I'm of the opinion that if you have to ask if you have a problem with alcohol, you do. Normal people don't think about things like blackouts, controlled drinking and feelings of shame. It really has nothing to do with how often you drink, it's what happens when you do drink.

Having blackouts really isnt the point. I drank for 39 years and never had a blackout, but yet I am an Alcoholic. I didnt drink everyday either, except for the last 10 years. It is a progressive disease. Yes Ditto to Chris

I can relate to everything you just said, blackouts included. You see, I was a heavy hitter myself for over 25 years, before I finally sobered up. So I know how terrifying this ordeal can be. The thing was; I could never stop drinking for the life of me -same as you, and that was only half the battle. We can't just whisk away our drinking problems, though, like we do a dirty floor; it doesn't work that way. So my suggestion is quite simple really, just start somewhere even if that somewhere is A.A. It's a choice you'll never regret.

In order to turn my life completely around, I needed something more powerful than a set of broken promises, which for me came via A.A. It's also been my venue of choice for the last 11+ years. It's not the only recovery source that works, though. They're many other outlets that work just as well. So I suggest you get on board with whatever recovery routine that has what you ultimately want...lasting sobriety. The rest you'll learn along the way. We promise

Welcome to M.I.P...

-- Edited by Mr_David on Thursday 29th of November 2012 11:36:57 PM

Welcome! I agree with what the others have posted.. And if your curious about AA and think it may be of help my advice would be to just check out a few meetings and take it from there. Heck, it can't hurt any:)

Welcome,
like its been said, normal people dont wonder if they are alcoholic or not. Only we do. And we do because if we are, we gotta stop drinking and an alcoholic at the end cannot imagine life with or with out alcohol. Its called the jumping off place. At that point there are only two paces to go. One is to blot out your misrable condition as best you can, or join us and exept the spiritual tools laid at your feet. Alcoholism is a disease of a spiritual nature not lack of will power coupled with bad choices although it may look like that. Its a disease that tells us we dont have a disease. Go down to the nearest wall mart and take a survay and ask, would they rather suffer and die an alcoholic death or except spiritual help. For any normal person that would be a no brainer, the real alcoholic would probably ask something like , well how bad is that alcoholic death any way? I hope you take the right turn and join us on the road to life.

Welcome Ruby,

To answer your question, if you have the desire to stop drinking AA is right for you.

Also, yes there are many stories similar to yours. It's not how much or how often we drink, its what alcohol does to us when we do drink.

In my experience a periodic binge drinker tend to hold out in seeking recovery longer/if ever, than a cronic type drinker. It's sad, but it just seems like the periodic who can keep control a lot of the time seems to have more trouble being honest about their alcoholism. You can/will recover if you have the ability to be honest and follow this simple program.

From our Big Book

If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely, or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic. If that be the case, you may be suffering from an illness which only a spiritual experience will conquer.

We alcoholics are men and women who have lost the ability to control our drinking. We know that no real alcoholic ever recovers control. All of us felt at times that we were regaining control, but such intervals - usually brief - were inevitably followed by still less control, which led in time to pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization. We are convinced to a man that alcoholics of our type are in the grip of a progressive illness.

Thank you so much for your responses. I've been reading around the boards, especially the sobriety stories thread and the material from the big book about women alcoholics and so much has resonated with me.

There is a meeting near me this afternoon, I am going to check it out.

Welcome Ruby - glad you're here and reaching out : )

I went to a meeting this afternoon after about a decade of planning to do so on and off. Took me a little while!

 

 

Good for you Ruby and welcome to the board...now duplicate your first meeting tomorrow if you can.  Doing as many meetings as you can in the next 90 days is really good for awareness.  Keep coming back (((hugs)))

YEAH!!!! happy for you : )

RubyTues wrote:

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I just had this amazing thought: I don't have to do it by myself anymore. What a weird, mixed up, bag of emotions.

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That's a good thought isn't it? It's such a relief to realise you're not alone anymore, and that there is a solution.

And she did :)