No you're not an alcoholic. I've got a mate who's an alcoholic and even after several seizures, mini strokes and 100's of 'blank days' he still drinks!! Doctors have told him umpteen times that he'll die if he carries on drinking, but, he still drinks. That is an alcoholic. What you are is a 'pi55-head' (not meant as an insult) which is a vast difference than being an alcoholic. A pi55-head drinks because they like it, alcoholics drink because they have to.
Like everybody has already said is that you're questioning how much you drink which is clearly NOT a sign of being an alcoholic, but, a positive sign that you're in control.
I could quite easily drink every day, but, as I have to drive quite a bit it's simply not worth the risk. Sometimes when I'm having a drink at home I just look at the bottle of Henry Westons and think 'do I really want this?' and tend to stick it back in the fridge and have a cup of tea instead :-)
Another down side of AA is that it sets you up to fail by saying you can never drink again, one drink and you have FAILED AGAIN. For someone who drinks because they feel inadequate already, this reinforces the feeling of not being good enough, there is an American project that gives the patients a glass of wine every hour to help them with the addiction.
Once you get diagnosed as an alcoholic, your life choices are suddenly limited, if you have young children they can be taken away as being at risk of neglect, if you care for an older partner, or elderly relative, you can be accused of being unsafe to their needs. You can be referred to mental health care, to stop you drinking, or regular AA meetings, which you must never miss or you are hounded down. Once you are registered with your doctor as having a problem, the record will affect future medical care, insurance policies, and work prospects, not to mention the way you get treated by the police when they know, although they will probably beat you up and taser you anyway just for walking down the road, they will go at you guns blazing and say you were a threat to them, so they had to shoot you 20 times to be sure.
Most people drink because they enjoy it and it makes them feel less inhibited, or they just like the taste and buzz, as we get older, our bodies suffer more health risks with it. Falls are another major risk factor with age, we don't just bounce back up again like we did in our youth. When you have lived a " Live fast, die young " existence, which still sees you here 50 years or so down the line, you will wish you were a vegetarian, Peace loving, tree hugging, health freak all of your life, so that you can be healthy for the next 50 years.
Post edited by grey key on
Every time I read that the oldest person in the world has died, I have to do a quick check to see it isn't ME..........
Another down side of AA is that it sets you up to fail by saying you can never drink again, one drink and you have FAILED AGAIN. For someone who drinks because they already feel inadequate already, this reinforces the feeling of not being good enough, there is an American project that gives the patients a glass of wine every hour to help them with the addiction.
I read about that the other day, it's been running in Ottawa (Canada) for 15 years or so.
What a coincidence ! Also the very last post on there is Frobush, right above it Grey key, perhaps it is Deja-vooooooooooooooo.
My post about throwing away loads of fizzy drinks reminds me of the fact that at Christmas I buy 12 bottles of Henry Westons cider and 12 cans of Maccasson, which never get drunk, so I convince myself that the cider will be used when I cook Pork and the stout for cooking Lamb, however halfway through the year I always end up giving it all away before the sell-by date arrives.
I used to have to lock up the methadone from my clients, then hand it to them for self medication when prescribed, it is a vile thing indeed !
Post edited by grey key on
Every time I read that the oldest person in the world has died, I have to do a quick check to see it isn't ME..........
My post about throwing away loads of fizzy drinks reminds me of the fact that at Christmas I buy 12 bottles of Henry Westons cider and 12 cans of Maccasson, which never get drunk, so I convince myself that the cider will be used when I cook Pork and the stout for cooking Lamb, however halfway through the year I always end up giving it all away before the sell-by date arrives.
Any unopened and undrunk Henry Westons can be sent by freepost to:
Lee Spoons
PO Box 666
Sqij Towers
Kent
It's not my favourite tipple, but it might stop Mrs Spoons from drinking my beer.
What the blinking flip is Maccasson? Do you mean this bloke?
Any unopened and undrunk Henry Westons can be sent by freepost to:
Lee Spoons
PO Box 666
Sqij Towers
Kent
It's not my favourite tipple, but it might stop Mrs Spoons from drinking my beer.#
about 50 assorted tins of cheap budget cider my mates have left round mine over the past 5 years will be winging their way to you shortly, she can have those too :)
QUOTE Leespoons..
What the blinking flip is Maccasson? Do you mean this bloke?
Mackeson Stout much favoured by the ladies in my younger days as a sweeter alternative to Guinness, and prescribed by some doctors for pregnant ladies who were a bit anaemic.
As for myself a bottle of good single malt at the weekend has been my poison of choice for over forty years and I'm still standing, just!
ZX1 as others have said if you're not dependant on booze then like me you're just a pi55 head, try living life instead of over-thinking and analysing it it's much more enjoyable that way. ;)
I have to agree with stupidget (and I can guess which mate you're referring to Stu!), you are NOT an alcoholic. There's a massive difference between someone who likes a drink, probably has a bit too much a few times too often but knows they should (and probably could with a bit of willpower) be cutting down, than someone who's a full-blown alcoholic.
We see so many reports and health warnings about going over the supposed safe limit but even going two or three times over that limit a couple of times a week even is NOTHING compared to what alcoholics get through.
Like stupidget I had a mate who was once a full-blown alcoholic. His consumption in a day could easily take up a bottle of whisky, half/full a bottle of vodka, several cans of super-strength lager and a couple of bottles of wine in between. Every. Single. Day. This was a bloke in his early-20's with a kid already and a VERY tolerant girlfriend. He would work on/off - always earning good money when he was - and then disappear on benders for weeks at a time. The warning signs were there when we were 17/18 and going to the pub - he would drink anyone under the table.
I lost touch with him in about 1993 and didn't get back in touch until 2009 when I noticed his girlfriend (now his wife) was on Facebook. He sent me an email explaining how he had completely turned his life around. He was (unsurprisingly) not feeling too good sometime around 1999 and went to the doctors. Long story short the doctor gave him three months to live (he never did tell me what was actually wrong). Not a "change things or I'll give you three months to live" - literally "you have 90 days left on Earth, say your goodbyes". Apparently he broke down, went home, and did something he had never done in his life - prayed (I'm not a religious person so I'm not trying to convert anyone) for hours. He read the bible cover to cover, prayed more every day and he tells me each time he went back to the doctors whatever he had was disappearing until after a couple of months it was completely gone. He's not the type to lie so I believe him.
So unsurprisingly he has now become a VERY religious person and a drop hasn't passed his lips in years. He says that he has no yearning to touch alcohol at all. It's not all been plain-sailing for him though, all those years of abuse has taken its toll and for two or three months of the year he can be unwell until his meds kick in.
Shortly before I left my dad for many years he was a full-blown alcoholic. One of my final memories of him as a teenager was him coming back from the pub one afternoon and necking a full bottle of vodka in one go. That's the difference between liking a drink and depending upon it.
Shortly before I left my dad for many years he was a full-blown alcoholic. One of my final memories of him as a teenager was him coming back from the pub one afternoon and necking a full bottle of vodka in one go. That's the difference between liking a drink and depending upon it.
That strikes me as more the difference between 'nipping it in the bud' and 'a bit late now'. No-one should have to get that bad before trying to do something about it.
The point when booze becomes a habit rather than a pleasure should be worth noting. Because after a while any habit becomes harder to break, which is dependency - even if the amounts involved aren't particularly harmful. It doesn't mean you are prone to going for more and more each time, like full-on raving alcoholics, but if it's just becoming routine then what's the point?
I do not think there is a definite line between non-alcoholic and alcoholic. It's a continuum between, abstinence and can't leave it alone even though it's killing you or your marriage.
I have an uncle that's an alcoholic. The drink has turned a nice guy who liked a drink in to a Jeckle and Heide type character who now at the first drop cant stop until something really bad happens. He has destroyed his family relationships with wife and kids though his behavior when drunk.
My own dad seems to think about the next beer all day long. A family outing can turn in to a passive push for a pub. My dad and mum do not see a problem. My wife thinks (as wives know everything @-) ) that he is a functional alcoholic, whilst I have always maintained he is a man who likes a drink, in the same way I like to drink coffee. My wife has and uncle has made me thing again.
Liking a drink every night could go either way. I suppose many factors will play in to the eventual outcome but momentum is one thing to watch out for.
I don't know if this thread has had a weird subconscious effect on me, but I've not had a beer since Sunday morning.
Although that could actually be a little more like this week at work is a really busy bad one, and we've just got a new manager who I haven't even met yet, and ripples of his "changes" have so far ruined my first night at work this week.
I guess the sensible person in me is trying to keep a clear head for a busy week.
Comments
Like everybody has already said is that you're questioning how much you drink which is clearly NOT a sign of being an alcoholic, but, a positive sign that you're in control.
I could quite easily drink every day, but, as I have to drive quite a bit it's simply not worth the risk. Sometimes when I'm having a drink at home I just look at the bottle of Henry Westons and think 'do I really want this?' and tend to stick it back in the fridge and have a cup of tea instead :-)
Bytes:Chuntey - Spectrum tech blog.
I read about that the other day, it's been running in Ottawa (Canada) for 15 years or so.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36717557
Similar to giving heroin addicts morphine I suppose.
Also this 6-year-old thread popped up on the right-hand side. Deja vu ;) http://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/discussion/28200/am-i-an-alcoholic/p1
My post about throwing away loads of fizzy drinks reminds me of the fact that at Christmas I buy 12 bottles of Henry Westons cider and 12 cans of Maccasson, which never get drunk, so I convince myself that the cider will be used when I cook Pork and the stout for cooking Lamb, however halfway through the year I always end up giving it all away before the sell-by date arrives.
I used to have to lock up the methadone from my clients, then hand it to them for self medication when prescribed, it is a vile thing indeed !
:))
Any unopened and undrunk Henry Westons can be sent by freepost to:
Lee Spoons
PO Box 666
Sqij Towers
Kent
It's not my favourite tipple, but it might stop Mrs Spoons from drinking my beer.
What the blinking flip is Maccasson? Do you mean this bloke?
What the blinking flip is Maccasson? Do you mean this bloke?
Mackeson Stout much favoured by the ladies in my younger days as a sweeter alternative to Guinness, and prescribed by some doctors for pregnant ladies who were a bit anaemic.
As for myself a bottle of good single malt at the weekend has been my poison of choice for over forty years and I'm still standing, just!
ZX1 as others have said if you're not dependant on booze then like me you're just a pi55 head, try living life instead of over-thinking and analysing it it's much more enjoyable that way. ;)
http://www.dannyhaines.com/beerbottlecollection/beer_can_photos/mackeson_stout.jpg
I do remember Sainsbury's sold that when I worked there 20-odd years ago. Never bought it though, I probably didn't bother as it was only 3%.
3% hells teeth!!
As for taste, imagine Guinness with three sugars in it. :))
In that case I think I'll stick to Guinness Foreign Extra. At least it has some effect ;)
Yes but it is nice ICE COLD !
We see so many reports and health warnings about going over the supposed safe limit but even going two or three times over that limit a couple of times a week even is NOTHING compared to what alcoholics get through.
Like stupidget I had a mate who was once a full-blown alcoholic. His consumption in a day could easily take up a bottle of whisky, half/full a bottle of vodka, several cans of super-strength lager and a couple of bottles of wine in between. Every. Single. Day. This was a bloke in his early-20's with a kid already and a VERY tolerant girlfriend. He would work on/off - always earning good money when he was - and then disappear on benders for weeks at a time. The warning signs were there when we were 17/18 and going to the pub - he would drink anyone under the table.
I lost touch with him in about 1993 and didn't get back in touch until 2009 when I noticed his girlfriend (now his wife) was on Facebook. He sent me an email explaining how he had completely turned his life around. He was (unsurprisingly) not feeling too good sometime around 1999 and went to the doctors. Long story short the doctor gave him three months to live (he never did tell me what was actually wrong). Not a "change things or I'll give you three months to live" - literally "you have 90 days left on Earth, say your goodbyes". Apparently he broke down, went home, and did something he had never done in his life - prayed (I'm not a religious person so I'm not trying to convert anyone) for hours. He read the bible cover to cover, prayed more every day and he tells me each time he went back to the doctors whatever he had was disappearing until after a couple of months it was completely gone. He's not the type to lie so I believe him.
So unsurprisingly he has now become a VERY religious person and a drop hasn't passed his lips in years. He says that he has no yearning to touch alcohol at all. It's not all been plain-sailing for him though, all those years of abuse has taken its toll and for two or three months of the year he can be unwell until his meds kick in.
Shortly before I left my dad for many years he was a full-blown alcoholic. One of my final memories of him as a teenager was him coming back from the pub one afternoon and necking a full bottle of vodka in one go. That's the difference between liking a drink and depending upon it.
Still doesn't put me off having a drink though...
Surprisingly it's not who you think it is mate :-).
I am a big fan of sugar ( but not Lord Sugar )
I like my cans of Monster Ripper, up to 3 or 4 a day which is not that good really
You're right - that is surprising!
Gordon Bennett! Think I'd rather drink cat p!ss than that stuff!
The point when booze becomes a habit rather than a pleasure should be worth noting. Because after a while any habit becomes harder to break, which is dependency - even if the amounts involved aren't particularly harmful. It doesn't mean you are prone to going for more and more each time, like full-on raving alcoholics, but if it's just becoming routine then what's the point?
- IONIAN-GAMES.com -
Now that's a thought I feed 5 cats, it's about time I got something back out of it
~O)
I have an uncle that's an alcoholic. The drink has turned a nice guy who liked a drink in to a Jeckle and Heide type character who now at the first drop cant stop until something really bad happens. He has destroyed his family relationships with wife and kids though his behavior when drunk.
My own dad seems to think about the next beer all day long. A family outing can turn in to a passive push for a pub. My dad and mum do not see a problem. My wife thinks (as wives know everything
@-) ) that he is a functional alcoholic, whilst I have always maintained he is a man who likes a drink, in the same way I like to drink coffee. My wife has and uncle has made me thing again.
Liking a drink every night could go either way. I suppose many factors will play in to the eventual outcome but momentum is one thing to watch out for.
Although that could actually be a little more like this week at work is a really busy bad one, and we've just got a new manager who I haven't even met yet, and ripples of his "changes" have so far ruined my first night at work this week.
I guess the sensible person in me is trying to keep a clear head for a busy week.
Good job you posted that address....
Download the latest version of Bomb Munchies Ver2210 4th July 2020
yuk!
:)
Did you mistakenly type hermit instead of virgin when creating your user name?