Thread: My abstinence from the booze...my progress as of Sat 21st July

are you an alcoholic if you drink every night to excess?

i thought you needed to be drinking vodka for breakfast to qualify.

No SBF, that is not the qualifications for an alkie.
It is the enability to have a drink and then quit without feeling like you have to have another drink, it is what happens to you when you drink.

I am an alcoholic, I didn't always drink daily, no binge, but when ever I had a drink, I would get drunk if possible, unable to stop.
In later years I did drink daily, never in the mornings if I had to go to work unless I was still drunk when I woke to go to work, and then I might have a beer and if I did, then I would continue to drink til I was smeared or passed out, but did not go to work.
But I ended as a full time 24/7 drunk, after 3 days in detox I woke when the drugs wore off, I didn't crave or want a drink and I have not had a drink in over 25 years, if it was truly addictive, then I would have had withdrawl symtoms for a long time after my last drink, I had none.

I know of an alkie that only drank beer, never hard stuff, and he never drank over 1 time a year, but when he had 1 he would continue until he was drunk and then that was it til next beer.

My stepdad never drank even once a year, but when he did, he would get a bottle of whiskey, throw the cap away and set at the table and get drunk as a skunk, then pass out and that was it until next time, which might be years away.
But his dad was a wino and was always drunk every chance he got, died a drunk.

Some might class it as addictive, but I do not because there is no lasting withdrawl/cravings for the use of it after the second day with no booze. and never any physical feelings after it is out of your system, not so with other drugs.

Medicine :: What is the most addictive drug?

The final criterion is intoxication. This is the degree of intoxication produced by the drug in typical use. Again the researchers are in agreement and rate alcohol as the most intoxicating of the drugs.
Given the complexity of the addictive process it is not surprising that there is not a clear 'winner' in all criteria. What some may find surprising is that for both researchers caffeine ranked higher than marijuana on a number of the criteria and indeed Berowitz rates caffeine higher than marijuana for dependence.
These results have been quoted many times by many researchers, commentators and reporters. They are usually interpreted as nicotine, or tobacco smoking, being named the most addictive substance purely on the definition of the difficulty in refraining. What the results do show is that addiction is a complex and multi-facetted activity and that it is impossible to reduce it to a simple metric..

I only ever drabk in the morning once, ever: When my flight was delayed at Gatwick by 24hrs to Bangkok I had a pint of Guinesss at 9am after a heavy binge the night before.

Originally Posted by blackgang

if it was truly addictive, then I would have had withdrawl symtoms for a long time after my last drink, I had none.

You slept through your withdrawal with the medication they gave you.

When I was working on Saipan we used to go to the Hyatt Sunday Brunch every week. Same table for ten years. Of course, they were quite liberal at pouring the sparkling wine. At first I used to drink all they'd pour, but I felt like crap for the rest of the day so I finally taught myself to have one glass and then move on to coffee or something else. But, it's still so easy for me to fall into that "just one more" trap.

As a matter of fact I'd love "just one" right now, but I'm gonna wait until 6....

My sunday brunch used to be a plate of bull nuts and sweetbreads and a few 16 oz glasses of Budweiser at Bosio's bowery in Portland Oregon.

Originally Posted by blackgang

a few 16 oz glasses of Budweiser

You poor bastard. No wonder you gave up drinking.

Naw, thats what was on tap, I usually drank that in the states, When away and could get it I drank Tuborg copenhagen, and over here in this area I drank San Maguel Manila, just beer in Thailand as not any of it was real spiffy.

Worst shit I ever drank was Ba Mu Ba in Nam.

Originally Posted by blackgang

Naw, thats what was on tap.

Even worse if you don't mind me saying!

Originally Posted by DJ Pat

I only ever drabk in the morning once, ever: When my flight was delayed at Gatwick by 24hrs to Bangkok I had a pint of Guinesss at 9am after a heavy binge the night before.

You really need to get yourself checked into rehab now.

Well, three nights, fours days and I'm fine.

you shouldn't stop, just learn how to control the drinking

one night going wild is no big deal if it's an exception

Originally Posted by Butterfly

you shouldn't stop, just learn how to control the drinking

one night going wild is no big deal if it's an exception

I think with alcoholics, they can't control it - thats the key issue. Thats why they can't just have one small sherry and then lay off.

Good luck Pat, it sounds like you consume a lot volume wise but you're not on spirits, or carrying vodka in an Evian bottle like my alkie mate Edward used to do.

A proper AA programme will also help a lot.

valium (benzodiazapenes) are a very dangerous substitute for alcohol.

blackgang -- (you stupid ****) -- i challenge you to find a reputable source to support your contention that alcohol (ETOH) is not a drug. are you able to provide a scintilla of evidence beyond your own opiions?

Pat.

As a compromise, why don't you just have one small glass of dry sherry each evening, then put the bottle away till the next day.

GOTM

Thats the thing, if he could have one and put it away then he wouldnt be having any problems.
So he shouldnt have the first one,, thats the one that gets you drunk.

Originally Posted by obsidian

(you stupid ****) --

Originally Posted by obsidian

(you stupid ****) -- i challenge you to find a reputable source to support your contention that alcohol (ETOH) is not a drug

Hey stupid, I never said it wasn't a drug, I said it was not addictive in the sense that most consider addictive..
A lot of things are drugs and not addictive,,

guess not...expert....brahahahahaha

Originally Posted by blackgang

Hey stupid, I never said it wasn't a drug, I said it was not addictive in the sense that most consider addictive..

perhaps you can support this distorttion then. any independent source beyond your own assertions???

5-6 big bottles a night is quite a lot. I'm surprised Pat manages to make it down the gym for sparring at all after that.

If you like getting drunk occasionally, and don't actually think you've hit the stage of being a full on, uncontrollable alcoholic, maybe just limiting yourself to one or two nights a week when it's appropriate, and you don't have to get up early the next day, is the way to go. The rest of the week don't touch a drop. That approach works for me.

Good luck Pat.

It is just easier to not have any and then you do not need to worry about stopping or how much to drink, not having any does away with all the bullshit, and it is far easier.

This thread was about stopping drinking for one guy, and has since gone way off topic and is on addiction now instead of getting off the booze.
Has nothing to do with addiction, cravings or obsessive drinking, but how to stop drinking.
I do know how it is done and thats what I have tried to do and so if you want a thread about addiction, why not start one and I will stay off of it, but I will have no more to say on this one and will leave it to the experts about how it is done. so you addiction experts can

Originally Posted by DJ Pat

I only ever drabk in the morning once, ever: When my flight was delayed at Gatwick by 24hrs to Bangkok I had a pint of Guinesss at 9am after a heavy binge the night before.

Pat, if you've only ever once drank in the morning I think you may be over reacting about your problem. How much do you drink in an avergae week?