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Am I an Alcoholic?
    #7581855 -

Here's the situation:

I'm 19 years old, I'm a full time student at a college planning on graduating with a degree in philosophy and behavioural neuroscience. I have a 3.5 GPA and I do pretty good in school.

I have a two-year-old daughter that I see every-other-day. I still have some internal issues about the situation (you try being sixteen and having a child), but I've gotten to the point where I can now at least honestly say I love her.

Enough background, here's the deal: Every night that I don't have my daughter I go over to my college and hangout with my friends over there. Yes, we all drink--quite a bit. Nearly every night I'm over there, I drink. Here are some specifics:

Sometimes I drink alone (but it's not unusual with my circle of friends--they don't look down on it). Often I steal my alcohol because I'm underage and I don't have enough money (but, also take into consideration I also steal other things, not only booze. so it's not specifically only alcohol that I steal).

On nights where I don't drink, and I'm over with my friends, it's alright--but I feel like it could be better if I were drinking. It's kind of like sober nights are boring...

However! Here's some good things: I never drink when I have homework. If I need to get some homework done, I just get it done--and then go drink. Class in the morning doesn't matter, I've gone to class in the morning drunk because of staying up until 4am the night before drinking, however.

I never drink around my daughter. I don't drink on days I'm going to see her.

I never drink before I go to work, I've never gone to work drunk or hungover.

I never drink before... 4-ish. But that's just because I feel like i shouldn't because of society--not because i internally feel that it's "wrong."

So what's up? am I just a binge-drinking college kid or an alcoholic? Some friends and I have been debating this lately, and I'm just curious. This isn't any kind of cry for help (i'm drinking tonight regardless), I'm just
Am I an Alcoholic?
You may choose only one


Votes accepted from 10/31/07 06:17 PM until the end of time
You must vote before you can view the results of this poll



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YIPPIE!

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: AnarchoTrip]
    #7581919 -

I don't know man, do you think you're an alcoholic? Do you feel like you're drinking negatively affects your life? Does it damage your social relationships? Do you feel like drinking less would allow you to make further progress in whatever goals you have? Is drinking an escape from your problems? Can you have fun without drinking?

Drinking frequently and stealing booze do not mean that a person is an alcoholic. Drinking despite the fact that it damages important things in your life would mean that you have a problem. Get my drift? Since none of us know you, none of us can tell you whether or not it's a problem for you. Only you and your friends and family have that kind of insight.

I'm voting 'no' just so I can see the poll results, so discount one no vote... it would be good to have a 'maybe' option as well...

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: AnarchoTrip]
    #7581984 -

I'm guessing that if you're not then you're on your way. Alcoholism is pretty rampant and often starts early on -but I feel like it could be better if I were drinking this is IMO a giveaway.

You seem like a cool guy and have set some guidelines for your drinking. Unfortunately as we go on in life things often become more challenging then less and our guidelines slowly or quickly go out the window often with serious and damaging consequences.

I have seen so much of this in friends and workmates that for me it is almost a given.


--------------------
"Don't believe everything you think". -Anom.

" All that lives was born to die"-Anom.

With much wisdom comes much sorrow,
The more knowledge, the more grief.
Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: Icelander]
    #7582270 -

The fact that you asked this implies that you yourself, suspects you are an alcoholic.

I would suggest getting drunk only once or twice a month if you have to. It's bad for you and you should find a way to enjoy life without it.

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: AnarchoTrip]
    #7582307 -

Would it be rude of me to point out that this probably the wrong forum?


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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: AnarchoTrip]
    #7582318 -

I find answers come easier when you take the concept of society out of the equation.

If you were alone, stranded on an island, and on this magical wonderful island all your favorite drinks wash up on shore to keep you in drink, and you find yourself drinking as much as you do now.... would you consider yourself an alcoholic?

my favorite quote from my father is when he would say "son, I would be an alcoholic if I had enough time".
How do you define an alcoholic? well, I think the best definition is whether or not it begins to interfere with your goals and in general your prospective life.
If you think that it is interferring with something like gaining full custody of your daughter, or your school work, or the respect you get from others... then yeah, you have a "problem"...

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: Silversoul]
    #7582334 -

Silversoul said:
Would it be rude of me to point out that this probably the wrong forum?


maybe he was looking for a philosophical response rather than 14 posts about how "I used to be an alcoholic" and "my dad was an alcoholic", like he would get in the health forum.

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: AnarchoTrip]
    #7582476 -

An alcoholic can be defined as someone who abuses alcohol.

An alcoholic can also be defined as someone who is chemically dependent on alcohol.

Mental dependence and physical dependence.

Drinking in the way you describe is abuse IMO, making you a mental addict.

Is getting drunk, abuse de facto?


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rahz

comfort pleasure power love     truth awareness peace I am      I feel      I do     I love  I speak    I see    I know

why there is reality and patterned, law-like consistency at all, rather than noise or non-reality is not a question physics answers. It's a question physics presupposes an answer to in order to provide other answers.

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: AnarchoTrip]
    #7582510 -

I think the best way to test your level of dependence is to take a couple weeks or a month off drinking. If you find yourself craving alcohol, bored and frustrated because you can't have it, than maybe you have a problem. Several of my alcoholic friends have taken celibacy periods off of drinking, and it was good for them. They still drink and they don't plan on quitting, but living without your vice for an extended period of time helps you learn how to enjoy yourself without it and guage how much of a problem it really is. At least one of those friends came out of it with the decision to calm it down a bit. She used to drink straight swill liquor because it was too expensive to buy mix (but she could afford the booze) and she would buy liquor before food most days, often barely eating. This is a problem. She is still a drinker, but now she eats a lot more and drinks less frequently and less quantity.

Take a break, see how it goes. :shrug:

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: Rahz]
    #7582533 -

:shitstorm:

how do you abuse alcohol? beat it with a stick? say that it should cover up its chest pillows?
that term is such psychobabble crap...

an alcoholic is defined as that other guy who drinks more than you more often than you, making you thus, not an alcoholic.
Trying to objectively put some threshold on alcoholic/non-alcoholic is ridiculous.

If you can keep your play time from interfering with your serious time, then you are managing your hedonism properly.

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: Rahz]
    #7582573 -

Mental dependence

Psychological (mental) dependence is a propaganda term created to pathologize certain perfectly reasonable desires.


--------------------
Republican Values:

1) You can't get married to your spouse who is the same sex as you.
2) You can't have an abortion no matter how much you don't want a child.
3) You can't have a certain plant in your possession or you'll get locked up with a rapist and a murderer.

4) We need a smaller, less-intrusive government.

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: SneezingPenis]
    #7582587 -

The problem isn't so much defining abuse, as it is trying to hold each individual to the same standard. This is why I stated it was my opinion, and I'll stick by it.


--------------------
rahz

comfort pleasure power love     truth awareness peace I am      I feel      I do     I love  I speak    I see    I know

why there is reality and patterned, law-like consistency at all, rather than noise or non-reality is not a question physics answers. It's a question physics presupposes an answer to in order to provide other answers.

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: Diploid]
    #7582601 -

Psychological dependence is the association between not having fun, and the lack of alcohol being the cause. It makes a person much more likely to drink. :shrug:

It's an illusion of course, but the association gets made. It is what it is.


--------------------
rahz

comfort pleasure power love     truth awareness peace I am      I feel      I do     I love  I speak    I see    I know

why there is reality and patterned, law-like consistency at all, rather than noise or non-reality is not a question physics answers. It's a question physics presupposes an answer to in order to provide other answers.

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: Rahz]
    #7582610 -

How can each individual be held to the same standard? Wouldn't that stop thier being an individual? There is no magic line to be drawn between alcoholics and non-alcoholics as each person is different and responds uniquely to various lifestyle choices. I can't drink that much because it fucks me up too much, the same as I can't smoke weed more than once in awhile no matter how much I wish I could smoke more. I'm currently making the point of drinking more frequently, if that makes any sense at all, because one of my biggest addictions is to sitting around on the internet pitying myself for being too lethargic to have a social life. It's silly, and going out and having a couple drinks at least once a week and talking to more people is a solution that needs to happen right about now. That's me. Others really need to learn how to take it easy and stay home and take care of themselves. We all have our own struggles. :shrug:

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: Rahz]
    #7582637 -

By that definition, surfing and jet skiing are psychologically addicting.


--------------------
Republican Values:

1) You can't get married to your spouse who is the same sex as you.
2) You can't have an abortion no matter how much you don't want a child.
3) You can't have a certain plant in your possession or you'll get locked up with a rapist and a murderer.

4) We need a smaller, less-intrusive government.

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: Diploid]
    #7582641 -

it is to the members of Jet Skiiers anonymous.

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: NiamhNyx]
    #7582667 -

>>>>How can each individual be held to the same standard?

I agree, they can't be and shouldn't be, but that doesn't mean self abuse doesn't exist. The problem I spoke of in defining abuse is that there isn't a standard. Again, I was giving an opinion based on what I read. Indicators suggest to me there might be a problem. If it had been worded differently, I might give a different opinion.


--------------------
rahz

comfort pleasure power love     truth awareness peace I am      I feel      I do     I love  I speak    I see    I know

why there is reality and patterned, law-like consistency at all, rather than noise or non-reality is not a question physics answers. It's a question physics presupposes an answer to in order to provide other answers.

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: Diploid]
    #7582668 -

Absolutely.

Though it would be rare to have someone make a post about it.

"On nights where I don't drink, and I'm over with my friends, it's alright--but I feel like it could be better if I were jet skiing.


--------------------
rahz

comfort pleasure power love     truth awareness peace I am      I feel      I do     I love  I speak    I see    I know

why there is reality and patterned, law-like consistency at all, rather than noise or non-reality is not a question physics answers. It's a question physics presupposes an answer to in order to provide other answers.

Edited by Rahz (10/31/07 11:20 PM)

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: Rahz]
    #7582669 -

Well, I guess I need help then! :scrambled:


--------------------
Republican Values:

1) You can't get married to your spouse who is the same sex as you.
2) You can't have an abortion no matter how much you don't want a child.
3) You can't have a certain plant in your possession or you'll get locked up with a rapist and a murderer.

4) We need a smaller, less-intrusive government.

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Re: Am I an Alcoholic? [Re: Diploid]
    #7582694 -

Diploid said:
By that definition, surfing and jet skiing are psychologically addicting.


:lol:I don't know about you man, but if I'm not on a jet ski, I'm not having a good time. Do I have a problem?

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