I am an alcoholic?

i drink 2-6 beers a day, so do my coworkers. so do a lot of people. sall good man.

 

The addiction is to buying and collecting and the struggle is real.

 

Why are people so glib about alcoholism? Alcoholism is an extremely potent destroyer of happiness, health, marriages, careers, and essentially any enjoyable aspect of life. I love beer, but this is a serious subject and one we ought to take very seriously as advocates of our hobby.

Read the CDCs definition of alcoholism found here: http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm

It is my opinion that anyone who regularly drinks outside of these guidelines is certainly at risk of developing, and may already have, a drinking problem. It may not be a popular opinion, but we would be poor advocates to ignore the dangers of the thing we love.

I personally think that taking some regular time off from drinking is a great way to check yourself to make sure that it isn't becoming too important for you to feel good or happy.

 

If it makes you feel better about drinking I'm about 80% sure there is not a god and I'm about 99% sure that the man spoken about in the bible was not the son of God. But as Jim Carrey would say "then there's still a chance". But I wouldn't worry about it. Beer is good for you in large quantities.

 

I love my drunk uncles.

 

I try to stay within 3 all day, its hard but not impossible. That's my limit.

 

Look up the term alcoholic...

 

I disagree with this. I think people should regularly ask themselves, as this person is doing, whether or not they could have a problem with alcohol and to seek honest feedback about it from people they trust. If people who know you and see how you drink think you have a problem (especially if they are drinkers themselves) than that's not a good sign.

 

Because it's about as much fun as discussing lung cancer on a tobacco forum.

 

My only retort is to reference a famous beer quote from one of our founding fathers that many are no doubt familiar with: "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." For me (and I'm being serious) that's a pretty compelling argument.

 

I believe passion for something, anything, means a respect and healthy fear of it's capacity to destroy you. This is a conversation that may not be very fun, but can save people from ruination (not the beer.) I'm happy to be the unpopular spokesman for moderation if it has a chance of saving someone else from misery.

 

you can always look at it like I do, do you hold a job/attend school/ whatever it may be, do you wake up with the shakes, then your not an alcoholic----- you're a drunk just like I am (except I drink a few beers everynite)

 

As someone who drinks too much and is fully aware of it and would be ok saying he's likely an alcoholic, here are my thoughts on this questions.

Question 1. Well if I'm getting fat I think "you know booze might need to take a few months off/down" It's math.
Question 2. OK this is a reasonable question, and some friends who I talk to a lot about beers, I once said "man I want a beer haven't had one in a month" and I got "what, I thought you drank every night", that annoyed me.
Question 3. See item 1. Yeah if I want to drop a few pounds, I'll feel just as bad about a beer as pizza.
Question 4. OK I can't relate to that one. I honestly drink a LOT and would consider myself an alcoholic on many levels. I've never once had THAT thought, that's crazy.

 

You probably have to watch they way you act after a beer. If you start doing or saying funny things that aren't really funny to others then you probably need to cut down.

 

If you think you might be an alcoholic you should talk to your physician, ASAP. Not your Christian relatives, and not a forum devoted to beer. Probably you aren't, but it's a serious enough thing to check out.

 

You're not an alcoholic if it isn't hurting your relationships or your ability to handle your responsibilities. Some people think having any interest in anything involving alcohol alcoholism, if they aren't family I choose not to deal with them.

 

Please try to put all comments aside if you can my friend. Even my wife has said you cant go without a beer , your an alcoholic(usually if we are argueing) and that comes from someone who doesnt drink at all, so to someone who doesnt have a beer a cocktail on a regular basis, it looks like im drinking too much. I too am tired of comments and judgement calls to someone who is a ups driver and the only one bringing in money. Non drinkers especially dont have any urges for a quailty beer or liquor drink. Im in for the taste mainly and if the buzz makes you happy or balanced so be it. Beernut also has a garage refrigerator and if it is stocked with different IPAS only, i tend not to drink as much. I used to drink half beers and cap them to get more variety, that way if there are 6 half beers then i had 3 total. Its the doubles i like and that lessens your intake. Let me tell you, alcoholics start early and drink massive amounts of cheap beer, get fat and wear out their liver. Saturday and Sunday ilike to drink at least 4 beers starting around 4pm or 5 pm then by 9 pm or 10 pm stop. I sleep better and by the way life is to short dont stop cause someone has misjudged you. They dont know what the f their talking about. Beer freaks drink everyday so what. Its a good habit unlike ciggareetes like my wife smokes 8 per day, and its not crack or meth. I still smoke weed who cares?

 

i agree, most days i'll drink at least 1. especially after work. some days more, much more, and some days not at all.

i love people who criticize drinking so often and so much then they smoke a pack of cigarettes a day or get mcdonald's every day. it's something i like, i don't judge anyone else's habits, hobbies, vices, or life choices. but don't stand on a soapbox preaching unless you're the perfect being

 

Everyone is entitled to believe what they want, however, I wasn't trying to justify God's existence, all I was trying to do was show that it is a common misconception that Christians shouldn't drink at all.

 

Your not driving, your not dying from drinking, you dont sweat until you have one, and your not to let these non drinkers spoil your hobby. BOOM!

 

If you were an alcoholic the fridge in your garage would probably be empty !!

Your drinking habits sound very similar to mine and being an alcoholic isn't something that has even remotely entered my thoughts.

 

Are you belligerent while drinking? Do you have DUIs? Are you driving while impaired at any point in time (drink a couple then drive)? Do you show up to work drunk or hungover?Are you buying the cheapest malt liquors at 7 in the morning just to catch a buzz? All that may be at one extreme. But I guess there can be levels to an addiction.

I get flack from many I know who love wine. Those people aren't alcoholics though. /end sarcasm.

 

Good Point!

 

Most Christians are hipocritics

 

So what if you end up being one. Own it but be realistic about where it's taking you, if you even care.

 

I think it boils down more to post-prohibition sentiments being passed down and America not having a long-lasting beer culture like Europe.

 

My god you are not even close. I'm drinking between 42 and 64 oz a night of Trillium/VT/tree House/Alpine IPAs and DIPAs and I don't consider myself an alcoholic.....and do not ask you doctor -- they will talk about two 12 oz 4% drinks a night -- completely impossible way to live your life in 21st century America...

 

Agree

 

I'm wary of the word 'alcoholic' - it's trying to put something infinitely variable and complex into a box with nice square corners. This is about your relationship with beer. If that's okay, you're fine.

And, fair enough to take onboard and think about what others say about you - but I dont think what they say or think should be more important than where you're coming from.

 

Never put down your alcohol intake like you said Doubles are not in the equation.

 

As a Christian, I would say that ALL Christians are hypocrites in some way. That's why we have a need for a Savior.

 

Watch the local news there are worse things going on in this judgemental critical world

 

So anyone who varies from these arbitrary guidelines is an alcoholic? This kind of thing needs to be determined on a case by case basis. Some people simply shouldn't drink anything ever. Others can make alcohol a part of their lives without any negative impact. Reducing something like this to a one size fits all policy is nothing short of absurd.

 

Well put!

 

That last one I couldn't resist and was meant in jest. All joking aside, this question starts a thread once a month, and the right answer is never really found by the OPs in here. And I've tried taking your stance before in these forums, but it's a bummer of a subject no one really wants to hear. Trust me, I caught all kinds of flack over in the "What do you tell a 5 yr old when he wants a sip?" thread for being too serious.
PM the guy directly if you're genuinely concerned. It works better. Cheers!

 

Most alcoholics I know buy the lowest common denominator in terms of alcohol because it is cheap and they can get a lot of it.

Have any DUI's? how many drunken brawls?

 

We all have our limits for some its 0 others it's 4 and don't let anyone talk you out of yours.

 

If you read the actual diagnostic criteria for alcoholic I'm willing to bet a decent percentage of people on here would qualify. That said, the criteria are bullshit. The DSM 5 lists 11 scenarios and a "yes" answer to 2 or more likely indicates the presence of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Here are some sample questions: "In the past year, have you had times when you ended up drinking more, or longer, than you intended?" "In the past year, have you spent a lot of time drinking?" See what I mean? It's bullshit. There's a whole business devoted to fixing non-existent alcoholism. Have a momentary lapse of judgement and get a DUI or some other alcohol related charge? Be prepared to shell out $200+ for an alcohol assessment and an alcohol awareness class. I'm not saying that alcoholism isn't a real problem in our society, because it is, but don't be made to feel like an alcoholic because some academic or a holier-than-thou type says you are. I've seen "real" alcoholics and I'm willing to bet the majority of people on here aren't that.

 

No.

 

Like mouthwash and cologne and cough syrup.