Alcohol, been sober for 9 monthes ok to drink in moderation?

[bisonbison]

I would suggest not drinking.

There's no rule that says someone who used to abuse alcohol can't become a well adjusted social drinker, but it can be a very difficult transition, and for what end? It's only alcohol.

[bisonbison]

Now you might not fit this pattern but untreated depression is a common symptom of alcohol abuse.

depression and alcohol abuse are corollated, and each can help establish and maintain the other, but they're not really symptoms.

[soko]

Alcoholism runs in my family, my mother quit for 5 YEARS!! and one day her and her boyfriend had a few drinks and ever since she has become a full time alcoholic again and she sees nothing wrong with that at all, the [censored] plays tricks with your brain if your addicted. I reccomend you go to an AA meeting sometime and just talk to some of the people who have stoped drinking and listen to their stories, it will put everything in perspective. And just because you go to an AA meeting doesnt mean you are an alcoholic, it's really not that bad, you dont have to say anything if you dont want to, you can just go and listen to others talk and leave or talk only if you want to.

[jaybee_70]

Hi,
You said . . .
[ QUOTE ]
The reason I quit in the first place is because it was ruining my life. Drinking too much and gettin sick some nights, the headaches, the hangovers, the depression. Not having any friends or much of a life.

[/ QUOTE ]
You also said . . .
[ QUOTE ]
I was thinking about it not just becasue I read on a website, but becasue my life has been very dull lately, and maybey a drink or two during the day would make me feel better, and make my life better in general.

[/ QUOTE ]

Classic proof that addiction is a terrible insidious trap. In spite of proof that alcohol makes you feel like crap, you will try to convince yourself that a little alcohol will will make your life better. The missing ingredient from your life ain't alcohol.

Joe

[kyzerjose]

Agreed, symptom was not the best word to use.

[shish]

Hey man. Congrats on being sober for 9 months. I think you already know the answer. I'll share part of my story with you, hopefully it will help you. I'm 25 and in the Navy. I went on two deployments, went to Australia, partied really hard and all that. I had some occasions where I drank too much, I was really good at "handling" large amounts of alcohol, and would always drink my friends under the table. I wouldn't drive drunk, and I would go weeks without drinking (from my ship being underway) without withdrawal or whatever. But my problem was different than the normal - "I drink all the time, and I need to drink" I would love to be a social drinker. But I can't. I can't just have one or two beers, or a mixed drink. I just want to have more and more and more. About 4 months ago I stopped drinking for a month. I would do that every few months, which would convince me that I was ok. Of course as I said above, drinking frequency isn't my problem. After this month, I decided that I would try to drink in moderation. I had a glass of beer when I went out to dinner with my fiancee and I was ok. I had some wine with dinner another night the following week. Then while I was sick and she was at work on a Saturday, I thought it would be a good idea to have a beer that my roommate had in the fridge. That beer turned into about 10, added to the medicine I had taken, by the time she got home, I was incoherant and babbling. I felt incredibly horrible the next morning, not physically, emotionally, because I love this woman and she shouldn't have to deal with that. That was 3 months ago and I haven't drank anything and have no desire to. I should rephrase, sometimes I want to drink and I think of how I felt that morning. I wrote down a letter to my fiancee and told her to save it in case I ever think that drinking is a good idea.

When I'm playing with my buddies and they're drinking beer, I'll pick up some O'Douls. I always thought it was stupid, but sometimes I really want the taste of beer, and obvioulsy I shouldn't drink a beer. With some people I suppose that this could give them the craving for real beer, but for me it works. I don't really know of an alternative for liquor, it sounds like you want more of what it feels like than what it tastes like, so the O'Douls option wouldn't work. I'm totally comfortable with my decision, and I don't regret it for a second. I haven't been to an AA meeting, but it is a great organization, a couple close family members are members and they'd be in bad shape if it wasn't for AA. If you find yourself really craving a drink, go to a meeting. Email me if you want to talk. I'm not an expert, but I know how it feels.

[Bluffoon]

No