[Hellion]

So I have had some issues with this well known substance. Have had a few times of blacking out(not remembering much) or just generally getting too intoxicated...and some other incidents that I would prefer didn't happen but have, anyways this isn't about all those specific times. Anyways I don't feel like I am addicted in fact haven't drank any alcohol since a beer at the beginning of last week...no cravings, I could really care less for the most part which is good since I couldn't afford any anyways.

But yeah basically I still want to enjoy a beer or drink here and there...but not get too intoxicated, or drink to cope since a lot of times when I get too intoxicated its because I am trying to numb feelings....so treating it like addiction and going to AA would be useless to me since I do have control over if I decide to drink or not, unlike addiction where I imagine I'd feel like I 'need' it....like with the klonopin I was prescribed a while back that was a disaster. IDK does anyone else relate to this. But yeah it cannot be a coincidence that any time my alcohol use has resulted in over-intoxication it seems something on my mind is bothering me.

Anyways I really hope this doesn't get moved to addiction because I think this is more feeling self destructive and alcohol being the tool used rather than alcohol & genetics being the culprit.

[unaluna]

I can relate to what you're saying. I don't have a problem with alcohol as long as i stay away from it, and i really dont have a hard time saying no. Im not that crazy about it. I get awful hangovers and depressed afterwards, so just dont wanna go there. But if somehow that first drink makes it past my lips, and i dont have to drive home that night, its goodbye charlie. Like i never bothered to learn how to control my drinking, because i just dont do it enough, so im just not motivated. Like even when i worked in an office, i didnt go out drinking with my coworkers.

Instead of AA, there is or was a group called DrinkWise, that was supposed to teach you how to drink responsibly. Plus other things ive heard, is to alternate drinks with a soft drink or water; make sure you eat before and or during. There are probably other hints on the internet. I drink non-alcoholic beer in the summer, but like one bottle a week, and only if its screaming hot outside.

[Hellion]

Originally Posted by hankster

I can relate to what you're saying. I don't have a problem with alcohol as long as i stay away from it, and i really dont have a hard time saying no. Im not that crazy about it. I get awful hangovers and depressed afterwards, so just dont wanna go there. But if somehow that first drink makes it past my lips, and i dont have to drive home that night, its goodbye charlie. Like i never bothered to learn how to control my drinking, because i just dont do it enough, so im just not motivated. Like even when i worked in an office, i didnt go out drinking with my coworkers.

Instead of AA, there is or was a group called DrinkWise, that was supposed to teach you how to drink responsibly. Plus other things ive heard, is to alternate drinks with a soft drink or water; make sure you eat before and or during. There are probably other hints on the internet. I drink non-alcoholic beer in the summer, but like one bottle a week, and only if its screaming hot outside.

That bit about never having learned to moderate is certainly a big part of it for me. Like I don't feel its so much I have an alcohol problem, but rather a moderation problem combined with self harm tendencies(in my case not sure if you feel like that at all). But yeah might look that up, seems like it could be helpful. Another thought I had is maybe my age makes a difference....like its possible maybe I cannot handle as much as I could when I was like 19 I am only 25 though I was also drinking a lot more often around that age.

[SnakeCharmer]

I quit drinking at a young age. Nothing bad happened to make me quit, but I learned about the genetic predisposition some people have and many people in my family drank too much and got into bad trouble eventually. Maybe they made it to 40 or so before disaster hit, but it always did. I quit in my early 20s, shortly after I could legally drink.

Although I was lucky with nothing bad happening, when I did drink, I drank too much. If I couldn't drink too much, then I just didn't drink at all because a drink or two just gave me a headache. I wanted to drink beyond that and feel good and have fun. I liked getting drunk. I drank more than everyone else. And it didn't take me long to figure out it was only a matter of time before my luck ran out and something bad did happen. So I quit on my own and it's not a big deal. I just don't drink or do dope. I doubt my luck would last forever.

Hankster described it well. I just decided one day to avoid trouble after watching someone I really admired make a complete and utter fool of themselves while drunk. Figured I'd be next if I kept it up. I wasn't an alcoholic, I didn't get in trouble. But it didn't take a genius to figure out nobody could drink the way I did and avoid trouble eventually.

If Klonipin was a disaster for you, Hellion, alcohol won't be far behind. I've heard experts describe benzos as powdered booze when it comes to the way some people react to it. If benzos mess you up, so will alcohol and vice versa. Be careful out there, okay? Getting numb doesn't really help, not in the long run.

[Hellion]

Originally Posted by SnakeCharmer

I quit drinking at a young age. Nothing bad happened to make me quit, but I learned about the genetic predisposition some people have and many people in my family drank too much and got into bad trouble eventually. Maybe they made it to 40 or so before disaster hit, but it always did. I quit in my early 20s, shortly after I could legally drink.

Although I was lucky with nothing bad happening, when I did drink, I drank too much. If I couldn't drink too much, then I just didn't drink at all because a drink or two just gave me a headache. I wanted to drink beyond that and feel good and have fun. I liked getting drunk. I drank more than everyone else. And it didn't take me long to figure out it was only a matter of time before my luck ran out and something bad did happen. So I quit on my own and it's not a big deal. I just don't drink or do dope. I doubt my luck would last forever.

Hankster described it well. I just decided one day to avoid trouble after watching someone I really admired make a complete and utter fool of themselves while drunk. Figured I'd be next if I kept it up. I wasn't an alcoholic, I didn't get in trouble. But it didn't take a genius to figure out nobody could drink the way I did and avoid trouble eventually.

If Klonipin was a disaster for you, Hellion, alcohol won't be far behind. I've heard experts describe benzos as powdered booze when it comes to the way some people react to it. If benzos mess you up, so will alcohol and vice versa. Be careful out there, okay? Getting numb doesn't really help, not in the long run.

It was specifically the klonopin....seems I am fine with using valium as needed for anxiety, I was even a little afraid to try the valium but turned out alright. As for alcohol I enjoy a couple beers or a drink just fine when not over-doing it...my goal is no excess drinking, but doubt I will entirely kill my enjoyment of a good ale here and there for instance just have to be safer about it.

Originally Posted by SnakeCharmer

I quit drinking at a young age. Nothing bad happened to make me quit, but I learned about the genetic predisposition some people have and many people in my family drank too much and got into bad trouble eventually. Maybe they made it to 40 or so before disaster hit, but it always did.

Wow, it's wonderful to hear someone say this! I have watched the personality of my delightful brother-in-law change over the past five years as he shocked everyone by transitioning from a social drinker to an alcoholic. He made it to age 35 before he started having noticeable problems.

[Hellion]

Originally Posted by jo_thorne

Wow, it's wonderful to hear someone say this! I have watched the personality of my delightful brother-in-law change over the past five years as he shocked everyone by transitioning from a social drinker to an alcoholic. He made it to age 35 before he started having noticeable problems.

I guess I just feel like if there was a real chance of me going down that path I'd already have some kind of urge to drink, but I don't feel anything like that...just have gotten too drunk more than once which I want to avoid, though if things keep going how they are that should not be hard the idea of drinking a lot makes me nauseous...maybe I've already had my one to many times of that. But yeah I don't know i feel like in all reality I drink less than most people in my age who aren't seen as having any sort of 'problem' with it. Like I don't make a point to religiously drink every weekend like a lot of 20-30 year old college students or people in the work force who I observe seem to do.

I honestly prefer cannabis as it reduces monthly cycle cramps, digestive discomfort I experience, as well as reducing the depression and anxiety as well as racing thoughts/overanalizing problems in unhelpful ways, also seems to help me focus on some things such as reading, which became difficult when I acquired the lovely disorder PTSD and of course it just generally makes it hard to really focus on anything that requires that as your mind ends up in a battle of 'should i focus on this or stay alert for possible danger' ...Reading used to be one of my favorite things but since then I cant get totally immersed in the story I am reading anymore, like I used to.