Would I be classed as an alcoholic?

[Isabelle728]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to get everyone's opinions on my drinking situation.

I never binge drink and it's something I don't think about first thing in the morning, however come 3/4pm I start to think about that glass of wine that I usually would have in the late afternoon/ evening. I do struggle to make it 1 day without a glass or two of wine. I told myself today that I want to stop mid week drinking and today is the day I start that, however I am already craving wine so badly.

I do think the wine for me is a quick way to relax and I also really enjoy the taste of it but it has become a habit.
Would this make me an alcoholic or addict if I have 1-2 glasses a day and does it also make me an alcoholic that I would struggle to put a stop to this?

I just feel a bit stuck on what to do. Do I continue to have a glass or two if it's really not that bad and it's my way of relaxing or is it bad that I crave it so much and I should just put my mind to it and stop? Thanks x

If you'd struggle to go more than a day without alcohol then surely you are on the way to becoming an alcoholic. Certainly you are alcoholic dependent.

Yup wouldn't ingest any of those things.

OP if you are still reading, think about joining this thread.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/alcohol_support/5152448-the-continuing-support-thread-for-anyone-trying-to-lead-an-alcohol-free-life-autumn-2024

As per previous replies; you suffer with anxiety. Any alcohol will make this worse x

I think you’ll find it easy once you break the habit. The first couple of weeks I decided to have more AF days I found I was getting to late afternoon feeling a bit like something was missing but soon enough the new normal is not to have a glass of wine every night and it’s much easier. I also have found on a few occasions I get to the weekend and because I haven’t been drinking in the week I don’t really fancy a drink at the weekend either. If I were you and try and do a few weeks now before Christmas mentality sets in. God luck - I’m sure you’ll be fine 😊

I avoid them a bit myself, and my close relatives do even better than I do. Ham & Bacon are a bugger closely followed by a decent sausage, but there you go and are you really going to condemn everyone ingesting these Class 1 Carcinogens?.

I’m with you on the wine but I like some of the AF beers; leffe is a good one and some of the tropical ipa types convert well to AF too. AF Hoegarden is really nice but that doesn’t taste much like beer to be honest.

I like kombucha and ginger beer too as good alternatives to an alcoholic drink.

It's 4.5 units in half a bottle.

If you're having a four bottles a week that is 36 units.

But the fact you don't get a hangover just means that your body is used to that level of alcohol. It doesn't mean you're not having a problem with alcohol.

But remember also that the NHS study of GPs concluded that the optimum level of drinking for life expectancy was 29 units per week.

Statistics can be used to prove whatever your prejudices are.

If they were also highly addictive neurotoxins that as well as caused a long list of health issues, also caused societal problems both in the family home and in public, then I probably would, but all the info is out there on all these things. Yes these are all carcinogenic as well, but alcohol is a very potent drug, and a highly addictive one.

I was drinking like you, OP, the same amount and for the same reasons. I needed to lose weight and knew that the alcohol I was drinking was very bad for me. I just felt really sluggish. I knew it was affecting my teeth, my weight, my health. I dreaded having any kind of alcohol related illness and people knowing about that.

I have been on a weight loss injection for a few months and have hardly had a drink. The only times I have, have been when someone has poured it for me and I haven't wanted to tell them about the weight loss injection so I've drunk some of it.

The difference in my life has been incredible. Having a drink doesn't even occur to me now. That happened from the first day. I literally never think about it in the evening even if there is a bottle of wine on the counter or in the fridge. When I've been out I've been very happy to just have glass of sparkling water. I didn't try to replace it with anything at home because I never even thought about having any kind of drink.

One way I did find earlier on to cut down, prior to the injections, was to use sparkling water in my wine. I poured equal quantities so the glass looked the same size as normal but I was actually drinking half as much. Would something like that work?

Where is the condemnation ? I don't condem smokers. People make
their choices. We will need to work longer than our parents, life expectancy has stalled, personally I am doing all I can, that includes avoiding processed meat (since about 2012).

I really hope you’re not reaching for wine Op

I read your other threads and the alcohol misuse will all be making matters so so much worse 🌺