am I an alcoholic?

Question

I drink 6 - 9 beers each night, alone. I choose the higher alcohol beer for better "effects". I love being numb. I hide alcohol sometimes so my other half doesn't know how much I'm drinking. I sometimes have blackouts. Tell me what you think?

Answer 1

ONLY IF YOU CAN BE HONEST TO YOURSELF THAT THIS WOULD BE OF HELP TO YOU. MEDICALLY
DEPENDENCE ON A SUBSTANCE IS WHEN 3 OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING PATTERNS EXIST
TOLERANCE TO THE SUBST., WITHDRAWAL FAILURE,
SUBST TAKEN LARGER THAN NORMAL,
PERSISTENT DESIRE OR ATTEMPTS TO CUT DOWN,
LOTS OF ENERGY SPENT TRYING TO OBTAIN THE SUBST.,
SOCIAL, OCCUPATIONAL, RECREATION ARE AFFECTED BY SUBST,
CONTINUED USE INSPITE OF KNOWLEDGE OF DANGERS.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE EXIST WHEN ANY 1 OR MORE OF THESE EXIST
RECURRENT FAILURE TO FULFILL MAJOR OBLIGATIONS SCHOOL WORK OR HOME;
RECURRENT USE IN PHYSICALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATIONS
RECURRENT SUBST RELATED LEGAL PROBLEMS
CONTINUED USE INSPITE OF PERSISTENT PROBLEMS CAUSED BY USE

Answer 2

If you ask anyone's opinion on whether or not you're an alcoholic, they'll usually say yes. Nowadays, people are very anxious to label you as "diseased".

Let's break it down element by element.

1. 6-9 beers per night is quite a bit. Especially with beers that have a higher alcohol content.

2. Drinking alone does NOT define an alcoholic. Plenty of alcoholics drink with drinking buddies.

3. The fact that you love being numb might mean that you're just hiding from life.

4. Hiding your drinking from a spouse is a classic sign of alcoholism.

5. I have blackouts if I drink my butt off, but that's rare and I drink maybe 2 or 3 times per month. This is not the sign of an alcoholic...it just means that too much booze erases your memory.

I'd say that you're not an alcoholic, but you're definitely travelling towards it. If you're ever in danger of losing your job, spouse, home, or your friends because of it, then you'd better knock it off.

Answer 3

News flash, your wife probably already knows how much you drink. She’s just resigned herself to let you kill yourself as it would be easier than divorcing you. All alcoholics think they are smarter than everyone else and that people cannot tell how much they drink. The truth is that the ones closest to you always know, they just are afraid to say anything. I can only suspect that you are probably an idiot when drunk like most alcoholics and your wife is probably tired of you. I’d be surprised if she wasn’t socking away money to someday get away from you. But there is good news John; the good news is that all alcoholics eventually stop drinking. Death cures all.

I could however, be wrong. Maybe your wife is going to love it when you get that big fat ascites gut and those yellow eyes. She'll really like it when your ammonia levels start rising and you hallucinate and get delusional. I'm sure she will be at your side 4 hours a day 3 days a week when you are on dialysis. When your liver is in failure she'll find your diapers sexy and she'll enjoy cleaning your feces off of you. Don't worry about the cost of a transplant because they won't give you one since you are an alcoholic. I'm sure she won't remarry immediately after you are dead and gone, she might wait a week or so out of respect.

Enjoy your beer, cheers!

Answer 4

I think you have all the signs of being an alcoholic. Drinking alone and hiding it are signs of alcoholism. You need to stop and maybe you can go to AA. Can you talk to your wife about what you have been doing? Blackouts are a sign that things are getting out of hand. Your body keeps going but your brain shuts off. Addiction is a terrible thing and you have to get help before you damage your body any more than you already have.

Answer 5

Yes, your an alcoholic. When you drink that much everyday, yes. Alcoholics annoymous. Don't let it run your life! You get control of it and you can. Why do you feel the need to get numb anyway? Don't know what else is going on in your life, but it sounds as if you are trying to escape something more painful in your life. Try counseling AA, minister or someone. Good Luck my friend.

Answer 6

Yeah your an alcoholic, but that doesn't make you a bad person. I hate blackouts. My wife would tell me about them, and all the horrible things I said and did. Don't hide it from your wife. She needs to know, so she can help you get help. I used to think that my wife was just a nag. As my drinking problem got worse and worse I started to discover that she was just trying to pull me out of the hole I was digging for myself. Your gonna feel so much better physically when you quit. My body had been soaked with alcohol for so long I didn't remember how it felt to feel good. Sure you have to give up having a buzz, but there are better feelings. You have to be smart enough to see them.

Answer 7

Yes, I'd say you're an alcoholic. I like to drink, too, though I prefer wine, and sometimes I think I drink too much. But it isn't to the point where I'm blacking out... and I don't have to hide it from anybody... and sometimes I just go a week or so without it, to make sure I can. When life sux, it is sometimes a comfort to feel numb, right?

If you find that you call in sick because you're hung over, or miss work because you want to drink or party... then you're over the edge & in real trouble. So far, that hasn't happened to me. But it's a good idea for people who drink, to monitor themselves and back off once in awhile.

Answer 8

You need to find out WHY you drink... Then, you can address the situation accordingly... Otherwise, you'll inevitably relapse...
The ONLY way out is with the help of God...! I'd recommend Celebrate Recovery available at many churches these days... It's a Christian 12-step program with significant differences... Just started a coupla weeks ago - for real, this time - myself and at least there, I experience the encouraging power of hope. Remember: although one feels no (or little) pain when one is numb, neither does one feel the full joy of happiness and so much is forgotten... It's truly a sad state... Kind of like Adam Sandler in "Click," just going through the motions of living while in a non-communicative haze... I'll bet you have few, if any REAL friends...? Will pray for you... God bless...

Answer 9

Well, you will certainly find out for sure if you try not drinking for a couple of days and feel sick. If you do feel sick after not drinking for a couple of days I would suggest contacting your doctor or just slowing down a bit. Or try only drinking every other day until you can ween yourself off the alcohol...if that's what you want to do. Your other half only wants good things for you. So, if you are hiding alcohol from him/her that is a sign that things might be getting to heavy for you.

Answer 10

YES. But that doesn't mean you have to stay one. If you are hiding alcohol from your signifigant other it is a problem. It's the same as lying. The best thing for you to do is talk to her about it and ask her for help, unless you don't want any help then you should just leave her so you don't eventually ruin her life with your problem. Not trying to be a dick just speaking from experience

Answer 11

My father is an alcoholic and and though I don't remember that exactly how much he drank everyday, like you, he hid a LOT of liquor. But Do you want to get help for your problem? Sounds like you do, and that is the FIRST step. Good job on recognizing that you have a problem. Call Al-Anon and speak with a someone about joining a support group for others with your problem so that you can grow in acceptance, compassion and understanding with those who live with someone like you or ARE someone like you or who ARE someone like you in 10 or 20 years who waited longer to get help.
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