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What’s your definition of an alcoholic?


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12 minutes ago, bbb said:

 

Yeah, you're right - college kids aren't really associated with heavy drinking. 

 

I went to college in Ohio when you could only get 3.2% beer when you were 18, and had to wait until 21 to get “real beer”. I admit to a pissing problem back then. I was used to wonderful Canadian beers (I leaned Molson and OV’s) , and 3.2% Hudepohl led to excessive volume to get the same result. 

 

I very rarely drink a beer now. The same can not be said for wine. 

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Only you can answer the question. I highly recommend reading the first 164 pages of the AA "Big Book". If you are an alcoholic, or on track to become alcoholic, I believe you find your answer. If not, it is still a valuable read and may help you with any number of personal issues.

 

My name is Buffalokie and I am an alcoholic.

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I drink pretty much every day...but take quite a few "breaks " during the year of a week or 10 days . Drink more when not training for a race, less when I am training.

 

I think people know deep down whether they are alcoholics or not..they may not want to admit it as they are scared to quit, and the process of quitting, and life after quitting.

 

But you know.

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7 hours ago, bbb said:

 

Yeah, you're right - college kids aren't really associated with heavy drinking. 

 

Uh what?

 

in my late teens till my mid 20s I drank like there was no tomorrow despite being broke. Today, if I drink 10 times a year it’s a lot. And by drink, I mean have one beverage. Sometime in my 30s I decided that I had a problem with alcohol, and just stopped. 

 

To the OP, if you’re worried about it, it’s time to quit.

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FYI to everyone...I don’t consider myself an alcoholic at all.

 

If I drink too much one night...I don’t have a drink for at least a few days.  Very rarely drink  to where I’m drunk.  It doesn’t effect anything in my life negatively.  

I don’t drink much even when I’m tailgating because I want to be able to focus on watching the game.

 

it was just a general question and wanted to get your opinions.

 

If I drink to the point where Emma Stone is gorgeous, then I’ll say I have a problem.

Edited by Royale with Cheese
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6 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

FYI to everyone...I don’t consider myself an alcoholic at all.

 

If I drink too much one night...I don’t have a drink for at least a few days.  Very rarely drink  to where I’m drunk.  It doesn’t effect anything in my life negatively.  

I don’t drink much even when I’m tailgating because I want to be able to focus on watching the game.

 

it was just a general question and wanted to get your opinions.

 

If I drink to the point where Emma Stone is gorgeous, then I’ll say I have a problem.

You're only an alcoholic if it's a problem.

 

My family jokes that I'm an alcoholic. It's been two years since I was passed-out drunk, though. Even then, I remember everything from that night. It was in Vegas. When in Rome...

 

Emma Stone is getting prettier with age...like a fine wine.

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13 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Sorry, what I mean is the drinking is making them the jerk.  When they don't get the drink, that's where the problem is.

 

A friend of mine who went and still goes to AA told me that when one stops using alcohol, they must than deal with what he called the "ism." He implied that a personality defect caused the alcoholism.

 

Please don't attack me for saying this whereas I don't know if it is true. I am just repeating what I was told by a person who I respect.

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23 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

FYI to everyone...I don’t consider myself an alcoholic at all.

 

If I drink too much one night...I don’t have a drink for at least a few days.  Very rarely drink  to where I’m drunk.  It doesn’t effect anything in my life negatively.  

I don’t drink much even when I’m tailgating because I want to be able to focus on watching the game.

 

it was just a general question and wanted to get your opinions.

 

If I drink to the point where Emma Stone is gorgeous, then I’ll say I have a problem.

Somewhere theres a mystery to be unraveled here between wanting to get our opinions on Emma Stones attractiveness and alcoholism. 

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6 minutes ago, Bill from NYC said:

A friend of mine who went and still goes to AA told me that when one stops using alcohol, they must than deal with what he called the "ism." He implied that a personality defect caused the alcoholism.

 

Please don't attack me for saying this whereas I don't know if it is true. I am just repeating what I was told by a person who I respect.

Makes sense to me. Alcoholism is a way of coping with/avoiding something.

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21 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

You're only an alcoholic if it's a problem.

 

My family jokes that I'm an alcoholic. It's been two years since I was passed-out drunk, though. Even then, I remember everything from that night. It was in Vegas. When in Rome...

 

Emma Stone is getting prettier with age...like a fine wine.

 

I've never blacked out where I don't remember anything.  I've blacked out many times when I was younger but was able to recall everything the next day.  Events may not come immediately but eventually it all comes back.  

I know people that when they drink, that night is a mystery and have no clue what happened.  That would be scary for me.

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14 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

I have 2-3 glasses of wine or beers just about every night after the kids go to bed.  I guess if you add it all up I might have 20-25 drinks per week (a few more on weekend nights).  Some might consider me to be an alcoholic I guess.

 

I guess where I draw that line is whether or not the hooch has a negative impact on your life functioning.  Are you able to wake up and be productive at work?  Are you able to be kind to and provide for your family?  Are you able to have a few drinks without being an *****?  Do you know when is enough?

 

Alcohol doesn’t negatively impact my life (except for the few extra pounds and the rare mild hangover).  Bottoms up!

 

This pretty much describes me (sans the kids).  I consider it a European lifestyle; a few drinks a day is "normal" and I rarely drink "to get drunk" or because I feel I "need it."  I can't remember the last time my drinking had a negative impact on me or anyone around me.

 

If some want to call me an alcoholic so be it; I won't deny it.  I've thought about cutting back during the week but then I ask myself who would I be doing that for?  i talk to my doctors and they don't seem to be interested in telling me to do anything different.

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15 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

I have 2-3 glasses of wine or beers just about every night after the kids go to bed.  I guess if you add it all up I might have 20-25 drinks per week (a few more on weekend nights).  Some might consider me to be an alcoholic I guess.

 

I guess where I draw that line is whether or not the hooch has a negative impact on your life functioning.  Are you able to wake up and be productive at work?  Are you able to be kind to and provide for your family?  Are you able to have a few drinks without being an *****?  Do you know when is enough?

 

Alcohol doesn’t negatively impact my life (except for the few extra pounds and the rare mild hangover).  Bottoms up!

 

I drink in front of my kid...he's 3.  I don't get drunk around him but at dinner, I'll have a beer or two.  

I usually let him watch what he wants to watch on TV at night so I'll have a beer watching Zootopia, Minions, Dory/Nemo etc...

I feel that it's okay.

 

My birthday is early January and growing up, the Bills playoff games were always around that time.  We had one of my birthday party's at the same time as a Bills playoff game.  Bills game was on and my dad drank until he passed out....fell asleep on the couch.  That's something I'll never do to my kid.  

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19 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

I have 2-3 glasses of wine or beers just about every night after the kids go to bed.  I guess if you add it all up I might have 20-25 drinks per week (a few more on weekend nights).  Some might consider me to be an alcoholic I guess.

 

I guess where I draw that line is whether or not the hooch has a negative impact on your life functioning.  Are you able to wake up and be productive at work?  Are you able to be kind to and provide for your family?  Are you able to have a few drinks without being an *****?  Do you know when is enough?

 

Alcohol doesn’t negatively impact my life (except for the few extra pounds and the rare mild hangover).  Bottoms up!

That strikes me as a lot of drinking, but I think this level of consumption is fairly common with many people.

 

The question is whether or not you can skip your nightly routine of 2 or 3 glasses for a couple of nights and not notice you did it. If you can't, that might be something of an issue, though perhaps not a negative one ultimately.

 

Alcoholism is about an addiction or inability to stop a given level of consumption IMO.

 

I think the classic meaning of "alcoholic" is someone who is more or less drunk all day long, every day.

 

 

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7 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

That strikes me as a lot of drinking, but I think this level of consumption is fairly common with many people.

 

The question is whether or not you can skip your nightly routine of 2 or 3 glasses for a couple of nights and not notice you did it. If you can't, that might be something of an issue, though perhaps not a negative one ultimately.

 

Alcoholism is about an addiction or inability to stop a given level of consumption IMO.

 

I think the classic meaning of "alcoholic" is someone who is more or less drunk all day long, every day.

 

 

 

You judgmental bastard!!

 

jk

 

Yeah, I frequently takes nights off from drinking without even thinking about it.  I’m pretty sure I’m not “dependent.”  I do like a couple glasses of good dry red wine though!

4 hours ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

I drink in front of my kid...he's 3.  I don't get drunk around him but at dinner, I'll have a beer or two.  

I usually let him watch what he wants to watch on TV at night so I'll have a beer watching Zootopia, Minions, Dory/Nemo etc...

I feel that it's okay.

 

My birthday is early January and growing up, the Bills playoff games were always around that time.  We had one of my birthday party's at the same time as a Bills playoff game.  Bills game was on and my dad drank until he passed out....fell asleep on the couch.  That's something I'll never do to my kid.  

 

I also will have drinks in front of my kids.  Especially watching football on Sundays.  No biggie.  It’s a part of life that they are going to encounter eventually.  Might as well model for them how to do it safely and responsibly.

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You are an alcoholic if you are dependent on alcohol either physically or mentally.  If you stop drinking and you have physical withdrawal symptoms, then you are an alcoholic.  If you stop drinking and all you can think about is when you are going to drink again, then you are an alcoholic.  Quantity doesn't matter really.  It's dependence on it.  Typical alcoholics will drink more because of tolerance build ups over time.

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4 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

You judgmental bastard!!

 

jk

 

Yeah, I frequently takes nights off from drinking without even thinking about it.  I’m pretty sure I’m not “dependent.”  I do like a couple glasses of good dry red wine though!

 

I also will have drinks in front of my kids.  Especially watching football on Sundays.  No biggie.  It’s a part of life that they are going to encounter eventually.  Might as well model for them how to do it safely and responsibly.

 

Exactly...and that's the way I'm going to raise him.  I'm a firm believer that if you shelter your kid, when they get freedom when they get older....they aren't responsible with adult things they are supposed to be responsible for.  In this case...alcohol.  

 

In a few years, I'm taking him to a gun range and have him fire a pistol just so he understands how dangerous this is and it's not a toy.

I saw a news segment where they showed these 5 year old kids shooting at a gun range.  These kids now respect guns and understand the power it has.

Later on, they did a small case study.  They put a real gun unloaded on a table and put a bunch of kids in the room.  The kids grabbed the gun and played with it like a toy.  One kid put the gun right on another kids chest and pulled the trigger....he just thought it was a toy.  If that gun was loaded.....

 

The kids that had gun training and experience shooting one....they didn't grab the gun.  They knew it was a real gun and they shouldn't touch it.

2 minutes ago, Mark80 said:

You are an alcoholic if you are dependent on alcohol either physically or mentally.  If you stop drinking and you have physical withdrawal symptoms, then you are an alcoholic.  If you stop drinking and all you can think about is when you are going to drink again, then you are an alcoholic.  Quantity doesn't matter really.  It's dependence on it.  Typical alcoholics will drink more because of tolerance build ups over time.

 

This is a good definition and why I don't consider myself an alcoholic.  My ex and I would go through periodic cleanses....we would go a month or longer without any alcohol.

It didn't really affect me much at all and I was fine.  But that first drink after 30 or so days without a drop of it....buzzed after one beer.  

 

I'll get sick of alcohol of I've drank too much in a short period.  Like when my Manager and I had a business trip in Denver.  Denver has a ton of micro brews and we hit up a bunch in those two days.  I don't think I had another beer for almost a week after that.

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2 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Exactly...and that's the way I'm going to raise him.  I'm a firm believer that if you shelter your kid, when they get freedom when they get older....they aren't responsible with adult things they are supposed to be responsible for.  In this case...alcohol.  

 

In a few years, I'm taking him to a gun range and have him fire a pistol just so he understands how dangerous this is and it's not a toy.

I saw a news segment where they showed these 5 year old kids shooting at a gun range.  These kids now respect guns and understand the power it has.

Later on, they did a small case study.  They put a real gun unloaded on a table and put a bunch of kids in the room.  The kids grabbed the gun and played with it like a toy.  One kid put the gun right on another kids chest and pulled the trigger....he just thought it was a toy.  If that gun was loaded.....

 

The kids that had gun training and experience shooting one....they didn't grab the gun.  They knew it was a real gun and they shouldn't touch it.

 

I expose my kids to “hard drugs” in a similar fashion.  I take them over to Walmart and point out the “itchy scratchy” people.  

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21 hours ago, Royale with Cheese said:

For me it’s not as much quantity but more dependency.  

 

I drink almost everyday.  Not getting drunk but a few beers or glass or two of liquor.  I get drunk maybe 3 times a year.  Some people would call me an alcoholic...like my parents.  My mom actually denied me a glass of wine on Thanksgiving because of my “drinking problem”.

 

When I think of an alcoholic, I think of someone who doesn’t have a stopping point.  They drink until the bottle is out or they black out.  It may not happen everyday or week or month....but when they start, they can’t stop.

 

what did you do now?

 

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6 hours ago, Bill from NYC said:

A friend of mine who went and still goes to AA told me that when one stops using alcohol, they must than deal with what he called the "ism." He implied that a personality defect caused the alcoholism.

 

Please don't attack me for saying this whereas I don't know if it is true. I am just repeating what I was told by a person who I respect.

I don't know if it is true either. But, I do tend to agree.

 

My father is an alcoholic... He has had to deal with the "ism."  

 

I will NEVER attack You Bill!  Okay... LoL... Maybe in a fun way.  ? But, when it comes to stuff like this, things that matter: NEVER attack.

 

Hope all is well!

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1 hour ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

I was caught in my bathrobe dumping my sewage into the street sewer.  

 

you mean when you bent down your junk could see its shadow on the ground?

 

 

you gotta do what you gotta do, don't let that woman tell you otherwise

 

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