Alcohol ruined my parents lives and as a child growing up with two blackout drinking parents, life was pure hell at times. I saw what alcohol did to my parents (Taking their lives way two early) and I didn't want anything to do with it. Many years later, I became addicted to narcotic pain killers which, in the beginning were prescribed to me for chronic back pain. I never sought counseling for the trauma I had been through, so those pills seemed like the answer I had been waiting for. They numbed both my physical pain and my emotional pain. I thought I needed them to get through the day. As my tolerance grew, I found myself taking a deadly dose, far above what my original prescription called for and I nearly died, having spent 3 days in the hospital.

Coming close to death didn't stop me. I started drinking when I ran out of pills. I was on a train that was guaranteed to crash when it reached the end of the line! The end for me came after I had wrecked my life so bad, I had nowhere to go so I ended up in detox. It was at that point, that my life began to change. After detox, I went through outpatient treatment followed by 3 months of counseling. Regular attendance at AA meetings were a requirement along with all the counseling I received,

If you could have known me 9 years ago and seen me today, you would think it was two different people. That's how much my life changed for the better! All I had to do was stay sober, and the rest of my life came together, like magic! I am happier now then I have ever been and I wish the same for you!

God Bless

If everyone thinks you have a problem, then you have a problem.

I binged drink. It blacked out all the tine. I lied to myself for years that I was OK. I wasn't. I'm glad I'm sober.

I agree with jeffneedshelo if everyone thinks you have a problem then it's almost certain you do and those around you care about you so they aren't going to lie to you.
Binge drinking Is a slippery slope - yes you can excuse it by telling yourself you work hard so why not have a drink or two but believe me ive been the one (like you) who doesn't have that button to say enough is enough but carries on until black out!
Nothing worse than waking up not remembering what you've said or done ....... ask yourself how many times are you going to excuse that behaviour or be forgiven by those that care about you for your loose lips "lose lips sinks ships".
Don't sink your ship under the booze as that weekend binge becomes every other night to nightly.
Stay strong stay sober and life will be brighter xxx
I wish you happiness strength and a sober future xxx

Hello Hope20171971,

When my life was in a mess because of drinking I didn’t think that I was an alcoholic either. That was partly because of denial and partly because I didn’t actually know what an alcoholic was.

The guy in the video below has some good answers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMC62Y_5dyE

Well Welcome to the bus. sit down and hang on because its a hellofaride... I too would drink to the point where I was a problem. The thing is I just process alcohol differently than the normal person. The normal drinker has one or two and gets sleepy and decides that is enough. I would have two just to get warmed up. I was like a rocket and once my fuse was lit, I was going off.

There is a way to put the bottle down. It took me realizing I had a problem and going to a room of other recoverees and asking for help. That was june of 12. I found that I wasnt immoral or a bad person, just that my body has a different reaction to booze. Its not my fault. I was born this way.

You can do whatever you decide in your mind to do. You deserve to be happy so go get it.

1is2many