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Miracles In Progress 12 Step Recovery Forums -> Alcoholics Anonymous -> Alcoholics Anonymous -> Is it possible that I'm not an "alcoholic" but merely a "problem drinker"?
Post Info TOPIC: Is it possible that I'm not an "alcoholic" but merely a "problem drinker"?
TipsyMcstagger


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Is it possible that I'm not an "alcoholic" but merely a "problem drinker"?
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I have a happy family life, a successful career, no DUI or arrest record, most of my natural teeth, etc. Aside from some REALLY bad hangovers I don't have too many negative things to show for my drinking. Is it possible that I'm just a person dealing with a variety of guilt related issues and not so much the actual problems of true alcoholism?

 

(Please be respectful because it's a sincere question)

 

 



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davep12and12


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You've been around long enough to know that the external consequences of a person's drinking are not the best metric to determine whether the person has alcoholism or not. 

 

You know that this question can be answered by looking at things like:

- do you develop a sense of craving once you begin drinking, making it difficult or uncomfortable to stop after just one or two small drinks, when you have just begun to feel the effects?

- do you do things like attempt to drink, but "control" the drinking in some way like limiting the number of drinks or the type of drinks etc., but then once you start drinking, you typically cannot always reliably adhere to those attempts to 'control it', seemingly changing your mind about those 'rules' once you get the first couple of drinks in you, etc.?

- Do you still experience the idea, EVEN WHEN TECHNICALLY SOBER, that you can drink, and that you'll control and enjoy your drinking, even when a substantial amount of evidence from your drinking history indicates that attempts to do so have generally not been successful, and the results of the attempts cannot be predicted in advance?

 

 



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Tanin


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TipsyMcstagger wrote:

 

I have a happy family life, a successful career, no DUI or arrest record, most of my natural teeth, etc. Aside from some REALLY bad hangovers I don't have too many negative things to show for my drinking. Is it possible that I'm just a person dealing with a variety of guilt related issues and not so much the actual problems of true alcoholism? 

Take the Tanin Alcoholism Quiz

1. How many times have you gotten drunk in the last year?

2. How many times have you blacked out in the last year?

3. How many times have you driven a motor vehicle drunk (.08 BAC) , lifetime?

4. Other than driving drunk, how many times have you committed a crime while drinking?

5. How many times have you lied about drinking, lifetime?

 



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First, deal with the things that might kill you.

 
Pythonpappy


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I like your test Pickle, ... and I wouldn't want to publish my answers to your quiz the year before I came to AA for good ... although the answers say I'm right where I should be ... sober ...

Tipster,
If you're even give'n thought as to whether or not you're an alcoholic, chances are that you are ...
- no DUI record??? ... YET
- no arrest record??? ... YET
They will come

It's kind of funny ... I was in 'n out of AA for years and I said the very same thing ... doubt'd I had a serious problem ... just liked to drink a lot ... then it happen ... arrested for DUI and sat in jail for 4 freak'n days before my wife decided to pay bail ... THEN, the shit hit the fan ... (I was drunk before I got home from jail ... I kinda knew I had a drink'n problem ...


Pappy



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Zoomtopz


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yup Pappy , bit like myself.

Talked my way into "th rathouse" on Sat afternoon . Talked my way out on Mon morning .

after th Dr asked me . "Do you think the reason you are in here is because of the amount

you drink" I NEVER want to forget my reply . "Well if it is I will give it up " Within an hour

of saying that  I was having "one for th road". In the hotel , right outside the gate of that

Psychiatric hospital . Three months later , I was back . Introduced to th detox unit , then

introduced to AA . Have not "needed" to pick up a drink since 0700 , 11th Aug 1986 , my

last drink , was 11:00pm 10th Aug 86. I was told at my 1st AA meeting . If I was "Alcoholic

and kept drinking . I Promise . All the things that happen to alcoholics , WILL Happen to you.

IF You give this a go , there IS A Chance you will get well" . I decided to take that chance



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Rick.

@ 37 I was too young & good looking to be an alkie.

still too young , still got th good looks. still n alkie.
leavetherest


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If you have tried to quit drinking for any reason and have not been able to....
If you feel guilty for drinking....
If you defend your drinking....
If drinking has caused problems in your relationships....
If you lie about your drinking...
If you hide your alcohol.....
If you spend money on alcohol and have trouble paying bills.....
If you make excuses why you have to drink....
If you tell yourself that you are going to quit drinking when you wake up with a hangover and still drink...

Hi Tipsy......You came up with your user ID for some reason and you have been on this board since 2009. I can think of hundreds of things I would rather be doing with my time other than coming to this board if I didn't think I had a problem with drinking. You keep coming back for a reason and I doubt it only has to do with guilt related issues unless possibly those issues are the result of your drinking.

And I say this with respect and and not trying to judge you. I am in no position to judge anyone.



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Zoomtopz


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right about th judge bit LTR

I have been a Sailor - 6yrs Royal Australian Navy

& 44yrs Long distant Truck Driver.

I AIN'T been appointed a judge - Y.E.T.

Yeah Tipsy - I "Had" everything . Th Pretty lady , nice home , fancy car , high paying job . BUT.

What was a Good looking , successful bloke like me doing in a Psych hospital , for th 2nd time.

I'd say . If you have/were introduced to AA , then your drinking IS Over.

If not . It IS going to be spoiled . Big time .



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Rick.

@ 37 I was too young & good looking to be an alkie.

still too young , still got th good looks. still n alkie.
Baba Louie


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I'd say if it ain't a problem, then what are you worried about? 

If drinking never became a problem for me, I wouldn't have quit.

im not gonna sit here and try to convince you that you're an alkie, and you should stop drinking.   It took a lot for me to realize it. I had to have a lot of stuff go wrong, and really physically and mentally feel like shit, before I woke up one day, and said "I can't do this anymore. I can't take it anymore. It's getting me nowhere, it's expensive, it's killing me, and if I don't stop now, I'm going to get in some real trouble, with my physical and mental health, and probably with the law, and I may reach the point of no turning back". 

You might reach that point, you may not. Some people can drink all their lives, and it's not a big deal. 

Im not one of those people.



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Fyne Spirit


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"We do not like to pronounce any individual as alcoholic, but you can quickly diagnose yourself. Step over to the nearest barroom and try some controlled drinking. Try to drink and stop abruptly. Try it more than once. It will not take long for you to decide, if you are honest with yourself about it. It may be worth a bad case of jitters if you get a full knowledge of your condition."

That's from the Big Book. Of course it might kill you, but I never let a small problem like that get in the way of my efforts to prove this alcoholism thing was all a big mistake. It was worth it for me. I proved beyond any doubt that I had the phenomenon of craving that never occurs in the average temperate drinker. From then I knew exactly what my problem was, and I was able to take clear and decisive action to solve it. There were no conditions, no half measures because I really really knew at long last what the problem was. I've been sober ever since.

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Fyne Spirit

Walking with curiosity.
Dodsworth


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To answer your question, yes.



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Tanin


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Is it possible that I'm not an
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Heya, Tipsy. Still out there?

How ya doin'?

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First, deal with the things that might kill you.

 
Bunchie


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What's the difference between a problem drinker and an alcoholic, my name is Bunchie and I am an alcoholic or My name is Bunchie and I am a problem drinker. I too have not had prior arrests and I am financially stable but I lied to myself for too long. Look in the mirror the truth will come out.
Bunchie

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Bunchie
Tanin


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RE: Is it possible that I'm not an "alcoholic" but merely a "problem drinker"?
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In AA, a problem drinker and an alcoholic are the same.



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First, deal with the things that might kill you.

 
Pythonpappy


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Amen to that!!!



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Tanin


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Is it possible that I'm not an
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Heya, Pappy. How goes it? How's the health?

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First, deal with the things that might kill you.

 
Pythonpappy


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RE: Is it possible that I'm not an "alcoholic" but merely a "problem drinker"?
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Hey man, ... it's still somewhat 'touch 'n go' ... I have good days then bad days ... right now I'm runnin' 6 good days in a row ... which seems like a record, for me, over the past few months ... I'm try'n to be optimistic, but ever time I think I'm past the worst of it, I have the bad days return and kick my butt, LOL ... Doc's reports are good, they tell me to be patient ... still very weak, but I think the cardiac rehab is do'n me good ... you know, work'n out with a bunch of old farts with scars from their throats to their belly buttons has woken me up to the fact that 'I'm right where I belong, LOL' ... (least I still got dark hair ... everone else is gray haired if they got any hair at all, LOL ... SO, I'm grateful) ... (plus, I don't feel like get'n a gun and shoot'n myself anymore ...) ...


Thanks for ask'n Bro ... ... ...



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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Tanin


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Sounds like rough duty, man. But also progress.

That's what we need you to claim: progress not expiration.

Keep agoin'.

 



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First, deal with the things that might kill you.

 
Teah


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Is it possible that I'm not an
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I'm very young, 23.. I've had a ton of addiction in my family. I've ruined my own life a lot and I don't know where to start with help. I told myself 4 days ago that I was never going to drink again, but now I am

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Tanin


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RE: Is it possible that I'm not an "alcoholic" but merely a "problem drinker"?
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Welcome to the discussion forum, T.

Here's a good article that may be helpful.

 

http://aa.activeboard.com/t62481298/how-to-tell-if-youre-an-alcoholicand-how-to-get-help-today/

 



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First, deal with the things that might kill you.

 
Pythonpappy


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Welcome to MIP Teah, ...

Yeah Teah, ... I can't remember how many times I did that too ... definitely a sign of a problem ... I'd get up one morn'n, look at myself in the mirror and curse and spit at myself for getting drunk, AGAIN ... I promised my many times over, NEVER AGAIN ... but the next morn'n, OR after a few days trying to get over a bad drunk, I'd be do'n the same damn thing ALL over ...

It wasn't until I accepted the fact that I needed help from somewhere else, that I started on the path to recovery ... It's all up to you, you are the only one that can choose your future ... you are the only one that can make that decision ... keep drink'n and have a shitty future OR decide to get help and see and learn how others, just like you, quit for good ...

This is a good place to start, but for real progress, I suggest go'n to AA meet'ns and get a sponsor who can show you how they got sober ... go to a few meet'ns and pay attention to someone who is 'happy with their sobriety, then ask them to help you ... you will not regret it ... ... ...



Love ya and God Bless,
Pappy



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