Expert: Druideck - 10/19/2009

Question
Okay, so I'm not sure whether I would call myself an alcoholic or not...I guess it depends on your definition of the term, but here's my situation.

I admit...I do like to go out with friends and have a few drinks.  I work in the food and beverage industry and have a love of different wines/beers/scotches.  I generally drink socially, and under control, although I tend to cross the line when I go out for a special occasion.  For example: on birthdays, holliday parties, an old friend being in town, etc.  It's like I get too excited for these occasions and when I go out I don't know when to stop.  The problem is that usually I only drink beer/wine, but when I go out for these occasions it always ends up that people are buying rounds of shots; the only time I get myself in trouble is when shots start being passed.  I don't get to blackout point often, it's only on celebrations like I mentioned and liquor is involved.

I feel that cutting liquor out completely would cure my problem...like I said, when I have beer/wine I never get out of control.  I drink very socially.  Do you think that I have a problem beyond my point of view?  Do you have any advice other than just not drinking liquor any more?

Answer
Ryan,

Often, switching drinks to control
your drinking is not a good sign.
What if eventually you lose control
even of beer/wine consumption?

Even so, if you find yourself unable
to choose when to stop or can't
control how much you drink it may
be leading to bigger problems.

Also, alcoholics have a strong
denial and minimizing system that
can keep them from accepting that
they need help. Watch out for
any behaviour that makes you want
to protect your desire to drink.

Some signs that point to alcoholism
are:
-Loss of control or amount drank.
-Craving a drink.
-Inability to stop no matter what the consequences.
-Blackouts.
-Obscessed with drinking.

For definitions here
is a good page to read: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/157163.php

Also some links to alcohol abuse tests:
http://www.alcoholscreening.org/
http://counsellingresource.com/quizzes/alcohol-mast/index.html
http://alcoholism.about.com/library/blalcoholquiz.htm
http://www.pamf.org/teen/risk/alcohol/quiz.html

Try your plan to quit harder liquor and if it
seems to work then you have a solution.
If the plan fails then start thinking
about what life would be like without
drinking at all, If that sounds scary
you may be headed for an obscession
with drinking which is bad news
and you may want to try quitting for a
substantial time to see how strong
your desire to drink really is.

Take care!