High Functioning alcoholics

[Nichau]

High Functioning alcoholics

I always used to say "I put the FUN in Functional!"

Never got a DUI, never missed work, paid my bills, good relationships with family, friends and husband. On the other hand, some of Sheri's quotes were right on the money for me, too:

"I gotta stop this or I'm gonna die."
"Shit, I wonder if anyone can smell the booze on me."
"I sure hope I don't make any major mistakes today."
"Uh-oh, here comes the boss."
"Let the acting begin."
"Whew, I made it to 4:30pm."
"I'm so stressed out, I really need a drink."
"Which liquor store can I hit tonight." (Yep, always gotta keep that rotation going!)
"Tomorrow will be a better day for me to quit...I'll be stronger then."

And then the guilt, and the depression. Lather, rinse, repeat.

[Doggygirl]

High Functioning alcoholics

Alcoholism is progressive. We start out being able to function to some degree between drinking. Over time, it gets worse. For some people it gets worse quickly. For others of us it gets worse slowly. But for alcoholics, it ALWAYS gets worse. ALWAYS.

For many years I thought "I'm not that bad." I could always find someone else to compare myself to who was "worse" than me. Who missed worked after a hard night of drinking when I "suffered through it." Who made an ass of themselves at the company party, when I was "smart enough" to drunk drive myself home before REALLY over doing it. That sort of stuff.

One thing is for sure. If you are an alcoholic and you don't think you are "that bad" don't worry. It will eventually get "that bad" if you don't stop drinking.

I think that's just how it is.

DG

[tonstantweader]

High Functioning alcoholics

ATLThrash - I can't really say I am even Type A, but I do have a strong work ethic and I like my job so doing well in it is a point of pride for me. That is one of my biggest motivators for staying sober.
Sheri and Nichau, Those points really resonate with me as well. I used to negotiate myself through the day. What a relief not to do that anymore.
Doggygirl, One of the reasons I posted this is because I work with someone who claims to be a high functioning alcoholic and who admitted this to me when we were both drinking in a bar. I'm actually his supervisor, which complicates the issue. But I have noticed, now that I am sober, that he is not as high functioning as he thinks he is. I am worried because he is about ten years younger than I am and you are exactly right: it won't get better.

[catch22]

High Functioning alcoholics

I dont know if i was a high functioning alcoholic, i worked and did drink every day but i was a functional alcoholic, but i do know i did have chronic tiredness really bad and my performance at work was not good as it use to be. I can remember losing three clients in one day plus also remember going to work but not sure where i was going. It not like that today ! God am i so grateful The tall-tale signs will always show up in the end.

Thanks for the reminder !
catch22.x

[hopefull71]

Hi everyone
It was really interesting to read all your posts(thankyou). I consider myself to be functioning as I haven't lost anything yet. However, if I stopped drinking 1-2 bottles of wine a day, I could achieve so much more in life��

[Byrdlady]

Hey Hopefull! You have plenty of good company around here! This thread hasn't been active in quite sometime, I'd like to invite you to two spots that are a good place to hang your hat. The links to both are in my signature line below, the Tool Box is full of tips and coping skills to give you the tools you need to pry this monkey off your back! The Newbie's Nest is an active thread with folks in all stages of quitting...there is activity there and you will get the support you need right now! I did and I'm nearly 4 and a half years sober, thanks to this place! Welcome aboard!! We're glad you found us! Byrdie

[hopefull71]

Thanks for the welcome Byrdlady, I will!��

[kronkcarr]

hopefull77,

I was very similar to you a few years ago. I didn't think I'd lost much but I had. I lost myself in the wine I drank every night. I lost relationships. My life is so unexpectedly different now and I'm happy. Good wishes for the journey you're starting.

[Pavati]

Hi, Hopeful,

I found out how much lower functioning I really was when I finally quit drinking. There were MANY problems I had that I didn't ascribe at all to alcohol, and low and behold, they went away when I quit. Number one among them was my relationship with my husband and our disagreements.

Anyway - a good podcast that helped me get sober is The Bubble Hour. Here is a link to a show they did on high functioning alcoholics.

Good to see you here...

Pavati

[jane27]

Pav, I agree. I always liked the term because it provided me with a nifty/shiny medal means to make myself exempt from the reality that I had a huge problem. Even though I was able to maintain holding myself to a higher-than-most standards at work, I basically broke down in the end. My last great accomplishment there was plotting a clean exit (quitting my job). Meanwhile back at the ranch, more than once I ran out of clean underwear (blew off doing laundry) and wore my hubs underwear to work. There are heaps of equally sad examples (eating american cheese on dog biscuits). I'd be kidding myself to call myself high functioning at that stage, but its definitely a title I was aiming for.