Drinking too much?

LegacyUser

Gonna go un-regged for this...

I've been told lately that ive started drinking way too much and that im turning into an alcoholic. Fair enough, ive been drinking lots since I went to college. Infact, thinking about it today, there hasnt been a weekday since September that I didnt drink.... What would define 'drinking too much' or alcoholism?

Heres my stats:
I'm 19, moved away to college, living in student accomodation.
I drink everyday (But don't get drunk, sometimes might have half a bottle of wine while doing assignments)
It's not affecting my financially
It's not affecting my college (I dont miss lectures)
It's not affecting my grades (Coming out with an 80% average)

So in essence, my drinking isint affecting my friends/lifestyle/college .... Is there anything wrong with having a drink everyday? I havent been so drunk that I cant remember anything, but id say I drink more in a week (from drinking everyday) than an average person would drink who goes on a bender once a week

xzanti

Does it bother you if you don’t get a drink every day?? A lot of people drink a glass of wine every day with their evening meal, particularly the French and some doctors advise drinking a glass or two of wine a day to "thin the blood" apparently...

If its a thing that you crave it as a crutch then it might be time to start thinking about nipping it in the bud..

Maybe try not drinking for a week and see how you feel?? If you can manage a week?? If not then that would be a worry IMO...

[Jackass]

Too Much? wrote:

Heres my stats:
I'm 19, moved away to college, living in student accomodation.
I drink everyday (But don't get drunk, sometimes might have half a bottle of wine while doing assignments)
It's not affecting my financially
It's not affecting my college (I dont miss lectures)
It's not affecting my grades (Coming out with an 80% average)

So in essence, my drinking isint affecting my friends/lifestyle/college .... Is there anything wrong with having a drink everyday? I havent been so drunk that I cant remember anything, but id say I drink more in a week (from drinking everyday) than an average person would drink who goes on a bender once a week

Who you trying to convince? Me or you?

Drinking everyday, and whilst doing assignments etc. means there's a level of addiction...which by deffenition makes you have a drinking problem...

Some people smoke 50 every day, and have great grades, great social life,great everything...but they have a smoking problem..they're addicted...

as soon as you can go twice as long off the drink as you have gone on the drink, then you have no probelm...but i'll bet that notion sounds ridiculos to you...

I personally don't care what you do, if you were my mate, it wouldnt bother me...but that's your business, I just hope you can be honest with yourself..

Litcagral

DubGuy wrote:

Drinking everyday, and whilst doing assignments etc. means there's a level of addiction...which by deffenition makes you have a drinking problem...QUOTE]

I don't think I would agree with you DubGuy. An alcoholic feels that they need alcohol to get through life and it has repercussions on their relationships, family, work etc. When I was in my early twenties, I drank almost every day. I had plenty of time, money and no responsibilities. Now I drink about once a week and don't feel that I am missing out. Many people go through similar phases in their youth but the responsibilities of a family and a mortgage can alleviate it pretty soon.

Zillah

DubGuy wrote:

Drinking everyday, and whilst doing assignments etc. means there's a level of addiction...which by deffenition makes you have a drinking problem...

Thats utter crap. He didn't say he had to drink every day, he didn't say he desperately wanted to drink every day, he simply said that he did drink every day. If you have a sandwich every day does it mean its an addiction? How about a glass of water, or masterbation or dancing or jogging?

To the OP, drinking every day is not neccessarily a bad thing. However, if you begin to feel a need to drink every day its a problem. Also, "half a bottle" every day might put quite a strain on your liver in the long run.

I'd reccomend you don't drink at all for a week and see how you feel. If you don't really notice and everything is fine, then you're grand. If however, you feel like you miss it and really look forward to it then maybe its begining to be a problem. If you can't go for a week without it then its already a big problem.

Canis Lupus

I've always considered drinking everyday to much unless it's a glass of wine with a meal.

OP you don't state how much you drink everyday. Then you also have the fact that your friends are pointing your drinking out to you. This I wouldn't consider a good sign. Frankly I wouldn't consider someone who drinks everyday an alcoholic or would I say you have a problem with drink unless you can't go through the day/a few days without the drink.

Personally I reckon you should stop the drinking everyday and keep it for the weekend or whatever nights are the one you go out on.

AngryBadger

Seems to me that you shouldn't start worrying about it until it becomes an issue. if your' grades are fine, and you're financialy cool, and you're not out getting ****faced every other night, (and I presume you're not getting drunk every night on this half bottle of wine), then I'd say you're grand.

Suaimhneach

So in essence, my drinking isint affecting my friends/lifestyle/college .

If its not affecting the above, why did some of them feel the need to say it?

[Jackass]

Zillah wrote:

Thats utter crap. He didn't say he had to drink every day, he didn't say he desperately wanted to drink every day, he simply said that he did drink every day.

What's the difference? The end result is the same...he still drinks...A smoker dosen't desperatly want a smoke, they light one up very calmly and casualy out of habbit...dosen't mean they're not addicted or don't have a smokin problem...

Zillah wrote:

If you have a sandwich every day does it mean its an addiction? How about a glass of water, or masterbation or dancing or jogging?

It means i need sustinance to live, or want a **** (which arguably is an addiction..but sexual impulse is a natural human trait) as is exercise and utilising energy...all part and parcell of a normal, healthy lifestyle...

I'm not jumping on the lads back..im just saying he needs to be honest with himself...if you drink everyday, alone or otherwise, there is a level of addiction there...it dosen't have to be runing your life to be an addiction...it still is one though..and if you justify it to yourself all the time and say its not a big deal you're giving yourself permission for it to spiral out of control in the medium/long term...

I'd bet the reason people have said it to you is because it's gradually gotten worse and worse...so are you gonna keep convincing yourslef its not a problem? Or address it, and keep enjoying it, but keeping it in perspective...that's all i was saying, i dont have a problem with it, just be honest with yourself and keep it in perspective...

LegacyUser

To the OP. Tell me this are the people who are saying that you are developing an alchohol problem non or light drinkers? I rarely drink any more tbh but I used to go through patches were I might drink 4 or 5 times a week when I was your age, and then not drink for 3 or more weeks but friends and family would make comments about me having problem, which was complete bull. They automatically assumed that because they seen me with one drink that I was getting plastered which wasnt the case.

Tbh I think you'll know if its a problem, if its just a couple of drinks every night I wouldnt be too bothered but if you are drunk every night before it gets dark maybe you should reassess your drinking.

I was working abroad for 4 months last year with my friends and I drank heavily just about every night in the 4 months. It wasn't a matter of having the urge to drink every night I just wanted to. I've drank 2 times in the past 6 months. People would have classed what I did during my time abroad as alcoholism but it wasn't. I was always in control and could stop whenever I wanted. I hope

Zillah

DubGuy wrote:

What's the difference?

You said he had a drinking problem. Drinking some wine everyday is not neccessarily a drinking problem. Hence; crap.

C Fodder

If thats a drinking problem then I don't know what myself and my mates had at that age. What with homebrew beer, converting almost all of our money into beer wine spirits, missing lectures etc. None of us is to my knowledge an alcoholic today and most of us ony drink at weddings funerals and christmas with a very occasional bottle of wine with family dinner.

You're only nineteen and if you can't do stupid things like drink too much, sleep with the wrong people, get thrown out of nightclubs at nineteen when can you do them. Hint you look a lot more stupid doing them at twenty nine never mind thirty nine.

If the drink starts to affect your exam results or you feel you can't live without it then you got a problem, but if not then it's the people telling you that you have a problem that have the real problem. Tell them to get a life.

LegacyUser

hey too much..
Im fairness i went through the same position as you last year.. i went like 3 weeks in a row on the sauce every day... I was in college at the time but im finished now. And i can easily give up the drink. i have been off it since christmas. Try giving it up for a week or 2 and well if you cant then you will know where you stand.

py2006

Drinking everyday isn't a good sign at all! It may not mean you have a dependancy just yet but it could easily mean your heading in that direction.

Its certainly considerd well above average. When you consider most people on drink while out on weekends.

I am not suggesting you do have a problem here but most people who do are in complete denial and say things like it doesn't affect me, my friends, work etc.

Again not suggesting that your one of them but you may not be noticing how it effects others.

I would suggest curtailing it for a bit. Cut out the drink for a couple weeks. See how that goes, if you find it difficult then I would start to worry!

LORDOFDOOM

Well, if your mates are starting to go to you about it then it's obviously been an issue as far as they're concerned for a while.

I drink kinda heavily, but I'd never consider it every day. Perhaps 3 days a week would be as much as I do. Do you never get hungover?

memphis

I've been told I drink too much also. I always seem to fall in the door drunk, and I don't remember half the things I did when I wake the next day. I suffer from terrible hangovers. But the truth is I only drink at weekends. From weekend to weekend I don't crave for a drink. I just simply go out and socialise, enjoy my beer, and tend to over do it. Call me a binge drinker by all means but I'm not an alcoholic.

And to respond the the OP I don't believe you are an alcoholic either. You sound like you enjoy a drink, but don't seem (to me anyway) that your over doing it. I see no harm in having an odd drink each evening, or whatever. Lots of folks will do that.

If you do however feel you have a problem, maybe you should speak to someone about your concern. You say your in college, perhaps you could talk to your student union rep in confidence.

LegacyUser

Thanks for all the responses guys. Personally, I don't think its a problem, I was just... curious more than anything.

I definately don't have a dependancy. If I go out for a party etc. and get rightly smashed, I wont look at drink for at least a few days. It's in recent months that ive noticed that I prefer to have a pint/glass of wine each day rather than having 7 pints one night a week. My friends 'brought it up' in a slagging kinda way, saying "Anytime we call over you always have a pint in your hand" ... But I explain to them that it'd be the only pint/glass of wine I had all day.

To answer other posters questions, I might have 2 cans of cider (If they're left in the fridge - wouldnt bother going to the hassle of walkin to the offie for them), or maybe 2 glasses of wine.

My question wasnt "Am I an alcoholic?" ... It was more "Do I drink more than an average student does?" ... I did some thinking about it, and looking at other people I know, I reckon im just an average drinker, just my drinking times are different to the typical Thursday night binge!

rsynnott

Too Much? wrote:

My question wasnt "Am I an alcoholic?" ... It was more "Do I drink more than an average student does?" ... I did some thinking about it, and looking at other people I know, I reckon im just an average drinker, just my drinking times are different to the typical Thursday night binge!

Thatt may make them, in ways, more dangerous than the binge drinker. Your thing is more likely to be habit forming.

turbot

Whether or not your behaviour can be labelled as an addicition based upon the criteria of the labelee, there are loads of scientific reccomendations about drink encouraging you to drink less that 20 units of alchohol a week (approx 10 pints), for health purposes.

Personally, I remember I went through a phase where I was on holiday for 5 weeks, and I drank every day (2 - 3 pints +) with the exception of 3-4 days.
As I was on holiday, I also probably walked 5 miles + each day, swam for an hour, went to niteclubs, so I was very physically active, and I was also just in my late teens, and younger than you.

I remember then coming home from my holiday, and I was living with my parents at the time where drinking regularly was a no-no, and I noticed a strong craving to drink... like I had been accustomed to it, and doing so would have been really nice. When I recognised this, I quit instantly and didn't touch any alcohol for 8 weeks.

So to answer your question:
- As I understand, there are long term health implications if you drink too much and too regularly. This may have no obvious affects in the short term, though in the long term it may lead to a big beer belly and other unwanted health challenges, based un what you drink and issues with the ingredients.

- You say that your behaviour is not affecting your lifestyle... though I wonder how much more energy you'd have and how much more successful you'd be if you ate really well. You mightn't know yourself?

- If you are drinking everyday during this formative period in your life, you may be accustomed to being ever so slightly drunk in everything you do. This might mean that if you stop drinking, because you have different neurochemistry due to a lack of alcohol, you have to relearn how to handle different social situations from a more sober perspective.

- Based upon everything I know about alchohol, I wouldn't do this myself, and I certainly wouldn't do so for too long.

My 2c (euro).

BTW: At least educate yourself and be smart about it... if you are going to drink regularly, then at least find out what vitamins / nutrients you should also consume to help mitigate any potential issues.

The War Dept.

Try to stop for a week or two, you'll know soon enough if youve got a problem...........

starn

I have a similar problem. I finf it very difficult to umwind and relax. I used to box and run up until about four years ago when I started working in a commerical bank.b I jsut dont have time. I have and I at most keep it up for four weeks and only end up to my gills in paper work and stress. The only way I can unwind now is buy drinking. It got so bad at one stage that when I lived on leeson st, My flatmate had to take my wallet, shoes, phone, pants and wallet at night to stop me going oit. But that only started me hiding drink. Along the way I picked up a addition to pain killers and TWO peptic Ulcers. I've kicked the pills and am being treated for my ulcers. But I cant stop getting over induling with the booze. Its so bad at the moment that I went out Thursday and have spent the last two days in agongy with my Ulcer. But drinking is my only way to unwind. I stoped at the start of the year and nearly took the head off someone on the moterway on the 10th I was that stressed. I think I need help

Gaillimhtaibhse

Too Much? wrote:

Gonna go un-regged for this...

I've been told lately that ive started drinking way too much and that im turning into an alcoholic. Fair enough, ive been drinking lots since I went to college. Infact, thinking about it today, there hasnt been a weekday since September that I didnt drink.... What would define 'drinking too much' or alcoholism?

Wine to Dine

A glass a day
Will keep the doctor away,
But more pray tell
Will put you in hell!

deco05ie

there is a big difference between people who drink alot and alcoholics,
alcoholics depend on drink

hawkmoon269

Too much, you should take a look at this survey and see how you score. It is downloadable in Acrobat or HTML formats. http://eib.emcdda.eu.int/index.cfm?fuseaction=public.Content&nNodeID=3556&sLanguageISO=EN

Starn to be honest I think you should also.

Incidentally I scored in the low alcohol dependence range even though I drink more than the recommended limit per week. Go figure.

starn

I scored 36. But I dont think I'am that dependant

nedoo

You gotta look at your family history, is there a drink problem. To me the fact that you posted this is enough to suggest that you should knock the every day on the head. If you dont need it you will not miss it. If you miss it you have a problem.

hawkmoon269

hawkmoon269 wrote:

Too much, you should take a look at this survey and see how you score. It is downloadable in Acrobat or HTML formats. http://eib.emcdda.eu.int/index.cfm?fuseaction=public.Content&nNodeID=3556&sLanguageISO=EN

Starn to be honest I think you should also.

Incidentally I scored in the low alcohol dependence range even though I drink more than the recommended limit per week. Go figure.

I got a total score of 1-2. Go me.

ronbyrne2005

starn wrote:

I have a similar problem. I finf it very difficult to umwind and relax. I used to box and run up until about four years ago when I started working in a commerical bank.b I jsut dont have time. I have and I at most keep it up for four weeks and only end up to my gills in paper work and stress. The only way I can unwind now is buy drinking. It got so bad at one stage that when I lived on leeson st, My flatmate had to take my wallet, shoes, phone, pants and wallet at night to stop me going oit. But that only started me hiding drink. Along the way I picked up a addition to pain killers and TWO peptic Ulcers. I've kicked the pills and am being treated for my ulcers. But I cant stop getting over induling with the booze. Its so bad at the moment that I went out Thursday and have spent the last two days in agongy with my Ulcer. But drinking is my only way to unwind. I stoped at the start of the year and nearly took the head off someone on the moterway on the 10th I was that stressed. I think I need help

alcohol makes ulcers much worse. make time for exercise in evenings and try to stop drinking for a month-if you cant you may have a problem.

Nevyn

This thread is for giving advice to the OP and reporting back the 'result' of an on line quiz.
Do read the charter and abide by the rules while posting.
Die dulci freure
Thaedydal

is_that_so

Part of our problem in this country is being able to separate the people who "can drink" from the "alcos". If you are drinking 5 or more drinks a night more than four times a week you have a problem. You may not be an alcoholic just yet but you are well on the way. Alchololics are not those people on the street. They can be in your family or friends as well. Firstly they need to admit they may have a problem. Some posters have mentioned extended "benders". Yes I have been there myself.
I found the quiz interesting and tbh if you score highly then you may have a problem.
At the very least ask why you are scoring so highly.

It may be just a stage of life. Many people start out drinking to excess. Over time we learn to control that and enjoy it for what it is. Those who can't, have the beginnings of an alcohol problem.

is_that_so

starn wrote:

I think I need help

I think you have answered this yourself. There are threads on this topic and counselling etc. Do it sooner rather than later.