Alcoholism

Bloozcrooz · 05-07-2011, 03:53 PM

Just wanted to know peoples thoughts and opinions on this topic. Maybe some of your own personal struggles or great times with alcohol. For some im sure you've seen it become a problem and destroy lives. But at the same time can be make for some amazingly entertaining moments as well. As of late im thinking my drinking is getting out of control. Im going through about four 30 packs a week and only manage a sober day when I absolutley have to.(thats why i havent been on here latley) I love to drink but im starting to think that its just not worth the cost anymore. Its built a wall between me and my friends and family and caused plenty problems elsewhere as well for quite a healthy length of time. If I could keep some discipline about it it would be one thing but I never do. I always eventually progressivley get worse till something happens that wakes me up. Then I realize its time to slack off it for a while. Then fall right back into power drinking again shortly afterwards. Im thinking maybe just calling it quits for good may be the best option at this point. As hard as that is for me to say...then again I may just get wasted and think about it

hip hop bunny hop · 05-07-2011, 05:02 PM

If you think you may have a problem with alcohol, you have a problem with alcohol.

Talk to a psychologist, not a counselor, and explain your situation. If you've been drinking 18 or so beers a day for an appreciable length of time, you will have developed a chemical dependence on booze; there are some promising therapies & treatments that can help reduce the trouble with the transition.

s_k · 05-07-2011, 05:10 PM

I'm afraid it sounds like you do have a problem, Boozin (what's in a name).
I'm just wondering why you would drink so much. You can't just drink less without knowing why you have become dependent of alchol.
Hope you'll be fine, man.

CanwllCorfe · 05-07-2011, 05:26 PM

Alcoholism is a huge problem in my family. My dad used to be one, I have 5 uncles who are (one has passed), and I think my brother Dan might be. I don't see him enough to know, because he lives in Harrisburg, but judging by what I saw at Christmas and the times we visited him, I'd say it's a definite possibility. My mom has a drinking problem, but I wouldn't say she's a full fledged alcoholic. She could be, but she's not as bad as my stepdad.

Burning Down · 05-07-2011, 06:17 PM

Alcoholism has sort of run rampant in my mother's family. Her father, most of his siblings, and all of her grandparents, were all alcoholics at some point in their lives. She also has a younger brother, who was adopted and already had issues with that, who is an alcoholic and majorly ****ed up his life because of it. Her older brother also used to drink heavily. My mom doesn't drink.

In my father's family alcohol is not as much of a problem as illicit drug addiction is. But that's a whole other story right there.

As for me, I drink socially, like when out with friends or at gatherings and parties and whatnot, much to my mother's dismay. I rarely, if ever, drink alone or at home, after once getting drunk enough to pass out in front of my mom. I think it reminded her of some horrible memories.

My uncle (not the adopted one) eventually went to AA and got all the help he needed to stop drinking, but he still had to deal with all the social barriers that he put up when he was drinking, like apologizing to all the people he had hurt and whatever. I like to think that it gets better after getting help.

jackhammer · 05-07-2011, 06:48 PM

It's really odd with me regarding alcohol. Nobody in my immediate family or either of my parents relatives drinks much at all apart from one uncle but I have been drinking since I was 16. I usually drink around five nights out of seven but I have never lost a days work because of it, got into any trouble either within a social environment or with the authorities. I very very rarely drink before 9 pm (unless it's a weekend away going to gigs etc) and don't get the urge to drink before then at all.

On the flipside I can barely manage 2 nights in a row without drinking and on nights that I don't have a few drinks I find that I don't sleep well at all. I very rarely buy spirits because I will drink them ASAP and find it impossible to make them last. Oddly again though I cannot just have one or two drinks and leave it at that. I would rather not drink at all and wait until I have more in the house or enough money in my pocket.

Of course I do some dumb crap when I have had a few drinks (who doesn't?) but even though I have been drinking for 23 years I still feel in relative control of my drinking.

Boozin you certainly sound like you have a problem if you are putting that amount away all the time but I am not judging you at all, far from it. I use drinking as a sort of emotional crutch and feel much better having a few drinks (generally) but if you are consuming that amount then something is certainly not right with you.

I hope you get to the root of the problem (if that's how you see it these days) and wish you all the best.

Bloozcrooz · 05-07-2011, 07:49 PM

I appreciate all of your comments and thoughts and im not offended with someone viewing my situation as having a problem. I know I have a problem the only issue is taking the steps to fix it. Or continuing to laugh it off as a joke and continuing down a self destructive path. Nobody finds it funny anymore and if I dont change it I know im going to alienate everything else in my life that i love or care about. I dont want to elaborate to much cause I dont want to sound as if im having a pity party...im just realizing that it may be time for change while I can still salvage some of my relationships with loved ones and friends.
To answer your question though Sk the main reason I drink is so as not to feel. Stay as busy as possible..like working all day then coming home and getting trashed. It leaves little time to think about or deal with reality. Problem being it creates even more at the same time. If I get home around 6 in the evening by 10 or 10:30 ive drank 15 or so beers. Get up at 5 in the morning go to work get off then do it all again. Then if I have nothing to do on the weekend I just get flat trashed all day till I pass out.
Again thank you all for your thoughts or concern.

Freebase Dali · 05-07-2011, 09:13 PM

I have a hard time quantifying what exactly constitutes "alcoholism".
Not that I'm trying to escape the label, because I do believe I'm an alcoholic, but a lot of the things that go along with the typical definition simply don't apply to me.
For instance, I have no issues with family, school, work (when I was working, now I'm doing the school thing), friends, relationships, etc... But I do find it very hard to abstain from drinking for even a single day. Keep in mind, I've been drinking pretty regularly for at least 10 years. On weekends, I find it absolutely necessary to have a 12-pack a day. On weekdays, when I have to wake up in the morning, I can get away with a 6-pack in the evening.
But if I have nothing to do, I drink to make menial tasks more interesting, and to cultivate some kind of motivation. In a way, I use alcohol to make the things I'm doing more interesting, or to make me want to do things I'd rather not do. If I'm going to post on the internet, I absolutely need alcohol, otherwise I'll get completely bored. If I'm going to play a game, I need alcohol to make it more interesting, otherwise I'll get completely bored. If I'm going to file taxes, I'll be completely bored either way, but alcohol will make it more bearable.

So, in my mind, alcohol serves as a means to make things interesting. I gotta assume that's alcoholism.

On another note, I'm naturally a socially reserved person when in new situations that I'm not sure of (probably stems from what I think is social anxiety) and alcohol fixes that. It serves as medication. I've never found alcohol to be anything but an enhancement. Certainly never found it to be destructive to my life... yet the fact that I'm more or less dependent on it has to mean the most. The only thing I personally feel worried about regarding my drinking is my physical health.
When you wake up one weekend morning, having drank so much, so often, that you feel like your kidneys are stabbing themselves, you sorta get the idea that you're killing yourself.
The thing about alcoholism, though, is that really isn't enough after you've talked yourself into ignoring it.

The ultimate related rationalizations for me:
"I wasn't going to drink today, but since I have to write this paper, I know I'm more linguistically fluid after a few drinks... so I'll go ahead and drink."

"Wasn't going to drink today, but I have to make this compilation, and I'd never be able to maintain interest if I did it sober."

"Planned on a sober day, but I have to master a track for someone and god knows I'd throw their shitty track in the trash if I wasn't completely obliterated."

"Stuff needs taking care of on MB... Off to the beer store."

hip hop bunny hop · 05-07-2011, 09:41 PM

Quote:

When you wake up one weekend morning, having drank so much, so often, that you feel like your kidneys are stabbing themselves, you sorta get the idea that you're killing yourself.

See, that's where I see the problem. If you know you're harming yourself.... that sucks. You should go to a Doctor and have that confirmed, quantified, just to see that it's not psychosomatic if nothing else.

But, if we're talking about crappy drinking experiences: I've been jumped by gangsters while drunk, I had a crackhead break into my apartment on a sunday morning when I was extremely hungover, and I've had every bone in my face broken or fractured except one, on account of my being extremely charismatic.

....but all that was more the consequences of being a white kid in a crappy neighborhood than my drinking habits.

Bloozcrooz · 05-07-2011, 09:44 PM

Sounds as if your more along the lines of a "funtional alcoholic" I know a lot of people that are able to pull it off. They maintain everything in their life..they just drink every single day no matter what. If its not causing you problems or never has it shouldnt be a concern like you said...other than the whole health issue. If you worry about that sort of thing. Which obviously you should be very concerned with...I can relate cause there are times I wake up and my livers laying next me waving a little white flag I feel like. I just guzzle a couple bottles of water then pour BC powder in a powerade for the cloudy daze im in sometimes. After that a can of NOS energy drink to get me going once on the job site and im good to go. Funny thing is ive gotten to where I only smoke like 1 cigg a day until I drink..then its like a pack in a few hours. Which does help with the raspy sound when im singing and playing. Dont know if you smoke or not but I think everyones cigg intake go's up when their drinking.

05-07-2011, 05:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
s_k Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,206	I'm afraid it sounds like you do have a problem, Boozin (what's in a name). I'm just wondering why you would drink so much. You can't just drink less without knowing why you have become dependent of alchol. Hope you'll be fine, man. __________________ Click here to see my collection

05-07-2011, 05:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
CanwllCorfe Quiet Man in the Corner Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Pocono Mountains Posts: 2,480	Alcoholism is a huge problem in my family. My dad used to be one, I have 5 uncles who are (one has passed), and I think my brother Dan might be. I don't see him enough to know, because he lives in Harrisburg, but judging by what I saw at Christmas and the times we visited him, I'd say it's a definite possibility. My mom has a drinking problem, but I wouldn't say she's a full fledged alcoholic. She could be, but she's not as bad as my stepdad. __________________ Your eyes were never yet let in to see the majesty and riches of the mind, but dwell in darkness; for your God is blind.

05-07-2011, 06:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	It's really odd with me regarding alcohol. Nobody in my immediate family or either of my parents relatives drinks much at all apart from one uncle but I have been drinking since I was 16. I usually drink around five nights out of seven but I have never lost a days work because of it, got into any trouble either within a social environment or with the authorities. I very very rarely drink before 9 pm (unless it's a weekend away going to gigs etc) and don't get the urge to drink before then at all. On the flipside I can barely manage 2 nights in a row without drinking and on nights that I don't have a few drinks I find that I don't sleep well at all. I very rarely buy spirits because I will drink them ASAP and find it impossible to make them last. Oddly again though I cannot just have one or two drinks and leave it at that. I would rather not drink at all and wait until I have more in the house or enough money in my pocket. Of course I do some dumb crap when I have had a few drinks (who doesn't?) but even though I have been drinking for 23 years I still feel in relative control of my drinking. Boozin you certainly sound like you have a problem if you are putting that amount away all the time but I am not judging you at all, far from it. I use drinking as a sort of emotional crutch and feel much better having a few drinks (generally) but if you are consuming that amount then something is certainly not right with you. I hope you get to the root of the problem (if that's how you see it these days) and wish you all the best. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

05-07-2011, 05:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
hip hop bunny hop Music Addict Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,381	If you think you may have a problem with alcohol, you have a problem with alcohol. Talk to a psychologist, not a counselor, and explain your situation. If you've been drinking 18 or so beers a day for an appreciable length of time, you will have developed a chemical dependence on booze; there are some promising therapies & treatments that can help reduce the trouble with the transition.

05-07-2011, 06:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
Burning Down The Music Guru. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Beyond the Wall Posts: 4,858	Alcoholism has sort of run rampant in my mother's family. Her father, most of his siblings, and all of her grandparents, were all alcoholics at some point in their lives. She also has a younger brother, who was adopted and already had issues with that, who is an alcoholic and majorly ****ed up his life because of it. Her older brother also used to drink heavily. My mom doesn't drink. In my father's family alcohol is not as much of a problem as illicit drug addiction is. But that's a whole other story right there. As for me, I drink socially, like when out with friends or at gatherings and parties and whatnot, much to my mother's dismay. I rarely, if ever, drink alone or at home, after once getting drunk enough to pass out in front of my mom. I think it reminded her of some horrible memories. My uncle (not the adopted one) eventually went to AA and got all the help he needed to stop drinking, but he still had to deal with all the social barriers that he put up when he was drinking, like apologizing to all the people he had hurt and whatever. I like to think that it gets better after getting help.

05-07-2011, 09:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
Freebase Dali Partying on the inside Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5,584	I have a hard time quantifying what exactly constitutes "alcoholism". Not that I'm trying to escape the label, because I do believe I'm an alcoholic, but a lot of the things that go along with the typical definition simply don't apply to me. For instance, I have no issues with family, school, work (when I was working, now I'm doing the school thing), friends, relationships, etc... But I do find it very hard to abstain from drinking for even a single day. Keep in mind, I've been drinking pretty regularly for at least 10 years. On weekends, I find it absolutely necessary to have a 12-pack a day. On weekdays, when I have to wake up in the morning, I can get away with a 6-pack in the evening. But if I have nothing to do, I drink to make menial tasks more interesting, and to cultivate some kind of motivation. In a way, I use alcohol to make the things I'm doing more interesting, or to make me want to do things I'd rather not do. If I'm going to post on the internet, I absolutely need alcohol, otherwise I'll get completely bored. If I'm going to play a game, I need alcohol to make it more interesting, otherwise I'll get completely bored. If I'm going to file taxes, I'll be completely bored either way, but alcohol will make it more bearable. So, in my mind, alcohol serves as a means to make things interesting. I gotta assume that's alcoholism. On another note, I'm naturally a socially reserved person when in new situations that I'm not sure of (probably stems from what I think is social anxiety) and alcohol fixes that. It serves as medication. I've never found alcohol to be anything but an enhancement. Certainly never found it to be destructive to my life... yet the fact that I'm more or less dependent on it has to mean the most. The only thing I personally feel worried about regarding my drinking is my physical health. When you wake up one weekend morning, having drank so much, so often, that you feel like your kidneys are stabbing themselves, you sorta get the idea that you're killing yourself. The thing about alcoholism, though, is that really isn't enough after you've talked yourself into ignoring it. The ultimate related rationalizations for me: "I wasn't going to drink today, but since I have to write this paper, I know I'm more linguistically fluid after a few drinks... so I'll go ahead and drink." "Wasn't going to drink today, but I have to make this compilation, and I'd never be able to maintain interest if I did it sober." "Planned on a sober day, but I have to master a track for someone and god knows I'd throw their shitty track in the trash if I wasn't completely obliterated." "Stuff needs taking care of on MB... Off to the beer store."