Are you addicted to alcohol?

TeddyTedson · 11-12-2011 06:34PM #1

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?

Da Shins Kelly · 11-12-2011 06:39PM

I could, but I don't want to.

AnonoBoy · 11-12-2011 06:41PM

Ah toughen up and stop your whining.

You're rubbish at drinking is what's evident.

beeroclock · 11-12-2011 06:43PM

Yes I am in fact im having one right now

TeddyTedson · 11-12-2011 06:44PM

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Ah toughen up and stop your whining.

You're rubbish at drinking is what's evident.

I see I've marked you down before

TeddyTedson · 11-12-2011 06:45PM

I think I;m drunk still actually. Can a mod lock this

Deus Ex Machina · 11-12-2011 06:49PM

I think the important distinction is whether you could stop if you weren't in social situations where drinking is the number one activity. If you are drinking because those around you are doing it, it's probably not alchie territory, but if your desire to drink is more intrinsic and not socially motivated, then I'd say you're probably a big ol' alchie.

I myself am not addicted to alcohol. I am perhaps addicted to other equally harmful things, but that's for another day and another thread....

AstridBean · 11-12-2011 06:53PM

Deus Ex Machina wrote: »

I think the important distinction is whether you could stop if you weren't in social situations where drinking is the number one activity. If you are drinking because those around you are doing it, it's probably not alchie territory, but if your desire to drink is more intrinsic and not socially motivated, then I'd say you're probably a big ol' alchie.

I myself am not addicted to alcohol. I am perhaps addicted to other equally harmful things, but that's for another day and another thread....

Yep, if you'd never drink alone, you're probably grand. Except if you purposefully (or subconsciously) surround yourself with heavy drinkers to normalise your own.

Do you have a limit, OP? I find I do, I get to a stage where I think "I'm done!"

Logical Fallacy · 11-12-2011 07:05PM

TeddyTedson wrote: »

But I blackout basically every night I go out, like a lot of people - in this country anyway.

Hey, whatever makes you feel better man.

TeddyTedson · 11-12-2011 07:07PM

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Hey, whatever makes you feel better man.

sad, but true. I'd say most people who are in a nightclub blackout.

saa · 11-12-2011 07:08PM

Most of us binge that doesn't mean addiction alone, I could give up if I wanted to If I was addicted (which is what addicts say sorry :p_)
its usually not the behaviour but how its affecting your life that is the problem, the drink binge once every 2-4 weeks isn't draining my money or affecting mood (ongoing), relationships or work luckily but it could become every week and then every week day without me noticing hopefully I will never have to battle that.

For anyone who worries they are addicted:
What is stopping you from taking a few drinks one night a week because it might be emotional.
whether it be another drug, prescribed pills, sex, food, exercise or whatever its still addiction presenting in a different way.

I will be honest I'm not sure of all the options are and will not tell anyone what to do but AA is a good place to start if it is an issue for anyone some good mental health services so your GP is also another option.

Logical Fallacy · 11-12-2011 07:09PM

TeddyTedson wrote: »

sad, but true. I'd say most people who are in a nightclub blackout.

lol, like i said, whatever makes you more comfortable with your relationship with the bottle dude.

saa wrote: »

I could give up if I wanted to If I was addicted

No doubt man, piece of piss.

Except the fact that you would be addicted.

PseudoFamous · 11-12-2011 07:11PM

I rarely drink, and even if I do, I even more rarely get drunk. But I usually have less than €20 to my name, so I can't afford it anyway.

im invisible · 11-12-2011 07:12PM

Addicted? Yes. Yes i think i am...

spirit_77 · 11-12-2011 07:13PM

i only drink alcohol on days beginning with T.. tuesday , thursday.....today,tomorrow

TeddyTedson · 11-12-2011 07:14PM

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

lol, like i said, whatever makes you more comfortable with your relationship with the bottle dude.

No doubt man, piece of piss.

Except the fact that you would be addicted.

Well that's annoying.
Come off it, you know its true. Everyone always tries to piece the night together after a night out.

11-12-2011 07:15PM

TeddyTedson wrote: »

Well that's annoying.
Come off it, you know its true. Everyone always tries to piece the night together after a night out.

no, I don't think they do

TeddyTedson · 11-12-2011 07:15PM

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?

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

Logical Fallacy · 11-12-2011 07:17PM

TeddyTedson wrote: »

Well that's annoying.
Come off it, you know its true. Everyone always tries to piece the night together after a night out.

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.

11-12-2011 07:18PM

Nope.

Next question?

Shane.C · 11-12-2011 07:21PM

I don't drink. Also...I'm Irish! Huzzahh!

later12 · 11-12-2011 07:24PM

Personally I don't seem to get along well with non drinkers.

I find them a little judgemental on nights out. The reason I sometimes find them a little judgemental is because although I drink, I tend to look and sound reasonably sober even when I have probably lost the use of my legs (I'm exaggerating,all you non drinkers). And so many times I have been approached by non drinking acquaintances (usually 30 something women) to "look at the state of X" (usually 20 something women) and has she no self resepect? I think she must be depressed.

I really dislike this.

On the other hand, no, I'm certainly not addicted to alcohol. Could I give it up for ever? Not exactly. There would always be an inevitable birthday, wedding, funeral or Christmas party where someone asks "Carlsberg or Heineken?" and I would give in. But that's probably more to do with self-will than anything biochemical.

AnonoBoy · 11-12-2011 07:26PM

TeddyTedson wrote: »

sad, but true. I'd say most people who are in a nightclub blackout.

No they don't. If you black out every time you go out drinking then you're rubbish at it.

Robdude · 11-12-2011 07:28PM

Some people really don't know if they are or not.

My Uncle is normal, hardworking, 50 year old family man. He's up for work in the morning, bicycles to work each day, works hard, bicycles home. In his younger days, he'd go out and get smashed - not in 20 years. Now he just enjoys a beer or two with dinner or during a game.

I've never seen him drunk in the time I've known him.

He got pretty sick though and ended up in the hospital. And he couldn't have any alcohol while he was there. He went through withdrawl/ the DTs (I think that's waht they call it).

Kind interesting. He was absolutely addicted but you never would have thought it. He probably didn't even think he was.

Captain Chaos · 11-12-2011 07:29PM

AnonoBoy wrote: »

No they don't. If you black out every time you go out drinking then you're rubbish at it.

Or are drinking too much or maybe should just not drink full stop.

Captain Chaos · 11-12-2011 07:31PM

TeddyTedson wrote: »

sad, but true. I'd say most people who are in a nightclub blackout.

Nightclubs here sober me up, I have to make sure I'm extra hammered to even consider going to one.

TeddyTedson · 11-12-2011 07:32PM

AnonoBoy wrote: »

No they don't. If you black out every time you go out drinking then you're rubbish at it.

You just need to drink more.

Immaculate Pasta · 11-12-2011 07:34PM

Shane.C wrote: »

I don't drink. Also...I'm Irish! Huzzahh!

I think it's time to hand in your passport fella :cool:

Acoshla · 11-12-2011 07:45PM

Am I addicted to alcohol? Nope, but I think you are OP. I never piece together nights out, not since I was in college and experimenting with how much alcohol suits me, even then I might just miss a few minutes of the activities, I have never not remembered how I got home. I might go weeks at a time without drinking, I might have a glass of wine two nights in a row, or I might play drinking games with friends on a Saturday night, but even the big drinkers in my group don't start on Friday and still be drunk on Sunday. I don't know any one close to me who has blacked out from drinking tbh.

Edit: Not a very AH answer but I just think it's frightening that the OP thinks his drinking habits are normal.

MagicMarker · 11-12-2011 07:49PM

TeddyTedson wrote: »

Alcoholics always try to piece the night together after a night out.

FYP

MagicMarker · 11-12-2011 07:51PM

Only once have I forgotten a large portion of the night before, I was 17 at the time.

Are you addicted to alcohol?

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