I think I'm becoming an alcoholic

Yes, you are an alcoholic. Please go talk to your primary care provider. Do it today.

The first reply in this thread really helped me look at my drinking in a new way OP

[quote]I'm also starting to require larger quantities in order to just feel a slight buzz.

A bright red flag waving in front of your eyes. Listen to R1.

Sweetie, you know it's time to change! Bravo! My husband had to, too. It can be done!! You can do it. I quit drinking 20 years ago myself. I still like the weed but that's just me. It can be done!!

Hi OP,

You might not have quite got to the point where you're physically dependent on alcohol, but the likelihood is that might be where you end up. It's good you've noticed some warning signs before full-on dependence sets in.

I'm only six months sober so won't pretend to be an expert, but there's always a reason we drink. Going to AA can work to help you understand your own reasons by listening to others - the stories are always the same. AA isn't for everyone, of course.

Some people do manage to cut down and restrict their drinking once they've acknowledged it was becoming a problem. For others abstinence is the only solution. With alcoholism, once we've crossed a lot of boundaries, they're crossed for good and there's no turning back from them. Turning up to family events with a drink in the system, drinking oneself to sleep etc. It can be hard to get out of those habits without some kind of help.

I'd maybe suggest you're showing 'alcoholic behaviours' rather than outright, full-blown alcoholism, but those lines are often blurred. I wish you well.

Get off this anonymous site and check with your medical care providers.

Why the fuck are you bothering us about your obvious issues?

Typical.

People joke, but I hope you never experience alcoholic neuropathy. I promise, you don't want it.

R6 there's loads of great support to be had here, it's helped me in the past

If it helps at all, when I just last had covid this Fall, I stopped drinking altogether. It was boring but I told myself “it was for my health”. And it was a great reset. When i did start drinking again after about ten days, it was much more easy to moderate

OP, I'm in the same boat as you.

I got hooked in high school, and then partied hard in college.

The only problem is that I never stopped.

I'm basically a functioning alcoholic.

And the fact that I suffer from depression and anxiety doesn't help at all.

I need a drink just to step out the door, because being out in the world really stresses me out.

I actually had to cut back because I developed bad rashes and gout from drinking too much. Not to mention that I just feel really shitty overall.

But I can't stop. Because alcohol relaxes me and relieves my anxiety. Especially since I hate "popping pills" like most people with depression and anxiety.

I don't know what you tell you. It's a lose-lose situation.

I've said this before, please research The Sinclair Method. It was fist suggested to me by someone on DL and it is saving my life.

You're playing games with death.

Crave ❤️

Oh, and one of the biggest benefits is besides no hangovers, I am able to take a solid shit.

Your primary care physician can manage withdrawal and prescribe medications that reduce cravings or make you sick if you drink alcohol. If you don't want to go to your doctor, you can go to a treatment center, which is recommended if you are taking in a lot of alcohol daily -- you could withdraw and have a seizure. In other words, it's very good that you recognize you have a problem, but your usage may be so high that just quitting could cause a medical emergency.

R8 Support is not treatment. Physicians offer treatment. DL does not.

Why would anyone come here anonymously to discuss a problem they already know they have?

Writing about it on DL does nothing and possibly less than nothing if writing here is a substitute for seeking medical/psychological help from trained professionals.

This is from Johns Hopkins but the link I’m sharing has more specific information about how awful end-stage alcoholism can be. Echoing the comments above to encourage you to please seek professional medical help asap. Good luck.

As of 2023, the National Institutes of Health defines heavy alcohol use as:

For men, consuming 5 or more drinks on any day or 15 or more drinks per week For women, consuming 4 or more drinks on any day or 8 or more drinks per week In the United States, one standard drink has 14 grams of pure alcohol (ethanol). Some examples include 12 fluid ounces of regular beer, 5 fluid ounces of table wine, and 1 shot of distilled spirits (e.g., gin, whiskey, vodka).

Ask your HCP about Seroquel.

[quote]I'm also starting to require larger quantities in order to just feel a slight buzz. I went through half a bottle of Jack Daniels with no chaser before I felt anything on Friday. My father was an alcoholic and alcoholism/addiction exists on both sides of my family. Should I seek help?

OMG. Is that a real question OP?

Ignore R16, who has absolutely nothing of value to contribute. Ever.

OP, recognising you have a problem is the hardest part, and you’re already doing that. If you cannot enjoy alcohol in small, infrequent doses, then it’s not for you — and that is totally fine.

Apart from professional help, you could start with identifying your triggers. When do you want to drink? Why? How come you want to keep drinking?

I always try to be mindful that I am consuming poison when I drink a glass of wine, whiskey, etc. Drunk = poisoned liver. It helps reframing alcohol consumption and it makes it all a little less innocent. Alcohol is a drug, and it simply isn’t for everyone.

I wish you all the very best, we are here for you!!

R20 I can testify to this. I have idiopathic cardiomyopathy which may or may not be a byproduct of my alcoholism. Had I continued to drink like I did, I would either be dead or impaired by a stroke. That fear is strong - and real.

Congratulations on making the right choice, R21!

Thank you for all of the kind words. I actually made this post while drinking (of course) and even then was concerned. I have an appointment with my PCP next week to discuss the matter in further detail.

R16 sometimes reflecting on someone else's experience, what helped them or even gaining a new perspective can be immensely helpful in managing an area of your life that's getting out of control but still within range of being reigned in.

I wasn't suggesting DL offered a fix-all or secret answer, but it can be helpful and reassuring nonetheless.

Don’t forget, R23, to make out a Happy Sober Holidays cheque to your friend Dutchie