Vito that is so true. Sharing with others brings perspective. So many times I’ll have a problem and thought rut I’ll tell someone else and realize how stupid I’ve been.
Nice post, well said Vito.
I’m lucky and I never lose sight of it, I also have spiritual beliefs which helped me vastly when I was in a terrible place, as well as a wife in a billion. My older brother did not get off so lightly, and in one of those strange coincidences, neither did my wife’s older brother - both of whom were destroying their own and other people’s lives before we met, and both at about the same time . I might have vaguely alluded to my drink problems once before on the site, but what I have posted on this thread is the most I have ever said about it outside of my marriage. It can be easier to talk like this and it can be very helpful and for some reason I have no problem saying it.
Thanks, Vito. You are lucky to be able to drink moderately. Some of us can’t take that chance any more. I probably could but wouldn’t like to go through what it took for me to quit again.It was the hardest thing I have ever done.
I second that statement. Theres been times when I can have just a beer but eventually that will lead to drinking more than I can keep track of. Plus I know it only gets worse when you relapse. I find every time I’ve relapsed I though I had some control but I always lost it. Frankly I’d rather eat all the meat I want and not drink but if that dietary discipline gives you drinking discipline good for you.
Yeah one of the reasons I can’t drink like a used to is there is a certain point a few drinks in where my brain thinks I’ve got my old tolerance not my new tolerance. Seriously not a good thing. Additionaly hangovers get worse the older you get. They used to be an annoyance and now they kill the whole day.
All of the discipline is an atempt to be as noble as possible. It does not ‘help’ me not abuse drinking, but by not abusing drinking, I am doing a good job at being noble.
All of the discipline is an atempt to be as noble as possible. It does not ‘help’ me not abuse drinking, but by not abusing drinking, I am doing a good job at being noble.
true
Not recovering at all. Really like drinking.
Here’s a question for the group here. I drink every night, a beer or two or maybe 1/2 bottle of wine. I’d drink anything really, but my finances don’t allow me to get to where I really want to go. My tolerance for 1/2 bottle of wine or 2 beers is nearly met and like I said I would drink twice this if I could afford it. This has been my routine for the past 2 years. I usually drink this amount quickly and on an empty stomach to get more for my mileage if you catch my drift. My question is, because I have not ruined myself financially with alcohol does this mean I have control of the situation or just exceptionally patient but still alcoholic?
Hard question to answer.
But being financially solvent doesn’t preclude anyone from being an addict.
yeah not any easy question to answer this might help. Imagine life without any alcohol for a while. How is that picture looking? Try it for a significant amount of time. Not definatily going to give you an answer but it’s more illuminating then what you’ve given us.
I wouldn’t worry about 2 beers a day, it’s when it’s 15 pints and a bottle of whisky when you should start worrying.
Stefan
you don’t have to be drunk to be an alcoholic. It’s a matter of dependancy. Which is pretty complex when you think about it. Bottom line though is it effecting your life?
It’s not how much you drink but what it does to you that you need to evaluate.
@Walrus, I worry because I’d like it to be 15 pints a day.
@bob, I could go without but it causes me anxiety to consider that long term.
that definatily sounds like something to be carefull with. Then again what’s wrong with an addiction all depends I guess on what you get out of it and the like.
Given the above, personally, I would stop now. But that’s just me and based on my life experiences.
I don’t miss being drunk, the hangovers, the violence or waking up hoping that the night before had only been a dream. Only to find out it wasn’t…
But it did take me a few years to get to the point I did not think about having a drink.
@thorgriinr Only you can determine whether or not your an alkie but there’s potential there. Whatever you do if it gets to a point where it really affects your life and you feel damned if you do and damned if you don’t drink, there is a solution that many people use one day at a time.
@thogrimnr the fact that you intentionally drink on an empty stomach is questionable but for your own peace of mind I would recommend looking at a list of the symptoms of alcoholism. It may be difficult to admit to having a few of the symptoms and that in itself would be a symptom.
The thing about alcoholism/drink dependance is that it takes many forms and because of the world we live in, and the hyper political correctness and litigation cautious medical world, all of them are treated with the same weight. But that is not a helpful approach, it’s the same ‘nanny’ way of thinking that forces health warnings on snuff for the simple reason it’s tobacco. I used to work in a very stress rich environment and just about everyone used alcohol to unwind with. For some people that would end in ruin, but for 99.9% it helped - despite the weekly number of units representing dependance on the modern scale. We have been brainwashed into having the artificial, invented limits playing in the back of our minds, sitting there like some Victorian schoolmaster. You will know if your level of drinking is wrong for you, it’s the point where you have to have it and when the absence of it causes mental or physical pain or if drinking has any form of negative impact on your relationships or at work. If that is the case it would be wise to cut down or speak to someone, otherwise don’t let it bother you.
I’m over two years sober from PAINKILLER ADDICTION
Talk about a tough one… however I couldn’t IMAGINE being hooked on Alcohol. Readily available, socially accepted- ROUGH!
I never had a problem with anything else and still enjoy green buds on occasion. I think everyone else should too 
I didn’t really get down with the whole AA or NA vibe though- a bunch of older guys trying to one-up eachother. EVERYONE HAD IT WORSE THAN EVERYONE ELSE! It just seemed as if they wanted to be the worst one there and talk about themselves! I just got sick of the depressing stories.
I want to say though that I think it’s GREAT THAT YOU GUYS ARE GETTING SOBER!!!
My life is awesome now!