Am I an alcoholic or do I just love to drink?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here with an update: It’s been 30 days without a drink. In the end, I decided it didn’t matter if I was technically an alcoholic. I wanted to cut down and found it difficult to do so. I questioned my will, which I’ve never done in other areas of my life. The real clincher was when I told my tween daughter I was thinking about cutting back and she said, “Sure, mom, you’ve said that before.”

The first week was rough but it got easier. After two weeks I noticed I was sleeping through the night for the first time in years. Generally, I have more energy now and I’m feeling good about my resolve to take better care of myself. I haven’t lost any weight yet, which is a bummer, but I feel confident that will come in time. I don’t talk about it much with others, because I don’t want people to feel like I’m judging them (and maybe I’m afraid of jinxing myself). But so far so good.

Thanks everyone.

Hey OP, glad to hear it! Thanks for reporting back. It's interesting that you mention questioning your will - sounds like you thought that if you were a better person, you'd be stronger and not drink so much. Don't put that on yourself. Just keep working toward your goals. Sounds like you're headed in the right direction. Wishing you the best!

[Anonymous]

If there is a bottle of wine in your recycle bin each night, then you probably have a problem.

[Anonymous]

I was like this (except not premenopausal yet). But, I was waking up not feeling rested. And then, I had two weekends in a row where I went to different events and got very drunk. The hangovers were the worst the next day. After the second weekend, I decided that alcohol and I just don't mix well anymore (I don't think we ever really did) and I needed to find something else to do at night to relax. It's been a few weeks without alcohol now. I had one drink the other night and woke up the next morning feeling unwell. I really don't have the desire to drink anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here with an update: It’s been 30 days without a drink. In the end, I decided it didn’t matter if I was technically an alcoholic. I wanted to cut down and found it difficult to do so. I questioned my will, which I’ve never done in other areas of my life. The real clincher was when I told my tween daughter I was thinking about cutting back and she said, “Sure, mom, you’ve said that before.”

The first week was rough but it got easier. After two weeks I noticed I was sleeping through the night for the first time in years. Generally, I have more energy now and I’m feeling good about my resolve to take better care of myself. I haven’t lost any weight yet, which is a bummer, but I feel confident that will come in time. I don’t talk about it much with others, because I don’t want people to feel like I’m judging them (and maybe I’m afraid of jinxing myself). But so far so good.

Thanks everyone.

Great job, OP!! Admirable self-discipline and dedication!!

[Anonymous]

Wine is good!

[Anonymous]

I think a drinking problem can take many forms. Most people seem think an alcoholic is a person who gets stumbling drunk every day, but I think it is a lot more nuanced than that.
I used to drink A LOT in my 20s – I regularly went out every weekend and got wasted, and often during the week I’d go out to happy hour or have a few glasses of wine at home. I was in law school and then early in my career as an attorney at the time. I could stop drinking for lengthy periods of time, like when I was studying for the bar, but I do think I had a drinking problem because often when I drank, I put myself into some REALLY unsafe situations, made very poor decisions, and just made a fool out of myself in general. I can remember feeling so low and depressed about the poor decisions I made when I was drunk.
I can’t tell you how much better I feel now that I barely drink and have moved past that point in my life. Heavy drinking is almost like a trigger for me; it puts me back in that very dark point in my life, and it brings back the feelings of depression and anxiety.
OP, I think you know the answer to your question; if you feel the need to post about whether your drinking is a problem, then it probably is. I think you need to have a long talk with your husband about it, if he drinks as much as you do, he probably has a drinking problem as well.

[Anonymous]

Checking recycling bin before weekly pickup is a great indicator unnless one has switched over to boxes. Boxed vine is sure-fire indicator of some sort of problem

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here with an update: It’s been 30 days without a drink. In the end, I decided it didn’t matter if I was technically an alcoholic. I wanted to cut down and found it difficult to do so. I questioned my will, which I’ve never done in other areas of my life. The real clincher was when I told my tween daughter I was thinking about cutting back and she said, “Sure, mom, you’ve said that before.”

The first week was rough but it got easier. After two weeks I noticed I was sleeping through the night for the first time in years. Generally, I have more energy now and I’m feeling good about my resolve to take better care of myself. I haven’t lost any weight yet, which is a bummer, but I feel confident that will come in time. I don’t talk about it much with others, because I don’t want people to feel like I’m judging them (and maybe I’m afraid of jinxing myself). But so far so good.

Thanks everyone.

Yay, OP! Great update!!

[Anonymous]

That's awesome OP.

[Anonymous]

Well done OP!! I found that my weight took a while to come back too. But it did eventually. So liberating not being so dependent on alcohol.

[Anonymous]

Good work,OP.

And another recommendation for This Naked Mind. Most of the people who have posted on this thread are gray area drinkers and this book would be helpful.

[Anonymous]

Good to hear that you are feeling better OP! I have switched from wine on the couch to a selzer (in a pretty glass) on the couch. I flavor it with a squeeze of citrus, splash of juice, a few drops of bitters, or some fresh herbs. It feels cocktail-y, but doesn't make me pack on weight or give me a hang-over!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good to hear that you are feeling better OP! I have switched from wine on the couch to a selzer (in a pretty glass) on the couch. I flavor it with a squeeze of citrus, splash of juice, a few drops of bitters, or some fresh herbs. It feels cocktail-y, but doesn't make me pack on weight or give me a hang-over!

Sounds great! I’ll try it. I like cranberry, seltzer and lime in a wine glass. And I bought a pretty teapot to celebrate my one-month anniversary. I figure if I spend enough money celebrating, it just might stick.