Alcoholism Support Group
Alcoholism is the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages, even when it is negatively affecting your health, work, relationships and life. If you think alcohol is causing you to lose control, it's time to seek help. Our group is a safe place to vent, check in, get back up if you fall, and reach sobriety.
I thought maybe I was a maitenance drinker. I hold a full-time job and only drink when I get off work. I drink to get drunk and then I stop. I like to maitain a certain state of "drunkedness". After reading some of the postings I now feel like maybe I'm not an alcoholic, just a "heavy drinker" or something. thank you.
A couple of things to ask yourself.
Are you living the life you want to live and if not why not, and has alcohol have anything to do with that.
Is alcohol costing you more than money?
Are people talking about your drinking? Has it or is it affecting your relationship with family or partner. Is it affecting your work? How do you feel mentally and emotionally? Do you have any shame, guilt or remorse the next day because of actions you may have taken while drinking.
Some people drink at six in the morning and some at six in the evening the one who drinks at six in the evening may say I am not an alcoholic or have a drinking problem. Because I dont drink in the mornings the person who drinks in the mornings has a drinking problem, I am responsible I go to work then come home and have a few drinks after work. Rationalisation. The thing is they may have the same problem only 12 hours apart.
If you want to drink that is your business, but if you want to stop there is help and support.
Enjoy your day.
God Bless
Lionel
I was a high maintenance drinker for 25 years it nearly killed me. I thought alkies sat in the streets and drank. If you think you may be an alcoholic chances are ....you are but no one but you can do something about it. We can show you how to control the disease but not how to control the drinking
AntonyP
maitain certain state of drunkeness = alcoholic
heavy drinker = alcoholic
Those 3 look to me like you are an alcoholic. But it is not up to anybody but yourself to determine that.
I did AA for a year, stayed sober for 4 and then practiced controlled drinking for 11 years. The key for me was I had to 'practice' controlled drinking. That was my denial, I had a job, only drank after work and could not drink for a couple of months at a time, although that was rare.
If you think you can maintain your life and drink, you have quite the willpower. But if drinking, even only once in a while causes chaoas in your life, you may have an alcohol problem. Its between you and your higher power.
Good Luck
When I drank I also held a full-time job (how I have no idea), but my life was a disaster and I had no idea of who I was or who I could become. Sobriety allowed me to know who I am and to like who I am and to have respect for who I am.
Frankly a heavy drinker at the age of 33 is most probably a full blown alcoholic at the age of 40. Do youself a favor - try to stop drinking for just one month. If you cannot do that - you should go to an AA meeting. Sobriety is a whole lot more fun than being drunk.
Lindajean
"How many time people have said to us: "I can take it or leave it alone. Why cant he?" "Why don't you drink like a gentleman or quit?" "That fellow cant handle his liquor.' 'Why don't you try beer and wine?" "Lay off the hard stuff." "His will power must be weak." "He could stop if he wanted to." "She's such a sweet girl, I should think he'd stop for her sake." "The doctor told him that if he ever drank again it would kill him, but there he is all lit up again."
Now these are commonplace observations on drinkers which we hear all the time. Back of them is a world of ignorance and misunderstanding. We see that these expressions refer to people whose reactions are very different from ours.
Moderate drinkers have little trouble in giving up liquor entirely if they have good reason for it. They can take it or leave it alone.
Then we have a certain type of hard drinker. He may have the habit badly enough to gradually impair him physically and mentally. It may cause him to die a few years before his time. If a sufficiently strong reason-ill health, falling in love, change of environment, or the warning of a doctor-becomes operative, this man can also stop or moderate, although he may find it difficult and troublesome and may even need medical attention.
But what about the real alcoholic? He may start off as a moderate drinker; he may or may not become a continuous hard drinker; but at some stage of his drinking career he begins to lose all control of his liquor consumption, once he starts to drink."
botbotcoco
a REAL alcoholic,eh