I seem to drink a lot....

originally posted by: lavatrance
It's strange but my drinking hasn't been this bad since I lived near these yahoo's who were always partying. But not due to a rather stressful time in my life, like job loss etc etc, I find that I tend to drink a lot. But it's only about 3 times a week. That's not that bad is it??? And I don't get drunk, just buzzed a bit. What are your thoughts?

Is that too much?

Its too much if you're concerned about it... whether or not that matters is a different thing

the media will tell you more then 2-3 drinks a day and you're an alcoholic... but I think that depends on what you drink...

Shots are poison... hard on your liver, but beer is a bit different...

It was considered medicine in the past... perhaps that's just my excuse but it sounds good to me

a reply to: lavatrance

If you're asking, you're drinking too much.

I drink way too much right now, and it started with drinking a few times a week. That's how it always starts, slowly.

I've been trying to fight this off for awhile, and when I was younger I could go weeks or months without it. Started drinking heavily when I was 16, around 19-23 didn't drink much at all, but when I started to drink alone it started getting worse. It's a terrible coping mechanism, it makes you feel worse, it makes any depression or insomnia worse, it has no actual benefit except that you get a little happy without earning that happiness while you're drunk, and that's fake happy.

It's really good you're already questioning it at this stage. I didn't for a LONG time, and it's been a real problem looking back. Your tolerance builds, so you have to pay and drink more to get the same feeling, and the more you drink the worse it is for your body. The more you drink, the harder it is to quit.

I'm drinking right now because I feel depressed about losing someone very close to me that died because of drinking (I've lost a few, all way too young and I'm talking because of medical complications). It's incredibly screwed up, and I wish I had made better choices. Started the same way as you.

Everyone is incredibly different in their ability to drink and remain healthy. Some people can drink a few every night and be pretty much fine, other people can't stop, and end up drinking an entire bottle or more at night. It's not worth the risk. It's expensive, it's extra calories, it dulls your brain (not just when you're drunk and hungover), it can give you anxiety, it can give you a host of medical problems, even with a slight buzz you aren't going to be as capable of making good decisions.

Talk to a doctor first, but see if you can go three months without a drink. If that sounds hard, I've got news for ya...

One night I drank a bit, then fell asleep. Woke up way later with some allergies, felt sober, hopped in the car to get some Benadryl, figuring if I felt fine I was. Boom DUI. That S is expensive. Guess what I pay every month in insurance. It's over $400 (part of that is the car being new and uh, "sporty", but still, I paid cash for that car so good luck if you finance and HAVE to pay full coverage). Had to pay a lawyer, had to go serve time in jail (cop was super nice and drove me home, but it's mandatory 1 day--should be more, that wasn't fun a year later-I had a good lawyer). Had to go to two LONG meetings about driving under the influence (you pay for that) had to go talk with a counselor 4 times (you pay out the ASS for that), had to have a breathalyzer installed in my car, which is insanely expensive/embarrassing/annoying for a year. I got lucky, my car was new enough they couldn't wire the CAMERA system, so I just had to blow in it every once in awhile. Now, you have to hold the breathalyzer until the mounted camera recording you all the time recognizes it, and then blow.

What are you really getting from drinking? It feels good for a few minutes. So do SO many other things, but they feel good for a lot longer. When I fight it off, I work on my house. One week of not drinking and I replaced this hideous cedar planked wall (including the drywall behind it and I had to learn as I went), redid the fireplace, got base and crown molding installed, hung a new door (so much trial and error) and now have a really nice living room. it was time far better spent, and I enjoy it daily. Drinking you enjoy in the moment, but it's not real.

This crap is hard to talk about. It's embarrassing, it makes me feel incredibly weak. It's worth it if though if I can help someone else not make the same mistakes.

When it became a habit, it became a very bad habit. If you're asking yourself now, listen. It's easy to slip and start drinking only 4 times a week, or just one more drink when you do. It snowballs.

Wishing you the best OP. You may not have a problem, you may not be like me, just be real careful with this thing. Some of us weren't meant to drink. I can tell you some stories about m childhood if you don't believe me. I can tell you some stories about people I've known that were shining bright and just blinked out.

Don't let it become a habit.

a reply to: Domo1
I remember seeing a movie a long long time ago. I think is was "The Lost Weekend". A guy is at the bar asking for a drink. If I remember correctly, the barkeep doesn't want to serve him anymore, so they guy begs him to give him just one drink. The barkeep responds by saying, "One drink's too many, and a hundred's not enough".

For some reason that response stuck to me like glue, because at the time it described my drinking. If I had nothing to drink I was fine. I didn't think about, didn't crave it, didn't even desire it. I could be with a group that was drinking heavily or alone, it didn't matter. I could very easily turn down a drink, but...... If I took just one drink, it would be followed by another and too often, more than I should have.

I guess if I am honest with myself, I always knew I had the potential to be a raging alcoholic. It was only my fear of becoming that which I didn't want to become, that allowed me to keep that beast on a leash. I am an old fart now but that doesn't mean I am home free. Nobody wants to talk about how alcohol and drugs are problems among the elderly, that is a dirty little secret that even the elderly don't want to deal with. They think well, they are old, so they can't harm anybody, and they are going to die soon anyway, so let them have their guilty pleasure.

Who knows, they may be right. I sure am not going to be the one that makes that decision. Some use it as a medication for a lot of ills, depression, loneliness, constitution, even some say it is the only way they can deal with their aches and pains or for sleep. I just know that alcohol and drugs affect people in our society across the board and it us a problem for all ages, creeds and colors.

It is a beast that can be very hard to tame and you never know when it will turn on you.

originally posted by: Akragon


It was considered medicine in the past...

Dinking beer in a pub with other people is medicine. It does not take a scientist to tell you that being happy is the best medical miracle ever. You go to a pub (in England at least) and there's talk, laughter and fun.

We can all give up and sit at home depressed, getting fat in front of the TV. Sure, people will cite a study that if X, Y, or Z then you will have a hypothetical risk of getting a verruca, but if you don't do X, Y or Z then you'll be you'll probably die of flab. At least if you walk to the pub you get exercise!

rats I started drinking again, I'm onto my 4th drink. And I'm feeling very bzzed. but I did go like over a week without drinking much at all. So that's good I guess.

I have a large shot of Gibsons finest whiskey ready. Okay it looks good, it's on ice, and I'm about to drink it. Then I'll comment on the flabor....of it....

okay drinkit now....

whoooo STRONG!!!! aHHHHH almost too strong for my liking!! Where's the coke.... ahhhh, I got to water it down a bit...

yes with coke it's a lot better.

a reply to: lavatrance

A good sign that you're drinking too much is when you feel guilty about going into your local off licence, knowing they're thinking, "Here he is...the friendly neighbourhood pisshead."

When I was drinking, I had 4 or 5 different off licences I would visit, so none of them would think I was going too often. But in the end I was drinking so much that all these places had me down as a lush. You could feel it. You could see it in their eyes.

One guy even said, "Whisky?" before I even got to the counter. Ouch. Humiliating.

If this happens, you've got a problem.

well tonight I'md rinking until I get durnkin . Cuz I think its' a good idea once in a while!

I'm already half gone. cuz I don't give a sh3T!!!!

Like it's 5am, the night is oyung. We need to rock this party on ats, until the break of dawn. Cuz it's the final countdown to armegedon.