This one is for former alcoholics. For the past month or so I've been having three to six drinks a night. This is a level of drinking that I am okay with and, in contrast to a few years ago where I'd have at least twenty a night, it doesn't seem so bad. Have any of you been able to wind down your drinking as opposed to giving it up completely?
I have considered this, but I am afraid of drinking too much again. I actually never wanted to abuse alcohol and drink until I fall, but every time I just lost my head! I don't want this to happen and slip into addiction again. Plus, I have been living a clean lifestyle for 8 months, and don't want to give up on it now.
I know plenty of people who have used alcohol responsibly, however, they were never addicts. I have noticed that most former addicts just stop drinking altogether.
@bsthebenster... My personal opinion is that the vast majority of people who have a drinking problem have great difficulty just drinking a little bit. I also believe that anyone who gets sober would probably think they were taking a huge risk by trying to drink on a limited basis. Why chance it? Lastly--and this is just my opinion, so please don't be offended--while your level of drinking may be way less than it was a few years ago, three to six drinks a night is not a small amount. Three? Maybe. Six? That's a lot, IMO. Also, The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism suggests that any male who has more than 4 drinks on any single day, or more than 14 drinks per week, may have an Alcohol Use Disorder.
I don't longer consider necessary to drink for having fun, much less to relax or simply to enjoy its taste, what does not mean that I may have a drink sometime whether because I want to or accepting it from someone, particularly when it's party time. Even though, by not feeling the need or urge to drink from time to time, I think to have managed to use alcohol responsibly. Some time, in early definite recovery, I remember to have drunk more than I should and, while I did not pick a hangover, I was feeling really close to feel this way. In other circumstances and yet slavered to my addictions, I would had a next-day drink to supposedly lower dizziness. However I better prepared a healthy breakfast, drank plenty of water and orange juice throughout the day, and went outdoors to exercise and recover full energy and lucidity. Yes, control is under control to me.
Nope. Drinking alcohol triggers my craving feelings so I tend to just stay away from it. It's really dangerous for a person that's over an addiction to start using that substance again.
I feel like I use alcohol responsibly now, but most people wouldn't agree. I drink a big bottle of wine every night -- 1.5 liters. Obviously, that is alcohol abuse in the eyes of most. However, since I do not get in trouble or even bother my husband or others that I'm around, I just don't think it causes a problem in my life. I still work and do everything that I'm supposed to do, and I do not drink during the day.
I think a lot of people will say that an alcoholic will have to stop drinking altogether for them to get over their addiction, and I used to think the same. Now I'm not so sure though. I know a couple of people who have managed to control the amount of alcohol they drink after coming out of recovery so now I think it all depends on the actual person and how strong they are.
Is it possible that an alcoholic can work within limitations? I cannot say no. I excessively drank for years to the point where my body became reliant on the drink. The volume with which I consumed things was as if I were asking for alcohol poisoning. I realized the effects of my behaviour & realized I needed a dramatic change. I made it a point not to drink every day & when I did drink I limited myself to one or two drinks at the most. I also limited how many times I could do that within a month. If I knew a month contained a concert & a friend's birthday party I would make the decision before going which I would be drinking at. Do I suggest this for everyone? No. I think I make it sound simply but it really isn't. It depends on personality & level of addiction. Some people, addict or not, are not capable of moderation.
Personally, it is still impossible for me to stop drinking when I get started. It is THE dream of an alcoholic to be able to just stop in the middle of a fun drinking session. I mean, drinking is a lot of fun and there is no alcoholic that's gonna say otherwise. Hopefully you maintain your 3-6.
No, never. None of my friends had a responsible drinking habit nor did I. We just consumed it and it consumed us. My boss, who was a master database administrator shivered and stuttered while speaking, could not control his anger and received several sermons from his wife. We still did not leave the binging habit. Luckily I parted off as I returned to my hometown. But responsible drinking, no such thing ever. Alcoholism itself is devilish.
I think so also. There can be many reasons for abusing alcohol. Some people get cravings, some people don't. I myself drank for reasons other than cravings to the point that I'd just drink to keep my body functioning. I wonder if it's possible to go into it with a different mindset the second time around.
That's a really good question. Partially giving up a habit instead of completely annihilating it. Interesting responses here as well.
Dang, that really is a big bottle of wine haha. I think that is still extremely unhealthy, regardless of what it seems to not effect.
Funny I've seen plenty of alcoholics drink and I can't say I've ever seen anyone have 20 of anything. Maybe beer. You'd have to stay home drinking that much. I was a bartender for 10 years. I've seen it all. Alcohol I could always take it or leave it. I had plenty of phases where I drank a lot. I was not steady ever on a daily basis. A temporary bout of alcoholism was maybe 3 months. A boyfriend drove me to drink. He was not good for me, such a mistake. It's not that he encouraged me to drink or that he was an alcoholic. He wasn't at all. We did drink occasionally together when at home or going out. I just was so, so miserable being with him. I drank constantly after awhile. I would get up and talk to him on the phone. Start drinking during the day until I would pass out sometimes so I could escape him. There is more to that sad story, but needless to say pretty much once he was gone that problem was gone. I would say I've had maybe 12 drinks since, over six years ago. Lol, and I actually haven't had anything in over two years now. I have zero desire for any of it. There is too much chemicals and addictive crap in it. It is just like smoking a cigarette pretty much. Six drinks a day is still an alcoholic. If you are counting how many you have and trying to control it on a daily basis, that is still an addiction. There is definitely something in alcohol that gives you this feeling of "I want more, I have to have more...more of a buzz...just one more" Mind control chemicals.
Six drinks is way to much already. One or two should be enough. At the point you are to drunk to drive, your over the limit. Once you can't function normally, you can't be given a responsibility. If it's just one or two drinks that would be more responsible, depending on the strength of the drink.
That proves to be difficult. Once I get a drink or two in me, I can't stop and I need to get to that point where I am drunk. It happens all the time. The best way to address that is to just separate myself from it completely. I just stay home and away from alcohol and the people that continue to drink it.