Am i an alcoholic?

Question

I don't think I'm an alcoholic as i don't want a drink every day but I go out every weekend and can't remember the last time i didn't roll home in drunk. Now I have black outs and people tell about humiliating things i did while drunk which i have absolutely no recollection of. It's not affecting work but i often miss other things i have planned because i'm too hung over. I'm thinking of trying AA but not sure if it will help. How can I change my lifestyle without losing all my friends? When i try to drink less people always pressure me and wonder why. Lots of my friends behave in eactly the same way and it doesn't seem to worry the but even a few friends have voiced concern about my drinking now. I'm 28 and have a stressful job and am living abroad.

Answer 1

Know your limit and stop drinking at that point.

Avoid shorts, as they can kill you (alcohol poisoning) and you can consume way way too much in a short time and theyre expensive, stick to lager and beer then you have something to drink for longer and you will have to go to the loo before you get near a critical level of alcohol.

If you drink every day and find it hard not to (I know i do) then youre beginning to get to the point where you could have a problem if you dont reign it in.

Black outs is way too much and very dangerous as you could get mugged or worse.

Drink some water with it.

Stuff your friends if they want to kill you.

Answer 2

I'd hesitate to call you an alcoholic, but I would say you have a drink problem. The fact that you actually can't remember what you do is a sign that things aren't entirely within your control, but there are ways to help yourself.

If friends pressure you to drink more, use the old "I'm on medication" excuse! I have done this myself on many occasions, as I also used to drink to the same point, and be totally unaware the next day of how I'd got home etc. Obviously this is highly dangerous, as if you're unaware of things around you, you are also unable to defend yourself in a responsible manner, and may take risks you would never dream of when aware of your situation.

The fact that you are also cancelling arrangements due to hangovers means your drinking is encroaching on your ability to function normally. We all experience this once in a while, after a special occasion or somesuch, but if its occurring frequently then its a concern.

Have you thought of changing your drink? I found that on certain drinks I would get totally drunk very quickly, while on others I could drink and not seem to be a killjoy, whilst not getting absolutely plastered.

Also make sure you don't hold your drink all the time, you can easily finish a glass of drink without realising when you are holding it, whereas when you set it down after every sip, it lasts longer and hence you drink less.

I hope these tips can help you to enjoy your alcohol and social life, without having to totally abstain from alcohol altogether! =)

Answer 3

I wouldn't say you're an alcoholic, however (and please don't take this the wrong way) you ARE a binge drinker. This kind of behaviour is pretty common these days and can be damaging for your health- you can do more liver damage with such an approach to drink than if you drank the same units of alcohol spaced out over 7 days instead of 2.

Personally, I do enjoy a drink with my friends every now and then and I share a bottle of wine with my wife-to-be on a Saturday night, but you need to remember that you don't need to drink to have a good time. If you absolutely MUST take part in a heavy drinking session, then drink plenty of water throughout the night and line your stomach with food. If your friends are putting pressure on you to drink a lot, just tell them that you're only having a couple because you have plans at the weekend and you need your wits about you. If they are your friends, they should understand this and not put unfair pressure on you.

Answer 4

Whatever label you care to put on yourself is of relatively little importance. If you are genuinely seeking the truth to take back control of your life, don't be swayed by your present circle of boozy friends, but have the guts to seek properly informed advice from those who really know from first hand experience what they are talking about.

You'll find lots of these people from all different backgrounds, age groups and walks of life at AA, where you can also feel secure in the knowledge that everyone will be understanding, non judgemental and supportive. There is nothing that you could tell them that they haven't heard, seen or done before.

Nobody will try and force you to do anything. It's your life and at the moment, it's still your choice. If at first it doesn't press the right buttons for you, don't give up - try different meetings or telephone counselling. There's a lot to consider.

You sound like a successful person that rises to a challenge. If you are strong enough to make some major improvements in your lifestyle, there's almost certainly no reason why you can't achieve whatever result you really desire for a long, happy and positive future. Best wishes and good luck.

Answer 5

You're not an alcoholic, but you may be on your way. Why do you drink so much on the weekends? Is it because your job is stressful? That's okay if it helps you relax, but it's not a good thing if you have other issues that you worry about in hopes that drinking will make it better. As for the other partying friends- Don't worry about what they say. It's all about you. If other friends have noticed your ways, then you should take their word for it. They see other things happening from their perspective. And they usually say something because they worry about you. Maybe tone down the drinks a little bit. You'll still be able to have fun. One of the first signs of a problem is regretting what happens, and then not correcting it for the next time. Good luck girly.

Answer 6

i know what you mean! i've been trying to think of more interesting things to do that involve less alcohol and less money and it's hard seeing as all my friends drink!
i have found that instead of going out, plan a night at home and do something that doesn't involve as much alcohol - i've had a film night where we cooked a meal together then sat and watched a film and we only had a bottle of wine between us (which isn't a lot for us!). i think the best idea if you're worried about your lifestyle is to try to find things that distract you from going to the normal bars and/or clubs where you'd more than likely stick to a routine. if you do something different, you might not be tempted to drink in the same way you are worried about.

i know a lot of the people who will respond to this will be critical or rude but ignore them. if you think you have a problem, you may well do. all i'd say is try to get out of your old drinking routine. if that means that some people won't be interested in hanging out with you, then who cares?! meet some new and more interesting people!

hope it all goes well!

Answer 7

Sounds like to me, you are worried about your drinking enough to ask, so there are red flags going up all around you. Does alcoholism run in you family? If so, there is your sign!!!!!! Your drinking buddies are just that, your DRINKING BUDDIES!! I come from a family of alcoholics and drug addicts and I am telling you that you are smart enough to recognize the signs and you seem to be wanting to break the cycles that have begun. You say you are 28 and have a stressful job, well honey, you don't know what stress is, until you land in jail for something you cannot recall. Please, please, please, do something NOW, before it is too late. Only you can make the changes necessary to put your life back on track. You are smart enough to figure this out, so I know you are smart enough to meet new friends and make something out of yourself. Perhaps then your job won't seem so stressful. Enjoy living abroad and learn all you can and do while you are sober. Please, please don't waste what God has given you. Do you realize how many people would love to live abroad and work and have the opportunity you have? And your choice is to be drunk and not recall what you are doing???????????? Please think about this and don't waste another 28 years of your wonderful life. And after you read this please go to a mirror and take a look at yourself and see if you love you enough to change, if not then go crawl into a bottle and take only yourself down, but not your family with you. AA cannot help unless you are willing to help yourself!!!

Answer 8

Probably not, but you might be on a very slippery slope. I've lost one friend (& I'm about to loose another) to alcoholism. A good measure (personal viewpoint)of whether you are an alchoholic is are you sneaking off to have a drink when you should be doing other things (e.g. working), or wanting a drink when it's completely inappropriate (i.e. when you get up in the morning). If so perhaps you should seek help.

That does not mean you are not drinking too much most /many drinking sessions. Everyone has different `capacities' , recognise what yours is and learn to live within it. That means you can have fun without worrying too much about your health.

Answer 9

Strictly speaking I would say no. But you need to look at the reasons for your binge drinking. If it is just habitual then change your routine - go out later, leave earlier, try a different drink that's lower in alcohol. If you feel the need to get drunk every weekend because of stress or feeling more comfortable socially when drunk, then you do have a dependence on alcohol and would benefit from managing these issues in different ways.

Answer 10

If you're not drinking during the week, you're probably not an alcoholic. But if you're having blackouts, you are abusing alcohol. That could make you an alcoholic eventually - it can become a slippery slope.
I hate to break it to you, but if people can't accept you for who you are when you're sober, and don't respect your choice to stay sober if that's what you want, they're not real friends.
Everything is better in moderation. If you have blackouts and do things you regret, that's not moderate. It's bad for your health, it can lead to dependency, and I'm sure you could find something more constructive to do with your time.
I lived abroad to a couple of years back. I know how difficult that can be, because after a while, the novelty wears off, you miss home, and you come to realize you're not a tourist anymore, but you're not a local either, so you don't really fit in. Just hang in there. You'll enjoy your experience more in hindsight if you stay true to yourself and absorb as much of the culture as you can while you're there - you will come home eventually (or adapt completely and don't) Either way, it's better to take things in stride.
Best of luck to you. Take care.