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    New with awareness

    Hey all... first post, and a little nervous at that!

    Anyways, I'm a Junior in college, and I am beginning to wonder if maybe I have a drinking problem. Alcoholism runs in my family (both sides) and ever since I began drinking, I have kept an eye out for a potential problem.

    The problem is all of my friends drink regularly, and so it is hard not to be around it and be influenced by it. Take last Friday night, I drank nearly 15 beers at a party... and the next day I was so hung over I spent most of my time in bed! That's no fun, especially not on a beautiful Saturday when I had other plans I had to cancel in order to recover.

    Other than that, I drink regularly with my friends and sometimes on my own too. My choice is heavy beer and Bourbon, but I seem to moderate myself fairly well with these or if I am by myself (maybe 2-4 drinks in a night). What worries me is being out with friends, drinking the cheap beer as fast as I can put it down. I'm a big guy, and so I can hold a lot, and oftentimes I'm the "reservoir" of a party.

    My girlfriend is currently serving in Iraq right now, and I feel I have been self medicating her absence with alcohol. I have recently stopped drinking on the weekdays altogether, and have become rather "pissy" for lack of a better word, and am having a hard time dealing with her being gone and worrying constantly about her safety.

    My goal is to stop binge drinking. I love the taste of beer (micro-brews, etc) and would like to limit any night to 6 beers at the absolute most (only on the weekends). I also want to quit drinking bourbon, because of how easy it is to over-do it. I have gained a considerable amount of weight since I began drinking/partying hard a few years ago, and it would be nice to lose that weight and be able to do the activities I love with greater ease (snowboarding, motocross, fishing) and have those for stress relievers instead of the bottle. I feel I am young enough to give moderation a shot... if it doesn't work I will look at abstinence. I have seen family members struggle with alcoholism and its health problems my whole life, and I do not want any part of that.

    I hope that wasn't too dry or erratic... thanks for reading I look forward to getting to know some of you and listening to your stories as well. Be well

    #2
    New with awareness

    brton161,

    Welcome! I am relatively new to MWO but not to drinking. If you feel you can get ahold of your binge drinking and start to moderate now you may have some success in the future. If this is difficult to do maybe cut out the bourbon first and work on continuting your success at only drinking on the weekends and cutting down on the intake. I know how difficult it is in college to change your drinking habits when almost everone around you is partying like crazy. You sound like you are on the right track. Believe me, it is better to take control of it now then wait 20 years like I did! Keep in touch and stay on the boards for support. This is a great site and you will meet a lot of great people. Gabby.
    Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.

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      #3
      New with awareness

      brton 161
      sounds like you have a plan which is a sign that you really want this change. It's great that you have become aware earlier than later.
      good luck and please let us know how your progress is going.

      welcome to MWO

      Trix
      You can't turn a pickle into a cucumber

      Comment


        #4
        New with awareness

        Thanks everyone. Yeah, I am pretty satisfied that I have this awareness so early on. I will keep up with my progress, it's nice to know you are all here and are familiar with what I am feeling. I will post often and certainly stick around for a while!

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          #5
          New with awareness

          brton, work on that plan that you have and let us older ones help you achieve your dreams ...........

          Keep us informed of your progress, we are all here to help you .........
          sigpicXXX

          Comment


            #6
            New with awareness

            Brton161,
            I am new to this site, my first post.
            I wondered in college (35 yrs ago) if I had a drinking problem and wish I had addressed it back then - I've wasted a lot of years in between. Once again, I am going to try to go AF, hopefully for the last time.
            Swiftwater

            Comment


              #7
              New with awareness

              :new:

              Comment


                #8
                New with awareness

                Newbie you are aware of your drinking @1. Do you think you drink too much? Family history certainly does follow suit. You are young and have a future ahead be careful drinking could become a problem for you. :welcome: Only you will know that for sure. When it interferes with your life then its a problem. As for your post, no you do not sound to have a problem?

                Luv.
                Rip.

                Comment


                  #9
                  New with awareness

                  Swiftwater and Ripple, Hi to you both from an Oldie .....

                  If you truly want to stop or reduce your drinking then I promise you both that with the help of this place, you really can ......

                  Read what everyone has to say, then put it into practice .........:welcome:
                  sigpicXXX

                  Comment


                    #10
                    New with awareness

                    Unfortunately, we all have to walk our own walk but I sure wish I "listened" to my gut instincts when I started to realize I had an issue. I understand you're not at the point of knowing that you have an issue, but chances are. . . . if you start bargaining and setting boundaries that you continually don't adhere to. . . . . you may have a problem. I hope you don't. I only know I do and did and I have to be abs. Once you get the hang of it, it's so much better being sober. Night and day!!

                    Knowlege is Power!!
                    Admitting you're an a-hole is the first step

                    Comment


                      #11
                      New with awareness

                      Betty Boop I'm an oldie too & Living Proof, I love your signature! I am in recovery and posting here a lot, it really takes the edge off. The people here are informative and supportive, I am needy right now and all your responses mean so much.

                      Thank you all.
                      :l Luv. Rip.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        New with awareness

                        living proof;223543 wrote: Unfortunately, we all have to walk our own walk but I sure wish I "listened" to my gut instincts when I started to realize I had an issue. Once you get the hang of it, it's so much better being sober. Night and day!!

                        Knowlege is Power!!
                        I agree 100%... my gut instinct usually hasn't failed me to date. I have been sober during the weekdays now for a few weeks and I feel much better for it. I realize this may be overkill, and many people I talk to dismiss the possibility of me having a problem. But I know myself, and sometimes I worry that my body needs alcohol, so that's what brings me here. Thanks for the warm welcomes :thanks:

                        Comment


                          #13
                          New with awareness

                          brton161,
                          If your gut tells you there is a problem listen! I wish I had listened a long time ago. Having been brought up in a family of heavy drinkers I was afraid to even abstain around them for fear of being thought a wuss...or they'd just ask me if I was pregnant--lol! It's better to err on the side of caution. Btw, my thanks and prayers go out to your girlfriend for serving our country and may she stay safe and come home soon!
                          Pepper

                          Comment


                            #14
                            New with awareness

                            Thank you Pepper... actually I should clear up the fact that she is my ex-girlfriend, but still a very close and dear friend, I still consider her to be a girlfriend for some weird reason. Thanks for you prayers.

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