Drug Addiction/Alcoholism

[bighead384]

I was addicted to snorting Oxycontin last year. Not the worst level of addiction....I could go days without it if I wanted to, but it took a lot of effort, it completely sucked, and when I wasn't using, I thought about it constantly. I also spent wayyyyy too much money on that shit. It was definitely a serious problem.

My mom found out about my problem in a completely unexpected way. I was on Yahoo Answers and another addict asked a question, which I answered. Turns out, all your email contacts get notified if you answer a question on Yahoo Answers (FUCK. It's apparently a default setting?!). Well, I guess it was for the better.

Now I see a counselor and get drug tested twice a week. I've cleaned up my act thankfully. But after being in the program for 2 months, I started drinking again. Just by coincidence, I had not drank any alcohol the first two months I was in the program. I began drinking, and alcohol began showing up on my tests. It was at this point that I was informed that I cannot drink either.

I went along with it for a little while, but I recently said fuck it and started drinking again. I try to drink a lot of water to beat the tests, but I really don't care much if get caught because I think it's bullshit that I can't drink occasionally.

While I know that it's true that alcohol can be very addictive, and that I am at especially high risk to get addicted, I also feel that obviously at some point, I should be able to drink again. Who's to say exactly when that should be? I mean, I'm not going to be a 35 year old man turning down beer just because of a problem I had in my early twenties. I've never had a problem with alcohol in the past either, especially since I get the worst hangovers ever.

I've been clean for over four months now, and I think I should be able to drink a few beers. Thoughts?

[Al Coholic]

You're in your early twenties? Jesus fucking christ. So when you were trolling these boards you were like what, 20?

How about, are you just one of those lame people that after the first beer, finishes the 18 pack most every time? Can you have say, three or five but then stop? Can you practice moderation, or are you too weak for it?

There's a point after which you're just an alchy. And it doesn't become truly apparent for years. At what point does my awesome, social alcoholism become too much too often? Already. I drink way too much already. But the problem with those AA fucks is that they'll lump in a kid who drinks socially once a week with a guy who wakes up with cold sweats and shakes, chugs some listerine, and buys an $8 750 of vodka which is gone by noon. So you kinda hate them and rationalize away your drinking. Here's how I rationalize mine:

I drink, sure. And probably too much. But I don't get any kind of withdrawl. Craving a beer now and again, sure. But withdrawl, never. And most importantly, alcohol has yet to significantly, negatively interfere with my personal or professional life.

The point is, you'll have to decide and you've already made up your mind that you'll have a few beers. So drink your beers. But if you start knocking back a case by yourself and you find yourself drunk in the afernoon, alone, then you're too weak for that too. Good luck finding 'help' that'll teach you moderation though. All they teach is abstinence.

[bighead384]

You're in your early twenties? Jesus fucking christ. So when you were trolling these boards you were like what, 20?

Trolling, eh? Well for the record, I still don't regret probably the majority of my behavior back then, although I can acknowledge some problems with what I said/how I said it.

How about, are you just one of those lame people that after the first beer, finishes the 18 pack most every time? Can you have say, three or five but then stop? Can you practice moderation, or are you too weak for it?

There is more than enough evidence in my past that suggests I can practice moderation with drinking. I've never had a problem with drinking too much or too often.

But the problem with those AA fucks is that they'll lump in a kid who drinks socially once a week with a guy who wakes up with cold sweats and shakes, chugs some listerine, and buys an $8 750 of vodka which is gone by noon. So you kinda hate them and rationalize away your drinking.

AA will tell you that most of the kids who drink like crazy while in college are alcoholics. Then they'll tell you that because these same people were alcoholics, they have addictive personalities, and should NEVER drink again. If this were truly good advice, about 60-70% of college students should NEVER have another beer again according to AA.

Good luck finding 'help' that'll teach you moderation though. All they teach is abstinence.

I think it's shame that this is the case, although maybe there is no easy answer for institutional care that teaches moderation rather than abstinence.

[RageAndLov]

So if you are addicted to something, you may never drink alcohol, because you are easily getting addicted to stuff? So if you get addicted to chocolate, you may never take pain killers or drink wine to the food again?

[bighead384]

So if you are addicted to something, you may never drink alcohol, because you are easily getting addicted to stuff? So if you get addicted to chocolate, you may never take pain killers or drink wine to the food again?

Alcohol is a physically addictive drug, that's the difference.

Man, this BBS is all sex, drugs and rock n' roll lately...

[Alison]

Did you start becoming addicted to alcohol when you started drinking? If you didn't, and if it was just for the odd beer, then I don't see a problem. If you were using it as a substitute to solely achieve getting shitfaced, then you should possibly stay away from it.

There was a video on in the health centre in my university not so long ago, that said if you drink over 3 alcoholic drinks in one sitting you are considered a binge drinker. And if you have over 7 a week you are an alcoholic.
It was an American advert thing. Do the majority in the US agree with this? Friends of mine went on a pubcrawl in Paris once and there was a group of Americans there, who were apparently appalled by them.

In my time here, I have come to realise that other countries do have different attitudes to drinking. Some people here think that I drink too much. But ya see, by standards here, I don't. In fact, the majority of my friends drink a heeecckk of a lot more than me. When I don't drink it's not like I'm craving a drink either.

[WebDudette]

I used to drink once or twice a week, I used to drink a whole lot once or twice a week. But that is because my roommates and I always through parties or had a couple of friends over. I drank a lot because it was my house and I could just walk upstairs and pass out when I wanted, also because I have a ridiculous tolerance for my age. Plus we'd play drinking games all night. Anyway, I drank a lot and pretty often, but I drank by myself maybe... once a month or less. I didn't even drink with just one roommate or anything, except the time we watched the Codby Show and drank everytime he said something sarcastically.

I guess my point is, I used to drink quite a bit, but only if it was there. Now that I live at home again, I rarely drink.

I honestly think I am too lazy and apathetic to get addicted to anything. I guess I'm addicted to being lazy and apathy. I mean, I've done some drugs that I loved, I'm just to lazy and don't care enough to go out and get them unless a friend calls me up and asks.

[Paint_It_Black]

If this were truly good advice, about 60-70% of college students should NEVER have another beer again according to AA.

Actually that probably is good advice.

I despise AA though.

Ultimately, if you want to drink that's up to you. If you want to drink massive quantities that's also up to you. Just make sure it doesn't turn you into an utterly unlikable douche because in my experience most heavy drinkers are not fun drunks. I've known maybe half a dozen truly obvious alcoholics and ALL of them have been unbearable to be around. By the end of the night they're intentionally trashing their own homes, trying to punch their friends and/or making terrible attempts to sleep with their friends' girlfriends, and finally weeping uncontrollably like infants. Not sure what they enjoy about this. And these are things that happen almost every time. Then there's the rarer stuff like losing your drivers license or getting your stomach pumped. All of this stuff I have experienced with friends of mine. I quit drinking entirely for a few years because watching these alcoholics completely ruined alcohol for me. I just associated it with having a terrible time.

[randman21]

I don't think we have very many addicts on the boards, so I think you should ask your counselor about all this. Or at the very least, do a lot of research before making your choice. They generally don't have a set of strict rules "just because" and I can imagine there are dangers to drinking right now (ie there is a such thing as cross-addiction). I would think for sure that four months isn't enough time, but hey what do I know? Good job/luck with the oxy thing, by the way.

[_Lost_]

I have zero self control when it comes to alcohol. Once I have one, I'm all in until I'm puking or unconscious. My dad is an alcoholic and so was his dad. My mom's parents are. Its something I realize I'm inclined to have an issue with, so I rarely touch it.