I think im an alcoholic?

[Winecurestiredness]

Is 3 bottles of wine a week bad? I really don't know why I do this. All I know is a bottle of wine literally melts my depression away. I have had depression for almost 20 years now.. tried the drugs and the therapy, doesn't work...i feel like a massive failure. It helps most people so why not me. But why does alcohol help?? I wish it was the pills that worked instead..it makes no sense

If you are using alcohol to 'cope' then I don't think it matters how much or how often you drink as such it's more you are depending on alcohol to make you feel better.

I know you said the pills and therapy don't work but it sounds cliche but things take time and time is a great healer. Whatever you are running from and using alcohol to mask it needs to be dealt with.

I hope you have to e patience and find the strength to do this and give your GP a call ASAP !

Fingers crossed for you here

Hi OP

Ultimately alcohol is a depressant and I think if you’re asking yourself is 3 bottles a week too much, then it probably is or you know you probably have some alcohol issues.

If you are using alcohol as a crutch to cope with your depression, then there are definitely issues. Short term alcohol will give you that buzz and appear to melt your depression away but ultimately long term it will cause further issues in your depression.

I highly recommend “sober powered” podcast which explains the science behind it.

Three bottles a week is really not alcoholic territory usually but if you’re using it to cope then you’re likely dependent ans maybe need to find other ways instead of self medicating. Maybe speak to your gp again.

The term “ alcoholic “ is one that can cause a lot of confusion and muddies the waters . People think they can’t have a problem or dependence as there vision of an “ alcoholic “ is far removed from someone who drinks wine ( or whatever ) at night to “ relax” . So we give ourselves a green light . I can’t possibly be an alcoholic because I don’t do blah blah blah …

BUT…

Alcohol use disorder and alcohol dependence is a huge scale ! You could be anywhere on that scale and be dependant . ( ( Likely psychological dependence from what you describe . ) and because alcohol use disorder is a huge scale it doesn’t take much to change your position on the scale.

If you are drinking dependantly be that physical or phychological dependency, then it’s a knocking bet you’ll keep sliding down that scale , that “slippery slope “ . That’s how alcohol works sadly .

@Adm1010

The term “ alcoholic “ is one that can cause a lot of confusion and muddies the waters . People think they can’t have a problem or dependence as there vision of an “ alcoholic “ is far removed from someone who drinks wine ( or whatever ) at night to “ relax” . So we give ourselves a green light . I can’t possibly be an alcoholic because I don’t do blah blah blah …

BUT…

Alcohol use disorder and alcohol dependence is a huge scale ! You could be anywhere on that scale and be dependant . ( ( Likely psychological dependence from what you describe . ) and because alcohol use disorder is a huge scale it doesn’t take much to change your position on the scale.

If you are drinking dependantly be that physical or phychological dependency, then it’s a knocking bet you’ll keep sliding down that scale , that “slippery slope “ . That’s how alcohol works sadly .

Yes to all this

@Winecurestiredness hi there, just wanted to say that I struggle with the same issues. You say you have tried medication but it doesn't work; just be aware that alcohol and antidepressants don't mix, especially as the medication will be less effective or feel as if it's not working. I know when I drink on meds my depression is worse and the meds have no effect. When I stopped drinking the meds started to work again, I felt less depression and this in turn helped me give up alcohol.

You are not an alcoholic at all and not far over recommended units per week.

If you aren't happy, change it.

I don't think 3 bottles of wine a week would lead to a physical addiction- ie you can't stop without a physical withdrawal. That would be more one litre of vodka a day territory.

However, you know you rely on alcohol emotionally and to cope with depression, which isn't great (but you are far from being alone with this!)

Why not try to cut back to one bottle a week? See how you feel.

People who are dependant and drink a litre bottle of vodka a day did not wake up one day and down a litre. They will have gradually got there . They will have built up to it . Dependence is progressive and it starts somewhere . IF someone is using alcohol to self medicate then a dependence is already a possibility . No it isn’t physical at this stage but psychological dependence is just as inevitable once the relationship with alcohol becomes unhealthy .
Stopping the progression at this stage is crucial and muddying the waters with the “ alcoholic “ label complicates this

When I’ve looked at the alcohol content on a bottle of red wine, there’s usually around 10 units. So that’s 30 units a week, when it’s recommended you have 14 or less.
Did you start on one bottle and creep up ? Do you ever have more that 3 bottles ?