Advice: Addiction

[Jerry Maguire]

In the past few months I've developed a borderline alcohol addiction since quitting smoking. Im 21 and work part time and drink inbetween three and four nights a week excessively. Can anybody give me some advice?

 

[Radharc]

Hey again Jerry,

It would help a bit if you gave a bit more details on your drinking, like: how much is excessively, what´s your motivation for drinking, what kind of environments do you drink at, do you drink alone? Do you have an adictive personality? Does it interfere with your responsabilities? Does your personality change in a bad way?
Im asking this because there´s a whole lot of ways of drinking excessively and dealing with it... I think during my twenties i spent some 3/4 years drunk, but it was mostly the setting i was at the time and the things i was pursuing back then, so it can just be a phase, or can become something more serious... some of the guys I used to drink with still drink a lot everyday but lead perfectly normal lives. It´s only a problem if its a problem.

 

[Jerry Maguire]

hey dude, thanks for responding. The drinking is not a big problem just now, i just don't want it to develop into one. At the moment i only drink socially once a week and the other two or three times per week are alone, after a hard day at work or to relax. I want to cut back to only drinking socially to save money and i want to find better, more productive ways of feeling better instead of reaching for a can of beer

 

[Radharc]

I dont think you should beat yourself too much over it then... i mean, it sounds like you worrying about the future a bit too much, a secure sign that you should worry is if your friends start to pointing it out to you, or if drinking changes your relation with your friends, if that doesnt happen i wouldnt worry too much.
But I also think that its also good to find more productive ways of relaxing if you feel that´s important.

 

[window]

I dont drink...my life is better for it and so is my bank account.

 

[piranha45]

Exert a little self-control on yourself and stop drinking. Use the time you'd normally spend drinking, on exercising instead. If you're too broke for a gym membership, go on a long run. Don't sit around on your rear watching tv at your place, that obviously encourages cracking open a cold one.

 

[DonJerky]

Honestly dude, it's not about how often, or with who, or anything like that. If you think it's starting to become a problem, then it is. Quit and see if you like yourself better. If there's anything this site should teach you, it's that you don't need alcohol now to approach women. So what's the point?

 

[Mr. Me]

I've developed a borderline alcohol addiction since quitting smoking.

So you swapped one habit for another.

Both habits are about creating pleasure sensations in your brain.

Just thought I'd give you that insight, if it gives you something to think about.

 

[decades]

I would stop.

 

[jophil28]

In the past few months I've developed a borderline alcohol addiction since quitting smoking. Im 21 and work part time and drink inbetween three and four nights a week excessively. Can anybody give me some advice?

You are involved is a common phenomenon called "cross addiction".
I suggest that you find a local AA chapter and get a copy of their 44 point questionaire. The results of that will tell you quickly whether you are in trouble with booze or not.

 

[Warrior74]

Good advice in this thread. Also start going to the gym and working out. It releases endorphins in the brain. Swap alcohol for sweat.

 

[NewMan]

The social drinking is not an issue (in my opinion) ifit's just once a week.

What I've done at times when I thought I was drinking to much, is stop buying alcohol from my home. If it's not in your fridge, your not going to drink it.

Also, the times in your life when your not putting your energy into something positive - work, family, hobby, gym etc - is when you start drinking to much. idle time leads you down this path. Find something productive.

 

[Bible_Belt]

Swap alcohol for sweat.

Agreed. Any activity will keep you away from booze. If there is a sport you enjoy, find a night league.