was 15 years ago, and to my knowledge, he has been sober since.

Explore your options. Good luck. If you want it bad enough, then there is something out there that will work for you. Just be careful. It isn't like smoking, if you experience physical withdrawals, you must seek medical attention ASAP.

 

[ImYourSalt]

Hey,

I have recently come off of 2 illegal substances, and about a year before kicked the caffeine monkey off my back. I am down to 3: Nicotine, A certain herb, and yes, Alcohol.
I am doing well but dont imagine, save for short stints, abandoning alcohol. I am not a dunk, and do not know how far your addiction reaches. I do not drink and drive, and mostly just drink before bed, or with a meal.

It has never been a problem for me, but I am curious:
What has motivated you to quit? Is it just that you are drinking more than your body can handle?

If that is so, in my experience, the best way to get off anything, is to realize that you are addicted and it will take time, and willpower. The most effective method for me has been to ween myself off the drug. Afterall, cutting back from multiple times a day, to a couple times a week, is leaps and bounds an improvement.