How Do I know if im an alcoholic

[Daddy Bear]

That depends on a number of factors, Hope75. Cold turkey at home does work for some. Myself, I drank to excess every night for several years and experienced none of those effects you mentioned as I tapered off. If physical problems do crop up when a person doesn't drink, s/he should definitely seek a doctor's help.

[mushmouth]

There was a time in my life when I felt I may be drinking too much. In retrospect, I was. However, at the time it was hard to see. I dealt with it by seeing a nutrionist. This person assessed that I had a sweet tooth and that I wasn't eatting enought whole grains and leafy vegetables to help maintian my glycemic levels. I changed my diet. She also recommended that I back sweet potatoes, slice them, put cinnamon on them and put them in the fridge for small snacks (light snacking was recommended to help keep the blood sugar level up throughout the day.)

 

I found that the effects worked very quickly. I was able to resist the sweetness of my alcoholoic drinks ( I was drinking rum and juice.)

 

Just so you know, about 1 year later I got dumped. I immediately lost my hunger and I again completely stopped drinking alcohol thus I do believe alcoholic intake may be connnected to your normal diet.

[How did I get here]

Thank you all for your replies and advice. Yeah I am in the process of splitting up from my wife and i recognise the dangers of drinking being brought up in the custody battle. Im not even going to try to get custody of our daughter because a child should be with her mother and I wouldnt have a hope of winning it anyway. I just want to be able to see her as much as possible. This week I tried to stop drinking at night. I didnt do it but I cut down big time. Still I so want to stop it now altogether. Today is a new day and Im going to try to do it today. I never feel like a drink during the day I guess thats something at least. Its at night time. ONce 6pm comes its like a switch goes in my head and I really want a drink and that first gulp of wine just soothes my whole body. ANyway thanks to you all. I think the suggestion of changing my diet is a very good one so maybe Ill see a nutritionist. Thanks folks. Ill keep you posted. Its great to have friends here who wil listen and not judge.

Kieranb

[Hope75]

That depends on a number of factors, Hope75. Cold turkey at home does work for some. Myself, I drank to excess every night for several years and experienced none of those effects you mentioned as I tapered off. If physical problems do crop up when a person doesn't drink, s/he should definitely seek a doctor's help.

 

As a medical professional who has seen and cared for patients going through withdrawal I cannot safely advise anybody to try tapering themselves off at home of going 'cold turkey'.

 

I will again reiterate that no one with a physiological dependence on alcohol should try to detox themselves, but should do so in a safe setting under the supervision of a doctor who can monitor the person and get them safely through it.

 

There is more to it than vomiting, shaking, and malaise. Blood pressure and heart rate can rise to dangerous levels, putting the person at risk for heart attack, stroke, and other complications. Seizures are common, and can deprive the person's brain of oxygen, not to mention the safety concerns of having an unsupervised seizure.

 

The physiological risks of doing it any other way are just too great to advise otherwise.

[Sweet Buttabean Jellayroll]

an alki is when drinking becomes a hobby

[Caldus]

i just wonder if this is a common trait in alcoholics. They are nice and civil by day, but once they start at the whiskey, beer bottle or whatever, they become quite hostile and forget their social graces and then it's like don't expect any respect from them.

 

Not for me. When I get drunk, I am a lot more social and friendly around people.

[Caldus]

Hmm, by the sounds of this thread, I guess I am an alcoholic too.

 

*shrugs*

 

It runs a lot in my family. Both of my parents are/were alcoholics.

[SexySadie7]

I know.. i'm definitely a friendlier person when I'm drunk...

Whatever is with these people who think they can vent on people when they get sloshed is beyond me.

But being an alchie is definitely not what you want to become if you can help it!@

Who wants to have to buy a 6 pack, or in my alchie friends' cases, a 12 pack every day??

that stuff gets expensive and god knows, a DUI, is literally thousands of dollars to get out of! Never mind the risk you are putting other people into if you happen to hit them.

I actually had a really nice college professor, who, when I was in flight school, was only in his 20 and in a wheelchair, cuz a drunk driver ran into him! How sad.. cuz i'm sure he would of been flying for the major airlines had he not been in the wheelchair.

Don't use drinkign for a hobby, if you can avoid it, it holds more risks than you would think.

It's a drug too, you know.....

[Hope75]

Moderator Note:

 

Let's keep this thread about the OP and his situation and request for advice. If anyone has a situation they would like to post about relative to it, they may start their own thread and get proper responses without hijacking this poster's thread and making it about their situation.

 

Thanks.