1. Do you drink heavily when you are disappointed, under pressure or have had a quarrel with someone?
Yes No
2. Can you handle more alcohol now than when you first started to drink?
Yes No
3. Have you ever been unable to remember part of the previous evening, even though your friends say you didnt pass out?
Yes No
4. When drinking with other people, do you try to have a few extra drinks when others wont know about it?
Yes No
5. Do you sometimes feel uncomfortable if alcohol is not available?
Yes No
6. Are you more in a hurry to get your first drink of the day than you used to be?
Yes No
7. Do you sometimes feel a little guilty about your drinking?
Yes No
8. Has a family member or close friend express concern or complained about your drinking?
Yes No
9. Have you been having more memory blackouts recently?
Yes No
10. Do you often want to continue drinking after your friends say theyve had enough?
Yes No
11. Do you usually have a reason for the occasions when you drink heavily?
Yes No
12. When youre sober, do you sometimes regret things you did or said while drinking?
Yes No
13. Have you tried switching brands or drinks, or following different plans to control your drinking?
Yes No
14. Have you sometimes failed to keep promises you made to yourself about controlling or cutting down on your drinking?
Yes No
15. Have you ever had a DWI (driving while intoxicated) or DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol) violation, or any other legal problem related to your drinking?
Yes No
16. Do you try to avoid family or close friends while you are drinking?
Yes No
17. Are you having more financial, work, school, and/or family problems as a result of your drinking?
Yes No
18. Has your physician ever advised you to cut down on your drinking?
Yes No
19. Do you eat very little or irregularly during the periods when you are drinking?
Yes No
20. Do you sometimes have the shakes in the morning and find that it helps to have a little drink, tranquilizer or medication of some kind?
Yes No
21. Have you recently noticed that you cant drink as much as you used to?
Yes No
22. Do you sometimes stay drunk for several days at a time?
Yes No
23. After periods of drinking do you sometimes see or hear things that arent there?
Yes No
24. Have you ever gone to anyone for help about your drinking?
Yes No;
25. Do you ever feel depressed or anxious before, during or after periods of heavy drinking?
Yes No
26. Have any of your blood relatives ever had a problem with alcohol?
I find the most sure: If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely, or if when drinking, you have little control over amount you take, you are probably alcoholic.
And for spiritual malady: We were having trouble with personal relationships, we couldn't control our emotional natures, we were a prey to misery and depression, we couldn't make a living, we had a feeling of uselessness, we were full of fear, we were unhappy, we couldn't seem to be of real help to other people - was not a basic solution of these bedevilments more important than whether we should see newsreels of lunar flight?
I think this is enough.
I honestly wanted to moderate or to stop many times. Since the first time when I got drunk I wanted to moderate. Last 2 years I wanted to stop all the time. On 15 years old I was sleeping in parks and basements. This continued year and a half. Finally I promised to my parents that I will change. And I was at home ... continue drinking. I have a lot health problems, because my alcoholism is in every single detail in my life - food, I was eating and throwing up. I was cutting myself, beating myself like before other beat me. (boyfriends) I was taking pills of my mother - benzodiazepines (is in my language) Finally, when I was 18 I met the "perfect" boy. Well, he was really good, nice. I started learning again, because I was kicked out from school because of drinking. And finally I was happy ... well I thought so. And continue drinking. And, of course ruined everything. When I was 19 I came to A.A. and the first months I couldn't stay sober. After that I started the Program ... for year and 2 months I stayed sober, but one day I just thought that I can control my drinking and I am not ill anymore ... and I woke up in hospital 3-4 days later. Meantime I was dead. And when I got out from hospital .. I still believed that I'm not alcoholic. What a insanity???
And - yes, I wanted to, but I couldn't. And I couldn't control amount I take.
I had troubles in personal relationships - When I'm sober I'm restless, irritable and discontented - I hate, I'm angry. I can't stand anyone. I couldn't have friends. No one wanted to be around me.
I couldn't control my emotional nature - I was hurting people, because I "explode" in many ways.
I was a prey to misery and depression - almost all of my sober time I was depressed - No one loves me, no one wants to be with me, I haven't got an apartment. My mother and father gave me bad gene. I'm stupid, ugly.
We couldn't make a living. We had a feeling of uselessness - Of course I had ... What actually could do? I was whining, complaining, hating, and I was lazy, bored, intolerant, dishonest. I was lying to all. I was arrogant, impatience. I haven't got anything to give people except dirt.
We were full of fear - I was living on dark, because I was afraid that someone will do something bad to me.. kill me, beat me, kill my family (In this cases I believed and hated God, because I thought how He will punish me with killing my family). Insanity.
We were unhappy - I didn't have the right parents, right school, right boyfriends, right gene, right hair, right body, right handwriting - of course I won't be happy.
I am using "I was" - but still I am .. thanks to the Program this is in remission. Now I like my hair ... at least.
-- Edited by myownhell on Wednesday 4th of June 2014 12:23:25 PM
Oh WOW Phil, ... of course I knew, know, that I'm an alkie ... but just for sh!ts & grins, I answered this questionnaire ... and guess what, I got 25 yeses ... looks like we were in the same frick'n boat filled with booze,LOL ... thank God for AA ...
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
This is a great thread. I scored 7(8)/26. I knew I had a problem and that's a reason why I came here. I would like you to rate (1 to 10 or whatever) how serious my drinking problem is. I've never had a DUI violation, but I was driving a tractor an operating other farm equipment in rural roads while being well above the legal limit in my country, so I wrote 7(8)/26.
I don't drink that much. Most of the time it's 2 or 3 glasses of (homemade 12-15% alcohol) wine or equivalent amount of other drinks. However, that amount is close to my maximum. 4 glasses of wine, or sometimes even three make me throw up in the morning. I get really drunk only every few years. I never drink when I'm depressed, or under stress. I drink when there is something to celebrate (and I often find many small occasions worth celebrating) or when I have something nice to eat. The latter creates a double problem - when I eat something that I really like I drink wine with it because it tastes better and after the first glass I start eating more because I want to drink more. This goes on until I start loosening my belt and by that time I'm pretty loaded with alcohol as well. I don't have any serious memory blackouts, but I often can't remember whether I turned off the stove, locked the door and other such routine things. I get hangovers frequently and each time I make plans to stop or at least reduce my drinking. I think that my biggest problem, the thing that worries me the most, is the fact that I have little success in controlling myself. On a typical day in the morning I make a decision not to drink, while feeling sick as hell from all the wine and binge eating, by noon I'm thinking that I don't really need to quit, only to limit myself to one glass and by dinner time I say "the hell with it, I'll have another glass".
This happens 3 or 4 times a week on average.
So, as I said, I know I have a problem, but how serious do you think it is?
Welcome to the site....I'd say the fact you are here is a pretty good indicator of a problem. I'll tell you one thing that I didn't know about alcoholism....A word I never liked....But I got it....Is how brutally progressive it is. I probably should have done something about it long before I did. It almost killed me. That's when I had to look it in the eye and honestly admit it.....And do something about it. I'd recommend getting a copy of the Big Book and reading it....It's online here....Till you get one.....
You might want to check out a few AA meetings in your area too....Just go and listen...It's free....You can chuck a buck in the basket if you want to.
I like how they put it in the book on page 44...
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.
I couldn't quit entirely...On my own...And once I started.....In most cases control went out the window.....I couldn't deny that. I'm glad you are here....Make yourself at home. Give the Doctor's Opinion a read...See if it makes sense.
I totally agree with Stepdude here ... this IS a progressive disease ... I drank for years just as you described above ... I woke up one day and found I had to drink all day long to maintain that 'feeling' I wanted ... then it started affecting my work and my relationship with about everyone I knew ... follow Stepchild's suggestion and see what you think ... it matters not what we think ... it only matters what YOU think of your situation ... only you can make that decision ... you know, whether or not you're one of us ...
Love ya man and God Bless, Pappy
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Yeah Pappy...I kinda went from...I think I might have a problem here...To......I think I have hopelessly lost control of my life....It hit me like a train. Not a good place to be.
I too got 25 out of 26 and the one I didn't answer "yes" to was 21. "Have you recently noticed that you cant drink as much as you used to?" (.....Now why the heck did this one get thrown in with the others? My drinking never got that way--only increased. Is this just half of the question? Should it read... "Have you recently noticed that you cant drink as much as you used to..... until you pass out/black out/puke all over yourself or a loved one/run out of money faster/wind up in jail sooner/say or do something stupid sooner/start arguing with someone sooner?" I was on a roll until I got to this one. I was thinking I was going to "Ace" this test. Then again, it is really nothing to be proud of, now, is it?
Thanks everyone for the input. You've given me a new incentive to take better control over my life. I already knew that many people increase their drinking over time, but I sort of ignored this fact. You reminded me that alcoholism is a progressive disease.
@betterthanyesterday52
I think that this has something to do with the liver (failure). Usually people drink more and more and for a time their organism gets adjusted to processing large amounts of alcohol. When liver gives way you all of a sudden get drunk after only a shot or so. In other words - you are seriously sick at this point.
-- Edited by scruffy386 on Friday 6th of June 2014 07:10:23 AM
Yep, there's no 'badge of honor' for ace-ing this test, for sure ... ... ... #18 was the one I didn't answer yes to ... maybe cause I never told my doctor, honestly, how much I drank ...
I see your point about #21 ... It might should have read "Have you recently noticed that you cant drink as much as you used to?" (before you're so exhausted and need a nap?) ... cause when I was drink'n, I'd wake up for a few hours, have a few more drinks, then go lay down again ... the point is, is that I never really got sobered up ... so I don't think this question is very pertinent at all ... good catch BTY, made me think ... (I know Phil, that's dangerous for me, LOL) ...
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
