Do U think I have an alcohol problem?

Question

I drink rather often, like one beer a day ( exclusively beer), but never get drunk. I have been doing this for 4 years, and it never affected any aspect of my life. However, alc. makes me depressed, even though that is the reason I consume it in a first place: anxiety and boredom. Every time I feel this way I have a slight urge to calm my nerves with a beer. I tried antidepressants, but I decided that it even worse, even though during the time I was taking Xanax I didn't feel the need to take Alc.
Any recomendations how I can cope with boredom/anxiety w/out taking antidepressants/alc, and how can I feel the joy of living like before???

Answer 1

This is a tough one to answer, because I don't know much about you, but I'm going to give it a shot because I have a similar problem.
First I hate to do this, but to answer your initial question about if you have an alcohol problem I have to ask a question. Can you go with out that beer a day? Or do you just fall apart with out it? If you can't go with out it than yes it is a problem. My fiance',(rest in peace), was an alcoholic and this is what he was told by doctors and in A.A. Also remember that alcohol is a depressant.
You said that the antidepressants aren't working for you. As I said I am like you and I just randomly get depressed for really no reason. I get really anxious about little things, and they bug me much more than they should. I tried anti depressants and they did not work well for me. They do work for some people though. It may just be that particular prescription that doesn't work. You may need a different anti depressant or possibly a stronger dose. alcohol can interfear with the effects of some prescriptions like these too so keep this in mind.
If you would rather try to get through this un medicated I suggest staying busy. I don't mean join a million clubs and do a whole bunch of volunteer work, (all though a little might be good.), because if you over whelm yourself with responsibilities it may just stress you out. Instead try some new things such as crafting, or biking,( exercise really does help you feel better sometimes, I never believed it when I was told that until I started riding my bike to work.). If you keep yourself busy with anti stressful activities it may help. Also, just having someone to talk to.
Hope this is helpful.
Good luck if I can be of anymore help e-mail me. [e-mail]

Answer 2

1, Work out. If that seems like too much, start with a 15-20 minute walk at LEAST 3 times a week. Brisk walk. Takes 14 days (14 days? yea I think that's right) to develop a new habit. Make it part of your routine, you'll never regret it.

2. Vitamin B complex supplements

3. Chocolate :) Well OK go easy on this one.

4. Volunteer. Or just help someone.

5. Make yourself act like you're happier, this is actually an effective method of becoming happier. Kind of like the habit thing.

6. At least one good belly laugh a day. I'm not talking about a smile or a giggle. Dead serious on this one. Take a friend and visit a comedy club (designate yourself as the driver so you won't drink!)

IMOHO your problem isn't alcoholism it's depression. There's nothing wrong with taking medications if you need them, alcohol is a depressant not an anti-depressant (as you have seen!). But a good exercise program can get you back in balance most likely.

Answer 3

First of all honey, an alcoholic is someone who "depends" on 1, or2, or 3, drinks in a night. Not someone who relaxes with one or two a night. I drink wine and beer both, and I am in the same situation. I drink a few drinks to relax and I feel an over all calm. I don't drink because I feel I have to have a drink, I don't freak out if I don't have a drink, and I rarely get drunk. And there have been times were I will go two or three weeks without a drink. Being an alcoholic; no matter what anyone else says; consists of "having" to have it, no matter what the circumstances are, and generally not being able to control how many you have. I drink regularly, because I like to, not because I have to, or I have a dependence on alcohol.....do the doctors say you should seek help over having more than one pop in a day, or more than a pack of cigarettes in a week...no...they are both addictive substances to. The moral to my story is if you enjoy it fine, as long as you don't go overboard and "you" can control it ..... And further more I have an anxiety problem also, so i know what its like to get overwhelmed! I have GAD; generalized anxiety disorder. I take Klonopin when needed.
you may e-mail me If you would like anymore info! [e-mail]

Answer 4

I think it is really normal for people to hold on to something for comfort or distraction such as alcohol, cigarettes, food, TV, sex, video games, gambling, and many other unnamed things that society has not yet named as a "problem" per se. These are all caused by lack of fulfillment from life.

While I would not freak out and run to AA, because I don't see this as life altering, I would keep that in the back of your mind.

I think antidepressants are just another addiction for most people. I'm sure some need them but I wouldn't advise it unless you absolutely had to.

I think you need to get back in touch with yourself. Start exploring your hobbies and really get into the one that interests you the most, unless it's drinking. lol Set some goals in life and write down your dreams and set yourself in motion to obtain those.

Another thing is we are all under a lot of emotional stress we are not even aware of. I would try seeking out a knowledgable counselor that could help you explore these things and help you find healing and fulfillment from whatever might be bothering you.

I have been looking into EFT which you can browse at Caroltuttle.com, but you can also get some information from the internet and probably libraries. If that doesn't do it for you, try Yoga and meditation classes. Sometimes it could be a lack of spirituality or a confusion with spirituality.

I think it's great you are questioning things because that is a great first step into becoming a happy, healthy person that enjoys life. The truth for you is always out there, you just have to keep going until you find it. Don't ever stop questioning things!

I wish you lots of luck and because you want to feel joy, then you shall have it! Don't give up!

Answer 5

It's not how much you drink but how it effects your life. The best thing I've found for boredom is getting involved. I once had a therapist tell me my main problem was I couldn't tolerate boredom. I began doing volunteer work & helping others fight their battles & amazingly the boredom left. When you take the focus off yourself & make an effort to help others you begin to find the joy again. As for the beer if you don't get drunk then why not drink near beer if it's the taste. Otherwise I can think of no reason you'd drink everyday to begin with.

Answer 6

You've answered your own question, you just didn't know you had. When someone drinks to take away feelings of boredom they are trying to escape from something. Quietly reflect what changes you had about the time of the onset of this pattern of drinking. When you do remember anything that could trigger your behavior you can try to stay away from those situations. You need to find a hobby or start to do some activity that you can find pleasure in doing. idle time is what causes boredom...Good Luck

Answer 7

Right now you are not consuming alcohol at an alarming rate, however since you say that you need it it might be best to seek counseling. You could snowball right into alcoholism. It's not the fact that you have a beer a day but the reason behind it that is problematic. Act now so you can stay healthy. Best of luck, take care of yourslef.

Answer 8

If you are dependant on alcohol, you might be an alcoholic. However....I don't think you are doing any harm if you're just having 1 beer a day - they say to have 1 or 2 glasses of red wine a day for health reasons. So although you might have some alcohol dependance, I doubt you are doing any harm to yourself. People are dependant on all sorts of things, from coffee, to the internet. As long as you're just drinking such low amounts (1 or 2 drinks a day max), as long as you're not increasing that amount, you won't be doing any harm (though you might wanna switch to something healthier like red wine perhaps). You might be addicted, but I wouldn't say its a serious problem unless you feel the need to increase your amount of drinking.

Answer 9

If you can afford a beer, maybe you can afford joining a gym. Try going for some nice walks, or get a bicycle and start regular bicycle rides. Exercise allows for natural endorphins that will help your depression, and alleviate your boredom.

Good luck.

As far as the alcohol problem, that is an issue you will need to decide for yourself.

Answer 10

You have a problem of needing something else to depend on in order to cope with life. Denial is always present when a person might be dealing with alcoholism, an alcoholic depends on it to cope-it's not necessarily one who gets truly drunk, one beer a day can make you an alcoholic if you HAVE to drink it.
To Cope I have tried meditating (my mind kept wandering), yoga (it hurt!), drawing and writing poetry (got bored after a while), and spending lots of fun times with my nieces and nephews--that has worked best for me cause they really enjoy playing outdoors and I exercise and relieve stress while spending quality time...Try everything and stick with something you like, every time you think about reaching for that beer do something else!
GOOD LUCK!