Are you addicted to alcohol?

Logical Fallacy

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

No Teddy, they don't. They really, really don't.

I would say that 90% of the people i know who drink have a very healthy relationship with drink and don't blackout. They get pretty drunk, but they don't need help with a memory like a jigsaw the next day. They don't drink nonstop from Friday to Sunday night and they don't project their problems on to everyone else to feel better.

About 10% of them are ****ing loser lushes though, who insist the rest of the country is just like them.

Among my group of friends both male and female piecing together the end of a night out would be a fairly regular occurrence among about 95% of us.

In the 17-30 age group I think its a lot more common than some people are making out.

TheMilkyPirate

Depending on the age of the OP, Blackouts are common.

I'm 21 and after a good night out i'd remember most but there would be a few things i wouldn't. I've never completely forgotten a night, I think if that happened i'd leave it so. But most of my friends would have to piece together there night after a good party. And were not heavy drinkers i go out maybe once or twice a month.

jimmymal

TeddyTedson wrote: »

I always try to give up but can't. I'm not drinking every day or anything but I binge like crazy. I'd often start on a Friday after work and be fairly pissed till Monday morning.
People never think I'm too drunk either because I don't act much differently. But I blackout basically every night I go out, like a lot of people - in this country anyway.
What's really **** is not wanting to drink one Saturday night to find yourself drinking a few hours later.
I love to give the **** up for ever, not that it's affecting me too badly or anything its just that life passed you by living for the weekends.
Do you think you could give it up - if you wanted to?

The last part of your text implies that you feel that your wasting your life in a drunken haze. If you dont want to lose every weekend doing the same **** like groundhog day change the habit and find something worth staying sober for at the weekends like joining a football team or something. Gets your fitness up and gives you a good solid reason to stay out of the pub when your tempted. Also you can realized the extent of your alcoholism.
best of luck with ye.

Spunge

Keno 92 wrote: »

I can go months without booze but when I do go out I go all out.

Same here. I would go 2-3 months without drinking a drop. Then i meet a few mates and hit it pretty hard.

Aurum

I'm in my 20s and I don't really have any friends or acquaintances who would say their experience was similar to this. Maybe a few times a year, but definitely not on a weekly basis. But maybe that's because I tend to avoid making friends with people who drink excessively because, despite only being in my twenties, I've had to live with three relatives who were alcoholics, and I just really find it hard to see the funny side of drinking to oblivion on a weekly basis. I also don't really understand the pleasure that people may get from it. Anyone I knew who regularly drank like this, to the point of weekly blackouts, were deeply unhappy people, and this was their way of coping-just trying to escape their own heads for as long as they could. It certainly wasn't to have fun, it was self medicating.

Logical Fallacy

Zaria Cool Lace wrote: »

Among my group of friends both male and female piecing together the end of a night out would be a fairly regular occurrence among about 95% of us.

In the 17-30 age group I think its a lot more common than some people are making out.

Not really.

One or two of you genuinely have to do it, the rest are saying they have to either to try and deflect from something stupid they did (the i was drunk defence) or to just appear cool, because as we are aware nothing is cooler than drinker to much.

They are just losers tbh.

OneArt

Thought I was at first. Got drunk every weekend in secondary school, in college I was drinking most nights. Carried on the same way when I went to Germany for the summer. Went back to Ireland for a year and only drank once or twice a week.

Now I realise its more of a mental addiction. I couldn't be a proper alcoholic because I don't like drinking on my own. It's no fun without people!

Logical Fallacy

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Not really.

One or two of you genuinely have to do it, the rest are saying they have to either to try and deflect from something stupid they did (the i was drunk defence) or to just appear cool, because as we are aware nothing is cooler than drinker to much.

They are just losers tbh.

Yeah people really go around pretending they forget things :rolleyes:. Of course they dont remember everything if they say they dont, there could be 10 of us including myself and at times not one of us would remember the full night but between us we could usually piece it all together unless it was a particularly bad one. We would have been drinking as a group all night so its not as if some would have less drank and therefore remember everything.

Its not like its a fun thing, I hate forgetting the end of a night and having "the fear" the next day but unfortunately it goes hand in hand with big sessions.

BraziliaNZ

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Not really.

One or two of you genuinely have to do it, the rest are saying they have to either to try and deflect from something stupid they did (the i was drunk defence) or to just appear cool, because as we are aware nothing is cooler than drinker to much.

They are just losers tbh.

You really don't have a clue about booze from the sounds of things. I drink too much, black out regularly, as do most people I know who drink a lot when they binge. I'm 31 by the way and the blackouts are getting worse. Do I have a problem? Maybe, but you'd be surprised how many people black out regularly. Why the f*ck would people want to brag about drinking too much?

coffee_cake

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

You really don't have a clue about booze from the sounds of things. I drink too much, black out regularly, as do most people I know who drink a lot when they binge. I'm 31 by the way and the blackouts are getting worse. Do I have a problem? Maybe, but you'd be surprised how many people black out regularly. Why the f*ck would people want to brag about drinking too much?

my friends drink but they don't get blackouts

i'm surprised you think it's normal

Logical Fallacy

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

You really don't have a clue about booze from the sounds of things. I drink too much, black out regularly, as do most people I know who drink a lot when they binge. I'm 31 by the way and the blackouts are getting worse. Do I have a problem? Maybe, but you'd be surprised how many people black out regularly. Why the f*ck would people want to brag about drinking too much?

You don't have a clue about social dynamics from the sounds of things.

You and all your friends are hanging around together because you all facilitate the behaviour that you want to carry out.

It would be akin to me a few years ago saying "yeah well, most people in this country take E on a weekend out". They don't...I hung around with people who did because that is what we wanted to do and it would be pretty ****ing idiotic to assume that everyone else behaves just like me and my friends. It's not a complex issue.

If you were in a different social group and carried on like a boozed up teenager, as you seem to be doing, you would quickly be ostracized from the group for being a moron.

Seriously, all you over indulgers make me laugh, endless excuses and rationalizations.

And no offence, i'll take my years of experience dealing with drunk people over your years of experience being one tbh. If you think everyone in the country has a drinking pattern like yours you are dreaming.

BraziliaNZ

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

You don't have a clue about social dynamics from the sounds of things.

You and all your friends are hanging around together because you all facilitate the behaviour that you want to carry out.

It would be akin to me a few years ago saying "yeah well, most people in this country take E on a weekend out". They don't...I hung around with people who did because that is what we wanted to do and it would be pretty ****ing idiotic to assume that everyone else behaves just like me and my friends. It's not a complex issue.

If you were in a different social group and carried on like a boozed up teenager, as you seem to be doing, you would quickly be ostracized from the group for being a moron.

Seriously, all you over indulgers make me laugh, endless excuses and rationalizations.

And no offence, i'll take my years of experience dealing with drunk people over your years of experience being one tbh. If you think everyone in the country has a drinking pattern like yours you are dreaming.

You're on some seriously high horse there. Boozed up teenager? You don't know the reasons why I drink or how I behave, get over yourself.
I'm afraid we do drink more than most, the Irish, the stats are there to prove it.

feelingblue

For sure I am.

This weekend has been a total nightmare due to alcohol intake. It started Friday night with a few quiet ones after work. All great craic with a few people from work and headed home whan I was pretty much hammered.

For the first time in my life I woke up Saturday morning and decided to take a drink to take the edge off. I was feeling pretty dreadful about my financial situation and the amount of money I spent the night before and was home alone so thought **** it why not.

All seems pretty tame but 2 bottles of wine later I was pretty p1ssed. Went for a sleep for a few hours and then headed to a friends house for a "few" drinks, now this is where things went a bit out of control. More wine there led to going to a house party. The house party went on all night and most of yesterday and there was more than drink taken, there were A class drugs at this party that I was more than willing to take.

The friends that I went with managed to leave throughout the night and yesterday but as usual I was the last one at the party.

The result was waking up in a strange house with a strange guy at 6pm yesterday evening. Think it is safe to say that I feel like crap today and am so very full of remorse I could cry.

I had to drink again last night I was so fearful.

I think I can safely say that I have a pretty nasty relationship with alcohol and most of my life is filled with these kinds of stories.

BraziliaNZ

bluewolf wrote: »

my friends drink but they don't get blackouts

i'm surprised you think it's normal

I don't think it's normal, I just think it's far more prevelant than people seem to think

ejmaztec

TeddyTedson wrote: »

Reading that back I sounds like a right alco. Try to read it in the least dramatic way possible if that makes sense..

No you don't, an alky perhaps, but definitely not an alco.:P

Nothingbetter2d

TeddyTedson wrote: »

I always try to give up but can't. I'm not drinking every day or anything but I binge like crazy. I'd often start on a Friday after work and be fairly pissed till Monday morning.
People never think I'm too drunk either because I don't act much differently. But I blackout basically every night I go out, like a lot of people - in this country anyway.
What's really **** is not wanting to drink one Saturday night to find yourself drinking a few hours later.
I love to give the **** up for ever, not that it's affecting me too badly or anything its just that life passed you by living for the weekends.
Do you think you could give it up - if you wanted to?

try drinking non alcoholic beer when you go out.

Logical Fallacy

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

You're on some seriously high horse there. Boozed up teenager? You don't know the reasons why I drink or how I behave, get over yourself.
I'm afraid we do drink more than most, the Irish, the stats are there to prove it.

Not really, i am talking to someone who goes out and blacks out regularly...that's not a mature relationship with alcohol.

You say yourself the blackouts are getting worse, but you don't seem to feel the need to change what you do.

Whatever your reason for drinking i doubt you want people to enable your behaviour, do you?

Seachmall

I find it pretty difficult not to drink when others are drinking. I'm fairly ****ing dry when sober, particularly in night clubs, and would rather not go out than put myself through that. But at the same time I only see my mates once a week so I want to go out which means drinking. (That's not to say we always go out, and I very rarely get passed-out drunk anymore).

BraziliaNZ

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Not really, i am talking to someone who goes out and blacks out regularly...that's not a mature relationship with alcohol.

You say yourself the blackouts are getting worse, but you don't seem to feel the need to change what you do.

Whatever your reason for drinking i doubt you want people to enable your behaviour, do you?

Drug or drink problems usually aren't someone's choice

p

TeddyTedson wrote: »

I always try to give up but can't. I'm not drinking every day or anything but I binge like crazy. I'd often start on a Friday after work and be fairly pissed till Monday morning.
People never think I'm too drunk either because I don't act much differently. But I blackout basically every night I go out, like a lot of people - in this country anyway.
What's really **** is not wanting to drink one Saturday night to find yourself drinking a few hours later.
I love to give the **** up for ever, not that it's affecting me too badly or anything its just that life passed you by living for the weekends.
Do you think you could give it up - if you wanted to?

I gave up alcohol for lent one year, it was challenging, but not impossible, but i'd say if I had friends who were more heavy drinkers and put more pressure on me, it'd have been more difficult.

Are you an alcoholic, it's hard to say. Does alcohol have more control over you, than you over it. Quite clearly.

You definitely need to regain a more healthy attitude towards alcohol. How you do that, i'm not sure, but a few things I can think of would be:

• Alternating drinks with water or another non-alcoholic drink to pace yourself better.
• Drinking non-alcoholic beers from time to time.
• Make non-drinking plans on the weekend. It's very easy to just think about fri/sat night, but what about doing things like sports/trips/hikes/whatever you're into on the weekend during the day. That will give you the motivation to be less drunk.
• Learning when it's time to go home. Sometimes the night's just over and you're still drinking 'just because' rather than for any real reason. If the night's over, just go home.

Also, find out some real information about alcohol. We have a lot of myths in ireland that are very unhealthy and just plain wrong. Do this test and you might be able to learn a bit about yourself and places you can get some advice and assistance in cutting down.
http://drinkaware.ie/index.php?sid=11&pid=113

Good luck!

Logical Fallacy

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

Drug or drink problems usually aren't someone's choice

You can get help, thousands of people do , every single day.

Nothing owns you mate, certainly not the booze. If you still have a pulse you can beat addiction.

Kintarō Hattori

I have a huge collection of spirits (dozens of bottles)- vodka, whiskey, gin, rum and more but somewhat hilariously no, I'm not addicted to alcohol. We just like to collect it. In fact I don't really like the taste of it and will drink a little when out socializing with friends. At home it's tea or coffee for me.

Logical Fallacy

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

You don't have a clue about social dynamics from the sounds of things.

You and all your friends are hanging around together because you all facilitate the behaviour that you want to carry out.

Well I still go out regularly with a core group of friends who I have known since I was about 12 or even earlier and long before we started drinking so you cant really say we have chosen each other to facilitate the behaviour. I have also made other friends through work the majority of which turned out to have very similar attitudes to myself and regularly go out and sometimes forget bits of the night.

In a wider group, most people I know (in the 17-30 age group) as acquaintances or just know to see from jobs, school, college etc are all well up for big sessions and therefore will have blackout as big sessions will always lead to at least some small bits of nights out being forgotten.

Wattle

feelingblue wrote: »

For sure I am.

This weekend has been a total nightmare due to alcohol intake. It started Friday night with a few quiet ones after work. All great craic with a few people from work and headed home whan I was pretty much hammered.

For the first time in my life I woke up Saturday morning and decided to take a drink to take the edge off. I was feeling pretty dreadful about my financial situation and the amount of money I spent the night before and was home alone so thought **** it why not.

All seems pretty tame but 2 bottles of wine later I was pretty p1ssed. Went for a sleep for a few hours and then headed to a friends house for a "few" drinks, now this is where things went a bit out of control. More wine there led to going to a house party. The house party went on all night and most of yesterday and there was more than drink taken, there were A class drugs at this party that I was more than willing to take.

The friends that I went with managed to leave throughout the night and yesterday but as usual I was the last one at the party.

The result was waking up in a strange house with a strange guy at 6pm yesterday evening. Think it is safe to say that I feel like crap today and am so very full of remorse I could cry.

I had to drink again last night I was so fearful.

I think I can safely say that I have a pretty nasty relationship with alcohol and most of my life is filled with these kinds of stories.

Christ man you need to start talking to someone about that.

HalloweenJack

TeddyTedson wrote: »

I always try to give up but can't. I'm not drinking every day or anything but I binge like crazy. I'd often start on a Friday after work and be fairly pissed till Monday morning.
People never think I'm too drunk either because I don't act much differently. But I blackout basically every night I go out, like a lot of people - in this country anyway.
What's really **** is not wanting to drink one Saturday night to find yourself drinking a few hours later.
I love to give the **** up for ever, not that it's affecting me too badly or anything its just that life passed you by living for the weekends.
Do you think you could give it up - if you wanted to?

The bits in bold are warning signs.

Drinking all weekend = seriously, why?
Blacking out "basically" every night = really bad.
Not wanting to drink but drinking anyway = what's forcing you?
"Everyone else is doing it" = justifying your actions by saying everyone else does it, that's a big no-no.

youcancallmeal

feelingblue wrote: »

For sure I am.

This weekend has been a total nightmare due to alcohol intake. It started Friday night with a few quiet ones after work. All great craic with a few people from work and headed home whan I was pretty much hammered.

For the first time in my life I woke up Saturday morning and decided to take a drink to take the edge off. I was feeling pretty dreadful about my financial situation and the amount of money I spent the night before and was home alone so thought **** it why not.

All seems pretty tame but 2 bottles of wine later I was pretty p1ssed. Went for a sleep for a few hours and then headed to a friends house for a "few" drinks, now this is where things went a bit out of control. More wine there led to going to a house party. The house party went on all night and most of yesterday and there was more than drink taken, there were A class drugs at this party that I was more than willing to take.

The friends that I went with managed to leave throughout the night and yesterday but as usual I was the last one at the party.

The result was waking up in a strange house with a strange guy at 6pm yesterday evening. Think it is safe to say that I feel like crap today and am so very full of remorse I could cry.

I had to drink again last night I was so fearful.

I think I can safely say that I have a pretty nasty relationship with alcohol and most of my life is filled with these kinds of stories.

Wattle wrote: »

Christ man you need to start talking to someone about that.

I wouldn't worry about it too much, you've just got the fear on you and the drugs exacerbate it. Give it a few days and you'll be fine. If weekends like that one are a regular occurrence for you then yeah I would be worried. I'd say I have mad weekends like that 3/4 times a year but I generally look back on them and remember them as good fun even though it's hell for a few days after.

feelingblue

youcancallmeal wrote: »

I wouldn't worry about it too much, you've just got the fear on you and the drugs exacerbate it. Give it a few days and you'll be fine. If weekends like that one are a regular occurrence for you then yeah I would be worried. I'd say I have mad weekends like that 3/4 times a year but I generally look back on them and remember them as good fun even though it's hell for a few days after.

You are right I have the fear of God in me today

In fairness I have got myself into many many situations over the years but mostly these days I am watching Saturday night telly with a few drinks. I called my mate there and we were just saying that things today seem pretty bad but a few early nights will sort us out. Like you it happens a few times a year and I have not had a blow out like that since May so I am not going to torture myself. But I do love my booze

padma

feelingblue wrote: »

For sure I am.

This weekend has been a total nightmare due to alcohol intake. It started Friday night with a few quiet ones after work. All great craic with a few people from work and headed home whan I was pretty much hammered.

For the first time in my life I woke up Saturday morning and decided to take a drink to take the edge off. I was feeling pretty dreadful about my financial situation and the amount of money I spent the night before and was home alone so thought **** it why not.

All seems pretty tame but 2 bottles of wine later I was pretty p1ssed. Went for a sleep for a few hours and then headed to a friends house for a "few" drinks, now this is where things went a bit out of control. More wine there led to going to a house party. The house party went on all night and most of yesterday and there was more than drink taken, there were A class drugs at this party that I was more than willing to take.

The friends that I went with managed to leave throughout the night and yesterday but as usual I was the last one at the party.

The result was waking up in a strange house with a strange guy at 6pm yesterday evening. Think it is safe to say that I feel like crap today and am so very full of remorse I could cry.

I had to drink again last night I was so fearful.

I think I can safely say that I have a pretty nasty relationship with alcohol and most of my life is filled with these kinds of stories.

Hi there feeling blue, just felt it would be appropriate to respond to your post, truthfully it frightened me, in the way that seeing someone not having control of their weekend time. In truth from my early days understanding came to me about weekends like this. Your the life and soul of the party. You can keep yourself up and stay out all weekend, people admire your stamina. Your a great laugh to be out with etc etc etc..

The problem is these people will only be around for a short time of your life. You have the hefty weekend binging bill which you need to work all week for. No one is going to come and lift you out of this situation. You someday will have to turn your back on it. When you do, down the road you will find you can look back nostalgically and say, been there, done that, worn the t-shirt.

I'm coming up to 32 in a few weeks and gave up all weekend partying when I was 21, though had been doing everything before that since the age of 13.

It isn't cool, it only is with the people you are around and truthfully do they really care? The fact that you awoke at 6pm last night with a stranger, then went through a lot of negative emotions, then went on to drink a few more, makes me feel like giving you a hug. .

There is more to life than a hazy weekend. The week doesnt stop at Friday. Saturday and Sunday aren't meant to be spent in lost time with a whole week to recover and gear up for the next weekend. Find someone nice, settle down a bit, learn that the pub closing time is a good time to walk home with your OH, wake up on a Sunday with things to do, other than feeling skagged and wanting to get out of it again.

Life is a beautiful gift and every moment is a beautiful opportunity to appreciate the gift.

maxfresh

OP maybe try and give up the booze for a few weeks ,you might find you enjoy your weekends neither pissed or hungover

feelingblue

padma wrote: »

Hi there feeling blue, just felt it would be appropriate to respond to your post, truthfully it frightened me, in the way that seeing someone not having control of their weekend time. In truth from my early days understanding came to me about weekends like this. Your the life and soul of the party. You can keep yourself up and stay out all weekend, people admire your stamina. Your a great laugh to be out with etc etc etc..

The problem is these people will only be around for a short time of your life. You have the hefty weekend binging bill which you need to work all week for. No one is going to come and lift you out of this situation.You someday will have to turn your back on it. When you do, down the road you will find you can look back nostalgically and say, been there, done that, worn the t-shirt.

I'm coming up to 32 in a few weeks and gave up all weekend partying when I was 21, though had been doing everything before that since the age of 13.

It isn't cool, it only is with the people you are around and truthfully do they really care? The fact that you awoke at 6pm last night with a stranger, then went through a lot of negative emotions, then went on to drink a few more, makes me feel like giving you a hug. .

There is more to life than a hazy weekend. The week doesnt stop at Friday. Saturday and Sunday aren't meant to be spent in lost time with a whole week to recover and gear up for the next weekend. Find someone nice, settle down a bit, learn that the pub closing time is a good time to walk home with your OH, wake up on a Sunday with things to do, other than feeling skagged and wanting to get out of it again.

Life is a beautiful gift and every moment is a beautiful opportunity to appreciate the gift.

Hey Padma,

Thanks a million for your kind response to my post. I am not suprised it frightened you it scares the hell out of me. When I look back over the last ten years it makes me so very sad. I have a great job that I love and more friends and family that love me than I deserve at times. A breakdown in a long term relationship 2 years ago left me devestated and I still am. It seems that my drinking and drug use helps me get away from my sadness that is with me every minute of every day. I still wake up everyday with a heavy heart and spend my time in the shower in the mornings crying. I do know what it was like to have true happiness and enjoy my life and I believe I can get that again. I guess I have been burying my head in the sand as such and before you know it so much time has passed. Maybe it is time I took control of my life and started seeking happier times.

A hug would be much appreciated and your kindness brought me to tears just now.

I have taken what you said on board and here is to better times ahead and a Christmas not destroyed by hangovers and remorse.

Thanks again.

FB