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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

How do you know if you’re an alcoholic

78 replies

Tea111 · 05/08/2020 02:03

Nc just to post this. Please no p**s takers I just want genuine advice and might sound like a stupid question But: how do I know if a) I’m an alcoholic and have issues with drinking or b) I’m just stressed and drink too much?

Take just today for an example: ndn were pissing me off as usual and instead of waiting for weekend like I promised myself I poured a drink (vodka and lemonade) just to get through the evening. I put on headphones to block them and just had a drink. I got super relaxed and didn’t feel drunk at all so poured another. The evening in some parts is a blur. DH and I took kids out for dinner and I remember parts of it. Didn’t drink when out just had lemonade. Came home we fought and he said “you’re a drunk, everyone could see in Restarant you were drunk”. He stormed off and left me to deal with kids which I did manage as usual and got them to bed. I’ve woken up now very embarrassed and determined to just spill rest of bottle in sink. I just don’t have anyone to talk to. I think I may have overreacted at neighbours which is definitely a good thing if I did as my usual non-drunk personality is doormat who just takes s**t and smiles and is friendly.

OP posts:
rawlikesushi · 05/08/2020 05:37

I don't think it's entirely fair to blame your dh.

I have lived with an alcoholic and it is very difficult indeed. Your slippers may have slipped under his radar, but he may have prevented a dozen other transgressions.

You say that he shouldn't have let you go out, but going out stopped you drinking any more and got you away from the neighbours. Living with an alcoholic is full of making 'least worst' decisions.

He may be cold and detached as you say, but I wonder what adjectives he would use to describe you.

FWIW it sounds like alcoholism to me, but recognising that is a big part of the battle. I'm glad you're going to seek support. Nobody will take your dc from you, you are nowhere near that stage and hopefully never will be. I think there is a support thread on mn somewhere, maybe in 'relationships'. I can't remember what it's called but if you post there, I'm sure they'll find you.

RonObvious · 05/08/2020 05:48

If you can do without drink for more than three days without severe withdrawal symptoms, ie delerium tremens and fits, you're not an alcoholic.

This is absolutely not true. Some alcoholics can go long periods without drinking. In my opinion, if alcohol is having a negative impact on your life, and you are unable to cut down, then you have a drinking problem. It’s so easy to minimise by saying you are not as bad as ‘serious’ alcoholics, or that you know ‘heavy drinkers’ who drink more. It’s about how alcohol is impacting you and your life.

JuniperFather · 05/08/2020 05:54

If you can do without drink for more than three days without severe withdrawal symptoms, ie delerium tremens and fits, you're not an alcoholic.

As someone who has been through addiction counselling and understands the model, this is downright wrong and I get really frustrated seeing things like this said confidently as a 'definition' on here.

It feels to me like statements like this are made so that folk can get on 'the wine' five nights a week, a bottle a night, but it's ok because they don't get tremens and fits if they skip a couple of nights because they're picking up DC from their after school play rehearsals.

The double standards around alcoholism on here are really sad. If it's in a 'naice' shaped bottle and its a socially conventional drink, it's fine! You're in control! You can give up whenever, it's just a nice thing to do every other night, a whole bottle, being drunk.....

MumInBrussels · 05/08/2020 05:56

I think what you call yourself ("alcoholic" or "heavy drinker" or whatever) isn't the important thing here. Relying on a technical definition of "alcoholic" (which I'm not personally convinced by in any case) to make yourself feel it's not so bad is a bad idea and it's a very easy thing to do - there's often a little voice telling you it's not such a problem and you can drink normally if you try harder. Sometimes, some of us can't.

You sound like you'd benefit from stopping drinking - it's causing you trouble, why not try stopping for 30 days, then 60 days, 90 days, and so on and seeing whether that improves things? You can do that without being "a real alcoholic", alcohol isn't actually essential for anyone. There are online support groups and websites you can look at to try and help, or books if that's more your thing (I really liked 'the unexpected joy of being sober' by Catherine Grey). I tried stopping for 100 days as a nice round number, 2 years ago, and never went back.

And your husband is a separate issue, though clearly he's part of the problem. But you can't deal with everything at once. Stop drinking first, then after you've done that and it's been a few months of not drinking, think about what else needs to change in the longer term.

If you've been drinking every day for a long time, you probably should talk to your GP before you completely stop, though. Alcohol withdrawals can be dangerous, and you don't want to add more complications. You don't have to say you think you're maybe an alcoholic, just that you've been drinking too much for too long and want to stop for a bit and do it safely. They will have seen much worse, I'm sure!

JuniperFather · 05/08/2020 05:58

^^ wish there was a like button for comments! This.

blackandwhite2020 · 05/08/2020 06:00

Oh hun, I really feel you're just a bit lost and need some support, especially if DH is pretty cold etc. You can get into the technicalities and tick boxes about alcoholics but I'm afraid it's just a case of 'if you are you are'. If there's a problem, call it what you want, just get it sorted for yourself and kids.

You can dress a picture up any way you want to and everyones normal is different, but bottom line is if it's not a healthy relationship for you then address it. If as you say having two vodkas has sent you into thinking about it all, not sleeping, having memory loss and wearing slippers, then yeah I'd say that sounds like too much for you.
Good luck OP x

Chicchicchicchiclana · 05/08/2020 06:02

Dear Op. I think you know deep down you are an alcoholic. It is not normal to go out for a family meal with young children and to have black outs about what happened. Please don't fall into the trap of blaming your terrible neighbours or husband for your drinking. The AA will not tell you that you don't have a problem, they will listen and do everything they can to support you to give up.

There are loads of books and blogs about becoming sober. And a number of supportive threads on Mumsnet for people giving up alcohol. There was a very long running thread with Brave Babes in the title, I don't know if that's still going? If not I'm sure there will be others.

How much do you drink per day/week? Actually, don't answer until after you've had a little sleep.

runbummyrun · 05/08/2020 06:04

"If you can do without drink for more than three days without severe withdrawal symptoms, ie delerium tremens and fits, you're not an alcoholic."

Absolute total BOLLOX - I cannot stress enough how dangerous that advise is.

@JuniperFather is right.

It's not how much you drink, how often you drink it's WHAT IT DOES TO YOU WHEN YOU DRINK.

Only YOU know OP if drinking is a problem for you.

AA isn't just for brown paper bag drinkers. You'd be amazed at the actual demographic.

AA only has one ask .... it's for anyone with a "desire to stop drinking"

If it's not for you then it's not for you, you have nothing to lose by finding out. You have EVERYTHING to lose if you carry on drinking. It's a progressive disease, it will ONLY get worse.

IdblowJonSnow · 05/08/2020 06:13

Sounds like there is quite a lot going on OP. I'd look at why you're drinking. Are you in a position to move from the neighbours from hell? Speak to your gp re your anxiety? Do you want to stay with your partner? Do try the aa meeting also.

vegansprinkle · 05/08/2020 06:33

Alcohol destroys lives.
I am watching this happen right now and it is wrecking many lives (inc mine).

Catrina123 · 05/08/2020 06:39

Check out ‘one year no beer’ online - meant to be really good for people who don’t feel theyre right for AA.

Fleetheart · 05/08/2020 07:16

I would say the answer to am I an alcoholic is “Is alcohol causing me problems in my life?”. My ex could go for weeks without drinking, but was very definitely an alcoholic. I couldn’t leave the kids with him. I knew if he had one drink then (sometimes) he would not be able to stop drinking until he fell over. It is not a consistent thing. But everything the others say about not taking responsibility; blaming others; denial etcetc rings true.
Get to AA, start understanding your behaviour. Stop blaming your husband. It is time for things to change if you don’t want to destroy your life and that of your children.

Thisisworsethananticpated · 05/08/2020 07:28

I thivk the fact you have owned that alcohol is an issue for you is critical

It’s hard as people drink a lot in England and we really normalise drinking

But the fact that you think it’s an issue and your partner does , means it probably is ?

It does appear that AA is the most effective and useful way

And a clear head will help see maybe what other issues you have

Good luck

ZiggeryZaggy · 05/08/2020 07:33

You can go to any meeting @Tea111, if you think you might have a problem with alcohol. “Might” is more than enough, no-one will try and persuade you that you are (or tell you that you’re not.)

BritInAus · 05/08/2020 07:40

Hi, I would also suggest that whilst AA helps lots of people, please don't see it as the be all and end all.

You might consider talking to a trusted GP. Just a 'I'm worried I'm drinking too much' chat which may help get started and they may be able to advise on anything else (managing anxiety for example) and refer you to any other services (counselling, psychologist, support groups - either AA or other). They may also suggest a tapered approach to cutting down to zero, and/or prescribe medication - there is medication to help with cravings and also if you've been drinking heavily, they may suggest some vitamins eg - B1 for example is very important.

DrManhattan · 05/08/2020 07:48

If you are blacking out and have gaps in your memory its definitely time to quit.
Do it now before it gets worse.
Its a highly addictive substance so its difficult at first but not impossible. Good luck

pointythings · 05/08/2020 07:58

The label 'alcoholic' is just convenient shorthand - but yes, you have an alcohol problem. You're using it to self medicate your anxiety and as a coping mechanism when life gets tough. You're drinking so much that you're having blackouts. It's affecting your relationship (with the caveat that the relationship may need work in itself).

So it's time to act. You need to stop drinking, preferably with support, seek help with your anxiety and address your feelings of being unsupported by your husband. He shouldn't be dismissing your concerns around the neighbours, but equally if he has been watching you drink, he will be feeling helpless and stressed himself (that was me, watching my late husband drink - it's an awful feeling).

The good news is that you've asked the question, which means you know there is a problem. Insight is power.

EmergencyPractitioner · 05/08/2020 07:58

This alcohol use questionaire is a screening tool used in the health service to identify people with alcohol issues

patient.info/doctor/alcohol-use-disorders-identification-test-audit

ScarletMouse · 05/08/2020 07:59

I'm the child of not one but two alcoholics and from the information you have provided already, I'd say you are in very dangerous territory with your drinking. Its not your husbands fault and its not your neighbours fault and if you spiral deeper, you'll start to blame your kids too, because a big part of any addiction is the lack of personal responsibility taken. Commit not to drink alcohol now at all both for yourself and your kids, find other ways of coping with your neighbours and if your marriage isn't salvageable, then leave and start afresh. All of the solutions are there OP. If you fall off the wagon as they say, brush yourself down and march on because its only failure if you give up. I wish every day that my mother had chosen her kids over the vodka.

Lobsterquadrille2 · 05/08/2020 08:04

Hi OP, I'm a recovering alcoholic with over 12 years of sobriety and most of it through AA. Towards the end of my drinking I had absolutely no doubt that I was an alcoholic, but early on I didn't tick any of the preconceived boxes in my head, and of course I was in denial.

I'd say that an alcoholic drinks in a certain way. It's almost as if they have an allergy to alcohol and the smallest amount can set off a physical craving for more. They don't have a stop button. The way they drink affects their lives and the lives of those around them. They generally feel fear, guilt and remorse after they drink.

Contrary to some of the previous comments, alcoholics can stop for long periods of time and, unless physically dependent (which I was) don't experience DTs or seizures. In his autobiography, George Best says that he never went through this and I read it and thought "I'm worse than him!"

The first step is admitting that something is wrong or might be wrong, which is the most important step. As above, I'm an advocate of AA but it's not for everyone. The only requirement for AA is a desire to stop drinking. That's it. You can join a Zoom meeting at any time, anywhere in the world. You don't have to say anything. You can have your video camera off and nobody will demand anything of you - you can just listen and see if anything resonates.

I wish you all the very, very best. 💐

AlCalavicci · 05/08/2020 08:14

Hi @Tea111

I can see some of the issues from both sides , I was married to a very heavy drinker , at first it was blamed on our work ( landlords ) so drink was very easy to get and often bought for us.
When we left that game his drinking steadily increased over about 5 years , mine stayed about the same but I still drank to much.
It got to the same stage as it sounds like you have , My DH blamed me for not makeing sure he had his keys / wallet / coat with him when he went out , fell asleep in a drunken stupor most nights , let the dog out into the back yard and forgot to let him back in for over a hr .

DP died a few years ago , and although I hated how much he drank I was heartbroken when he died and to this day I still miss him.

I found myself turning to the drink to blot out the pain and loneliness, and over a year or so my drinking ramped right up and I was drinking as soon as I got home from work until I went to bed ( 3 or 4 cans most nights)

So last year I joind a thread on here that was full of people that were not sure if they have a issue but did want to cut down.
It gave me a chance to reevaluate my drinking and cut right back. I stopped altogether for almost 3 months then just started again to have a few drinks at weekend which is where I wanted to be .

During this covid time I have found it has started to creep back up , so I hopped on this thread that was created a few weeks ago and it has been a great help, it is very non judgemental and supportive.
Even if you do not want to post on it I think it may be worth you having a read as we have all come up with different coping strategies when it comes to 'beer oclock' .
You have already taken the first step by realising you need to address the issue , now you just have to keep walking the same path.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3945191-stopping-drinking-for-a-while?msgid=98831814

Stuckforthefourthtime · 05/08/2020 08:25

I would say the answer to am I an alcoholic is “Is alcohol causing me problems in my life?”.

This. And if you did only have 2 vodkas and started losing time, left home in slippers and fell over then you must be pouring yourself enormous measures. Telling yourself you'll wait till the weekend etc (even more when you break those vows) is also a classic sign of addiction/dependence.

Please talk to your GP and look at the 'brave babes' threads on here. They have seen this before and are able to help (without taking DCs off you) and can also work with you on things like medication for your anxiety that will help you to overcome the temptation of using drink to cope with problems.

You'll also be in a much better position if you do decide that you need to break with DH - you will be healthier, in control, richer and likely in better physical shape, and if you've been to your gp and engaged with help, shown that when you were aware of an issue you dealt with it properly.

Good luck Flowers

Flutterpieandpinkieshy · 05/08/2020 08:53

OP.

This isn't the best place to get advice about alcohol... 2-3 large glasses of wine a night your an alcoholic in mumsnetland..

zingally · 05/08/2020 09:00

Hi OP,

I think if you're asking the internet "how do you know if you're an alcoholic?" I think you probably already know the answer.

I hope you are able to access the help you need. Best wishes.

foamrolling · 05/08/2020 09:00

What an irresponsible post flutterpie.

Alcohol has clearly become a problem for you. I think you know this. I hope you read the linked thread, if it resonates then you know you belong there and can hopefully start seeking help.

Swipe left for the next trending thread