I'm an Alcoholic

Guill

Are you?

The otherday I said in casual conversation that I was an alcoholic, i can't remeber how we got there but all my friends looked at me as if I had just pulled a needle out of my arm. It was not an announcement just a sentance that came out.

To clarify:

I don't consider it a weekend if I don't have a drink.
I binge drink weekly.
I will drink anything if stuck. (although I do enjoy beers of the world).
I will have a bottle or two of an evening during the week.
I'm one of those people who doesn't feel comfortable at an event without a bottle in my hand, and a few aqlready in the system.
When the sun comes out I immediatly think BBQ! (So we can a have a few beers-and craic).

Out of the 6 people that were there that day I know 4 of them are the exact same as me, not worse for drink but certainly not better. No-one even made an attempt to agree with me or even say "Me too".

My drinking does not affect my family we have a very loving caring and fun home, my wife bearly drinks btw.
It does not affect my work, I never miss a minute.
It does not affect my social life, I have a very large circle of close friends.

One day It just dawned on me that by definition I am an alcoholic. Not completely dependant but an alcoholic all the same.

I DO NOT FEEL ANY SHAME IN THIS.

No one should.
To me it should be no more difficult to say this than to say you are addicted to ciggarettes, coffee, chocolate etc. But for some reason people begin to look at you differently for such an admition. When I smoked and told people I was hooked there could be open discussion between friends and family about it.


I've added a poll, If you look deep down and really think to yourself, are you in the same boat as me? If anything I hope that this thread will make people aware of something they may not have considered before. thanks.

Phoenix Park

Then get out there and have a drink, its roasting out!

admiralofthefleet

i didnt know i drank til i went home sober one night

Pushtrak

There'll be a lot of naggin in this thread. Vodka gonna do?

livinsane

Alcoholics do not admit they are alcoholics.

Plus if it doesn't affect your family, work or social life, you're not an alcoholic.

That's a good thing.

later12

You don't necessarily sound like an alcoholic OP. By 'two bottles of wine of an evening', do you mean every evening or the odd evening?

If by 'drink anything' you mean more Bavaria and Dutch Gold than Chanel no. 5, then I'd be similarly dubious.

Craving a beer and barbecue, or getting sloshed sometimes doesn't actually have to mean that you have a serious and ongoing dependence on alcohol.

Princess Peach

No, I'm not.

I used to be, was just like you, probably worse. And eventually it did start to affect my life and my health, and I did start to feel shame. I had a reputation in my town as "the girl who is always drunk." I'd meet people I never met before and they had already heard of me, said "Oh you're always going out!" People didn't take me serious, thought my life revolved around me drinking. I didn't want to be known as that anymore. Plus it really wasn't doing me any good.

So I changed it, learned my limits. I'd drink maybe once or twice a week usually now, but I'm rarely a messy drunk. Haven't blacked out in maybe a year, which used to be a twice weekly event for me, and I thought it was normal!

I try not to judge anyone else, I just know it was a bad time for me and I thought it was ok for far too long.

Paddysboys

Pity you didn't put this up earlier as now I'm to drunk to reply and a curry chip how long will you be say it to my face , sleep now

Guill

livinsane wrote: »

Alcoholics do not admit they are alcoholics.

Plus if it doesn't affect your family, work or social life, you're not an alcoholic.

That's a good thing.

Wrong.

grindle

I'm not an alcoholic, but I qualify by American standards, or by the AA check-list.
Can go months without it, choose not to, because I don't let it destroy me.
Drinking to be merry, or to elucidate, is very different to alcohol-as-medication.

Pushtrak

You know alcohol is effecting your life when you are constantly absinthe from work.

Canis Lupus

livinsane wrote: »

Alcoholics do not admit they are alcoholics.

Plus if it doesn't affect your family, work or social life, you're not an alcoholic.

That's a good thing.

You can still be an alcoholic and not affect anyone, think it's phrased as a 'coping' alcoholic.

Alcohol can be a bit of a slippery slope and even if you don't affect anyone it's good to keep an eye on your habits. I really don't think it's great to drink every night.

Guill

Why would anyone think that an addiction has to affect family, friends and work before it can be called an addiction?

Alchololism is being addicted to alcohol
It's can affects can be as above but not limited to.

Guill

CageWager wrote: »

An addiction is defined as "The continued use of a mood altering substance or behaviour despite adverse consequences"

Habitual drinking is commonplace in this country- from your description above I don't think you would necessarily be classified an alcoholic. Would you suffer serious withdrawals if you had to go 24-48 hours without drink?

I'm sure my waist line, liver, kidneys and god knows what else might disagree.
Maybe not after 48 hours but never more than a week. Although, I rarely go more than 4 days without a couple.

Smidge

Princess Peach wrote: »

So I changed it, learned my limits. I'd drink maybe once or twice a week usually now, but I'm rarely a messy drunk. Haven't blacked out in maybe a year, which used to be a twice weekly event for me, and I thought it was normal!

Just out of curiosity, how much were you drinking to black out and what exactly is a blackout in you experience??

Sunnyisland

I am, Even though I am over three years alcohol free. Personally for me when I drank I never stopped at 1 or 2 or 3, and gradually over the years the drink was controlling me instead of me controlling the drink, Its a terrible addiction and nothing to be laughed at.

crustyjuggler

Sure we're all a pack of jakeys . The Irish will always drink heavily .

dpqt

grindle wrote: »

or by the AA check-list.

You're not an alcoholic, you have a disease

Princess Peach

mishkalucy wrote: »

Just out of curiosity, how much were you drinking to black out and what exactly is a blackout in you experience??

Honestly, I wasn't counting drinks. I usually would have had a bottle of wine, or a good amount of vodka and maybe a few shots before I hit the club. And drink more there.

Blackout is I would wake up with no idea of how I got home, or what the hell had happened the night before. I'd have friends telling me things that went on and had no recollection of any of it.

I still drink a good bit on a Saturday night now, but I somehow know the point to stop myself. Can't really explain how I got here!

livinsane

Guill wrote: »

Wrong.

If you have a happy life and the people around you are happy, then I wouldn't class your lifestyle as being a disorder.

To be fair, alcoholism is a horrible thing to have to live with. It makes the person themselves, and the people around them, miserable. It goes deeper than just the drink itself. You've got the cover ups, lies, hiding drink, going without food and other necessities just to drink and all that other nasty stuff.

If you felt that your drinking was hurting your family, friends or professional life, would you cut down?

Guill

livinsane wrote: »

If you have a happy life and the people around you are happy, then I wouldn't class your lifestyle as being a disorder.

To be fair, alcoholism is a horrible thing to have to live with. It makes the person themselves, and the people around them, miserable. It goes deeper than just the drink itself. You've got the cover ups, lies, hiding drink, going without food and other necessities just to drink and all that other nasty stuff.

If you felt that your drinking was hurting your family, friends or professional life, would you cut down?

I'd hope so.

Pushtrak

http://www.medicinenet.com/alcohol_abuse_and_alcoholism/article.htm

Alcohol abuse is a disease that is characterized by the sufferer having a pattern of drinking excessively despite the negative effects of alcohol on the individual's work, medical, legal, educational, and/or social life.

Some signs of a drinking problem include drinking alone, to escape problems, or for the sole purpose of getting drunk; hiding alcohol in odd places; getting irritated when you are unable to obtain alcohol to drink; and having problems because of your drinking.

Alcohol abuse is a disease. It is characterized by a maladaptive pattern of drinking alcohol that results in negative work, medical, legal, educational, and/or social effects on a person's life. The individual who abuses this substance tends to continue to use it despite such consequences.

What is alcoholism?

Alcoholism, also called alcohol dependence or alcohol addiction, is a destructive pattern of alcohol use that includes tolerance to or withdrawal from the substance, using more alcohol or using it for longer than planned, and trouble reducing its use. Other potential symptoms include spending an inordinate amount of time getting, using, or recovering from the use of alcohol, compromised functioning, and/or continuing to use alcohol despite an awareness of the detrimental effects it is having on one's life. Alcoholism is appropriately considered a disease rather than a weakness of character or chosen pattern of bad behavior. It is the third most common mental illness, affecting more than 14 million people in the United States. Other facts and statistics about alcohol dependence include its pattern of afflicting about 4% of women and 10% of men. It costs more than $165 billion per year in lower productivity, early death, and costs for treatment.

What differentiates alcohol abuse from alcoholism?

While both alcohol abuse and alcoholism involve engaging in maladaptive behaviors in the use of alcohol, abuse of this substance does not include the person having withdrawal symptoms or needing more and more amounts to achieve intoxication unless the person has developed alcoholism.

What are risk factors for alcoholism?

Risk factors for developing a drinking problem include depression, anxiety, or another mood problem in the individual, as well as having parents with alcoholism. Low self-esteem and feeling out of place are other risk factors for developing alcohol dependence. In women, antisocial behaviors and impulsivity are associated with the development of alcohol dependence. Both men and women are more likely to develop alcoholism if they have a childhood history of being physically or sexually abused. Children and teens who have their first drink of alcohol between 11 and 14 years of age are more at risk for developing a drinking problem than those who do so when either younger or older.

http://www.medicinenet.com/alcohol_abuse_and_alcoholism/page3.htm

Guill

Pushtrak wrote: »

Alcohol abuse is a disease that is characterized by the sufferer having a pattern of drinking excessively despite the negative effects of alcohol on the individual's work, medical, legal, educational, and/or social life.

As i already said my health cannot be the better for my drinking.

Some signs of a drinking problem include drinking alone, to escape problems, or for the sole purpose of getting drunk; hiding alcohol in odd places; getting irritated when you are unable to obtain alcohol to drink; and having problems because of your drinking.

Yep, I deffo drink alone, a few bottles at night or whatever.


I am trying to have an open discussion around alcoholism, people seem to have focused on the technicalies of the word. Is this out of defence of their habits or what?


I never claimed to be at the extreme end of the scale but I KNOW i am definitely on it. I pride myself in my objective thinking, I don't need people to convince me otherwise thanks.

Smidge

Princess Peach wrote: »

Honestly, I wasn't counting drinks. I usually would have had a bottle of wine, or a good amount of vodka and maybe a few shots before I hit the club. And drink more there.

Blackout is I would wake up with no idea of how I got home, or what the hell had happened the night before. I'd have friends telling me things that went on and had no recollection of any of it.

I still drink a good bit on a Saturday night now, but I somehow know the point to stop myself. Can't really explain how I got here!

I was always curious when people spoke about blackouts(I've never had one). Is it the same thing as having one two many and they forgetting certain things about the night but remembering when spoken about?

kelle

I haven't drank alcohol in over 6 years.

The reason being that I felt I was descending towards alcoholism. I was very fond of wine, it was too easy to pour out a glass after the housework was done - maybe every third day. Then it became every second day.
Then every day.
Then 2 glasses.
I could see a horrible pattern emerging, so I decided it was sink or swim.

So I just stopped there and then. It was difficult for a few weeks, so I started drinking coffee instead. I don't touch the stuff, I don't miss it anymore. Even when going out, I enjoy myself and love being able to hop in the car and drive saving myself (and my fellow nightclubbers ) a fortune in taxi fares!

However, I'm now a bloody coffaholic :mad:

Scioch

I dont drink regularly but when I do drink I drink quite a bit. But that would be probably about 4-5 times a year at parties or whatnot..

vetinari

As someone who's had a few of them. Blackouts are literally that. For me, I'd get partial blackouts if I drank too much. I'd remember everything up to say 11 O Clock and then nothing whatsoever after that. I wouldn't know how I got home, whether I did anything, who I was talking to etc.

Guill

mishkalucy wrote: »

I was always curious when people spoke about blackouts(I've never had one). Is it the same thing as having one two many and they forgetting certain things about the night but remembering when spoken about?

My last black out happened like this:

While away for a party we went to the pub, had a nice few drinks. I have a vague recollection of going to a nightclub. Bam, I'm in bed with a massive hangover.

At breakfast the next morning people are chatting about all the dancing I did, the shots I bought, the craic we had. I have no idea.

Smidge

http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/healthpromotion/alcohol/

In fairness, according to the above, more that 6 standard drinks(3 pints)in one sitting is considered "binge drinking".
I know a lot of people who for them that would be a "starter".
I'm not condoning alcohol abuse etc but does anyone else here think that 3 pints is a binge session?

bootybouncer

Cool to have an addiction now is it not :rolleyes:............................ dude sounds like max payne, get a grip lad, another self centered bit of drivel

Princess Peach

Sometimes I'd get flashbacks throughout the few days that followed of what went on, sometimes I'd never remember.

Was on a pub crawl once and I said the next morning, "That was some sham, we never went to the second pub." And my friends informed me we were there for over an hour and backed it up with photos of me and a large group of Asian people having a laugh.

Another time I was really mad that the band we went to see had never played, till I was informed they played a full set and I was up the front singing into the mic and everything.

I always just laughed it off really!