Worried im drinking too much

LegacyUser

ok, first off i worry like crazy about anything anyway, but i dont know if im drinking too much or what! ive read when u actually think u might be drinking too much then its time to worry! i dont drink during the week but on fri and sat i could go a bit mad. like i said i dotn really crave it during the week but do at the weekends and i dont know if thats coz u get that weekend feeling and cant wait to have a few or what. like right now id love a beer!
just would like to know how much ppl drink themselves or if they think something similar. thanks!

Jo King

It is not alone how much someone drinks which indicates a problem. Moderate drinking is two to three drinks, two or three time a week. Heavy drinking is four to five drinks, four to five times a week.
From what you describe you are cramming a lot of drinking into the weekends, probably going well over the five drinks at a sitting.
This is not good for you and has the potential to escalate into something more serious.
It is natural to look forward to a drink at the end of the working week, but the danger is that a craving for drink develops, which can be ruinous.
You should try and moderate your drinking at the weekends. If you do not succeed you should look for help.

LegacyUser

well it might be 7 or 8 fri and sat. isnt that fairly normal for most irish ppl i would have thought!

Jo King

drink wrote: »

well it might be 7 or 8 fri and sat. isnt that fairly normal for most irish ppl i would have thought!

It might be normal for many Irish people. That is one of the reasons there is so much misery caused by alcohol in Ireland. It has been observed that heavy drinkers tend to congregate with each other. The abnormal then becomes the normal. It is a big mistake to take the view that because "everyone is doing it" excessive drinking is all right.
You are binge drinking twice a week. This is not a healthy situation. There is potential for it to get a lot worse. Many people drink at that level for a few years. Some eventually cut down; others start drinking more, and end up in real trouble.
Individuals also vary a lot. If you are 2 metres tall and weigh 110 Kg, 7 or 8 may not be as drastic as if you are 30 cm shorter and weigh 60Kg

XarcherX

ok, i'm not saying it's right i but where i'm from almost everyone i know, of all different ages on the weekend drink anything up to 7 or 8 drinks and more, and that doesn't include shots that some may have, starting off on beer & moving to spirits...
it might not be good for you or the norm in other countries but here, it's definately seen as the norm... nobody seems to bat an eyelid at drunk people unless you're literally falling around the place, and even then jokes are made about it... (not so much the norm for girls but guys, yes)
just my 2 cents from what i've seen growing up in the southwest

petethebrick

I don't drink during the week aither.
At weekends I usually drink an average of 20-30 drinks over the course of friday to sunday.
This often includes being at a party until 7am one of the nights habing drank about 10 pints and few shots etc. This isn't thaat abnormal among my group of friends but I know it is among the general population.
I haven't had any serious health problems yet (I'm 28) but am fully aware tha if I don't change this weekend lifestyle soon I will.

I would be happy if I only had 7-8 drinks two nights a week.

kjl

drink wrote: »

well it might be 7 or 8 fri and sat. isnt that fairly normal for most irish ppl i would have thought!

7/8 on two night of the week

work it out for yourself

If there is 2 units in one pint, and you drink an average of 15 pints a week
the you are drinking 30 unit of alcohol a week.

The guide line is 21 units, and that it the maximum number of units per week not a target. So yes, IMHO you do have a problem.

Anyone else who comments that "its grand" are wrong. It is a known fact that over consumption of alcohol leads to obesity and hart problems.

Just to say that its ok because everyone is in the same boat is stupid. American don't have public health care, do you think they say its fine, because nobody else has it. Africans are starving, do you think they think its OK because everyone else is?

Why don't you try to quit the alcohol for a while, try a few nights out without it and see how you get on, but be warned, the Irish nightclub scene is not a good as it appears to be though beer tinted glasses.

Overheal

Jo King wrote: »

It is not alone how much someone drinks which indicates a problem. Moderate drinking is two to three drinks, two or three time a week. Heavy drinking is four to five drinks, four to five times a week.

/looks back.

Call it culture shock, but ive been back stateside a little over a year now and the idea of getting drunk on a schedule again really just seems like a Problem to me. Been there, like. And looking back to college, when I was going out the night I had off work and downing 2 nagans of rum and whatever else happened to come my way in the form of beers, you're talking about a drinking problem. When I took that challenge to drink 10 bottles in 30 minutes (I got to 8!) That was a drinking problem.

Nowadays I might drink once maybe twice a month, have less than 2 cans and call it a night. The last time I did any real drinking my neighbor and I split a 12 pack one evening in the backyard chatting. But I shouldve stopped myself earlier. Made a fool of myself by the 5th can.

Drinking attitudes vary depending on where you go. Your own opinion matters most though. If you think you're going overboard at 4 pints and your mates go on to 5 and 6 dont for any reason feel like you need to be pressured to follow them.

You can always set a challenge for yourself this weekend. Stay sober. Or, just drink half of what you normally would. Play down your cutoff point and see how it affects your night.

Acoustic

kjl wrote: »

7/8 on two night of the week

work it out for yourself

If there is 2 units in one pint, and you drink an average of 15 pints a week
the you are drinking 30 unit of alcohol a week.

The guide line is 21 units, and that it the maximum number of units per week not a target. So yes, IMHO you do have a problem.

Anyone else who comments that "its grand" are wrong. It is a known fact that over consumption of alcohol leads to obesity and hart problems.

Just to say that its ok because everyone is in the same boat is stupid. American don't have public health care, do you think they say its fine, because nobody else has it. Africans are starving, do you think they think its OK because everyone else is?

Why don't you try to quit the alcohol for a while, try a few nights out without it and see how you get on, but be warned, the Irish nightclub scene is not a good as it appears to be though beer tinted glasses.

who said that was correct ??? thats bull****e

im not a heavy drinker at all , actually im a muck drinker , great that night but my day the next day is gone , last weekend i had 14 pints between fri and sat night , hadnt drank in 3 weeks before that , comes in spurts , some weeks u have feck all literally and then sometimes u have a good weekend

if u drink 7/8 each night thu/fri/sat/sun as alot do then you have a problem and they wont admit it

wonder how the old guys sit in pubs all day sat and sun , where do they get the money

Kaldorn

"Made a fool of myself by the 5th can."

you need to drink more to build up some more tolerance..5th can tut tut..call yourself Irish???

LegacyUser

Five cans and you're drunk? That's not normal by any stretch of the imagination.

OP - cut back a bit at the weekend if you think you're overdoing it. If you're feeling wrecked on Monday, then maybe take it a bit easier.

Don't mind these "units" comments...you're 28, you'll be indoors looking after kids for most of the next 15 years of your adult life - enjoy your nights out now.

calahans

I wouldnt worry about that level ... it would be common for most Irish males in their twenties. Most guys I know would have drank more than that.

Taltos

If you are worried about it - which you might be posting here you could try doing something I started yrs ago after a really heavy night where I got into hassle from too much alcohol.

Mixing your drinks..
But not as you think - now when I have a beer or whatever I like every other drink to either be a coke or a non-alcoholic beer. Some nights I will just stick to these.
Worst I have to face then is ribbing from my mates and pressure to "have" a drink - but at the end of the day I much prefer now having a good night out and waking up early the next day without being bed-bound with a hangover. Doing this I have found now that over time I might only end up having 2 alcoholic drinks and the rest as fillers.

Same deal during the week - if I fancy a beer I pull out a non-alcoholic from the fridge - esp during the warm evenings (not sure where they have gone). I think for me alot of it is psychological - like the taste of beer - getting drunk now is a side-effect - and most times I can do without this.

You could maybe try this - but stick with it when you friends try to guilt you into getting off your rocker.

Pyr0

There's getting absolutely rat arsed friday/sat and then there's getting a little drunk. I'd be the type to get a little drunk on about 5/6 pints and then I know I'm done, I'd be forcing any other pints down after that for the sake of it which isn't a good thing. After a night out I feel grand the next morning, no hangover and not feeling groggy or rubbish.

If you feel you're drinking too much then just cut down on what you drinkk over the weekend, you don't exactly sound like an alcoholic so it shouldn't be too hard for you.

Overheal

Kaldorn wrote: »

"Made a fool of myself by the 5th can."

you need to drink more to build up some more tolerance..5th can tut tut..call yourself Irish???

Thats entirely irrelevant but my interpretation of making a fool of myself is not as extreme as the irish version (namely, falling on the floor and pissing yourself). I consider rambling an embarrassment in the middle of normal conversation.

Back on topic, however...

kjl

Acoustic wrote: »

who said that was correct ??? thats bull****e

im not a heavy drinker at all , actually im a muck drinker , great that night but my day the next day is gone , last weekend i had 14 pints between fri and sat night , hadnt drank in 3 weeks before that , comes in spurts , some weeks u have feck all literally and then sometimes u have a good weekend

Not that spurs has anything to do with this conversation, but the OP said that every weekend this is how much he drinks, I sometimes go out for a McDonalds but that doesnt make me fat. However if I ate it everyday it would. There is no two ways about it, if you consistently drink more then 21 units a week you are an alcoholic. Full stop.

Just because its the norm doesn't mean its normal.

Who said its correct, ehh about every medical advice board that exists. In fact how could you possibly go though life without knowing that fact

http://www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/asp/healthy_living/lifestyle/alcohol/alctest.asp

maybe you should google a FACT before disputing it

Kaldorn

I think thats a load of bullshine...according to that every single person i know is an alcoholic..I really think we are becoming too americanised..lots of people can drink well over 21 units a week and not go home and beat their wives or struggle to get up for work or any of the other dodgy side effects from alcohol..this is ridiculous

Kaldorn

hey if i have 2 pints 5 nights a week i am a dipso...dont be soo stupid

Malari

kjl wrote: »

Not that spurs has anything to do with this conversation, but the OP said that every weekend this is how much he drinks, I sometimes go out for a McDonalds but that doesnt make me fat. However if I ate it everyday it would. There is no two ways about it, if you consistently drink more then 21 units a week you are an alcoholic. Full stop.

But don't you think that there is a difference between getting fat and having an eating disorder? I think you can drink heavily, which from your link is a lot less than commonly thought, but unless that alcohol intake is affecting your life in terms of work and family, etc that you are not an alcoholic. I mean, even in medical terms there are different definitions of alcoholism.

kjl

right, and denial is a river in Egypt. Ireland is known for the fact that they compulsively over-drink and yes, we as a nation have a problem.

@Malari is called a metaphor, In this metaphor being fat represents being an alcoholic.

@Kaldorn just because you don't beat your wife doesn't mean you don't have a drinking problem. The FACT of the matter is that if you are drinking more then 21 unit weekly on a regular basis, then by definition you are an alcoholic

They didn't just pluck a number out of thin air, research went into this. Kaldorn make the point that all his friends are like this, well look at Ireland at the moment, we're a nation of drunks, we all need to get our life in order

Malari

kjl wrote: »

@Malari is called a metaphor, In this metaphor being fat represents being an alcoholic.

I get that it's a metaphor, I just think that being fat doesn't represent being an alcoholic, it represents drinking heavily.

Having an eating disorder represents being an alcoholic.

And there is no hard and fast definition of an alcoholic. There are multiple factors.

calahans

kjl wrote: »

Not that spurs has anything to do with this conversation, but the OP said that every weekend this is how much he drinks, I sometimes go out for a McDonalds but that doesnt make me fat. However if I ate it everyday it would. There is no two ways about it, if you consistently drink more then 21 units a week you are an alcoholic. Full stop.

Just because its the norm doesn't mean its normal.

Who said its correct, ehh about every medical advice board that exists. In fact how could you possibly go though life without knowing that fact

http://www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/asp/healthy_living/lifestyle/alcohol/alctest.asp

maybe you should google a FACT before disputing it

It is not a fact (or even a FACT) that if you drink more than 21 units a week you are an alcoholic. It means that you are drinking an unhealthy amount of alcohol. If you want to drink less but are unable to control it you may be an alcoholic.

kjl

Look no matter what you all say, binge drinking more then 30 units in one weekend, every weekend is the sign that you may have a problem

The OP is worried he is drinking too much and by even the last poster statement he is drinking an unhealthy amount of alcohol on a regular basis.

I feel that everyone here so take the following test and be honest with yourselves. If you do fail the test, maybe you should all have a hard look at your lives. I personaly think that if someone is consistently drinking more then 21 units that the have a problem.

The biggest problem with alcoholism is that you dont know you have it until its a serious problem. Consistently binge drinking may seem harmless, but it is. It will destroy you liver, and god forbid if you ever have to get a transplant, you will not be entitled to get one.

Plus I would say that this kind of drinking has seriously contributed to the huge increase in obesity in Ireland.

Not to mention you all look stupid and pathetic when you get in these states.
Alcoholism Signs Self-Test:

1. In the last month, have you taken a drink first thing in the morning to help recover from a hangover (hair of the dog that bit you)?
2. In the last year, have you had a drink while driving or have you driven while under the influence of alcohol, even just a couple drinks?
3. In the last 3 months, have you continued drinking until you passed out?
4. Are more than 50% of your friends drinkers?
5. Do you consume more than 7 alcoholic beverages a week?
6. In the last 3 months, have you taken alcohol to work to drink during your workday or chosen a lunch restaurant because it serves alcohol?
7. Do you hide your drinking from any friends or family?
8. Have you failed to keep a promise to yourself or a loved one that you would quit drinking?
9. Have you ever had trouble remembering what happened while you were drinking?
10. In the last year, have you done anything while drinking that you regret doing?
11. Do you find it difficult to stop after one or two drinks?
12. In the last year, have you wet the bed or wet your pants during or after drinking?
13. Have you ever woken up after drinking in a strange place, or at home, but you don't remember how you got there?
Scoring The Alcoholism Signs Self Test:

A. If you answered 'Yes' to any of the above questions, you should investigate further by visiting Alcoholism Help and monitoring yourself for these things over the next 3 months.
B. If you answered 'yes' to 3 or more of the above questions, you may be an alcoholic. You can determine for sure by doing 'A' above, having a trusted, non-drinking friend take you to an AA meeting, and quit drinking for a month. Also, ask close friends and family members if they feel your drinking may be a problem for them. If you're unwilling or unable to do these things, you are an alcoholic.
C. If you answered 'yes' to 5 or more of the questions, you are probably an alcoholic and may have significant physical damage from your alcohol addiction. In addition, this is probably causing relationship issues in your family. Do 'A' & 'B' above and get a complete physical including a liver panel as soon as possible. Also, ask your close family members to help keep you accountable for treatment and recovery.
D. If you're taking this test to see if a loved one has a problem and you determine they would say 'yes' to any of the above questions, visit Alcoholism Help to learn more about their problem and visit an alanon meeting to see how best to help them. Also, visit our page Codependency Test-Definition to see if you are developing a problem based on their problem. This is important because family members often unintentionally do things that help their loved one continue drinking. You can actually become addicted to an addicted family member.

Malari

kjl wrote: »

Look no matter what you all say, binge drinking more then 30 units in one weekend, every weekend is the sign that you may have a problem

The OP is worried he is drinking too much and by even the last poster statement he is drinking an unhealthy amount of alcohol on a regular basis.

I feel that everyone here so take the following test and be honest with yourselves. If you do fail the test, maybe you should all have a hard look at your lives. I personaly think that if someone is consistently drinking more then 21 units that the have a problem.

The biggest problem with alcoholism is that you dont know you have it until its a serious problem. Consistently binge drinking may seem harmless, but it is. It will destroy you liver, and god forbid if you ever have to get a transplant, you will not be entitled to get one.

Plus I would say that this kind of drinking has seriously contributed to the huge increase in obesity in Ireland.

But no-one is disputing that excessive drinking damages your health severely. Nor that a fairly small amount is excessive. The point is that this does not necessarily make you an alcoholic. The terms you list above are arbitrary indications not hard and fast criteria.

The Real B-man

Helpful Site http://www.drinkaware.ie/

kjl

Malari wrote: »

But no-one is disputing that excessive drinking damages your health severely. Nor that a fairly small amount is excessive. The point is that this does not necessarily make you an alcoholic. The terms you list above are arbitrary indications not hard and fast criteria.

Listen, the fact of the matter is that the definition of an alcoholic is loose, but currently Ireland has a serious alcohol epidemic. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there that drink 20 pints on the weekend and are fine, but the fact remains that Ireland is full of undiagnosed alcoholics.

Denial is a symptom of addiction, I remember seeing a documentary a few months back where they got typical Irish people to try and stay under 21 units a week, they all failed, none of them had a diagnosed problem, nor did they think that there drinking was a problem.

but this thread was set up because the OP is asking does he have a problem, the majority of responses was no, but you are all in denial for him. He is drinking an unhealthy amount of alcohol every week and to top it off he is binge drinking. Some people say that he will be able to cut down in a few years, which is not the case. In a few years he will require more alcohol to achieve the same buzz, when he tries to quit he will find that almost peer pressure will drag him back in. There is nothing to do in Ireland at night time that doesn't involve drinking. Everywhere you go there is like 12 pubs on every street. Per ca pita these pubs wouldn't make money unless every drinker in Ireland is over drinking.

Maybe I didn't structure my arguments / metaphors correctly, and maybe I sound like your mother, but I'm still with it, I'm 29 and I go out sober all the time, I know exactly what my friends are like, how they crave more when last orders are gone, we always end up in some Indian place just so they can get more beer. These are warning signs of addiction.

Sure, I'm not saying everyone is a drunk, but a lot of them are. I want people reading this to be aware of the symptoms of over drinking.

The biggest problem about alcoholism is that you don't realize its a problem until its gotten really bad.

and I do think everyone should have a look at the link above

petethebrick

kjl wrote: »

1. In the last month, have you taken a drink first thing in the morning to help recover from a hangover (hair of the dog that bit you)?
2. In the last year, have you had a drink while driving or have you driven while under the influence of alcohol, even just a couple drinks?
3. In the last 3 months, have you continued drinking until you passed out?
4. Are more than 50% of your friends drinkers?
5. Do you consume more than 7 alcoholic beverages a week?
6. In the last 3 months, have you taken alcohol to work to drink during your workday or chosen a lunch restaurant because it serves alcohol?
7. Do you hide your drinking from any friends or family?
8. Have you failed to keep a promise to yourself or a loved one that you would quit drinking?
9. Have you ever had trouble remembering what happened while you were drinking?
10. In the last year, have you done anything while drinking that you regret doing?
11. Do you find it difficult to stop after one or two drinks?
12. In the last year, have you wet the bed or wet your pants during or after drinking?
13. Have you ever woken up after drinking in a strange place, or at home, but you don't remember how you got there?
Scoring The Alcoholism Signs Self Test:

A. If you answered 'Yes' to any of the above questions, you should investigate further by visiting Alcoholism Help and monitoring yourself for these things over the next 3 months.
B. If you answered 'yes' to 3 or more of the above questions, you may be an alcoholic. You can determine for sure by doing 'A' above, having a trusted, non-drinking friend take you to an AA meeting, and quit drinking for a month. Also, ask close friends and family members if they feel your drinking may be a problem for them. If you're unwilling or unable to do these things, you are an alcoholic.
C. If you answered 'yes' to 5 or more of the questions, you are probably an alcoholic and may have significant physical damage from your alcohol addiction. In addition, this is probably causing relationship issues in your family. Do 'A' & 'B' above and get a complete physical including a liver panel as soon as possible. Also, ask your close family members to help keep you accountable for treatment and recovery.
D. If you're taking this test to see if a loved one has a problem and you determine they would say 'yes' to any of the above questions, visit Alcoholism Help to learn more about their problem and visit an alanon meeting to see how best to help them. Also, visit our page Codependency Test-Definition to see if you are developing a problem based on their problem. This is important because family members often unintentionally do things that help their loved one continue drinking. You can actually become addicted to an addicted family member.

What a load of nonsense
So according to this test -
because more than half my friends drink,
I drink more than 7 pints a week
I've passed out from drinking
==>> I should get a friend to bring me to an AA meeting
lol
If that was the case me and all my friends would be going together because we would all answer these three questions yes
OP - don't listen to this AA quiz nonsense.

LegacyUser

drink wrote: »

well it might be 7 or 8 fri and sat. isnt that fairly normal for most irish ppl i would have thought!

Hi op. 7 or 8 drinks on a night out would be average or below for me or anybody I know. We would go out at least once a week and an average night would be 8 to 10 pints and a good few shots. Quite often though it would be around 10 pints a naggin and then more shots. We also go on all day sessions starting at 2 or 3pm on a saturday once or sometimes twice a month watching matches etc and we would have anything from 12 to 15 pints followed by a few shots late on in the night. None of us would even remotely have a problem with drink.

I would also like to add some of my work friends are Italian, French and Brazilian and they have gone drink for drink up to 13 or 14 pints and shots with the Irish crew so saying only Irish people like a good big session is a myth.

kjl

Guest111 wrote: »

Hi op. 7 or 8 drinks on a night out would be average or below for me or anybody I know. We would go out at least once a week and an average night would be 8 to 10 pints and a good few shots. Quite often though it would be around 10 pints a naggin and then more shots. We also go on all day sessions starting at 2 or 3pm on a saturday once or sometimes twice a month watching matches etc and we would have anything from 12 to 15 pints followed by a few shots late on in the night. None of us would even remotely have a problem with drink.

I would also like to add some of my work friends are Italian, French and Brazilian and they have gone drink for drink up to 13 or 14 pints and shots with the Irish crew so saying only Irish people like a good big session is a myth.

wow, you do have a problem, you drink more then 21 units a night.

I'm sure you are very health and you don't have a massive beer belly at all, I'm sure you don't look 6 years older then you are. I'm sure you are in great shape.

Don't kid yourself, or justify other people excessive drinking by proclaiming that you are OK.

I don't drink, Ive seen the effect it has on people. Im 29 and look about 24, my other friends who constantly drink to excess look about 40. Big puffy red faces, huge guts, and leathery skin.

alcohol is a drug, and don't forget it, if you are all so sure that you are not alcoholics, then why not take 2 months off drinking and see if you can.

The Sweeper

Go to the doctor.

Request a liver panel test.

That'll tell you if you're damaging your organs.

Next, look at your life and see if you're damaging that - e.g. making an arsehole of yourself, losing friends, even feeling sheepish about being drunk.

If you're not damaging your liver, you may have just dodged a bullet, but if you're damaging your life, then yes, you drink too much.

And one more thing -

If you have points on your license for speeding, do you ask everyone else how many points they have to make yourself feel better? If you have a large credit card debt, do you try and find someone with a larger one to make yourself feel better? If you took 10 sick days from work last year, do you try to find someone with 20 sick days to make yourself feel better? If you think you're fat, do you talk to someone you think is fatter, to make yourself feel better?

Does it make a difference?

Then why ask how much everyone else drinks, or thinks about what you drink?

TwoShedsJackson

Guest111 wrote: »

Hi op. 7 or 8 drinks on a night out would be average or below for me or anybody I know. We would go out at least once a week and an average night would be 8 to 10 pints and a good few shots. Quite often though it would be around 10 pints a naggin and then more shots. We also go on all day sessions starting at 2 or 3pm on a saturday once or sometimes twice a month watching matches etc and we would have anything from 12 to 15 pints followed by a few shots late on in the night. None of us would even remotely have a problem with drink.

I would also like to add some of my work friends are Italian, French and Brazilian and they have gone drink for drink up to 13 or 14 pints and shots with the Irish crew so saying only Irish people like a good big session is a myth.

You might not think you have a problem with drink now but if you keep up that level of consumption, you will. I'm assuming you're male, what age, height and weight are you?

LegacyUser

kjl wrote: »

wow, you do have a problem, you drink more then 21 units a night.

I'm sure you are very health and you don't have a massive beer belly at all, I'm sure you don't look 6 years older then you are. I'm sure you are in great shape.

Don't kid yourself, or justify other people excessive drinking by proclaiming that you are OK.

I don't drink, Ive seen the effect it has on people. Im 29 and look about 24, my other friends who constantly drink to excess look about 40. Big puffy red faces, huge guts, and leathery skin.

alcohol is a drug, and don't forget it, if you are all so sure that you are not alcoholics, then why not take 2 months off drinking and see if you can.

Drinking more than 21 units in a night, or regularly drinking 21 units in a week does not mean someone has a problem with drink, this is a figure pulled out of the sky by someone you must remember. If you do , you dont know anything about drink problems. As I said I am not talking about a select group of people. This as far as I can see is what most people in this country(and friends from europe) would call a good session(8-10 pints + shots) and the larger figures would be an every once in a while big session. When we go out we like to have a good session simple. I would often go out mid week for a few(2-3) pints watching a match etc and not continue to drink. This weekend I will only be having a few quite pints as I want to save some money so I dont see this as a person with a problem.

Also I have gone a few weeks or even a month without drinking at different times while studying for and doing exams so that is not a problem and on the other hand I have gone out 4 or 5 times in a week during things like the galway races, but this is normal for big events. Give up drink for two months now and miss out on various nights out, people visiting etc etc. Not a chance. But because I dont want to not that I cannot do without it.

kelle

Drink wrote: »

ok, first off i worry like crazy about anything anyway, but i dont know if im drinking too much or what! ive read when u actually think u might be drinking too much then its time to worry! i dont drink during the week but on fri and sat i could go a bit mad. like i said i dotn really crave it during the week but do at the weekends and i dont know if thats coz u get that weekend feeling and cant wait to have a few or what. like right now id love a beer!
just would like to know how much ppl drink themselves or if they think something similar. thanks!

OK, I would consider what you drink at the weekend a bit excessive (as I would never have been able to drink that much!). But you don't seem to have a dependancy for drink as you go the whole week without drink, only drinking at the weekends. So I wouldn't be too worried if I were you, as you don't seem to have a drink problem. You could probably give up drink at the drop of a hat if you needed to.

I considered myself as developing a drink problem because I loved drinking a glass of wine most afternoons. Then I began wanting 2 glasses. Than I was craving wine ever afternoon. Then it was over half a bottle. I knew then I was heading for a downward spiral and I decided to give up there and then. It was so hard trying to ignore the cravings, but I tried to find other things to do instead. That was Feb 2006, and I have not touched drink since. And I never will again.

newbie2009

It depends on how much drink you can handle and also if it affects other aspects of your life. If you suffer from really bad hangovers and most weekends are a write-off than maybe you should cut back. Get another hobby, value your weekends as time to enjoy your hobbies and other worthwhile activities besides being under the weather from too much drink the night before.

kjl

Guest111 wrote: »

Also I have gone a few weeks or even a month without drinking at different times while studying for and doing exams so that is not a problem and on the other hand I have gone out 4 or 5 times in a week during things like the galway races, but this is normal for big events. Give up drink for two months now and miss out on various nights out, people visiting etc etc. Not a chance. But because I dont want to not that I cannot do without it.

right, well a lot of people who have problems with drink can go a while without drinking, but they always return. You clearly can control yourself when you are drinking because you drink an entire weeks worth of alcohol in one sitting.

I know its easy to pretend this is normal, but its not.

LegacyUser

Can your gp do a liver panel test and how much would it cost?