Do I have a drinking problem?

[Trackhead]

A friend of mine from Flagstaff puts away quite a bit of booze every day but still manages to climb rock at a very high level, bikes like a madman, charges the backcountry, holds a good job as an X-ray tech, owns his own home, blah, blah.

So perhaps for him, his drinking isn't a problem.


Here he is raging desert towers.

[Core Shot]

Have you ever sucked dick for some alcohol?



If you answer yes, then sir you have a problem!

thank you very much, Bob Saggett!

[Jax]

How the fuck do people do this? I'm on my way to finishing this 5th and this shit kills me.

Why is it that once I get one in me it's over?

Since we are having a house clearing...

One of the folks in my alcohol class is forced to take antabuse for 30 days. Talk about causing problems to your liver! This person can no longer use lotions, body washes or after shaves, mouthwash, antiseptics like rubbing alcohol, cough syrup, can't eat any foods that have alcohol in it, even if it's been cooked. Any contact with anything with alcohol in it will cause MAJOR redness and swelling all over the body, vomiting, rash, etc. It's fucked up, I tell you! Cruel and unusual punishment!

[Pinner]

How the fuck do people do this? I'm on my way to finishing this 5th and this shit kills me.

Some people can't

Why is it that once I get one in me it's over?

Since we are having a house clearing...

Are you interested in doing something about it? Are you interested in feeling better?

Then right this minute, put your coat on and go walk your dog. Or go out and pretend you have a dog you're taking for a walk. Or better imagine you're taking your four-year-old cousin for a walk. Doesn't matter if you don't have one. Pretend.

Basically, stop drinking right now. If you're thirsty drink a Coke. Without the rum, by the way.

All joking aside, stop it. Right fucking now. You ain't gonna be happy about it, but would you rather be a little irritable now, or suffer a guilt cycle later?*

Get up and go where there is no booze. Go to the park, toss free throws at the elementary school around the corner, take a walk out in a field, go throw snoballs at a fence post. Get away from the booze.

Then you can decide if you want five more drinks later. If you still do, grab a dry pair of shoes and do it again. Beats a guilt cycle and by the end of the night you'll be exhausted instead of plastered.



*that's when you go, "I'm such a loser" and then to feel better, you do stuff that only proves to yourself that you are a loser, so you feel bad and then to feel better you, well... you get the point.

[Platinum Pete]

About two months ago I was ready to ask the same question. My drinking wasn't near the level you're at, but it was plenty for me and it was every night.
Once, after a huge work expensed long night booze fest, I drove to work the morning after and nearly fell out of the car because I was still so drunk. That was a wake up call. I need to drive for work every day and crashing my nice car or getting a DUI would seriously fuck my career.
The next month I tried to be more conscious of my usage and calm things down. I found that most nights when I started drinking, I kept drinking - not blitzed but more than enough. It was also easier to drink the next night after having drinks, and easier not to drink on nights after not drinking.
Last month I got some colds and stomach viruses that kept me sidelined from the bars and booze cabinet for about ten days straight at the beginning of March. Realizing that I was already a third of the way through the month without drinking, I decided to try for the whole month. I made it and felt fucking great. Way more mental clarity, I lost some weight, made it to the gym more often, taught myself to cook better, and felt a bounce in self esteem. Pretty dramatic evidence that my drinking habits, while not driving me into the ground, were getting in the way of me being my best self. I did smoke dope about 8 times last month, up from an average of 2 -3 times/month. This was the longest break I have taken from alcohol since sophmore year of college, 8 years ago.
I started April in Whistler for the biggest storm of the year with some alco-homies and a strong thirst for the post pow beer. I was also curious if I would use my newfound self knowledge to control my drinking habits in a smarter way. I drank in moderation. Here we are on the 15th and I think I have drank 11 nights this month. It feels like regressing. Last night we celebrated my birthday and drank a bunch of excellent wine over a long glorious meal - my favorite way to drink. I want to make that my last drink for a while.
That seems like a tough goal for me to take on, but also very important. My familiy knows good drink and we don't allow shortage. My job is stressful and I love to drink to unwind. Drinking with clients, business associates, and as rewards for performance are all part of my job, too. On the flipside, my job performance will excel if I drink less. I told a few friends of my "not drinking" (I didn't quit I was just not doing it) and they were supportive, but I felt on the outs a bit when everybody was partying and I was slurping a Pepsi. I do want the physical gains that not drinking will allow me, and not waking up hungover will help me have some more often weekends.

Alias, hopefully my experience gives you something to relfect off of and some insight into why I am trying to cut down significantly. You have to have your own reasons. Taking a break might help you find the reasons, you may not know what you're missing.
Another health risk no mentioned is diabetes, the sugar in alcohol is hard on your systems and can bring on diabetes young - even without being overweight. A healthy diets does not include the sugar rushes and crashes associated with Bob or Alias' drinking either. Just another thing to consider.

[Jax]

Last night we celebrated my birthday and drank a bunch of excellent wine over a long glorious meal - my favorite way to drink. I want to make that my last drink for a while.
That seems like a tough goal for me to take on, but also very important..

Yes! Setting a goal, any goal, even if it's only having 5 drinks instead of 8, is a good thing. By setting a goal and accomplishing it, even if it may not seem all that big, you'll boost your confidence. Confidence helps you realize your full potential. After that, if you choose, you can set an even greater goal, like cutting down to 3 drinks instead of 5, and so on.

[bigsugar]

Heh.

This is an interesting thread.

Particularily because I just got back from an AA meeting.

I know all too well what some people on this board are going through.......and I could speculate on whether or not some people have "problems" or are in fact alcoholics, but I won't do that, because that would not help anyones situation.

I can say that in my experience, and most of my fellow alcoholics/addicts, it's not how much you drink that matters......drinking is only a symptom of the disorder....or disease.....or whatever you like to call it. It's how and why you drink and behave the way you do, sober or drunk.
I'm a young guy yet, but growing up with an alcoholic/addict father, grandfather, uncles, aunts, etc., I know what to look for. I saw it happening to me, but only after a lot of thoght and anguish; it was not easy and it still isn't, and it never will be.

Look at it, look at it real good. You are the only one who can decide whether or not you have a problem. You are also the only one who can take the initial step in doing something about it. You are by no means on your own, but you have to initiate things IF YOU FEEL THAT IT'S NECESSARY AND YOU TRULY WANT TO CHANGE.

Edit: I hope that didn't come off as preachy, condescending, or anything like that. I'm only trying to help.

[Pinner]

I think that was very kind and very human. Thank you.

[bigsugar]

I think that was very kind and very human. Thank you.

Well, you know, 300 posts, I figured it was time to contribute something worthwhile.

[Blurred]

Well, you know, 300 posts, I figured it was time to contribute something worthwhile.

I also liked your post. Good stuff.

[iceman]

Pinner is awesome (if a bit prickly at times) in my book. Good on the man for hanging.

It's cool that this thread ended up being fairly well-reasoned and not overly accusatory. May there be more of the same to come.

[iceman]

And you too Brett

edit: by which I mean thanks for being reasonable on a tough topic.

[Pinner]

You calling me a prick, old man?

[iceman]

You calling me a prick, old man?

um, maybe?


hahaha

fucking great to have pinner back, even as sucky as he is.

[fondigley]

Read some good shit in here. I think I don't really have a drinking problem, especially compared to others out there, but me lady seems to have a slightly different idea at times. I used to throw back sick amounts in college. But now I can't drink a sixer. I mean I can but it is not pretty, not like when I was in my teens and early 20's. We would start with a 12 pack before going out to the bars. Growing up is good for the body.

Me whole family drinks, so it is natural for me to drink. But in 1996 straight out of highschool I got 2 DUI's back to back practically and have been paying for it ever since. April 28th I am eligible to get my license back. Almost 10 years later. So is it really worth it. Not in my opinnion. Yet right now I am throwing back my second PBR of the night, but no driving will be involved. But I set limits, usually.

And while waiting to get the license back I had to attend alcohol classes and AA. I knew people in my alcohol classes and it seemed after attending the classes, people wanted to go out and catch a quick buzz.

I think the drinks are the worst drug out, but at the same time the only legal one, which makes it okay. Anyone else think the same? And why is it the mary juana is illegal?

[altagirl]

To me, alias and BobMc seem to have more of what I would put into the category of a health concern. You're going to be doing some serious damage if you keep it up like that for too long. But it's a totally different story than being an alcoholic, I think - where the bigger problem is the addiction and loss of control vs. excess. I think it's fairly normal to go through phases wher you drink a bunch (college, or whatever the reason) and then you focus on other things and never miss it. No big deal.

[BobMc]

Trackhead, thanks man, that is actually what I was wondering. Would taking vitamins and eating right negate the cumulative effects of alcohol? My job keeps me in pretty good shape so the calories really aren't an issue.

BobMc

[Schmear]

I have nothing to contribute except to say that it's cool that you guys are talking so openly about this subject.

[alias]

Hmm. Guess I better take stock though I really knew that was the answer all along. However, I was kind of hoping 1000 others would chime in to say that they drink 2 handles of jack a night, and I was fine.

So, since today is already a lost cause I will stop drinking tomorrow and go three weeks. (I have my reasons not to go a month).

I hope by then I will know if I was just in a heavy phase (which I suspect) or if I really do have a problem.

[house]

i just turned 20 and feel stupid for knowing exactly how you feel. in high school my buddies and i discovered drinking and it was fun. then it lost its "fun" factor and became just what we did. now i drink a lot, and don't feel like it gets me anywhere (cause it doesn't) i just forget (black the fuuuuuck out) the weekends, get my ass kicked by school during the week, then repeat. growing up with parents that drink about a glass of wine per year, i guess the rebelliousness of it made it cool. i feel stupid for not being able to find fun stuff to do without drinking, but i guess thats just college. sucks to say that my dad was right when he said he doesn't drink cause you just become a waste (maybe my drunk grandparents showed him that). dont know why the hell i just typed all this, but hey im still a kid time to go to a party.

[The AD]

Damn, I read this entire thread and I have to say it may be the saddest one I've ever read here. Bob Mc, I'm sorry man, but drinking 12 beers a day is not normal. Alias, if you think you're drinking too much, you almost certainly are. I'm not going to get preachy or anything like that. Some of the replies here were very strange. Quite a few people seemingly getting upset if anyone suggested others may have a problem or that there could be some health consequences associated with drinking excessively.

[Pinner]

I'm not going to get preachy or anything like that

No, you don't need to. Your judgement is pretty clear in spite of the disclaimer.

Lead by example. Show you care and you won't need to qualify your statements.

[Turn Up The Gravity!]

You're having 5 drinks a day, starting at noon. Most of your waking hours you are not sober.

You don't need to ask if that is a problem. You know it is a problem, that's why you started this thread under an alias - you knew people would say it's a problem and you didn't want to face that under your 'real' identity.

Get yourself some help. I know AA has a religious spin, so if that's not your thing call another group. There are lots. Check the Yellow Pages.

Good luck and stay strong!

[Turn Up The Gravity!]

I've always contended that there's a difference between a heavy drinker and an alcoholic. I, myself, am a heavy drinker but not an alcoholic. (try outpacing me. I dare ya)

I don't know your habits, but I have spent a lot of time with alcoholics and this is exactly the kind of thing you hear a lot until someone can admit they're an alcoholic.
I'm not saying you are, just that it's the kind of thing you often hear from people who later end up getting help.

[skifishbum]

I think the drinks are the worst drug out, but at the same time the only legal one, which makes it okay. Anyone else think the same? And why is it the mary juana is illegal?

I agree when I was in the Army it was acceptable to go out every night an get sloshed and be worthless the next day. Stay home smoke hash and listen to The Dark Side of the Moon, your out of here freak. Thank god I got thrown out as the liver needed a break. As for the ganja thing I've always felt that because there is no real way to tell exactly how stoned you really are, it won't be legal. Until the can quantify your level of imparment I dont think itwill happen. Decriminalization is a good start.