Hi everyone im on here cause i want to know if i am an alcoholic so you no more about me im 16 from scotland and i drink either everyday or every other day i drink things like fortified wines and super strength lager i drink to forget things and make me happy and because if i dont have a drink i feel edgy depressed stressed and feeling worthless and i get shakey (hands) in a day i would usually have 2 bottles of fortified wine (18%) and some super lagers (10%) when i drink i get told im agressive and very perswasive and like to have my own way and when i dont i lose my rag i have been drinking heavily for about a year and a half but drank before that not alot though i was wanting to know if im right about having a drink problem and what would help me get better
Welcome, Cambo. I'm Chris, alcholic/addict from Washington State, USA. The only person who can decide or determine whether you are an alcoholic is you, because you are the only one who can hear your heart. I figure that if booze is causing you problems and you can't stop long enough to work on those problems? Well, then alcohol is leading your life. We are never too young or too old to have this swoop into our lives without warning.
The great thing is, you reached out and contacted this board. I can only suggest you stick around, read posts, find the similarities between us and see if your questions can be answered by our diverse stories. Look up AA in your area, and when you are up to it, go to a meeting and see what you learn. You do not have to talk---I didn't talk for most of my first year or so. But I sure did listen. I'm glad to see you here. Be blessed, Chris
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"Never argue with an idiot... They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience..."
Cheers for that m8 i dont want to admit im an alcoholic because in someways i want to stop and some i really really dont but if i dont make a decision now it could completely ruin things for me i will stick around and look up all of the posts the only thing about aa meetings around here is my brothers pals mum is the one who does it and my mum is stopping me from going to it as she doesnt want anyone to know i have a problem : / i could try one outwith my area or is there any online ones?
Welcome to MIP. My name's Carol and I'm an alcoholic living on south coast UK. Here's a link to the UK AA website. There's lots of advice and help available for you if you want it and also a questionnaire type page (found under Is AA For You) which will help your thinking.
Nobody can tell you that are or are not an alcoholic. That's something that only you can decide. But, I have turned my life around by going to AA and I wish that I had done it years ago.
Please keep posting here and letting us know how things are going for you, won't you?
Take care,
Carol
-- Edited by Quetzal at 14:55, 2007-08-19
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. ~Dr. Seuss
There are online meetings, but someone else here could probably direct you to them, I've never been to one except on this site, and it has slowed down considerably.
Yknow, we don't get this dream when we're young that "oh boy, when I grow up, I want to be an alcoholic!", so it isnt an easy thing to admit. I would check with your school--we have meetings for teens in the states, and you may have, too.
I was drinking by your age. Within a few years, I lost my children and husband behind it. And nobody in my family could bring themselves to see I had a problem. They thought they could love me to health. Didn't work. Sometimes yu just gotta do what you gotta do, and if it saves your life, then others are just going to have to understand, Cambo. I've a son and a daughter who were also using by your age. One got shot (he lived and now has three years clean) and my daughter is in prison for murder. I wish they'd gotten into some kind of program, or gotten some sort of counseling, but they wanted to do it their way.
My maiden name is Kirk. Know any of my relatives there? LOL, hang tough young Friend, Chris
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"Never argue with an idiot... They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience..."
i think il try and go to a aa meeting i dont go to school anymore i quit school about 3 and a half years ago : / il try looking for more help on here before i go to aa though cheers everyone for helping me out
Cambo1, I'm an ALNON-ER. I'm Wanda also from the Illinois...USA. No we cannot make another's descision for them. What I can tell you is go into Quetzal's profile of which you will find her website. Checkout the beautiful young lives that are no longer with us. My heart breaks everytime I hear such a young person drinking. I myself never did until I was graduated from High School and at that it was short lived. I've lost loved ones and friends and so have my own kids because of alcohol related accidents. It may also be helpful in deciding by going into some of the health sites on the web. You will find what research has shown........alcohol does damage the body and mind. Also realize that alcoholism is not exclusive to any social set, any ethnic group or to the poor/rich or educated or noneducated. Alcohol can effect anyone! As far as your mom being embarrassed perhaps while you scan the posts and other things suggested here she could sit by your side. I didn't want to admit my husband had a problem either. Yet I know his health would have not endured all the trauma it has if he had been sober. That couple with some of the other things that occurred while we were togethor. I can tell you first hand he still drinks. Though I rarely talk to him now, I never know what emotional state he will be in. It is heartbreaking to loose someone and watch them wither themselves away. Let us know how you are doing, please. Wishing you all the best. Wanda
For anyone of interest in finding out whether they are an Alcoholic or not. Once you decide, if you are then they should get an ALcoholics Anonymous ( BIG BOOK) book, then you should read it. You can order it right here on line or pick one up at a meeting. They are about $ 6.00.
Please read the first 164 pages of the Big Book which contains everything you/we need to know about the disease of alcoholism, The 12-Steps, How it works, and helping others. get the (12 x 12), Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions it is also for sale for about $ 6.00, Get a Sponsor, go to 90 meetings in 90 days, Keep it Simple, and Don't pick up that first Drink. Call another Recovering Drunk first or get to a meeting fastttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt.
I was a teen drinker/addict who had started drinking professionally at 13 years old. This is back in 1969. I had wanted to fully stop drinking many times in my 20's. I knew I was an Alcoholic then because I couldn't stop the craving, or the allergy after that first drink. I was addicted to the point that I couldn't stop and didn't know how. I knew what it was like to try to detox myself alone. But alcohol and the effects it had on me were different than other drugs. I used alcohol to kick the other stuff only making the addiction to alcohol and drugs more intense and even stronger. I had many bottoms and many many horror stories. However the last time I drank/used will be 14 years coming up February 19, 2008.
I hit a devestating BOTTOM that brought me to my knees when I was 38 years old. The hardest and the happiest day of the beginning of my NEW LIFE. My health was and is involved in my bottom. I would never have stopped until I died other wise.
I was a three handed addict, I had a glass of alcohol then it reactivated the need for white substance that is very expensive and was prevalent in the 80's and cartons of cigarettes.
Iin order for me to be Succesful in my Recovery. I had to loose all three hands and start out with two entirely new ones. Stay away from Slippery people, places and things. I slowly became a different woman with a different vocabulary, intellect, habits and life. I was also turning my life over to the care of GOD which was huge for me. GOd placed a wonderful man in my life that I married too. Today we will be married for 12 years. YEAH! YIPPIE! HOORAH! OOH! OOH!
The hands that used to drink, smoke, and use Dope. God found a use for them.
Today they pray to a GOd of my Understanding whom I choose to call Jesus, They hOld my husband and hug my family, hug and hold my Son, pet our dogs, oil paint, Prison ministry, drive to a meeting, say The Lord's Prayer, type on Miracles in Progress, Love Others. GOd has given us all many Talents and abiliites I wanted to just show that we have them in Sobriety.
Thanks Wren! This is what you said to our "New Comers" and it is here straight out of THe BIG BOOK.
I love what page 31 has to say about us.
How we tried to drink all types of method we have tried: Drinking beer only, limiting the number of drinks, never drinking alone, never drinking in the morning, drinking only at home, never having it at the house, never drinking during business hours, drinking only at parties, switching from scotch to brandy, drinkong only natural wines agreeing to resign if ever drunk on the job, taking a trip, not taking a trip, swearing off forever, ( with or with out a solemn oath) , taknig more physical excercise, reading inspirational books, going to health farms, and sanitariums, accepting voluntary commitment to assylums-we could increase the list ad infinitum.
We do not like to pronounce any individual as alcoholic, but you can quickly diagnose yourself. Step over to the barroom and try some controlled drinking. Try to drink and then stop abruptly.
Page 32 Try it more than once. It won't take long for you to decide, if you are being Honest with yourself about it. It may be worth a bad case of the jitters if you get a full knowledge of your condition.
cheers for the replys im goin to try the controled drinking tonight and maby try and find the book i will keep you all posted on this could anyone tell me what aa meetings are like please?
Only you can say whether you are an alcoholic or not, but the advice given above about the pamphlet, going to meetings, getting a "Big Book", trying controlled drinking and continuing on this site are great. I was 16 when I came to my first AA meeting, and 17 when I finally got sober. It took me a while to figure it out, but it helped that I went to meetings during that year and heard the experiences of other people. It was especially helpful to talk to other younger people, because I could relate to what they were describing. Older people talked about losing jobs, families, and driver's licenses - none of which I had when I got sober. But soon I realized that once I started drinking I couldn't control the amount I took, and I couldn't stop on my own. So now I'm 22 years sober and almost forget what it is like to be 16 and wondering if I'm an alcoholic, so thanks for reminding me!
Generally AA meetings are all the same in that they are a bunch of people who get together to talk about their drinking problem and how to live life sober. Meeting formats vary, but basically the people there are very welcoming to "newcomers." They may or may not ask you to introduce yourself if you are new, but that is only so that they can get to know you and see if you have any questions they can answer. You should let us know how it went once you have been to a meeting!
I will deffinetely tell you how my first meeting went rite now i tryed to stop half way down the bottle i keep telling myself il have one more sip and sit it on the floor and i wont touch it but i keep taking more and more and another thing is i think im stopping drinking for the wrong reasons personaly i dont care about my life so im rite now trying to stop for a girl i really like but i know im going to have to stop for myself because if i dont help myself no one else will and if i dont do it for myself ill just start straight back up again if something goes rong i need to boost my confidence and tell myself im quitting for me and me only i really apresiate all the help you have all been giving me i will deffinetly buy the book and go to aa meeting il try and stivck it out be strong and if i stop drinking i mite feel more confident in myself and get along better with people and generaly enjoy life cheers everyone neil
Hi Cambo. I was a teenage alcoholic and am now an adult alcoholic. Needless to say I didn't grow out of it! I played in bands when I was a kid and so was at clubs and bars a lot growing up, and so was in an environment where socially a lot of drinking went on. (lot of drugs too, but oddly enough I tried them many times- I mean really gave them a rigorous testing- but it never was my cup of tea- totally easy to say no and to stop once I was bored of it. For me, booze was always my achilles heel.) For me- I think I knew I was an alcoholic from the time I was about 17. I drank a lot until I was 18 or so, met a girl and we did stuff together so didn't drink so much then. Still every time I did drink I could enjoy the stimuli of the first couple drinks and then the rest of the night I was distracted by the craving to just get soused. It's the same today- if I were to drink a couple drinks the first two would be fine and next (insert a ridiculously unrealistic number here and it will probably be close) I'd spend chasing after that great feeling the first two gave me. Damn I envy people who aren't alcoholics and can drink just two, any time, every time. But that's not me.
I quit drinking at like 22, not too long after I got married (to the girl I met in the first paragraph.) I was quitting smoking and whenever I drank I wanted a smoke, so I quit both. In hindsight that was probably an excuse- that really maybe I knew I had to quit drinking- but I've said it so many times it seems pretty spot on.
I drank maybe a case of beer over the next 14 years. That's probably more than I drank. I don't know. I'd take a beer offered here and there but I was busy running a company and raising kids. I didn't drink a whole lot. Still- every time I had one that craving was still there and I had to use a lot of willpower to fight it. I was young and strong, full of willpower and able to conquer about anything.
I got divorced at 36 and was on my own, no chaperone, my exwife and daughter moved to another island and so with no one around to keep me in check and a little heartbroken and defeated I began drinking again. I'm really not that good at it. I can drink an enormous amount but I have no moderation whatsoever. I get terrible hangovers.
Anyhow- I guess my point is I tried to deal with it my way when I was young and strong and able to do that and it worked to a point, but I think- for me- I was always destined to have to face this problem more than just "not drink". And maybe- I don't know- for me maybe there's more to it than just my wierd DNA and genetics and whatever. So these days I deal with it- attend AA (sporadically lately) and read a lot of books on the subject. It doesn't stray far from my thoughts these days (though I haven't been sober a year even.)
Just my two cents. I kind of wish I'd had the balls and the resources to deal with it in a less painful, self-burdensopme way years ago when I was in my early twenties. Might have made a lot of other stuff easier in the long run.
Good luck with your 1st meeting Neil. Mine was at 15 yo. I'm about 75% Irish and I'm sure you've got some neighbors with the last name of Collins. My wife and I will be over your way next May on our way to the Isle of Man TT race. Maybe we'll meet up. More later, hang in there
I can relate to what you are saying because i also had an adiction to speed but kicked the habit and i supose if anyone on drink wants to stop they should do it for themselves im going to look alot into it and try my hardest to quit for myself and no one else
I played in bands when I was a kid and so was at clubs and bars a lot growing up, and so was in an environment where socially a lot of drinking went on. (lot of drugs too, but oddly enough I tried them many times- I mean really gave them a rigorous testing- but it never was my cup of tea- totally easy to say no and to stop once I was bored of it. For me, booze was always my achilles heel.) For me- I think I knew I was an alcoholic from the time I was about 17. I drank a lot until I was 18 or so, met a girl and we did stuff together so didn't drink so much then. Still every time I did drink I could enjoy the stimuli of the first couple drinks and then the rest of the night I was distracted by the craving to just get soused. It's the same today- if I were to drink a couple drinks the first two would be fine and next (insert a ridiculously unrealistic number here and it will probably be close) I'd spend chasing after that great feeling the first two gave me. Damn I envy people who aren't alcoholics and can drink just two, any time, every time. But that's not me.