Origins of binge drinking?

Hi. 

I had (have) a drinking problem. Just like you I  don't know when to stop. I don't have the off button. When my friends say to me that they've had enough I don't understand it. I will drink until I pass out.

BUT I don't believe that we are born with it.

i was so bad with drinking a few years ago, that I had. 14 day binge. I drank 24/7 for 2 weeks. I didn't know what I was doing, where I was and when I stopped I really thought I was going to die. I came off the alcohol cold turkey. Something I now know is extremely dangerous. I couldn't walk, I couldn't talk, I was vomiting from my eyes, my ears and nose. I couldn't go to the toilet. I had to wear incontinence pants.mimfound out afterwards that I had drunk about 96 bottles of wine in those 2 weeks.

i was 45 years old then. All through my teenage years and early 20's I used to go out clubbing and pubbing with friends. I could have a few lagers, go home and never think about alcohol until the next week. 

I went to AAafter my binge, and although it helped, their message was that I was and always has been an alcoholic. That I had been born that way and that I was allergic to alcohol. Sorry.... But that's not true.

which I why I stopped going.

 

I kind of get it. But then I don't? Sounds mad, but then alcohol is mad.

i can go for months or weeks without a drink, and then One day, usually when I am feeling good or the weather is good, I think to myself that I can have a couple of glasses of wine in the garden. So I go to the shop and try to buy 1 bottle of wine. But then my subconscious takes over and I buy  2, As I know that one won't be enough. And thn I'll drink the 2 bottles and maybe mo,re if it can get my hands on it. It's so mad. I don't want to do it but I can't help myself. It's like I have a demon on my shoulder telling me to drink. I've sat in front of a table, looking at a bottle of wine, saying to myself "you'd don't want this, you don't need this." Etc etc etc but the demon wins. Every time.

 

I think it's a combination of both. I don't think it's a 'disease' as AA call it but more of a predisposition to liking alcohol too much.

I think two people could start binge drinking with friends at University or colleagues in a first job. One will eventually tire of it and realise there are more important things to concentrate on in life. The one with the predisposition however will by then already be hooked. Alcohol remains too important in their life and the amount they drink slowly increases over a number of years.

I just know I'm inherently different to most of my friends. I have NEVER said no to another drink - even if I can't speak or stand up. Anyone watching me is aghast as to why I want more when I'm already a complete mess.

Whereas I am always aghast at people who nurse one drink all night!

I also know my brain is different with opiate type medication. Friends don't know what I'm talking about when I talk of the warm cozy hug I get from taking Codeine. They feel nothing but the pain relief element. I'm the same with Tramadol. Three different friends were given it in hospital and felt only pain relief. I was given it for back pain and felt completely amazing on it. Confident, sociable, positive, super happy. I've since had to give up both for obvious reasons.

My friends are all capable of a night of binge drinking but after that they feel rough and booze is forgotten about as they carry on with daily life. For me the thought of my next drink is always in my mind.

I genuinely believe my brain has something different about it in the way it reacts to alcohol and some other drugs.

I'm starting The Sinclair Method on Tuesday.

you are right, your brain is different - you are an addict- just like myself- we process alcohol and opiates diferently than others- we dont start out like that- no-one does- for one, our bodies would not be able to handle the amount of drink we consume now- when we first started to drink- addiction is a progresive disease- we need more and more of what ever substance we are addicted to, to get the desired result- we are hard wired to react this way- best of luck with the sinclair method-let us know how it works for you-

Wow. I never thought of it that way. I just assumed that I was an alcoholic and that was it! But thinking about it now, I have been in hospital a few times re appendicitis, endometriosis, fibroids etc and absolutely love the feeling I get from the drugs. I can't take morphine as I actually am allergic to it, but tramadol, cocodamol etc is amazing. It gives me that lovely warm feeling all over. A bit like that first drink?

its weird cos I have a twin sister. She doesn't abuse alcohol like me but she is addicted to pain killers. I've never thought of it as an addiction, and neither do any of my family or her friends. But I suppose it's maybe kind of the same? She takes pills every single day. Loads of them. but no one sees it as a problem as she doesn't display any signs of addiction like alcohol does?