Alright, people. I'm a college student in my senior year and I've been labelled an alcoholic by several folks. Doth they speakith truth? Maybe. I know I like to have a few drinks more than twice a week. I know I like to binge at the end of a rough day. But is it really that awful? Let's look at the positive side to "alcoholism":

1) Alcohol is always dependable. Ever date a woman that wound up being a bitch? Hey, that bottle of liquor is always there to say "hey, it's okay".
2) A recent UK study showed that 4 drinks a day for men and 2 for women is actually healthy. In fact, it's recommended.
3) It's an outlet. If angered, you could get pissed at people and cause harm. Drinking away a problem may not fix it, but it does a provide a short term recluse to ones problems, providing time for anger to potentially diminish.
4) It can teach a lesson of assurance.. In the morning, a bad hangover can send a message that says "hey, don't blame yourself. do you really deserve to be punished? you don't. you're okay."
5) The increase in sociability. It's good to interact with others, and being able to fully realize your social potential is a beautiful thing. Regular reliance is not, but occassionally it's refreshing and downright healthy to get self-censored emotion unleashed.
6) It's a stress reliever. It's proven that stress kills, and yes booze can kill too over time. But occassionally it acts as a successful break that allows us to escape the negatives of being human.

In the long term, following these trends could be harmful to ones health. But in the short term, I don't see a problem. Am I simply in denial here?

My opinion would be that, yes, you are in denial. Someday, when you hit bottom, and realize what chances you have thrown away, you may look back on this post. When you do, try to remember that sometimes others can see us more clearly than we see ourselves.

An alcoholic to me is someone who drinks, usually heavily, every single day.

You said you like to drink a few times a week and sometimes binge drink. That isn't an alcoholic to me.

Honestly, you are young. Most young people drink a lot and then stop as they grow older. If you don't stop drinking a lot as you grow older you may have a problem. However, as of right now, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

Comics,

Yes, you probably are an alcoholic. Hopefully you are not a career alcoholic but at present, you probably are one.

...I've been labelled an alcoholic by several folks. If your friends and others identify you as an alcoholic this is the first clue.

Alcohol is always dependable. Considering alcohol a bottle to be always dependable is one of the first signs of alcoholism.

It's an outlet. If angered, Drinking to control emotions is a sign of alcoholism.

It can teach a lesson of assurance. Using alcohol to bring a feeling of self worth is a sign of alcoholism.

The increase in sociability. Needing alcohol in order to be sociable is a sign of alcoholism.

It's a stress reliever. Using alcohol in order to relieve stress is a sign of alcoholism.

Any one, or even two of the above might not be worrisome but you exhibit six signs of classic alcoholism. You seem to be more than the average college age binge drinker and to have crossed over ito the early stages of alcoholism.

Try this. Give up alcohol for a period of three months. Go about your normal social routine sans alcohol. If you can't do it you are well on your way to becoming a full blown alcoholic.

I wish you well.

Getting drunk is a sin!! May you burn in the toasty fires of Hell!!!

I have to agree with you, Frogger, 100%....smart post:thumbs:

My two cents. Right now might be a little jaded as I would love to run out to the nearest liquor store and get completely shit faced, but I don't.
You are and alcoholic if you can not go with out the drink. If it pulls at you and calls you and says, " drink me baby, and drink more." That is when you have a problem. If you drink once and a while cool no biggy. If you kick back and have a bit to much as long as you are not being an ass what is the harm. What is a harm and concerns me is how you say it helps you be freer and able to socialize. If you need that to socialize then it is a tool, crutch and not a good thing. Most people when drunk don't realize that they are more of and ass then able to socialize. OK not the best person to give advice right now so I am off. Hope life works out and you have success at it. I will stand on the side lines and watch for now.

In the words of the immortal Tucker Max:

"Alcoholism is highly underrated."

Listen to Shortstuff, Comics. She is giving you the straight dope.

But to be more serious, no, you do not have an alcohol problem.

Alcoholics Anonymous, the twelve-step mentality in general, and the worldwide inability of stupid people to not be able to hold their drink and worse, drive; has caused a huge backlash against alcohol. People now are afraid of alcohol, they don't understand it's effects anymore, and will attribute anything and everything they find that they consider negative to the drink.

That you tried to defend alcohol only makes it worse in these people's eyes, now you're an alcoholic in denial. Amateur psychology at best. If you're worried that you have a drinking problem, see a professional, like your school counselor. Don't ask idiots on a webforum. They will not be able to give you reasonable, rational, scientifically-based answers any more than I can.

Even so, the only person who knows if you have a drinking problem is you. You are the only judge, and the only one who can take action to manage its effects in your life. A counselor can help you to understand, but it's your life.

There are a lot of definitions and 'tests' out there that would help you to determine whether you are an alcoholic or not, but in my opinion they are all highly subjective.

The bottom line for you, young sir, is whether you feel that the alcohol is affecting your friendships, your studies, your health, and your future.

The fact that some of your friends have spoken to you about your drinking being a problem is probably an indication that your relationships have suffered as a result of the drink. Only you can answer whether your studies, your health, and your future are at risk.

If you need an iron-clad, irrefutable TEST for alcoholism, then by all means consider this one:

Senor Sparquelito's Test for Alcoholism

1. If you’ve ever gone out drinking, and woke up a few days later in a trailer park, and found yourself married to a West Virginia girl named Jumpy, then you are probably an alcoholic.

2. If you’ve ever found yourself nodding off at a local tavern, realized that you’ve pissed your pants, and looked down and discovered that they aren’t even your pants, then you are probably an alcoholic.

3. If your liver qualifies for its own Social Security Number, then you are probably an alcoholic.

4. If you’ve ever left a bar so drunk that you accidentally entered your car from one of the back doors, climbed into the back seat, and angrily called the cops on your cell phone to report that your steering wheel had been stolen, then you just might be an alcoholic.

and finally,

5. If you have ever gotten drunk enough to bet money on the Cleveland Browns, then you are probably an alcoholic.
:eek:

Listen, you wanna live in a society with a very long alcohol history, or live in a house were you dred your partner or parent coming in drunk, do that then youll understand the dark side of booze.
Its pretty cool being at college out acting cool, doing what ya want, drinking when ya want, but control it, or it will surely control you.
From an expert.

Yeah, uh... I actually started this thread when I was drunk. So it's quite entertaining to read everything now that I'm sober. While several good points have been made, I most agree with Napsterbater's 2nd post.

I'm an over 6 foot, 185 pound guy. I have a relatively high tolerance, so on campus it appears that I drink more heavily. Which is still true, but it looks worse to others. I can have a good 4-5 drinks and barely feel the effects. I was once able to have 8 shots and no one could even tell I'd had them.

I've also never physically harmed anyone drunk, I've always kept myself in control. I had a small handful of occasions where I couldn't walk, but otherwise I'm a very controlled drinker. I almost never have blackouts.

I have an average of 4 drinks a day. And by that I mean I'll have 10 one day and maybe 1 on another, etc. It breaks down to 4 a day. And I'm pretty sure that's not that terrible. I'm physically in the best shape I've ever been in as well.

So yeah, I think alcohol gets too hard a rap. Yeah, I had 17 shots when my girlfriend of 2.5 years dumped me. And that wasn't healthy. But those are unhealthy moments and shouldn't define my overall drinking pattern. I just like booze. I like the taste, I like how it makes me feel (especially at the end of a rough day), and its just fun to have when watching a hilarious movie.

What's the harm.

Thats all well and good man. Just one point. If you drink to socialise, how come you were sitting on a PC posting to us, eh.
Seen itall before, but like I said goodkuck

I almost never have blackouts.

This says a lot, Comics. You ALMOST never have blackouts means you do sometimes have blackouts. Slow down the drinking or you are headed for trouble.

Well, I have something to add that hasn't really been said yet. Behaviors that could lead to alcoholism in some people could be completely harmless in others. Many people are genetically predisposed to addiction, and a lot of them don't realize this until it's too late.

That said, I agree with OD that many people drink way too much in college, but most of them slow it down or stop when they need to start being more responsible.

I almost never have blackouts.

This says a lot, Comics. You ALMOST never have blackouts means you do sometimes have blackouts. Slow down the drinking or you are headed for trouble.

Oh, and also, I agree with this completely. I had once blackout about 9 months ago and it scared the crap out of me. I slowed my drinking way down after that.

Although I did develop a drug problem soon after... Well that's not the point.

What's the harm.

And the people around you being able to 'count on you' to be sober when it matters, it's really your own business if you choose to live your life in an alcohol-induced fog. Hell, I've known plenty of guys who got drunk at 21 and didn't sober up until they were past 70! Bet they had a lotta fun too -- if only they could remember it!

It's your choice. Nobody can waste your life better than you can.

:)
SMW

Comics,

In vino veritas.

You were drunk and came to Allforums posting what was basically a cry for help. You listed six behavior patterns you have, all of which are signs of possible alcoholism.

Now you post a sort of yeah, I drink, so what, message.

If you want help, go get it. If you don't want help, don't go get it. Go one telling yourself you have no problem because you hardly ever black out. You seem to think you are a big boy. Take your problem and run with it. I will no longer comment on it.

That said, I agree with OD that many people drink way too much in college, but most of them slow it down or stop when they need to start being more responsible.
Just as an example, my mom has told me, "half of college is drinking and having fun" (haha, you have to understand her sarcasm) but as of right now my mom gets slightly tipsy maybe 3 times a month. The only times where she gets "drunk"...well, just really tipsy, is on New Years, 4th of July etc. My mom basically never gets drunk. This just shows that you can drink a lot in college and still be fine after college.

Not to say my mom is the norm or that you are exactly like my mom. But once my mom graduated college she stopped drinking as heavily as she did in college. I'm guessing because she got out of that enviornment and realized she need to mature. The same goes for my dad.

I wouldn't really be bragging if my Mom got tipsy almost once a week and actually got drunk on holidays.

Do you think that's too often? I don't, as long as it's not interfering with her life at all.

Getting drunk even once is too often and yes getting drunk on holidays and merely tipsy on weeks without holidays is too often.

When you figure how many holidays there are in the U.S., OD's mother is either drunk or tipsy at least once a week.

You don't think that is too often?

I wouldn't really be bragging if my Mom got tipsy almost once a week and actually got drunk on holidays.
I guess having maybe 3 beers a week is bad now? Don't make me laugh!

Besides, on a day-to-day basis such as during the week-days (IE: work days and school days for us kids) she never drinks. Maybe on a Friday night after a basketball game she goes out with some of the teammates parents and has a few beers once a week. OH THE INSANITY.

Oh, and I didn't say she got "drunk" on the holidays she just gets really tipsy. There is a difference, which is why I back-tracked in my original statement.

Honestly, drinking a few beers MAYBE once a week is not bad. And anyone who says different is far too up-tight and needs to get a life.

When you figure how many holidays there are in the U.S., OD's mother is either drunk or tipsy at least once a week.
I meant holidays such as the 4th of July and New Years. She does not go and get tossed for St. Patrick's day or Christmas.

The story changes. Tipsy Mom becomes has an occassional beer Mom.

Posting that your mother gets tipsy on an almost weekly basis and really tipsy on other occassions is not the kind of thing a son should do.

No... And it depends what you mean by "drunk" and "tipsy". I consider tipsy to be that you feel a little different but no one else can tell- maybe one/two drinks for a small girl like me.

Isn't one or two drinks per day supposed to be "healthy"? One or two drinks per week seems fine.

Oh and I'm sure by holidays he didn't mean Groundhog Day or Flag Day or President's Day... I think he meant major holidays like New Year's, Fourth of July, Christmas... And St. Patrick's Day of course. ;)

Edit: Bah, OD answered all that for me... And how could anyone who drinks NOT drink on St. Patrick's Day?

Tipsy is perceptably impaired. It isn't simply having a single beer.

That's a matter of opinion. I don't become "perceptibly impaired" until I've had at least like 5 drinks, and I'd consider that much more than tipsy.

I thought everybody get juiced on St Patricks Day, ah well.

There are two days of the year when it's almost imperative to drink: New Year's and St. Patrick's Day. ;)

The story changes. Tipsy Mom becomes has an occassional beer Mom.
The story didn't change. My mother gets slightly tipsy due to a few beers she has ONCE A WEEEK (if that) after a basketball game. THE INSANITY!!!!

Again, she does not drink on work days and she does not drink every week.

And they say you are supposed to have a glass of wine with dinner every day for good health. That is more drinking then my mom does in a week. Period.

Posting that your mother gets tipsy on an almost weekly basis and really tipsy on other occassions is not the kind of thing a son should do.
I underlined SLIGHTLY tipsy. Not even tipsy. Which is only a few beers maybe once a week.

Honestly, my mom most likely wouldn't mind because SHE DOES NOT FIND WHAT SHE DOES "out-of-control" or "wrong"...who the hell thinks drinking maybe 3 beers a week, once a week is bad? Jesus christ. We aren't in the TV show Leave it to Beaver.

Anyone here ever been married to a lush?
It ain't fun.
IOW, one will live, and one will die.

Hah.... my mom called me a lush... She's really one to talk.

Anyone here ever been married to a lush?
It ain't fun.
IOW, one will live, and one will die.
That left a bitter taste in your mouth Ren.

He ( first husband) drank a lot.

like, every day--to a stupor.
It got old, I guess.

Yea, thats what I got when I first read it.
Sorry.

He ( first husband) drank a lot.

like, every day--to a stupor.
It got old, I guess.

That is what I'd call an alcoholic. Having three beers on a Friday night is NOT.

Edit: Oh, and Frogger, I hope you don't mind that I put my sig back up.

Yea, thats what I got when I first read it.
Sorry.

He's ok--not a bad guy. His parents were both heavy drinkers.
His dad brought beer to his mom's funeral. He started drinking at age 10.
In a way I feel sorry for the guy--no license, no job. A waste.
Yes, alcoholism is a bad thing. No one sets out to become like that.
I've heard tell it kinda runs in families--I believe that.

Yea, its hereditary

The amount of marriages Ive seen destroyed,
The amount of homes destroyed,
men, women, kids, all alcohal dependant,
worst cast Ive seen in a man....old fella I know, drunk, fell in the street and broke his half bottle of Jameson, took his shirt off daubbed it in the glass and sucked on his shirt, this was lunchtime in heavy traffic. Sober, a Gentleman.
I only drink twice a week now, once at home, and go out for a Saturday day.

Before anyone pegs me as an alcoholic, I haven't had a drink in over a month, although I do plan to get rather drunk on New Year's, and the last time I was any more than tipsy was over 2 months ago.

My step dad drank whiskey and did a lot of not nice things when he drank. They say it is hereditary, but that to can be changed. My brother is not an alcoholic and never drinks more then a glass here and there. I choose to drink once and a while but I am also legal drinking age too. There is no excuses for a minor/under age person to be getting drunk..
Control is key. Blacking out even if it is once is not cool that means you have had to much. I don't get people who have a need to drink to get drunk. That is where the problem lies..
Yes everyone has a different definition of tipsy, drunk, social drinking and getting shit faced.
If you are under age there is never a limit you should touch or reach as a legal age to consume alcohol then do it and be responsible and if you can't stay away from it.
Never drink and drive also.

Oops, I'm underage... I guess that means I'm going to hell if I drink a beer. ;)

what age is under age over there.

Under 21... I think that's stupid. 18 year olds can vote for president, go to war and fight to serve their country.... But they can't drink?

21 is our drinking age. It would seem high, but no one really observes it. 21 is when many American youths stop drinking heavily.

Hmm, it does sound pretty high compared to 18 here, same thing tho, nobody pays any attention to it.

There is no excuses for a minor/under age person to be getting drunk..
Why? The age of 21 is extremely arbitrary. And practically no one pays any attention to it anyway; I'm a damn responsible 18 year old and I've been drunk a couple times. It's not really that big of a deal as long as you are responsible with drinking.

The drinking age in Spain is 12, and in France I don't think there even is an age... And yet they have lower rates of alcoholism than countries with higher drinking ages.

I'd also like to say... I read an interesting statistic in Prevention magazine a few weeks ago. It said that underage buyers account for an estimated 20% of liquor sales in the U.S. Now that explains why liquor stores never card anyone: they don't want to lose 20% of their business!

Why? The age of 21 is extremely arbitrary. And practically no one pays any attention to it anyway; I'm a damn responsible 18 year old and I've been drunk a couple times. It's not really that big of a deal as long as you are responsible with drinking.
and there are a lot of 18 y/os that aren't and would give it to their 15 y/o schoolmates...which is WHY the age is 21 now in the states. 21 y/os don't mingle with HS students as a rule.

just another example of somebody ruining things for everyone else.

The drinking age in Spain is 12, and in France I don't think there even is an age... And yet they have lower rates of alcoholism than countries with higher drinking ages.
That's only logical. The younger you learn about alcohol, the more you're likely to know it and its effects once they can become truly harmful. No wonder people become alcoholics: They can only drink (legally) once they're 21...where they're far away from parental supervision. If you start drinking when you have responsible parents to guide you to becoming responsible with alcohol, you're far less likely to get Preacher's Daughter Syndrome and get wasted all the time once you're able.

The drinking age in Spain is 12, and in France I don't think there even is an age... And yet they have lower rates of alcoholism than countries with higher drinking ages.

I'd also like to say... I read an interesting statistic in Prevention magazine a few weeks ago. It said that underage buyers account for an estimated 20% of liquor sales in the U.S. Now that explains why liquor stores never card anyone: they don't want to lose 20% of their business!
they also don't let 16 y/os behind the wheel of a 2 ton weapon.

Southern Europe is more a Social Drinking culture, they dont get their greedy heads on, and they only drink wine, as a rule.

they also don't let 16 y/os behind the wheel of a 2 ton weapon.
It's a different culture in Europe; things are closer together, so 16 year olds are less likely to need a car. I needed a car in high school, both to get to school and to get to work. That's how the cultures work.

Shit, you can drive in Ireland when your 17.

and there are a lot of 18 y/os that aren't and would give it to their 15 y/o schoolmates...which is WHY the age is 21 now in the states. 21 y/os don't mingle with HS students as a rule.

just another example of somebody ruining things for everyone else.

Are you kidding me? When I was 13, my friends were all between the ages of 16 and 19. By the time I was 16, I had about 10 times as many friends over 18 as under, with many of them over 21. And pretty much every 21 year old I've met is more than willing to buy alcohol for underage people, especially if they're getting a few bucks out of it.

Are you kidding me? When I was 13, my friends were all between the ages of 16 and 19. By the time I was 16, I had about 10 times as many friends over 18 as under, with many of them over 21. And pretty much every 21 year old I've met is more than willing to buy alcohol for underage people, especially if they're getting a few bucks out of it.
"as a rule"

and don't worry, it won't be the last time you get special treatment because you're an attractive female. not that it's right or wrong, it just is.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH, your a real smoothy Mike.

Shit, you can drive in Ireland when your 17.
how many of the roads can you get up to 200 kph on? with 2 way traffic no less?

Ah, trying to think, legally none, some pretty good roads round Ireland these days, quite a lot Id say.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH, your a real smoothy Mike.
i use to be one of those over 21 friends until one of my underage friends killed his best friend...i'm just glad it wasn't my beer they were drinking.

Ive been allowed to drink since I turned a teenager, in my home only. And 99% of the time I obeyed that rule. My parents arent very heavy drinkers at all really, I mean my dad drinks probably 2-3 beers a day, and my mom a couple glasses of wine at night. I think the fact that my parents actually let me drink under their supervision kept me from getting into the trouble that comes with underage drinking outside the home. And whenever I did decide to drink something in house, I only had a couple drinks. These days I go out and get drunk, like totally smashed, once a month or so. I go 2 or 3 weeks without drinking at all sometimes. It really insnt such a big deal to me, in my opinion, because my parents were so liberal with me and alcohol.

Ah, trying to think, legally none, some pretty good roads round Ireland these days, quite a lot Id say.
my 1st car was a 1971 Cutlass 4-dr with a 350rocket, it did 120mph on city street often. i'm just glad in never did it drunk because that $200 clunker was scary enough sober.

I mean my dad drinks probably 2-3 beers a day, and my mom a couple glasses of wine at night.
My mom drinks 3 or 4 beers MAYBE once a week and I was told that isn't OK.

Watch out!

Obviously I do get special treatment for being an okay looking female, but I was talking generally. 21 year old guys will buy alcohol for 15 year old guys, for free if they're at least acquaintances, for 5 bucks or so if you just go up to them on the street and ask.

alcohol is good for you, in moderation, as in a couple beers, or glasses of wine per day. Good for the heart, and not hard on the liver.

alcohol is good for you, in moderation, as in a couple beers, or glasses of wine per day. Good for the heart, and not hard on the liver.
you don't have to rationalize anything here, troop. just don't have it on your breath in the morning.

Before anyone pegs me as an alcoholic, I haven't had a drink in over a month, although I do plan to get rather drunk on New Year's, and the last time I was any more than tipsy was over 2 months ago.


You're sixteen. You shuldn't be drinking anything stronger than chocolate milk.

You're sixteen. You shuldn't be drinking anything stronger than chocolate milk.
As this whole thread has been saying, why the hell not? How is one to learn if they're not exposed to anything until one is unsupervised where it can do the most damage? Parents can spot a drinking problem with their kids if the kids live with them, but they can't do it very easily once the kid is off on their own. You can't give an 18 year old with no experience free reign over their lives, then act surprised when they start going overboard because they were never taught how to be responsible with something.

Besides which, alcohol isn't harmful unless you go overboard with it.

Why? The age of 21 is extremely arbitrary. And practically no one pays any attention to it anyway; I'm a damn responsible 18 year old and I've been drunk a couple times. It's not really that big of a deal as long as you are responsible with drinking.

This post is a contradiction.

You call yourself damned responsible and in the same sentence say you've been drunk a coupule times. Being a drunk, especially an underage drunk is not responsible behavior. The next sentence is just as much a contradiction. You are talking about being drunk and then say drinking isn't that big a deal as long as you are responsible with drinking.

You are obviously irresponsible with drinking.

This post is a contradiction.

You call yourself damned responsible and in the same sentence say you've been drunk a coupule times. Being a drunk, especially an underage drunk is not responsible behavior. The next sentence is just as much a contradiction. You are talking about being drunk and then say drinking isn't that big a deal as long as you are responsible with drinking.

You are obviously irresponsible with drinking.
How? I've been drunk twice in my life. Both times I was in my dorm room, with my sober roommate and best friend to make sure I was safe. I can't exactly go through life without ever experiencing being drunk, so I knew it was best to get my curiosity over with in a safe location. Once I found out what being drunk was like, I didn't think very highly of it and now I'll pretty much drink a beer or two if offered, and no more. Being drunk once or twice isn't irresponsible; being drunk on a regular basis or in inappropriate situations or doing dumb things while drunk is irresponsible. Being drunk, once, isolated, can be perfectly responsible behavior.

My mom drinks 3 or 4 beers MAYBE once a week and I was told that isn't OK.

Watch out!

That isn't what you posted. That is the changed story you posted after you said your mother gets tipsy a bit less than once a week and drunk on holidays.

Let's try to keep the stories straight.



I like Borg's suggestion. In order to make people more responsible drinkers have start drinking at a younger age. Hell, maybe we should make them really responsible drinkers and have them start at age ten, or how about age eight so they will be super responsible drinkers?

I like Borg's suggestion. In order to make people more responsible drinkers have start drinking at a younger age. Hell, maybe we should make them really responsible drinkers and have them start at age ten, or how about age eight so they will be super responsible drinkers?
Italian families (and I'm sure other ethnicities as well) have wine with dinner.. The kids are no exception. If the parents make sure the kids don't let alcohol interfere with their lives, why not? It's not automatically bad because it can be abused. The key is to teach your children how not to abuse it.

you don't have to rationalize anything here, troop. just don't have it on your breath in the morning.

Heh, like I said before, I dont drink but maybe two or three times a month, max. And only if I dont have to work the next day :)

Borg got drunk because he was curious about how it would feel. I guess we should really do anything we are curious about to see how it feels.

Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb were two teenagers curious about how it would feel to kill someone so they went and killed 14 year old Bobby Franks. Oh well, best they got their curiosity satisfied.

The key is to teach your children how not to abuse it.


You mean like by getting drunk in your dorm room?

Borg got drunk because he was curious about how it would feel. I guess we should really do anything we are curious about to see how it feels.

Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb were two teenagers curious about how it would feel to kill someone so they went and killed 14 year old Bobby Franks. Oh well, best they got their curiosity satisfied.
That's not comparable and you know it. My being drunk twice hurt no one, including myself.
You mean like by getting drunk in your dorm room?
That's alcohol abuse? Doesn't fit any definitions I've ever heard.

That isn't what you posted. That is the changed story you posted after you said your mother gets tipsy a bit less than once a week and drunk on holidays.
I never changed the story. You are a liar.

I said 3 times a month my mother gets slightly tipsy. Meaning she has 3 or more beers on a Friday night with some friends.

She also gets very tipsy on special holidays. Now that's a sin!!

I've had the same story all along. And the fact is, what my mother does is not bad. It is perfectly normal and is less then what many, many Americans drink. We've had a poster say his parents drink 3 or more drinks a night! Yet my mom maybe drinks that in a weeks amount of time! Honestly, just stop now.

Hell, my mom does not drink on work-nights and runs a successful company. Her drinking does not ever impair her judgment and she has not been drunk in a number of years.

PS: I thought you were going to ignore me? Lying again?

You know, Overdose, I went back on my promise to not post to you. That was a mistake.

I am simply going to ignore you from now on. All I will see is, [post not available. Person is on your ignore list.]

When you have nothing left to say and have been proven to have lied, it is easiest to run away.

Ah now. You Gringos, your all drunkards.

Heh, like I said before, I dont drink but maybe two or three times a month, max. And only if I dont have to work the next day :)
i think the threshold for binge drinking is 5 or more in one sitting...do you find yourself doing that as a habit? even if it's only weekly?

I think if Frogger had his way, it would be illegal to do anything.

I think if Frogger had his way, it would be illegal to do anything.

Yep, including premarital sex.

Those Republicans sure are for "smaller government" ;)

This isn't about politics, this is about how Frogger is old and crotchety... ;)

Frogger's so old, when he walks by a graveyard, people start running after him with shovels.

I think if Frogger had his way, it would be illegal to do anything.
But I love waxing babboon bikini lines on the Fourth of July. No one is taking that away from me!

i think the threshold for binge drinking is 5 or more in one sitting...do you find yourself doing that as a habit? even if it's only weekly?


Not weekly, usually bi-weekly, or even tri-weekly. But yeah when I do go out, I drink lots, but its only like a 3,4,5 hour binge.

Being in College, drinking a lot & getting shitfaced a lot doesn't make you an alcoholic.

It's only a problem if you need to drink to make the world feel right.

If that isn't the case then eventually you'll get sick of having a hangover and you won't drink much anymore beyond the odd few beers here and there.

If that is the case then you'll drink more & more & it'll be something large in your life. In this instance best bet is keep on drinking seeing as you are at college but go see a therapist to figure out why you only feel good about yourself when drunk.

Alcohol is an addictive substance in the same manner as heroin. Alcoholism is a medically recognized disease, with behavioral components. One simply has to not consume alcohol to be disease free.
That being said, it is also the only legally recognized recreational intoxicant in most countries on this planet. In all my years as a therapist, I never met one individual with a drinking problem. Stopping problems yes, but not a drinking problem.
Educate yourself about alcohol. Everyone knows how to drink – just pour the liquid down your throat. Learn about alcohol, and its’ effects. The alcohol consumed by most of us is essentially ether with water and sugar added.
Some basics: 12 ounces of beer = 6 ounces of wine = 1 ounce of 90 proof liquor. The body has the ability to process and eliminate approximately 1 ounce of alcohol per hour. An individual may be considered legally intoxicated by having as few as 3 drinks in an hours’ time. That’s a general rule of thumb.
If those around you are expressing concerns about your alcohol intake, rather than be defensive or resistant, listen to what they are telling you. Ask yourself some hard questions.
Are you having blackouts? A blackout is when one does not remember events when sober from their last intoxication. There is no outward change in behavior, no indication that the individual is experiencing a blackout, they simply wake up the next day with absolutely no memory after a certain point. Have you been told of events that you had no memory of and found yourself apologizing or feeling embarrassed by what you’ve been told? Have you sobered up, or awakened in a spot that you had absolutely no idea how you arrived there? Did that scare you?
Have you noticed your tolerance increasing? That is, consuming more to gain the same effects?
Have you noticed reverse tolerance? That is getting drunk on just a very few drinks, when you could typically drink more and function in a relatively normal fashion.
Do you find yourself drinking to feel comfortable in social situations? Do you find your intake far outpaces your peers?
Ever experience tremors? That is having the “shakes” upon waking and feeling like you need a bit of “the hair of the dog” to settle the nerves? Have you acted upon those feelings?
Have you ever awakened and felt like you’d been drinking heavily the night before, but you know full well you’d not had a drink the day before?
Have you been unable to perform sexually when intoxicated?
When is the last time you went 72 hours or more without any alcohol?
Has your drinking behavior gotten you in trouble with friends, family, employers or the law?
Is there any indication that some are avoiding you or not including you in social situations due to your drinking?
Is there a history of significant substance abuse within your family?
Do you feel you have an “addictive” personality?
Answering “yes” to most of these questions may be indicative of a problem with alcohol, and is worth exploring more. That means talking with at least one other person face to face or attending a group situation where substance abusers gather to discuss their problems in a sober fashion.
Be it in college or the military, a great many experiment with dangerously high intakes of alcohol over a relatively short period of time. An individual can have a substance abuse problem without becoming alcoholic. Getting their behavior under control and actively practicing moderation is typically the “cure” and the behavior may not be repeated once the individual has moved on to a different stage of life. However, if the problem is valid and ignored, it does not go away. While only a few find themselves where “one drink is too many and 20 aren’t enough” one does not have to become a skid row drunk before recognizing that alcohol is a poison for them and they take measures to control it.

I knew it wouldn't last long...

I dont know, this is one of those issues you never address until you come across it on allforums.
Like i said, I would drink once a week at home, usually a 12 pack, but on Saturdays when I go out Id have 15-20 drinks, dont consider myself an alco tho.

Alcohol is an addictive substance in the same manner as heroin.

First of all - Welcome back ES, glad to see you posting again :)

I don't think alcohol is addictive like heroin. Alcohol is more psychologically addictive. If you have a mental state that is pre-desposed to benefit from alcohol then you can become addicted. No matter how much I drank I could never personally get addicted to alcohol - it just doesn't do it for me in a way that would make me want it as a must have it type of thing.

Heroin on the other hand is addictive from a physical (& also psychological way) - Everybody if exposed to enough constant heroin use will become addicted without exception.

Frogger scares the shit outta me...

Alcohol Withdrawal http://www.addictionwithdrawal.com/img/rule.gif
People who drink Alcohol on a regular basis become tolerant to many of the unpleasant effects, and thus are able to drink more before suffering these effects. Yet even with increased consumption, many such drinkers don't appear intoxicated. Because they continue to work and socialize reasonably well, their deteriorating physical condition may go unrecognized by others until severe damage develops - or until they are hospitalized for other reasons and suddenly experience alcohol Withdrawal symptoms.
Psychological addiction to alcohol may occur with regular use of even relatively moderate daily amounts. It may also occur in people who consume alcohol only under certain conditions, such as before and during social occasions. This form of addiction refers to a craving for alcohol's psychological effects, although not necessarily in amounts that produce serious intoxication. For psychologically addicted drinkers, the lack of alcohol tends to make them anxious and, in some cases, panicky.
Physical addiction to alcohol occurs in consistently heavy drinkers. Since their bodies have adapted to the presence of alcohol, they suffer alcohol Withdrawal if they suddenly stop drinking. Alcohol Withdrawal symptoms range from jumpiness, sleeplessness, sweating, and poor appetite, to tremors (the "shakes"), convulsions, hallucinations, and sometimes death.

Alcohol Withdrawal symptoms include but are not limited to:



Sweating or Rapid Pulse
Increased Hand Tremor
Insomnia
Nausea or Vomiting
Physical Agitation
Anxiety
Transient Visual, Tactile or Auditory Hallucinations or
Illusions
Grand Mal Seizures Alcohol addiction (http://www.addictionwithdrawal.com/alcohol.htm)

Being in College, drinking a lot & getting shitfaced a lot doesn't make you an alcoholic.

It's only a problem if you need to drink to make the world feel right.

If that isn't the case then eventually you'll get sick of having a hangover and you won't drink much anymore beyond the odd few beers here and there.

If that is the case then you'll drink more & more & it'll be something large in your life. In this instance best bet is keep on drinking seeing as you are at college but go see a therapist to figure out why you only feel good about yourself when drunk.

The fact that I entirely agree with this post is proof that I'm not in denial.

I think at one point I may have been an alcoholic or close to it. Before I was legal and had no 21+ friends, I had a couple shots of Listerine. I once had no alcohol so I had 400mg of Zoloft instead to feel "drunk" (I used to take it for my OCD). Now those are admittedly extremely bad signs. And if any of those things were repeated I certainly would have gotten some help.

But it was only part of my adjustment to alcohol which I had just begun to explore (unlike most people my age, I never had a drink until my 2nd year in college), I was slowly getting off my OCD meds, and I was going through some major needless shit with my then-girlfriend. That's a rough trifecta right there, and having a couple "unhealthy occasions" seems understandable when I look back. Not saying it was healthy, but hey I am human.

The one thing I still do that some consider bad is drinking alone. But all I do is have half a bottle of wine, relax, and watch a good film or work on my in-progress screenplay. And IMO, this seems perfectly healthy...

Alcohol Withdrawal symptoms include but are not limited to:

* Sweating or Rapid Pulse
* Increased Hand Tremor
* Insomnia
* Nausea or Vomiting
* Physical Agitation
* Anxiety
* Transient Visual, Tactile or Auditory Hallucinations or
* Illusions
* Grand Mal Seizures


My last week on campus this past semester I did have a sign of this. I'm an art student so I more/less finished a week early, giving me almost a full week of free time. So I spent most of the evenings finishing off my mini-fridge supply of booze. .75liters of liquor, a bottle of wine, and maybe a dozen beers. Healthy? No, not really. I couldn't bring stuff home because my mom would have freaked out and since I had no classes I thought fuck it. So yeah, I had a bit for several nights in a row.

Then one night when I didn't plan to drink I felt a strong craving, even felt slightly twitchy. I couldn't focus. So I had one shot and it went away. The next day the craving was completely gone. I then went a week without anything. So, did I drink to the point of experiencing mild withdrawal? Yep. But it's something I handled, and that's what some people fail to observe.

Some people can't handle alcohol. I can have large amounts, sometimes often, but handle it. It's about will power. Some are more susceptible to addiction or prone to foolish behavior while drinking. I 99% of the time maintain control. No one gets hurt, I don't get hurt... sounds like a win-win to me.

The fact that I entirely agree with this post is proof that I'm not in denial.

I think at one point I may have been an alcoholic or close to it. Before I was legal and had no 21+ friends, I had a couple shots of Listerine. I once had no alcohol so I had 400mg of Zoloft instead to feel "drunk" (I used to take it for my OCD). Now those are admittedly extremely bad signs. And if any of those things were repeated I certainly would have gotten some help.

But it was only part of my adjustment to alcohol which I had just begun to explore (unlike most people my age, I never had a drink until my 2nd year in college), I was slowly getting off my OCD meds, and I was going through some major needless shit with my then-girlfriend. That's a rough trifecta right there, and having a couple "unhealthy occasions" seems understandable when I look back. Not saying it was healthy, but hey I am human.

The one thing I still do that some consider bad is drinking alone. But all I do is have half a bottle of wine, relax, and watch a good film or work on my in-progress screenplay. And IMO, this seems perfectly healthy...

Drinking Listerine? Jeez, I'm not sure what type of alcohol is in that - hopefully it's ethanol because methanol will make you go blind. You can get cheap whiskey cheaper than listerine.

It sounds to me like you have a borderline problem with drinking - I guess ultimately it could go either way, the good point is you are aware of it. Being a drunk is not something you want to persue.