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Worried I could become an alcoholic

Posted , 7 users are following.

Mandala
Mandala

I'm worried I could become an alcoholic. My dad was an alcoholic and we have very similar personalities. In recent months I've started having 2 glasses of wine a night on my own. It's not a huge amount but I'm just worried as I don't feel like I can stop this habit as I enjoy it so much. Sometimes when I'm with my boyfriend I try to get him to drink with me even when he tells me he doesn't want to. I really love wine and really enjoy drinking it, without it things just seem a little duller.

Do you think this a harmless pastime or should I be worried? Any advice would be much appreciated.

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • PaulJTurner1964
    PaulJTurner1964 Mandala

    Posted

    No, please disregard all you have heard about alcohol addiction being personality-related. Your father suffered a medical condition which made him pre-disposed to alcohol addiction. This condition does run in families so it is possible that you have inherited the same vulnerability. You are already noticing some warning signs, your comment 'without it things seem a little duller.'

    Please take care. Keep your drinking level low and ensure that you don't drink every day. And don't think that it is more justifiable if you can get somebody else to drink with you, the chances are that your boyfriend doesn't have the same pre-disposition to alcohol addiction. You could both drink all the time and see you getting into difficulty while he could stop when he wanted.

    You came here early enough to sort it out. Have a read of some of the other posts and see what a nightmare alcohol has become for many of the people that post here. Do some reading about The Sinclair Method and the research behind it as that will explain the difference between those who get into difficulty with alcohol and those who do not.

    Please be careful and good luck!

    • boo56665
      boo56665 PaulJTurner1964

      Posted

      Hi Paul. Can you advise. I have been ob Selincro for about 8 months now and all going well. Exept 3 times when I have gone to a party and drank a bit too much, afterwards I have been unbelievably ill with severe migraine and sickness, which I never had when I wasn't taking Selincro. I NEVER want to feel like that again so was wondering, if next time I think I may drink a bit more then ususal ( still much less then I used too) would it matter if I skipped a pill for one night ? Also why would taking Selincro give me these awful symptoms if I drink a bit more then ususal ( sometimes without much foo aswell ) ?

      Thanks

      Boo

    • PaulJTurner1964
      PaulJTurner1964 boo56665

      Posted

      Ok, this is not directly caused by the Selincro in terms of a reaction between that and alcohol. When you start taking it, your opioid receptors initially multiply, trying to get a hit and then they reduce in number when they realise they are not going to get one. Imagine a crowd of people in a queue for sweets. But no sweets come and the crowd gets smaller and smaller. Then suddenly there is a delivery of sweets but, because there are so few people, they end up with massive amounts of sweets each. Then they get sick smile

      That is what is happening when you try to drink like you used to. Your tolerance to alcohol has decreased (due to fewer receptors). You will get drunk much more easily and are at risk of alcohol poisoning after drinking far less.

      As a diabetic on insulin (without an alcohol problem), I know that I cannot get too drunk as alcohol can cause a serious drop in my blood sugar and, if I was drunk, I may not recognise it. After a couple of drinks, therefore, I start to alternate between soft drinks and alcoholic drinks. This allows me to know the effect of the last alcoholic drink before I have the next. That may be worth trying.

      It would be a problem to miss a pill if you were going to be drinking because it would allow the opiod receptors to start expecting the reward again and they could multiply and make you crave more alcohol, like you did before.

    • boo56665
      boo56665 PaulJTurner1964

      Posted

      Thanks Paul. Would that actually make much difference if it was only for one day withiut taking Selincro but haveing some alcohol on that day ? Equally if I did have a day off the pills and drank a bit too much, would the hangover still be as excruciatingly  awful as my tolerance is lower or would it be like my ols hangovers which were bad but mangable ? 
    • PaulJTurner1964
      PaulJTurner1964 boo56665

      Posted

      Yes it would make a big difference, Boo. Consider it like having unprotected sex. You are leaving the receptors exposed and the reward you get will mean that those receptors will make you crave again. If you don't block the receptors for EVERY SINGLE drink, the treatment simply doesn't work at all. I think that is why it isn't working for you. It's like a woman taking her contraceptive pill occasionally.

      With regard to hangovers, I would expect them to be the same even if you didn't take a pill.

      Honestly, the reason you are taking these pills are to sort out your alcohol problem and you are asking me how you can get p****d the best way smile Have a word with yourself smile

  • lodgerUK_NE
    lodgerUK_NE Mandala

    Posted

    Try non-alcoholic wine,  Shoelr  or just put in your search engine non-alcoholic wines.

    I drink them all the time and find them all extremely pleasant.

  • rainbow2014
    rainbow2014 Mandala

    Posted

    Hello Mandala

    Firstly, I would say that you have done the best thing in posting on here asking for advice . I agree with Paul that you have recognised this early on so if you can turn this around for yourself now , you will enjoy a healthier happier future.

    This is my story.....

    I left home at 17 and soon realised that I enjoyed a couple of glasses a night on my own in my flat. I remember saying the same thing to myself and worrying that I may develop an alcohol problem just like my father ( he was always drunk !!!, lost his license 3 times etc.I wittnessed some distressing things as I'm sure you can empathise with) I then met my partner . We generally drank socially and during this time I didnt feel the need to drink.

    I had my children and a few years later life became dull and I started on the wine every night! 2 glasses, then a bottle, then the wine boxes etc.  We divorced and i've been on my own with the kids for ten years . I am now 43 and still drinking a bottle a night ! If I go out to a party etc I am always the one to make a fool of myself . My kids (now both adults) have been amazing . Because of my father I have explained to them why I drink, and that I accept I have a problem . They have supported me throughout my constant battles over the years trying to cut down, stopping for months etc . I am battling all the time but I am determined to crack this as I feel so much stronger now.

    Please please think very carefully and dont underestimate the issue and worry you have at this time. If you can correct this behaviour now then you will not go down my road . Im very positive now but life could have been alot easier without the alcohol .

    I would suggest to start with , dont drink every night .

    Good luck and keep posting smile

  • Robin2015
    Robin2015 Mandala

    Posted

    I would not worry too much Mandala since you may not necessarily follow in the footsteps of your father. Just keep it under control and you will be fine. You are already being very honest and monitor your drinking and that is good.  smile
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