Am I an alcoholic?

Question

I quit doing drugs just two weeks ago, Im only 19 but I have a fake ID so getting it is no problem. Everytime I drive by a liquor store I just wanna go get a 40 or somethin. I drink 10-20 beers 1-3 times every weekend. I like to get buzzed but not drunk, I hate being smashed. I have the ability to control myself but I constantly think about drinking. My parents say my we have a history of alcoholism in my family even though they only drank a few times in high school. When I used to smoke weed I never thought about drinking. But Im trying to put that behind me because my family found out and freaked out about it plus Im trying to get into college and get a better job. I dont plan on quitting for good but it will never be a regular thing like it was. Im just worried I might be on a bad path that I dont want to go down, I dont want to stop drinking, Ive always been responsible with it, I never drink and drive. I guess I just feel dull unless Ive got a few in me, makes me more friendly

Allow me to clarify
I dont drink to get drunk
I dont drink when bad things happen
I dont drink alone (but sometimes I want to)
when I say I drink 10-20 beers a night I mean over a period of around 4-8 hours

more clarification...
I said I drink 1-3 times a weekend, but mostly just once a weekend, sometimes 3 but very rarely (about once a month)
and I drink only on weekends. I never do stupid stuff when I drink, just sit around a talk with friends. When I say I think about drinking, its always beer I love trying differnet kinds of beer and drinking really good (usually more expensive) beer. When drinking I probably consume an average 1-3 beer and hour

also I dont about AA, it steers toward religion which I am not okay with. I WILL NOT turn my life over to a higher power, I believe in getting help, but I know that I can do it myself I DO NOT need to pretend that God helped me do something I can do myself

Answer 1

Many college age people, whether or not they attend college, overdo on the drugs and alcohol. About 80% of them quit or learn to moderate on their own. They "mature out of it" when they start taking on adult responsibilities.

If your not driving, and acting responsibly (other than the fake ID), you'll probably avoid the nightmare of being pushed in AA meetings.

AA works for 5% of the people who join and a large percentage of the 95% it doesn't work for get worse. I wasted 20 years bouncing in and out of the rooms, only managing a few months of sobriety at a time. It wasn't until I took some responsibility for my actions and got help for depression that I was able to quit.

Answer 2

There are 2 kinds of alcohol problems: alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse. Some people drink on weekends only but they drink too much. And then go back to work during the week and lead productive lives. That does not mean they dont have a problem. And it certainly doesnt mean that their health is not being severly affected by it. I dont know if you have heard of liver cancer in people who drink too much. Its quite a painful death. A friend of my parents died this way. He was a very nice guy, tried to quit drinking many times but just lost the battle against alcohol. In your case, 10-20 beers one to three times per week can be as many as 60 beers per week. That is too much by any standard. So you are abusing alcohol. And you are hurting your body, and your mind (killing many brain cells everytime you drink). Even if you dont get "drunk" your judgment is impaired and you can end up doing things that you will regret later. If you find yourself craving alcohol often, then you probably have also a dependency problem. Look in the yellow pages or the internet for an alcohol anonymous meeting near you. Visit them (its free and absolutely confidential), they can help you in the right path. And if you all come to the conclusion you need more help than they can give you, I am sure they can direct you in the right path.

Answer 3

You are a mirror of me. I've been drinking since I was 15. At first I drank to get drunk. Then I realized I could be a cool cat if I had a little buzz. So tried to get as cool as possible. Turns out I would make an *ss of myself. Change of plans. It took many years and many parties to see that it was a futile effort ( I've always been a shy person). I still drink my beer but I don't drink to get drunk any more. I drink simply because I prefer beer over sugary, caffeinated stuff. I could say that I'm a "functional alcoholic" because it doesn't interfere with my responsibilities. I've been to AA because I was told to. I think that in order to quit drinking you have to WANT TO. Nobody can talk you into it if your heart is not there. When your drinking begins to cause problems (work, school, friendship, love life, the law, your health) reassess your priorities.

Answer 4

try this. only drink when something good has happened. make it a point to stop at one drink. if you've had a bad day, don't drink. alcoholism is usually about solving your problems, or forgetting your problems, with drinking. so don't do it when something bad happens.

if you come from a family with several alcoholics, chances are you have a very addictive personality, and will fall for alcoholism before you realize your there. and to be honest, that's what most people say, when they're confronted about their problem, is "i can stop anytime"

don't drink to get drunk. drink to have fun. the buzz is OK, but with alcoholics, its hard to tell where the line between smashed and buzzed is.

you might have a problem, so you should watch out. but the good thing is, is you realize all this. most alcoholics aren't so lucky with spotting their problem, before it threatens their life.

Answer 5

Maybe. You certainly have a problem but it is good you are thinking about it. Look for AAA on the web-they have a 20 question test for screening alcoholics.
Meanwhile, can you stop drinking after one drink? Can you go 2-3 weeks without a drink? If not to either question you probably are becoming an alcoholic and it does run in famlies.
Take care of yourself before it is too late.

Answer 6

If you need a drug to be YOU - to cope with reality - you're an addict - plain & simple...
Take a year off from ALL drugs (alcohol is a drug) and see if you even WANT to go back... I'll bet you won't...
But, then again...? Since you're about to get into college, you'll probably be like the majority - trying to fit in with all the partying and such...
However, with a year's worth of sobriety under your belt, you'd be able to tell the difference - whether you REALLY want to grow up or not, that is...

Answer 7

Quitting drinking beer sucks and watching your friends drink
while you're not, sucks even more but you might try it for a
couple week ends. If you're 19 and drink like you say, you're
probably going down the road you don't want to go. If you're not
an alcoholic now, you're on your way. Try to find friends who
don't drink and hang with them for awhile. Quitting drinking is not
as easy as you think.

Answer 8

Ask yourself these questions...can you drink just one beer? Do you find yourself doing the wrong things/bad things/getting in trouble/saying bad things when you are drinking? Do you avoid people that don't drink? Do you avoid parties that won't be drinking parties? Do you tell yourself "this is the last time I'll drink like this!" but you do it again anyway?
If you answer yes to any of these questions......Call Alcoholics Anonymous in the phone book. If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired call them! Go to a meeting! I should know, I am an alcoholic!

Answer 9

I don't know if you're an alcoholic or not, but you're at the very least on the way to becoming one. Cut back now and just try to find some other ways to find fun than drinking. My sister is a recovering alcoholic and is just finally getting her life back on track now... it nearly killed her. Good luck bro.

Answer 10

Dependancy is the key word here. It sounds like you need the drink in order to feel relaxed or have a good time. Sooner or later, or even maybe now, you need it just to feel 'normal'. And then, eventually, you'll need it just to feel ok.
When you feel dependent, that's when you have a problem. Take a break. See if you can feel good without out it. If you NEED it, you need to quit it.