Like you, I had no legal or work issues, but I did have a couple of "Oh crap" moments like when I couldn't explain to my husband how that fifth of vodka was already gone a week after purchasing it, or when I stopped at my usual stop to pick up a bottle of wine and the clerk said, helpfully, "that's the last chilled bottle, I'll make sure to put another bottle in for you for tomorrow". No rock bottoms moments necessary, these were enough for me to realize I was drinking too much. I think it's harder when you haven't suffered legal or other problems to accept that you have, or are danger close to developing a serious drinking problem. If you think you have a problem, you do! Better to address it before it becomes a bigger issue and more complicated by legal or other consequences!

Hello NewSeeds,

You have just written my story. There were so many things that happened to other people because of drinking but that did not happen to me yet.

Like you I could function pretty well, was good at hiding how much I drank and had no major incidents that convinced me to stop drinking. I was totally convinced that those things that happened to alcoholics would never happen to me and for many years they did not. However, there came a time when I could see those yets on the nearby horizon and indeed the scouting party had already arrived. It suddenly dawned on me that I could soon be unemployed, without a driving licence, out of my home, locked up or maybe dead if I kept drinking. It was after some serious consideration that I then decided to quit because even though the signs were not good, I still wanted to drink.

It may take a long time or a short time but if you are an alcoholic like I am and you keep drinking, those yets will hit you in the face some day. The best day to get sober is today.

An understanding of how alcoholism works in the mind and body of an alcoholic convinced me from day one that I could never drink safely again and that was enough motivation. Take a look at some old posts here that refer to the mental and physical aspects of alcoholism and you may be convinced too.

I'm a firm believer you have to get done and everyone's "bottom" is different either through pain, legal, family or whatever it maybe. There is a phrase called the "yets" I haven't yet did this or that but if your alcoholic sooner or later your going to experience some type of issues that won't be pleasant.

Every time I hear someone say I'm functioning it always reminds me of something I heard once do you want to be functioning and be miserable or find recovery and start living? As far as "hiding it so well" you might be surprised what others know about your drinking and just don't say anything.

Quick question what do you think you should do before a crisis happens?

I once heard a guy talking about functioning alcoholics and he asked: "Functioning, compared to what"?

Hi newseeds, I meet alcoholics who reach out for help earlier in the progression of the illness sometimes.

They still hit a rock bottom emotionally while seemingly still having it all. Enough was enough for them.

I don't know when that moment of clarity strikes - it's not circumstantial necessarily, although a bad fright can sometimes nudge the idea of getting help along in some cases. But myself and other alcoholics I know well agree - fear does not sober up an alcoholic for long.

A very important thing for me was acceptance of the fact that I am an alcoholic who can never drink safely. It also had to be coupled with an honest desire for permanent sobriety in and of itself, for my own sake.

I used to kid myself about functionality, being expert at hiding it etc, but in sobriety I can clearly see what a mess I was in. There is a state of deluded thinking that exists in active alcoholism - as I know from my own experience. This is often what keeps alcoholics like me still drinking no matter what.

I feel blessed that I had a window of opportunity to get help and recover. I feel had I not taken action when I did, that window of opportunity might have closed again.

Reply #3, pretty shocked to learn how many people recognized that I might have a problem, but never said a word until after I recognized the problem. Apparently, I wasn't as good at hiding it as I thought I was and although I was functioning, I was not functioning at the same level others were used to! It's a sneaky problem!