Signs of a Drinking Problem

Drinking Problem

2009-03-13T14:53:00.000-07:00

So you think you might have a drinking problem? If so then I can help you. But first, let's figure out the exact nature of your drinking problem.

There are 2 possibilities here:

1) You are abusing alcohol. You are not addicted to alcohol.

2) You are an alcoholic. You are addicted to alcohol.

Now both of these situations are actually a drinking problem. They both fit the criteria.

Furthermore, both situations demand action on your part in order to remedy the problem. But in either case, the action is different. So let's take them one at a time.

If you are merely abusing alcohol, but are not actually an alcoholic, then the solution is very simple indeed. Simply stop drinking. This will work wonders for your situation and will vastly improve your quality of life. Any problems that you might have had in regards to your drinking will simply vanish after you stop. Your drinking problem is solved!

Now on the other hand, if you find that you cannot just stop drinking, or if you decide that you are actually an alcoholic, then the problem is a bit more difficult. If you try to just stop drinking then your problems are only beginning. In fact, the alcoholic becomes especially troublesome when you take the alcohol away. Now you have a real problem on your hands. You don't just have to quit drinking if you are an alcoholic--you have to learn how to live again! This is quite a tall order compared to the idea of simply giving up alcohol.

If you find this second scenario to be the case, don't fret. You can still recover. Thousands have done it before you. But understand that:

1) It will be the hardest thing you've ever done, by far.

2) It will require a supreme effort of overwhelming force on your part.

That's not so bad, is it? If you don't think you are up for it, maybe you can give it a try next weekend. That is at least half joking but on the other hand, you will come to a point where you have finally had enough pain and misery in your life and you will want to change. This is called hitting bottom. When you get to that point, take action as soon as you can and simply ask for help.

You can't recover on your own. You must ask for help. Do so, and your new life in recovery can start unfolding before you. Good luck.....

Should I Limit my Alcohol Consumption or Stop Drinking Entirely?

2009-03-03T07:04:00.000-08:00

The question for some people who are struggling with their drinking might be: should you try to stop drinking altogether or is there a chance that you can control it?

First of all, if moderation works for you then that is great. Chances are good that you are not really addicted to alcohol if you can manage to figure out a way to control your drinking over the long term. For the rest of us, our drinking problem is defined by the fact that we cannot control our intake - that is the whole crux of the problem right there.So when it comes down to this, many alcoholics will realize that it is time to consider the idea of quitting for good.

Now this can become especially tricky because most alcoholics actually can control their level of consumption for a certain period of time. Some drunks can actually control their alcohol consumption for many weeks or even for over a year in some cases. However, note the following two things: One, they will not enjoy the drinking while they are "controlling" it, and will do so only through gritted teeth while being terribly discontent. And for two, no person suffering from alcoholism will stay under control forever; at some point they will lose control and drink more then they planned on.When you get right down to it, the best course for the struggling alcoholic is to stop drinking.

So essentially, you can try to control your drinking and if you can pull it off and maintain this over a long time frame then more power to you. But be straight with yourself and if you happen to lose control and find yourself consuming way more than you had planned on then you should realize this fact and admit to your drinking problem. Stating that you have full control (but only when you feel like it) is most likely denial on your part and you should recognize that most non-alcoholics do not have to really try at all to limit their drinking. In other words, normal drinkers don't have to struggle to control their intake. If you do, then this could be a big wake up call for you.

Signs of Alcohol Addiction to Watch For

2009-03-03T07:02:00.000-08:00

Most people would think that it is fairly easy to spot the signs of alcohol addiction - just watch for someone who is drinking too much, right?
But we need to look deeper in fact because there is one level of alcohol abuse and then beyond that there is full blown addiction. They are two separate things and the way you go about treatment for them is different as well.
First, some definitions: “Alcohol abuse” versus “alcohol addiction” (alcoholism).

1) Alcohol abuse - is when someone is abusing alcohol, which could be daily or it could be every once in a while. Just because someone is drinking large amounts on a frequent basis does not mean they are an alcoholic for sure. For example, many young people in college abuse alcohol fairly regularly but are not actually addicted to alcohol, nor do they become alcoholic. Their drinking problem is that they are simply abusing alcohol, but they are not addicted to it.

2) Alcohol addiction - this is alcoholism (the terms can be used interchangeably). Alcoholism is a much bigger problem than alcohol abuse, though it can still be tricky to differentiate at times. In reality, the only one that has to identify themselves as being alcoholic is the person themselves, other people's opinions will not make any difference to them. Alcoholism can be described as:

* Craving or compulsion for booze
* Withdrawal, physical symptoms when you take the drink away
* Blackouts

And so on. Although it is possible that you'll see some of these things with alcohol abuse as well. So how can we determine the difference? Alcohol addiction is a sustained pattern over time. With alcohol abuse, if you take the booze out of the picture, then there is no problem and the person gets better.
With alcoholism, if you remove the drinking, the problems are just starting. The person will withdrawal and if they do not drink or start working any sort of program or make any life changes then they will become restless and irritable. This is not the case with alcohol abuse.
So we can mark some of the typical signs of alcoholism as:

1) Physical dependency - the need to drink in order to function on a physical level.

2) Withdrawal symptoms - that occur when stopping drinking.

3) Obsession with drinking - the thoughts and mental energy spent thinking about drinking or being drunk when someone is sober.

4) Compulsive drinking - the inability to stop drinking once someone has started. The lack of ability to have just a couple drinks and be done with it.

However, recognize that there are alcoholics out there who are seriously addicted to booze but at the same time will not show heavy signs of physical withdrawal. It is not about how much we drank or how often we got drunk — it’s more about how alcohol made us feel and how we reacted to it when we did drink.

Critical Steps to Sober Living

2009-03-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

The success rates are dismal and depressing when it comes to beating addiction. Based on existing statistics, very few alcoholics with a drinking problem will be able to stay sober over the long haul. While it certainly is possible, the odds are stacked against us. Here is how you can achieve success with sober living.

1. The zero tolerance policy

It is surprising how often this idea becomes ignored in traditional recovery programs and discarded as being unimportant. The idea is simple and straightforward: you do not give yourself permission to relapse under any circumstances, period. So then the remainder of your life is involved with maintaining some stability and achieving growth while pursuing this goal.

But what is critical is for the zero tolerance concept to come first and foremost. You must not "allow yourself to go there in any way." Practicing this can have a real impact on your overall level of happiness as well.

2. Holistic path

As you stay clean and sober, the task of staying chemical free becomes a bit more natural over time and the new challenge is in finding emotional balance and peaceful relationships in your everyday life. Relapse is still a threat, and always will be of course, but now the challenge starts shifting away from simply abstinence and towards achieving something greater with your life.

A holistic approach to recovery is what drives success in this area. As your recovery progresses, life becomes meaningful again, and the need for balance becomes increasingly important as the recovering person mounts more and more responsibilities in their life.

3. Creative life with vision and purpose

Would you like to find out what most motivates a struggling alcoholic and has the ability to boost their recovery efforts immeasurably? The big payoff is not in merely abstaining from chemicals but in actually finding a new life with passion and purpose in it again. This is more about finding a life of new meaning and continuing to grow in your recovery while also finding ways to help others along your journey.

How to Diagnose Your Alcoholism or Problem Drinking

2009-03-03T06:58:00.000-08:00

How can you determine if you have an addiction to alcohol?

To anyone who is not struggling with alcoholism, such a question might seem bizarre because they think the answer should be obvious. This can really be a tricky situation for some people, especially if you are still in the phase of drinking where you still have fun with it but at the same time you get into trouble sometimes.

In some cases, there are alcoholics who will go weeks or months at a time without drinking, but when they do drink, they tend to binge. This can be tough to determine, because a binge drinker will sometimes stay sober for long periods of time but always return to the chaos of drinking. In such cases the person might not realize that they should in fact stop drinking.

So how can you know for sure?These are some things you might try to help you out:

1) Try to control your alcohol intake. Set a limit on the amount of drinking and cut it down to one beer or shot or glass of wine per day, maximum. Maintain this for at least one year.

2) Self diagnosis of the disease. This is the only method. Others cannot diagnose you with an alcohol problem. You have to accept it personally. Admitting it is not enough. You will need to come to full acceptance of your condition without any reservation about it.

3) Consider this statement: "I didn't get into trouble every time I drank, but every time I got into trouble, I had been drinking." Is this true for you? If this is the case then this might be a big warning sign that you have alcoholism.

4) Consider this statement: "When I control my drinking, I don't have any fun. When I enjoy my drinking, I sometimes lose control." Another big warning flag of a drinking problem if this is sounding like you.

So take these ideas into consideration and think about them. Try to control your drinking for a set period of time (the longer the better) and pay attention to how it makes you feel when you limit your alcohol intake. If you come to the conclusion that something needs to change then you might want to start exploring how to stop drinking.

The Difference Between Alcoholism and a Drinking Problem

2009-03-03T06:43:00.000-08:00

If you suspect that you have some sort of trouble with your drinking then the first thing you should do is to figure out the extent of that problem. What is the exact scope of your problem with alcohol and how deep does it really go? Is your problem really with drinking too much or does your problem really get nasty when you actually stop drinking?

If you drink too much but can walk away from it easily, then you are a problem drinker. If you can’t go without drinking for long periods of time without turning into a monster, then you’re probably an alcoholic.If you don't know whether or not you just have an alcohol problem or a true alcohol addiction, then you can always do the following 2 challenges to find out:

1) Limit yourself to one drink per day for the next 6 months, never to go over the amount of one beer, shot, or glass of wine in a single day. No freebies allowed.

2) No drinking allowed, at all, for at least half a year. No sneaking an extra drink in here or there allowed.

If you can do either of these challenges without any problems and without slipping up at all then you are likely not an alcoholic. But if you find yourself resenting the experiment itself then it might be the case that you are an alcoholic. If you're a problem drinker then you will screw up the first trial and won't be able to curtail your drinking at some point in time. If you are genuinely addicted to alcohol then you will struggle with the second experiment and you won't be able to maintain sobriety for six months without some sort of treatment.

If you think that you have some problem with alcohol then the best course of action is to ask for help. If it turns out that you are alcoholic then you might want to find a treatment center that can provide you with a safe detox from alcohol. This is highly advisable because coming off of booze is a serious condition that can result in death if not monitored properly.

On the other hand, if you have a drinking problem, then you might seek counseling or therapy in some way. This can show you if you want to take action towards either reducing or eliminating your alcohol intake altogether.