alcoholic?.. don’t think so..

[kakamachine]

I'm in a difficult spot..

I DO have a problem with alcohol, but I don't think my problem is
alcoholism.. or are all alcohol problems considered alcoholism..



I don't have the need to drink on a regular basis (which is what I
thought alcoholism was).. but MY problem is that once I start drinking,
I don't stop.. plain and simple until I pass out after profuse amounts
of vomiting.. Somehow I am completely unable to control myself once I
have a few drinks, I just keep going and going no matter how hard I try
to stop myself.. I'm WEAK!.. lol.



I've tried different techniques to avoid this while drinking.. not
having enough alcohol available to get me to that point.. or, not
drinking hard stuff, just sticking to beer. but inevitably someone
around has some extra booze kickin around, and I get my hands on it..

I've done this so many times over the past few years, and promised my
girlfriend that the next time I drink alcohol it'll be different..
"I'll stop at just a few drinks..".. but every single time I touch the
stuff, I let her down...



So I guess I'm just curious if my problem is considered alcoholism.. or if it is just some kind of problem with self-control..

In any case, I think the SOLUTION to my problem is the same as the solution to alcoholism.. ..
just simply can't have any amount of alcohol.. *sigh*.. I dunno. it's a
sad thought, as I really enjoy a good drink now and then..



in any case... any opinions on my "condition" (so to speak) ?

[saosinsean]

Hmm, you may be a non-dependant alcoholic. =) I made that up.

[Woodman]

Not being able to stop is one form of alcoholism.

[BrugmansiaBrujo]

Yes, daily compulsion to drink is not the complete definition of an alcoholic.



Compulsion to drink until totally blotto, even though it is only done occasionally, is also alcoholism.



Loss of control, in any form, is the hallmark defining alcoholism.



You should either learn to enjoy it no more than 2-3 drinks at a sitting, or you should probably quit.



The old "if a little is good, more is better" is not really true.
If you succeed in moderating your intake, I'm sure you will enjoy it
more in the long run.



If you cannot succeed in moderating your intake, then you should quit for good and for ever.



If you really like a good drink now and then, and you find it hard to
not go past 2 drinks, three on a dare, then try this strategy:
Only drink in the evening before going to bed.



Many people, myself included, find that if they drink a beer or two
early in the day, then stop, a headache is produces. Then the
only way to stop the headache is take more alcohol. So by
drinking only a couple of drinks in the evening, then going to bed, you
will not have that problem because you will be asleep, and by morning
the headache effect will be long gone.


Edited by: BrugmansiaBrujo

[Jatelka]

If you answer yes to these questions, then SWIM would say (from her own experience) that you need to change things.


Can you control your drinking? (paramount)


Do you get angry if people criticise your drinking?


Do you feel guilty about your drinking?


Do you have an eye-opener in the morning (ie: drink to control hang-overs/withdrawal)


SWIM stopped drinking entirely for a year when she realised she was doing number 4 every weekend.


She can now control her drinking, but it is an effort sometimes. She knows that she has to make that effort though.If she ever feels out of control again she will have to stop drinking entirely.


PeaceEdited by: jatelka

[thechronic]

Originally Posted by kakamachine

I'm in a difficult spot..

I DO have a problem with alcohol, but I don't think my problem is
alcoholism..



I don't have the need to drink on a regular basis (which is what I
thought alcoholism was).. but MY problem is that once I start drinking,
I don't stop..

Yeah, like everyone else was sayin thats alcoholism. Why you think they say alcoholics should NEVER drink at all?

[Bongermann]

Tell the person you care the most about in the world, that you think
you may have a problem with drinking. Tell them that you can't stop
after a few drinks, but could go for weeks without a single drink. This
may help you find your way to the "occasional drinker" group. Good luck
bro!

[oggy]

LOL hehehe you should live in scotland for a weekend a go out at night Edinburgh just about every guy is like you and me. Don't worry about it your not addicted kaka I'm the exact same as you, when I start I can't stop. My girlfriend has to hide my own drink from me!!

I'm just a social drinker tho and do workout so drinking all the time would be bad for my muscles.

In fact I don't do drugs without a drink, drink takes the edge away from poping pills. Drink gives me the hunger for drugs, When I start to get drunk I feel the need for more then I get fed up with drink and go out my way to find something else as the drinks not enough. Even poping valium with caffeine and eph just to get a bit more messed up is crazy but true.

Without drink I don't think I would have done so many drugs, DRINK IS MY ENEMY!! But I still love it.

[sc2005]

I have a similar problem, not just with alcohol, but also, in the past, with cocaine and opiates. I'm always afraid that I'm losing my high/buzz. For example, if I take 5 beers up to my room and drink them, when I finish the last beer I think "oh man, I gotta get some more! I' starting to feel sober". The problem is I'm not REALLY feeling sober. It's just I have no more "fuel" for the "fire". Cocaine was the same way. After using a large amount I felt better just having some there next to me. Even if I only snorted a negligable amount I still "felt" it. It was a kind of placebo effect. The only difference is that, for alcohol, I pass out and then wake up. No vomiting!

[sands of time]

Originally Posted by sc2005

I have a similar problem, not just with alcohol, but also, in the past, with cocaine and opiates. I'm always afraid that I'm losing my high/buzz. For example, if I take 5 beers up to my room and drink them, when I finish the last beer I think "oh man, I gotta get some more! I' starting to feel sober". The problem is I'm not REALLY feeling sober. It's just I have no more "fuel" for the "fire". Cocaine was the same way. After using a large amount I felt better just having some there next to me. Even if I only snorted a negligable amount I still "felt" it. It was a kind of placebo effect. The only difference is that, for alcohol, I pass out and then wake up. No vomiting!

Swim is the exact same way. It just feel better to know that there is plenty more around just incase the buzz fades away.

As far as your problem kaka... I have seen many people who drink the same way, and they are fine with that. If you find that this behavior is a problem, than yes, you should work to correct it. Learn to enjoy just a few drinks when your out. Spend more time socializing, and take your focus off the actual drinking. One great thing about alcohol is that it can make you more socialable, and the 2-3 drink range is where you want to be for this.

[Dogears]

It doesn't matter what you call the problem. Drinking till you pass out is potentially dangerous and you are flirting with overdose.

You will not be able to solve this problem untill you admit that you have control over your actions even when you are drunk.

You need to descide in advance how many drinks you will have that night and stick with it.

[psitryp]

Sorry to bring up an old thread like this. I have the same problem, ie when I start drinking there's no stopping until I get really drunk. If I drink one beer I want more and more. This is a common cultural thing in scandinavia, where I'm from. I grew up in finland and this beahviour is well accepted there and most parties end up with people getting really really drunk. I really don't have a solution for this becaues all my friends are like me so when we start to drink it's a contest of who can drink the most. I don't see a problem with this behavior if it's like two times in a month but I suppose it could get out of hand quite easily. In my experience alcohol is more addictive than morphine or any drug that I've encontered.

[fnord]

Originally Posted by saosinsean

Hmm, you may be a non-dependant alcoholic. =) I made that up.

i think thats what i am(heh)

when i do drink i fall into a week of so when i have about one week of heavy drinking everyday and one meal a day

then i can stop and take breaks

weird, eh?

[AceOvArts]

I think that if any form of drinking (no matter how moderate) that causes a problem is a form of alcoholism. You dont have to be recked every day. If you affect your friends or family in a detremental way when youve had a drink and yet you dont "stop" drinking then you have a problem (primarily because if you could control yourself you wouldnt drink at all). Saying that, I guess if you are more of a loner and you dont have loved ones around then the only way you become an alcoholic is by putting yourself in danger.
The sad thing with situations like this is that its so much harder for an alcoholic or someone with a drink problem to stay on the wagon because drink is such a huge part of society today. Everywhere you turn your friend is drinking or meeting at the pub or going out to a club etc. But saying that, you dont have to drink much like you dont have to smoke. Same thing really I guess.
So, as an experiment, try not drinking at all for 3 months, if you cant do it then ask yourself why (no excuses now).