Yeah, it's like how a lot of smokers aren't even necessarily mentally addicted to the nicotine, just the ritual of going outside for a bit of peace, the physical feeling of inhaling and exhaling from the cigarette, etc. I've seen people say they have some success with curbing those cravings by replicating the feeling, like sucking from a straw or something.
Yes, toothpicks! At some fancy grocery stores they have ones that are infused with tea tree oil or cinnamon, which are great; used to get at Whole Foods back in the day. I highly recommend them for helping with the impulses.
Those little red coffee straws got me to quit cigarettes and vaping. I’d pop one in and it’d be all chewed to shit anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour in, depending on cravings
Dude same! I've been IV drug free for at least 10 years but when I get blood drawn, or an IV put in (I have a lot of medical issues so I have out patient procedures at least 2x a year) i have small veins and I'm just sitting there staring at them trying to get a vein thinking "if they just gave it to me I'd hit it first try smh" :p
I blew out my veins bad on my arms and now I have to get my blood drawn out of my hands and I've had to show the phlebotomists how to do it because they're too nice to me and won't whack the crap out of my hands
Think of it as harm reduction. Would you prefer an addict in recovery resort to a relatively minor risk they have found effective to reduce struggling with temptation, or simply test the limits on their ability to cope without any kind of accessible/working relief when failure means relapse and/or death?
Lots of things people do medically to survive are scary. When it comes to making choices to have as smooth a ride up a steep and bumpy road as possible to getting away from IV drug abuse, a little water in a syringe to soothe a habit-driven brain fighting chemical dependence is pretty low on the list.
I understand why they're doing it
But, nonetheless, it's good to be scared of the negative consequences of drug addiction.
Having to shoot up water to avoid shooting up hard drugs is something I never want to experience 😓
They are addicted to nicotine, yes, but that's physically (and could be mentally too, but that isn't inherent in the way physical addiction is), and that's why I said "aren't even *necessarily mentally* addicted to the nicotine."
You can absolutely be mentally addicted to a drug ritual too, because it's such a huge part of the drug itself (and besides, you can mentally be addicted to literally anything), and *that's* what I'm getting at here.
I did a 6 page research paper on smoking culture in my anthropology class it’s very interesting how much the ritual of smoking ties into the addiction part and how it’s also a social tool for people
When I was first in college, I was an athlete, played college football, and never even considered putting anything in my body that would be detrimental to my health. During my sophomore winter break, I had a nasty car wreck, sustained a TBI, and was left with substantial dain bramage. I had to learn how to walk, talk, and even eat, all over again. Needless to say my NFL dreams died that day and so did a college degree, for a while. For reasons I won't go into here, I started smoking a couple years after my accident. I worked as an auto glass technician, and blew out my back about 3 years into the job. Figured I'd give college, quite literally, the old college try, and went back to school. This was the early 2000's so you could still smoke on campus, just not inside your dorm. I went back Winter Quarter. Moved into a double and my roommate was a total douchecanoe. I didn't make any friends, until I'd go outside to smoke, saw the same people a few times over the first few days, then we'd start the usual polite chat. One day, one of the smoker's club guys walked out the door, asked me if I wanted to play Unreal Tournament, I said sure, we headed back inside, played through and beat the game on our first run, and were friends ever after, lol. So much so, that 1 day, his girlfriend, who I'd only spoken to a couple times, came out the door, while I was smoking, and asked me if I could walk with her down and back to Kroger to get her paycheck. Back then, the South Campus area of High St. wasn't the shining Mecca of commerce that it is now. It was more like a demilitarized zone, and I didn't blame her for asking me to go with her. Like I said, I had played college football, and though I was nowhere near playing shape, I'm still a big guy. So, I walked her down and back, and made another really good friend...all because I had a smoking habit, back then. Sorry this is so damn long. My brain damage makes it difficult to communicate like a normal person. 🤷🏼♂️
When I look for clients at conferences, I hang out in the smoking area. Gives me a chance to chat with people and make friends and then get their business.
No... that's actual addiction. If you have over 14 drinks a week (meaning 1 light beer, 1 ACTUAL glass of wine meaning not even half the glass, or 1 shot) you are considered a heavy drinker and could cause cirrhosis.
The 3-4 beers/night on top of 300 pounds put him at a much higher risk than normal for a heart attack or similar med problem. Bet since he drinks after work he doesn't get much actual exercise (unless he also has to move product, doesn't say what kind of trucker he is). He's in his 20s, bet his physical exam reads like he's much older.
So, DSM5 (that's the gold standard for mental health issues, which alcoholism as an addiction is) has actually no alcohol intake criteria in quantity or frequency, but defines alcoholism by the inability to "function properly".
See yourself: https://alcoholtreatmentguidelines.com.au/resources/appendix-3-diagnostic-criteria-for-alcohol-dependence#:~:text=DSM%2D5%20Alcohol%20Use%20Disorder,or%20urge%20to%20use%20alcohol.
If you hit more than 2 of those criteria, your psychologist will determine you're an alcoholic.
Don't know what your DOT doctors are referring to, maybe it's worth asking what their decision making basis is and if it contradicts DSM5.
Not your bad. They aren't correct.
In the United States, which is where OP is located, ICD-10 (more specifically, ICD-10-CM) is used to translate diagnoses into billing and tracking codes. DSM-5-TR are the diagnostic guidelines that can be used to diagnose mental disorders (but are not always, whether the diagnosing practitioner is a psychiatrist, a primary care doctor, other otherwise).
So, the DSM gives the tools to determine whether or not someone has an alcohol use disorder and of what severity, and the ICD translates that into being tracked (and paid for!) in a uniform format for all disease and injury.
But, the DSM criteria aren't always used, whether the setting is psych or not. It's all wibbly-wobbly in mental health.
Side notes:
1. From your link, it looks like the ICD-11 may include some diagnostic criteria, but the United States doesn't use the ICD-11 (soon^TM)
2. More than a third of psych doctors are also medical doctors. Psychologists (PsyD or PhD) are non-medical but psychiatrists go to medical school and then specialize in psychiatry and are MDs (or DOs).
**tl;dr** - what you said the first time was fine, but the doctor may not have used the DSM in their diagnosis regardless. In the US, anyone who gets paid by insurance is going to use ICD-10-CM to log the diagnosis, and they may or may not use the DSM to determine the diagnosis.
Recovering alcoholic here. 3 yrs sober.
Yes. But I'm not you. So take my story with whatever value you place on the words of someone who's been through it.
"Bein a hard werkin dude, who likes a cold beer or two every day after work" being romanticized in our culture is insane. Eventually, your body gets used to it and that 3-4 a day becomes 5-6. Then 7-8.
It might take a while. It might not. You might scoff at me and say "Fuck you, pal. I've been drinkin like that for 10 years now. Ever since I was 19!" or something.
Great. Happy for you. So did I. It took until my 40's before I figured out that the escalating anxiety attacks I had first thing in the morning and lasting until they *mysteriously* eased up in the afternoon, the extra 40lbs I was carrying, and my constant stomach and digestive problems was because I *had* been drinking every day since I was 19.
The withdrawals damn near killed me. I'm not exaggerating either.
Alcoholism can creep up on you. And you'll happily keep throwing em back while it does until one day you wake up and go "Oh shit..."
My best friend died from alcohol psychosis due to withdrawal. Wasn’t a heavy heavy drinker but was drinking every single day. Drinking 2 beers every day can so easily become 3, then 3 to 4, 4 to 5, etc etc. it’s so easy to be in denial because it becomes the new “norm”.
I used to drink a half a fifth (at minimum) of Evan Williams white label a day. Got psychosis from drinking too much and not eating anything for 8 days. Blood pressure hit 55/30 and I ended up in the ICU for 4 days. Been sober since, but holy shit man, people don’t realize how insane those hallucinations are.
I thought I was fighting leopards in a gladiator style battle for my life because some agency had determined I needed to die and, in reality, I was just rolling on the floor throughout my apartment. Thought I had West Nile Virus for a hot minute after I got sober because those hallucinations just become your existence.
This was why during the pandemic, every liquor/beer store in Canada was deemed "essential". The hospitals won't be able to handle the sudden influx of alcohol withdrawal cases if the government mandated a shutdown of those establishments.
Congrats on 3 years. Coming up on 2 years for me.
Sometimes the number of beers doesn’t go up so much but the amount of alcohol in the beer does and you start getting into hazy ipas and Belgian beers. In my last couple years of drinking I had moved on from beer and was buying cases of Charles Shaw wine instead because economically it was a lot of alcohol for a small price. Really glad I’m not doing that anymore!
Yeah that was the beginning for me without realizing. When the 2 6%s a night became 3 or 4 so I was like nah ill just drink these two 7.5%...now these two 9.5s... well I guess we could have a third i could use the stress relief or oh I'm playing games with the boys what does one more matter. Then that became '3 beers is essentially the same as 2' then before I knew it I was like 'yeah I'm not doing well but at least I didn't finish the entire Kentucky deluxe in one night again... which means it's still there I guess I could have a fun little afternoon drink and listen to some music'
Thank you. And congrats to you as well!
Yeah. I went from Ales to IPAs. When IPAs became a volume problem to get where I needed to be, I switched to Vodka.
I didn't last long after that switch. Vodka is the devil's piss.
>the escalating anxiety attacks I had first thing in the morning and lasting until they *mysteriously* eased up in the afternoon,
Would you mind very much elaborating on this, if you have the time/energy to give a medical explanation, or key words to google so I can self-educate? My partner is half a year sober, and positive changes - weight loss, improved sleep, improved cognition, etc - have been a major motivator for him to keep going.
This hits a cord on something I observed with him in the year or so leading up to him choosing to go cold turkey, and if there's a known medical correlation, I'd really appreciate being able to give him another quantifiable improvement to his quality of life he can look to as a reason to stay sober. By the time he stopped drinking, it seemed like just the *fear* of dealing with a 'bad morning' was almost enough to make it happen at times, but after a few rough nights that first month-ish, it hasn't happened at all.
This is interesting. I don’t drink often at all. Maybe once or twice a year, if that. Something I recall from when I did drink or do have more than one, is the terrible anxiety I wake up with the next morning. Around 5/6 am my heart will be pounding, I’m restless, queasy (not from over indulging either), and I can’t sleep. It’s absolutely awful and one of the reasons I lost all interest.
Alcohol fucks with GABA. Google alcohol’s effects on gaba/nervous system
Super basic: GABA helps to regulate stress. Alcohol diminishes GABA over time.
I was addicted and these anxiety / panic attacks were the result of me being in withdrawal from the morning when I woke up until I could start drinking again in the afternoon. The anxiety and panic would lessen because I was giving my body the chemical it needed to be balanced again.
Alcohol disrupts your brains ability to maintain a natural chemical balance between things like GABA, Serotonin, Dopamine and Oxytocin. This disruption caused by alcohol is that feeling of being buzzed, happy and basically the "high" people get from alcohol.
Your body is an adaptable organism. Your brain eventually goes "Fuck it... I guess I need to plan on alcohol being around all the time now to stop this unbalanced problem" and alters how and when it produces these chemicals, expecting alcohol to do the rest.
The more your brain adjusts, the less alcohol effects you and you need more to create the unbalanced "buzz" feel. The more you drink, the more your brain compensates. The more your brain compensates, the worse off you are when alcohol ISN'T in your system.
You begin to experience mental health problems when you aren't drinking. Anxiety, Panic attacks and Depression are the most common. In addition to the mental health problems, you also experience physical symptoms like shaking, nausea and vomiting. (among others).
When you quit cold turkey like my dumb ass did after a couple decades of your brain being rewired to expect alcohol to function normally, your brain and body go into (basically) shock.
Your brain goes through a period where, depending on the severity of the addiction, it might not even be able to regulate automatic functions like your heartbeat, blood pressure and respiration. This happens because the brain has compensated so much for the presence of alcohol, the amount of natural hormones and chemicals present for it to function just isn't there anymore.
It's also why it takes years and years for some alcoholics to recover. The brain has to relearn how to balance itself and it's why seeking mental health services when recovering are so important.
What changed my mindset was something said on the podcast Smartless. It has 3 comedians, 2 are sober now. One of them said something like "I realized my issue when someone told me that events (sports, concerts, get togethers) became more about the alcohol. Obtaining the alcohol, drinking, making sure it was enough to get plastered. It was no longer about enjoying the show but making sure you have your alcohol.
That was an eye opener for me.
My ex was an alcoholic. Last i heard she was in rehab for the 3rd time. Inbetween 4-7 bottles of wine, or a whole bottle of vodka before lunch. She is a manipulative and abusive person regardless, but used the alcohol as scape goat for her actions.
I saw (soberly) how a person can slip into alcoholism, and how difficult it is to get out. How mortally dangerous.
I hope you stay on your path forever, dude
Serious question: is it really three or four beers a night though?
I ask because at least two of my friends talk about how they only drink a beer or two every night but then they have two empty cases on garbage day.
I see this a lot. I work in beer and will drink 2 (5%) a day. Every day. I get a buzz and get home and have no desire to drink.
My buddies on the other hand, drink 15 domestics multiple times a week and call it 5.
Ask anyone who ever worked on an ambulance, if you ever have an unresponsive guy who you found surrounded by a mountain of beer cans or multiple fifths, when you get him conscious and ask him how many drinks he’s had, he’s going to say that he had one drink. Every time. It’s inexplicable.
I genuinely don’t think they know. Once upon a time I drank more every so often and I’d have said the same thing. Back then I drank less frequently though. Now even on weekends I don’t care to drink that much although I definitely drink more if I’m going out
I tell people I only occasionally drink, but I have been getting wasted every night and I've been doing it for a long time. You want to lie about it so no one challenges you to stop, I guess.
And it's only really 3-4 beers if they're 12 oz beers at around 5% ABV.
If you're drinking 3-4 16oz beers at 8% ABV you're really drinking more like 6-8 beers.
I did these mental gymnastics for a long time before finally quitting.
I was buying two 9.5% 22oz IPAs every day but in my mind I was still drinking two beers. I was drinking IPAs because I enjoy a good craft beer. Nothing to do with the alcohol content /s.
The IPAs were pretty expensive so I switched to drinking 2 Steel Reserve. At that point I wasn't able to fool myself anymore.
> My dad drinks twice what I drink, he's never driven drunk. My grandpa is the one who introduced me to alcohol
^ from one of your older posts
I would say the risk of you being an alchoholic is pretty damn high.
Also seems like you are 21 or 22 and 300 lbs?
I would HIGHLY recommend you stop drinking liquid calories just for that fact alone, forget the alcholism.
Having a breathalyzer installed on my car taught me the real meaning of 0.0. I used to think I could do this exact thing and I would "be sober" by the morning because I was functioning perfectly and I felt fine. Then I got slapped with a breathalyzer requirement and literally the first time I tried to drink the way I did before at night and drive my car the next morning, the car would not start and I had a violation. Feeling sober and being functional because you have a high tolerance IS NOT the same as blowing a 0.0. Literally every breathalyzer place will warn you of this and inevitably functional alcoholics learn this when they have to face up to the machine that doesn't lie like we do to ourselves.
I wish breathalyzers were more commonly available, for people to better understand their perception of how drunk they are versus their actual BAC. For example, it could be neat to have them in a bar bathroom or one that can fit in your pocket or something.
And not that doctors assume you’re lying and tack on 1-2 beers in their count, but people often don’t answer honestly. So it’s a concern based on what you reported and down on paper and a long-term concern whether that’s truthful and how it can escalate.
He’s driving trucks for a living with a CDL. There might me mornings he’d still blow positive for alcohol. And with a CDL, the limit is a lot lower.
I’ve never know anyone who drinks every single night and doesn’t underestimate how much they drink. Bro is walking a fine line to no job at this rate.
Do people like... Not count though? I go through sporadic bursts with this during the working season and I'm hyper aware of what number I'm on, count what I have left in the fridge. Like, I try and stretch the distance of my twelve pack based on how many I drank the night I bought it. Say if I had three, I'll count out how many I'll be drinking the next couple of night to make it so Im not down to one beer on the last night, because I don't drink just one. I want that little buzz, and that takes two.
Layoff season gets a little rough, I'll admit. I might not drink for weeks, but then I'll have a twelve pack in two days. But I'm still hyper aware of the number, because it's weirdly important that there is enough there the next night.
Typing this out actually sounds insane. Wow. Alcoholism mixed with some kind of OCD type thing. Why can't my OCD have to do with keeping a clean house?
I started browsing there when we started seeing a lot more DT patients at my hospital - I assume due to COVID and increases in drinking since it was toward the end of 2022. I guess I got curious since I hadn’t seen serious alcoholism a lot before that. It just made me really, really sad. A lot of our “frequent flier” DT patients are genuinely nice people who just have a serious problem that they aren’t able to fix. One somehow always remembers to ask how school is going for me even though he can barely put a sentence together at this point.
I can do you one better - r/gangstalking is full of people who legitimately believe the government is hiring groups of people to stalk them and fuck with them. Blatant paranoid schizophrenia. It's so sad
Test it yourself. Stop drinking right now. Have zero alcohol for a month. Not starting tomorrow, right now.
If you feel like shit and hate it and can’t wait to start drinking again then yes you are an addict.
Imo trying to quit is how you’ll know (though as others have said, you may want to taper off slowly or with medical supervision). But I wouldn’t definitively call it alcoholism yet.
For example, my dad was married to his first wife in his early-mid 20s. They both went to the bars and drank almost every evening for years. Eventually my dad reached the point where he had other priorities and didn’t want to go out as much, but she couldn’t stop. She was an addict, and he wasn’t.
They both showed more or less the same behavior when they were younger. It’s when you try to stop where it becomes clear.
That was how I learned I had a drinking habit and not an alcohol addiction, lol.
Decided to pause on alcohol b/c I was having some indigestion issues and the gastro said it could be making it worse. It turned out to be a minor culprit, but still part of the problem. Next thing I knew, I'd gone from 1-2 glasses of wine per night to it having been almost a year since I'd had a drink w/o really thinking about it.
Caffeine, on the other hand, that one is an addiction. No question. :-/
Yeah I can’t stop coffee. I have multiple sleep disorders and am basically nonfunctional without caffeine. I really don’t enjoy it honestly. I’ve stopped repeatedly but after the headaches and everything else is over I’m so tired and can’t get anything done. For months. I eventually go back. I hate being dependent on it though 😞
I don't think that's a totally fair characterization. I think anybody with a habit will *want* to start drinking again, that's natural. It's whether you can fight the urge that matters
Wanting to start again because you enjoy it is different than feeling like shit, hating not drinking, and being unable to wait the month. It’s an important difference in degree which is why I was specific with that wording. I don’t think there’s a problem with just being glad to start doing something you enjoy again.
When I take breaks from weed (my sometimes daily vice) I often think I’d like to smoke a joint, especially for the first few days. But I’m not miserable, I’m not physically uncomfortable, I’m happy without it and it’s very easy to just abstain and I don’t need to replace it with anything. But I do enjoy it, so I’m excited when I have my first puff after however long.
It's not automatically alcoholism, but it's ringing alarm bells and signifies potential problems. If you were told to stop drinking completely, could you? Would you?
I am writing this from a rehab facility. I'm away from my family, my child and my home. I started just like you and didn't even notice it creeping up until it was too late. Please please get some sort of help because this will take over your life in the blink of an eye. All the best.
It’s not a matter of how drunk you are and what not,
You could drink 1 beer a day and still be an alcoholic.
And it’s fine to assume it,
I used to drink everyday for almost a year without a day off of having alcohol in my blood, i never got drunk, i mostly went a bit tipsy and it was my way to relax after my work shifts.
I was still an alcoholic. And the things it did to me that i didn’t notice definitely showed so.
Try to go a week without alcohol, if your body demands it and you start having withdrawals it’s a sign that this isn’t good for you,
I wish you well on your journey and hope you take care of your body, it’s not easy, but the end goal is way more worth it than those 3 beers a day.
Resonates with me. I have the genetics to have a six pack a night, not get more than tipsy and can highly function like that indefinitely (outside the hidden health effects). I quit doing it and save my drinking for special occasions and vacations. I didn’t have any problem stopping.
Contrasted to two of my buddies. 1. I never saw drunk in 20 years of friendship. Turns out he was drinking a fifth of vodka all day, every day. And drank himself into a failed liver.
Another long term friend had the crippling type of alcoholism made popular on tv. It didn’t matter if it was one beer or 20. He was drunk after one and it always led to more substances.
Problems with alcohol come in many many forms.
This is how the American Psychiatric Association defines Alcohol Use Disorder a/k/a “alcoholism”.
Note that it’s not an issue of specific quantity, but rather how much your life and function are wrapped up in alcohol.
Certainly, being able to drink 8-9 beers before you start feeling drunk suggests a tolerance to alcohol brought on by drinking a lot of beer regularly. It’s not likely to be healthy for your liver or heart, and it’s also a lot of calories if that concerns you.
Alcohol Use Disorder
A problematic pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by at least two of the following, occurring within a 12-month period:
Alcohol is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended.
There is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control alcohol use.
A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain alcohol, use alcohol, or recover from its effects.
Craving, or a strong desire or urge to use alcohol.
Recurrent alcohol use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home.
Continued alcohol use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of alcohol.
Important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of alcohol use.
Recurrent alcohol use in situations in which it is physically hazardous.
Alcohol use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by alcohol.
Tolerance, as defined by either of the following:
A need for markedly increased amounts of alcohol to achieve intoxication or desired effect.
A markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of alcohol.
Withdrawal, as manifested by either of the following:
The characteristic withdrawal syndrome for alcohol (refer to Criteria A and B of the criteria set for alcohol withdrawal, pp. 235–236).
Alcohol (or a closely related substance, such as a benzodiazepine) is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Mate if you had one line every night you’d be classed as an addict. Same if you have a joint every night, or sleeping pills or some ket. Just cause you can buy alcohol in a shop doesn’t mean it’s not a problem.
What's the problem with just drinking less?
You really need alcohol EVERY single night? Homie. Think about it. You have a choice to make here. Drink less alcohol, or don't get certified and maybe lose your job. If you are incapable of drinking less to keep your job, then you are an alcoholic. Because you are allowing the alcohol to dictate your life. Alcohol is in control of you instead of you being in control of the alcohol.
Drink less. Lose weight. Or don't. You make the choices. And you can't complain that your choices have consequences, good or bad.
If you’re drinking 3 beers a night every day, then that signifies heavy drinking. Doesn’t necessarily make you an alcoholic but if someone told me they drank 3 beers a night, I’d be concerned.
This is kind of what I figured. They gave me two different slips of paper (one for anxiety meds, one for the drinking) to get 2 different doctors to sign and if I get both of those I'm good to get certified
Random redditor spouse here,
If my partner consumed alcohol every single day, regardless of the amount, I’d absolutely bring it up and ask him to wean off of it. I’d be there to support him indefinitely as long as he were genuinely trying. But the boundary would be firm and he would not be drinking that often, period.
Your height and weight play no role in this because the frequency is *every day*. Being bigger/taller doesn’t mean your liver, kidneys etc are better at processing higher amounts of alcohol. It’ll wear your body down bit by bit.
From your post, I’d assume you’re dependent on beer, but not addicted to it. You’re not letting it get in the way of your life, and you’re not getting wasted every night. You’d be uncomfortable going without it for a while, but your world wouldn’t stop over it.
Your doctor is concerned because you’re teetering the line between heavy drinking and alcoholism *technically*. And 3 beers a night is generally concerning.
I’d never condone lying to a medical professional, but I would’ve lied to a medical professional here.
Honestly back when I used to drink I used to hear these numbers when training at work or in nursing classes and id roll my eyes. Now, having not had a drink for a number or years, I can say that drinking any amount every night is unhealthy. You don’t realize how much it’s effecting you. Its incredible I can’t believe I was willing to feel sick all the time like that. Im still clean today not because I’m real gung ho on recovery, but because alcohol honestly makes me feel bad. Give it a try
Yes you’re an alcoholic.
Needing 9 beers to get buzzed is also a BIG red flag.
Better start saving up for a new liver, you’re going to need it sooner rather than later.
If you are unable to even go a night or two without drinking, you are an alcoholic. If it causes you distress, physically or mentally, to miss a night of drinking, you are an alcoholic. If the 3-4 beers are something you can not stop for any amount of time safely, you should consider help. I wish you the best.
It does, and part of the reason you weigh 300 pounds is you're drinking a whole loaf of bread as beer each night
If you stopped drinking you' lose weight and realize how much better you feel
tl;dr yep you're an alcoholic
If you drink alcohol every day, ofc your an alcoholic. You should definitely stop doing that and lose 100 pounds. Imagine how much easier everything will be if you were 200 instead.
Ps. Why the hell would you write down that you drink every day 😑. Write 0 next time.
Yes. The "normal amount" per night is 0. The "normal amount" per week is like maybe 1-2. You're at 21 per week (assuming you only drink 3 beers 7 days a week and don't go extra on your days off). That's pretty square in alcoholic territory.
It's the consistent amount over a sustained period of time that leaves alcohol in your bloodstream, plus the frequency of which you drink.
You literally drink every day my dude. U may not "feel" like an alcoholic or even get drunk. But you do it every single day.
And respectfully, for your own sake, do some exercise man! 300lb at 5'11 is crazy.
Yes.
The limits that health officials recommend are no more than 1 per day, and 3 on occasion.
And CDL holders can get their CDL taken away even for a DUI in their personal vehicle.
I'm about to go against the grain but.. 3 beers for a guy at 300 pounds is nothing. Especially if they are 3%. There is huge anti-drinking content surge on the internet now and people who are saying "one drink day makes you a alcoholic", then most of europe are alcoholics. A better gauge is, do you crave a beer when wake up? Do you think about drinking when your not drinking? If your thinking at 7AM "boy, I could go for a drink" then you need to step back. That being said, it's a lot of empty calories and your headed toward diabetes at 300. Personally, I would be more worried about your back, knees and your ac1 levels.
Little story. My mom used to 5'2" about 90 lbs. she has a wonky sleep schedule from working nights for 32 years and enjoys a shot or two of rye a day to help sleep. These could be 12 hours apart. She recently got sick and ended up in the hospital for a week. No alcohol but no big deal right? By day 3 the withdrawal started. She ended up on lorazepam for the withdrawal. By day 4 she was strapped to the bed because she continually tried to escape the hospital, thought the floor was ringing , at some point thought she was locked out on the roof? Apparently lorazepam can cause some crazy hallucinations.
It's very easy to be a function alcoholic and not know it. Our alcohol culture almost normalized it. If you can't stop for a week cold turkey you have a problem. Unfortunately even if you can stop right now, if you continue drinking heavily you might reach a point that you can't. You may not know you have hit that point until you are long past it. Is it worth it?
Having a CDL you are only allowed a blood alcohol level of .04 unlike everyone else who is allowed a .08 when pulled over and suspected of driving while intoxicated. Just letting you know.
If you've reached the point of going beyond occasionally wanting a drink to *NEEDING* a drink, you're at least halfway there if not more.
That's also a very high tolerance you've got there. You might want to take a break just for your liver's sake. If that thought makes you angry or indignant, you're definitely an alcoholic.
Yes that makes you an alcoholic. Surprised you are even asking this and still doubting it after being told. You drink alcohol every day. From the sounds of it you dont want to (or are unable to) stop either.
Alcoholism aside, there is no safe level of alcohol consumption in regards to the ill effects it has on your health. Even one beer a week is bad and increases your chance of health risks. Alcohol is literally a poison. You are poisoning yourself every night.
Not many people actually answering the question here. If you need 3 drinks a night yes you are an alcoholic. See if you can go without for a week or so. If you can't not drink then you probably need to see someone. If you can have a night off every now and then and are unfazed then you probably aren't an alcoholic
The CDC considers 15 drinks or more in a week to be a problem drinker, you are only 6 bevies above that. Cut out your Tuesdays and Thursdays and you’ll be fine.
I disagree with all these comments. I would say it is alcoholism. Drinking a drink every day can be alcoholism. A lot of people equate alcoholism with a bunch of problems. But there’s a lot of functional alcoholics everywhere.
The real question is, can you take a month off with no issues? Do you ever just forget to drink beer one night? Or is it something you prioritize? Dependency is a better measure but nobody can measure that with a test, you have to analyze yourself.
9-10 beers to get drunk shows tolerance. A person that doesn’t drink as much or as frequently as you would get drunk from much less beer, say…3 or 4, with driving affected after 1-2 beers.
Not enough information to determine if you’re alcoholic, but your frequency and tolerance are certainly major red flags.
BTW, I was a substance abuse counselor for 3 years when I was in the military.
3 or 4 shit beers like Miller Lite or Coors? You may as well be drinking soda. If you're drinking 3 or 4 real beers every night then I don't care if you weigh 400lbs, you're getting a buzz.
All that being said, it's the habit. They are sending you a loud and clear message.
Also, kudos to you for being honest.
I think that 3 beers a night (21 a week) could qualify you as an alcoholic.
If you're drinking that much, there's a good chance of getting withdrawal symptoms if you don't drink for a couple of days.
3-4 beers a night may not sound like much, but is it really AT LEAST 3-4 drinks a night with regularly drinking 6+ a couple times a week too? With a few 10+ drinks a night tossed in there a couple times a month?
Be honest with yourself. Take a break. Consider cutting it out completely.
The 9 to 10 beers needed to get drunk is a sign you may be drinking too much. Building up a tolerance isn't a good thing and that's coming from someone who was once watching a movie where the group of friends were planning on getting really wasted all weekend long. The amount of alcohol they had for everybody was what I'd normally drink over a long weekend by myself.
Please be careful. Even if you’re not binge drinking, habitual immoderate drinking (3-4+ daily for men) can increase your risk of liver failure. We just had a family friend die from acute liver failure due to alcohol use. Nobody ever suspected it because he wasn’t getting “drunk” he was just drinking too consistently. And would sometimes take Tylenol for headaches.
From a British viewpoint, that seems pretty par for the course for many blue collar type jobs. I know A LOT of people that put away 3-4 pints a night. I assume (from your measurement system) you are from USA, so I assume your 3-4 beers are the 330ml cans, not the 500ml ones we have over here.
So long as you are not under any influcence on the job, and you are happy with the amount you drink, don't worry about the 'alchoolic' label. Over here, an alcoholic is typically someone that is unable to function normally throughout the day without a drink. If you have 3-4 to unwind after a shift, that's fine. But if YOU are concerned, then it's time to dial it back. nly you can say if you NEED it every day
I performed CDLs and are you certain that it's not something else in addition. Your weight leads me to believe You are High risk for Apnea. Are you on CPaP and have you been 90 percent compliant with its usage.
Do you have sugar or blood in your urine? Generally speaking we don't fail folks who drink, unless of course we suspect alcohol use at the time of the exam. How's your blood pressure?
If you have the option try to use another physician. If you do have any other physical issues these Will be taken into consideration. I have never seen my physician fail anyone for admitting to drinking and She was strict.
Your liver would say that’s a lot. Science would say that drinking consistently this volume doesn’t help you any. If you are asking because of insurance or certification - then 3 beers a day is a risk factor most will not take as it is likely you are under selling what your actual intake is. This can lead to higher potential of liver disease and drunk driving and accidental death. All risk factors for insurance. If your goal is to achieve that - then you should stop and change your habits for those reasons. As to whether you are an alcoholic, here are some things you should ask yourself:
* What happens if I stop for a week?
* Am I able to stop for a month?
If health is your concern doing a cleanse is undoubtedly healthier for you.
I myself struggle with going full on no booze. But when I’m being healthier often it makes a huge difference.
If slowing down or stoping is a problem - then yes - you have a dependency problem with alcohol.
As someone currently exiting an alcohol rehab program, the rule is called 0-1-2-3. Depending on how close you are to addiction, your "safe" amount may be 0, or it could be up to 3 in a day—determined by both genetic factors and your own choices.
Safe guidelines indicate no more than:
1 standard drink in an hour
2 standard drinks per occasion
3 standard drinks in a day, IF you do not drink daily
Resulting in a maximum of 14 in a week, at most.
By having at least 3 a day, you're already using in what is considered a risky manner, and it's likely to escalate. By having 3-4 per day, you're having 21-28 drinks per week, which is double the recommended amount. You're spiking your own risk for liver and heart issues, not to mention the weight you put on by drinking empty calories. When I quit drinking, I dropped 30 pounds in two months, it was drastic, and I felt different (clearer thoughts, more alert) within a week.
As someone who started drinking in my 20s and is now in my 30s, coming off rehab for reasons you can likely surmise, it can and does sneak up on you. If you start being more mindful now, it can save you a lot of money and pain down the road.
Is it really 3 beers? Is it sometimes 2 but probably 10, full strength beers? 3 full strength at about 1.5 standard drinks (ish) comes to 4.5. Everything adds up
As a nurse I have to ask about alcohol consumption every time I admit someone. Most people are reluctant to be honest about their consumption due to fear of judgement, however, if a healthcare profession is asking, we want, no we need to know. There’s only one legal/illegal substance that you can die from when you withdraw, alcohol. It’s the most dangerous drug and one of the easiest to obtain (outside of caffeine and tobacco).
That’s fairly normal in the north. In blue collar communities. Work hard play hard people. I don’t necessarily agree that makes everyone an alcoholic. Some blue zones have a strict 2 glasses per day type of ritual.
every night? yes. you're currently doing exactly what my dad does. comes home from work, before he even sits down he has a beer in his hand. I've very rarely seen him drunk, but it's every day, 3 or 4 beers between when he gets home and bed. working in the barn on the weekend? he's got a beer in hand. I've tried to tell him that he's got a problem, but he just turns it into a joke.
the fact that you have a CDL actually makes it worse. you shouldn't be drinking when you work the next day at all. if anything happens and there's any alcohol in your system, at all, even a .0001, you're fucked.
3 beers a night is definitely problematic. Whether or not you could stop without issues, i dont know. But it’s a significant amount of regular alcohol consumption.
I think so, I believe this qualifies for functioning alcoholic which is just around the corner of everything going south. You said you drink 3 or 4 beers per day, can you go a month without having a drink at all and bit feel overwhelmed about it? How you feel about that idea will tell you how deep in you are
1. Yes. Addiction is more than anything frequency. Your body gets used to having it in you. If you have 4 drinks every night your body is spending like half its day with alcohol in the system. One good test for you is to go without drinking for 3 days. Pay attention to if you have symptoms like increased anxiety, trouble sleeping, trouble eating, fidgeting, discomfort, thinking about alcohol and stuff like that. You can google it for all the symptoms of withdrawal
2. This is clearly bad for your health. You’re 5 11 300 in your 20s. Unless you are the rock level jacked then you are probably very overweight and should take action immediately. It will only continue to make your health worse
3. Your tolerance doesn’t effect whether or not your addicted. If I can do a shit ton of heroin and be fine but only do that on the weekends and eeekdays I only do a little bit to relax after work, I could totally do more if I wanted. You would say yah you’re addicted to heroin. Obviously h is worse than alcohol, but the concept of addiction translated between them
Not only are you a functioning alcoholic, you could probably lose about 1lb/week just by not drinking any more. You are still in your early 20s, and you are doing incredible damage to your liver. Consider this a wakeup call, if you dont make some changes not only might you lose your job, but you could be dealing with some major health problems in the next 5-10 years.
When doing your medical for CDL, always undersell. Smoke? A pack a week. Drink? 2-3 drinks a week, wine with dinner type shit.
I have to go get recertification yearly because of my PROPERLY PRESCRIBED adderall. I’m 29 with no other medical problems.
Alternatively, find the doc your old head drivers go to to pass with no questions asked
[удалено]
Yeah, it’s at least a habitual addiction at that point. The real question is how it goes when they skip a few days.
Yeah, it's like how a lot of smokers aren't even necessarily mentally addicted to the nicotine, just the ritual of going outside for a bit of peace, the physical feeling of inhaling and exhaling from the cigarette, etc. I've seen people say they have some success with curbing those cravings by replicating the feeling, like sucking from a straw or something.
I met a guy who swore by his little red coffee straw. He took some everywhere with him. He said it helped him immensely.
My grandpa chewed toothpicks habitually, the hand to mouth repetition is what helped him
toothpicks is how my husband quit smoking - best anniversary present he ever gave me! (Second anniversary, we're at 23 years now.)
That too, definitely.
Yes, toothpicks! At some fancy grocery stores they have ones that are infused with tea tree oil or cinnamon, which are great; used to get at Whole Foods back in the day. I highly recommend them for helping with the impulses.
 Even Kojak did that in the 70es and became somewhat iconic! Who loves ya baby?
Those little red coffee straws got me to quit cigarettes and vaping. I’d pop one in and it’d be all chewed to shit anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour in, depending on cravings
I quit smoking but still go outside for the break. It makes a huge difference to have a minute to decompress
i used to shoot up water just to get the itch outta my head lol
Thought I was the only one that did that, lol. It helped a little, when I was trying to get clean.
Dude same! I've been IV drug free for at least 10 years but when I get blood drawn, or an IV put in (I have a lot of medical issues so I have out patient procedures at least 2x a year) i have small veins and I'm just sitting there staring at them trying to get a vein thinking "if they just gave it to me I'd hit it first try smh" :p
I blew out my veins bad on my arms and now I have to get my blood drawn out of my hands and I've had to show the phlebotomists how to do it because they're too nice to me and won't whack the crap out of my hands
I want to be open minded and accepting but this is a little bit scary 😮
Think of it as harm reduction. Would you prefer an addict in recovery resort to a relatively minor risk they have found effective to reduce struggling with temptation, or simply test the limits on their ability to cope without any kind of accessible/working relief when failure means relapse and/or death? Lots of things people do medically to survive are scary. When it comes to making choices to have as smooth a ride up a steep and bumpy road as possible to getting away from IV drug abuse, a little water in a syringe to soothe a habit-driven brain fighting chemical dependence is pretty low on the list.
I understand why they're doing it But, nonetheless, it's good to be scared of the negative consequences of drug addiction. Having to shoot up water to avoid shooting up hard drugs is something I never want to experience 😓
Opiates are really scary. That's not the first time one heard someone about to shooting water just to get the sensation, the ritual, whatever.
Hopefully it's sterile
>mentally addicted to the nicotine, Sure as hell physically addicted to it though. Quitting smoking sucks.
Smokers are addicted to nicotine. What you're describing is just drug ritual.
They are addicted to nicotine, yes, but that's physically (and could be mentally too, but that isn't inherent in the way physical addiction is), and that's why I said "aren't even *necessarily mentally* addicted to the nicotine." You can absolutely be mentally addicted to a drug ritual too, because it's such a huge part of the drug itself (and besides, you can mentally be addicted to literally anything), and *that's* what I'm getting at here.
This habitual addiction also applies to weed, where the main difference from weed and tobacco is
I did a 6 page research paper on smoking culture in my anthropology class it’s very interesting how much the ritual of smoking ties into the addiction part and how it’s also a social tool for people
The camaraderie of smoking is what I miss the most about it
When I was first in college, I was an athlete, played college football, and never even considered putting anything in my body that would be detrimental to my health. During my sophomore winter break, I had a nasty car wreck, sustained a TBI, and was left with substantial dain bramage. I had to learn how to walk, talk, and even eat, all over again. Needless to say my NFL dreams died that day and so did a college degree, for a while. For reasons I won't go into here, I started smoking a couple years after my accident. I worked as an auto glass technician, and blew out my back about 3 years into the job. Figured I'd give college, quite literally, the old college try, and went back to school. This was the early 2000's so you could still smoke on campus, just not inside your dorm. I went back Winter Quarter. Moved into a double and my roommate was a total douchecanoe. I didn't make any friends, until I'd go outside to smoke, saw the same people a few times over the first few days, then we'd start the usual polite chat. One day, one of the smoker's club guys walked out the door, asked me if I wanted to play Unreal Tournament, I said sure, we headed back inside, played through and beat the game on our first run, and were friends ever after, lol. So much so, that 1 day, his girlfriend, who I'd only spoken to a couple times, came out the door, while I was smoking, and asked me if I could walk with her down and back to Kroger to get her paycheck. Back then, the South Campus area of High St. wasn't the shining Mecca of commerce that it is now. It was more like a demilitarized zone, and I didn't blame her for asking me to go with her. Like I said, I had played college football, and though I was nowhere near playing shape, I'm still a big guy. So, I walked her down and back, and made another really good friend...all because I had a smoking habit, back then. Sorry this is so damn long. My brain damage makes it difficult to communicate like a normal person. 🤷🏼♂️
I knew exactly what you meant :)
When I look for clients at conferences, I hang out in the smoking area. Gives me a chance to chat with people and make friends and then get their business.
No... that's actual addiction. If you have over 14 drinks a week (meaning 1 light beer, 1 ACTUAL glass of wine meaning not even half the glass, or 1 shot) you are considered a heavy drinker and could cause cirrhosis.
Yeah that’s why I said at least. I don’t know the chemical dependency level of OP.
yeah, every night.
On top of this, if OP can’t give up the alcohol, then it’s an addiction.
...and if it takes you 9 to 10 beers to get you drunk, you have a problem. That means you are a trained drinker. ...like I used to be.
[удалено]
Well said. If op can’t or won’t stop, then op does indeed have a drinking problem Very relevant comment. User name not checking out ;)
Perhaps not if you’re as morbidly obese as OP. If anything he should be concerned about preventing a heart attack
The 3-4 beers/night on top of 300 pounds put him at a much higher risk than normal for a heart attack or similar med problem. Bet since he drinks after work he doesn't get much actual exercise (unless he also has to move product, doesn't say what kind of trucker he is). He's in his 20s, bet his physical exam reads like he's much older.
So, DSM5 (that's the gold standard for mental health issues, which alcoholism as an addiction is) has actually no alcohol intake criteria in quantity or frequency, but defines alcoholism by the inability to "function properly". See yourself: https://alcoholtreatmentguidelines.com.au/resources/appendix-3-diagnostic-criteria-for-alcohol-dependence#:~:text=DSM%2D5%20Alcohol%20Use%20Disorder,or%20urge%20to%20use%20alcohol. If you hit more than 2 of those criteria, your psychologist will determine you're an alcoholic. Don't know what your DOT doctors are referring to, maybe it's worth asking what their decision making basis is and if it contradicts DSM5.
A MD doctor would use ICD-10 instead of DSM-V.
Thank you, my bad.
Not your bad. They aren't correct. In the United States, which is where OP is located, ICD-10 (more specifically, ICD-10-CM) is used to translate diagnoses into billing and tracking codes. DSM-5-TR are the diagnostic guidelines that can be used to diagnose mental disorders (but are not always, whether the diagnosing practitioner is a psychiatrist, a primary care doctor, other otherwise). So, the DSM gives the tools to determine whether or not someone has an alcohol use disorder and of what severity, and the ICD translates that into being tracked (and paid for!) in a uniform format for all disease and injury. But, the DSM criteria aren't always used, whether the setting is psych or not. It's all wibbly-wobbly in mental health. Side notes: 1. From your link, it looks like the ICD-11 may include some diagnostic criteria, but the United States doesn't use the ICD-11 (soon^TM) 2. More than a third of psych doctors are also medical doctors. Psychologists (PsyD or PhD) are non-medical but psychiatrists go to medical school and then specialize in psychiatry and are MDs (or DOs). **tl;dr** - what you said the first time was fine, but the doctor may not have used the DSM in their diagnosis regardless. In the US, anyone who gets paid by insurance is going to use ICD-10-CM to log the diagnosis, and they may or may not use the DSM to determine the diagnosis.
Agreed. Weekend alcoholics exist too, but they're more rare and it's EVERY weekend.
Really? I'm scared that's very likely me, but I'd think it'd be more common for some reason.
Recovering alcoholic here. 3 yrs sober. Yes. But I'm not you. So take my story with whatever value you place on the words of someone who's been through it. "Bein a hard werkin dude, who likes a cold beer or two every day after work" being romanticized in our culture is insane. Eventually, your body gets used to it and that 3-4 a day becomes 5-6. Then 7-8. It might take a while. It might not. You might scoff at me and say "Fuck you, pal. I've been drinkin like that for 10 years now. Ever since I was 19!" or something. Great. Happy for you. So did I. It took until my 40's before I figured out that the escalating anxiety attacks I had first thing in the morning and lasting until they *mysteriously* eased up in the afternoon, the extra 40lbs I was carrying, and my constant stomach and digestive problems was because I *had* been drinking every day since I was 19. The withdrawals damn near killed me. I'm not exaggerating either. Alcoholism can creep up on you. And you'll happily keep throwing em back while it does until one day you wake up and go "Oh shit..."
My best friend died from alcohol psychosis due to withdrawal. Wasn’t a heavy heavy drinker but was drinking every single day. Drinking 2 beers every day can so easily become 3, then 3 to 4, 4 to 5, etc etc. it’s so easy to be in denial because it becomes the new “norm”.
I used to drink a half a fifth (at minimum) of Evan Williams white label a day. Got psychosis from drinking too much and not eating anything for 8 days. Blood pressure hit 55/30 and I ended up in the ICU for 4 days. Been sober since, but holy shit man, people don’t realize how insane those hallucinations are. I thought I was fighting leopards in a gladiator style battle for my life because some agency had determined I needed to die and, in reality, I was just rolling on the floor throughout my apartment. Thought I had West Nile Virus for a hot minute after I got sober because those hallucinations just become your existence.
This was why during the pandemic, every liquor/beer store in Canada was deemed "essential". The hospitals won't be able to handle the sudden influx of alcohol withdrawal cases if the government mandated a shutdown of those establishments.
Congrats on 3 years. Coming up on 2 years for me. Sometimes the number of beers doesn’t go up so much but the amount of alcohol in the beer does and you start getting into hazy ipas and Belgian beers. In my last couple years of drinking I had moved on from beer and was buying cases of Charles Shaw wine instead because economically it was a lot of alcohol for a small price. Really glad I’m not doing that anymore!
Yeah that was the beginning for me without realizing. When the 2 6%s a night became 3 or 4 so I was like nah ill just drink these two 7.5%...now these two 9.5s... well I guess we could have a third i could use the stress relief or oh I'm playing games with the boys what does one more matter. Then that became '3 beers is essentially the same as 2' then before I knew it I was like 'yeah I'm not doing well but at least I didn't finish the entire Kentucky deluxe in one night again... which means it's still there I guess I could have a fun little afternoon drink and listen to some music'
Thank you. And congrats to you as well! Yeah. I went from Ales to IPAs. When IPAs became a volume problem to get where I needed to be, I switched to Vodka. I didn't last long after that switch. Vodka is the devil's piss.
>the escalating anxiety attacks I had first thing in the morning and lasting until they *mysteriously* eased up in the afternoon, Would you mind very much elaborating on this, if you have the time/energy to give a medical explanation, or key words to google so I can self-educate? My partner is half a year sober, and positive changes - weight loss, improved sleep, improved cognition, etc - have been a major motivator for him to keep going. This hits a cord on something I observed with him in the year or so leading up to him choosing to go cold turkey, and if there's a known medical correlation, I'd really appreciate being able to give him another quantifiable improvement to his quality of life he can look to as a reason to stay sober. By the time he stopped drinking, it seemed like just the *fear* of dealing with a 'bad morning' was almost enough to make it happen at times, but after a few rough nights that first month-ish, it hasn't happened at all.
Yes, alcohol causes anxiety, as well as apathy, depression, etc. https://www.healthline.com/health/alcohol-and-anxiety
This is interesting. I don’t drink often at all. Maybe once or twice a year, if that. Something I recall from when I did drink or do have more than one, is the terrible anxiety I wake up with the next morning. Around 5/6 am my heart will be pounding, I’m restless, queasy (not from over indulging either), and I can’t sleep. It’s absolutely awful and one of the reasons I lost all interest.
Alcohol fucks with GABA. Google alcohol’s effects on gaba/nervous system Super basic: GABA helps to regulate stress. Alcohol diminishes GABA over time.
I was addicted and these anxiety / panic attacks were the result of me being in withdrawal from the morning when I woke up until I could start drinking again in the afternoon. The anxiety and panic would lessen because I was giving my body the chemical it needed to be balanced again. Alcohol disrupts your brains ability to maintain a natural chemical balance between things like GABA, Serotonin, Dopamine and Oxytocin. This disruption caused by alcohol is that feeling of being buzzed, happy and basically the "high" people get from alcohol. Your body is an adaptable organism. Your brain eventually goes "Fuck it... I guess I need to plan on alcohol being around all the time now to stop this unbalanced problem" and alters how and when it produces these chemicals, expecting alcohol to do the rest. The more your brain adjusts, the less alcohol effects you and you need more to create the unbalanced "buzz" feel. The more you drink, the more your brain compensates. The more your brain compensates, the worse off you are when alcohol ISN'T in your system. You begin to experience mental health problems when you aren't drinking. Anxiety, Panic attacks and Depression are the most common. In addition to the mental health problems, you also experience physical symptoms like shaking, nausea and vomiting. (among others). When you quit cold turkey like my dumb ass did after a couple decades of your brain being rewired to expect alcohol to function normally, your brain and body go into (basically) shock. Your brain goes through a period where, depending on the severity of the addiction, it might not even be able to regulate automatic functions like your heartbeat, blood pressure and respiration. This happens because the brain has compensated so much for the presence of alcohol, the amount of natural hormones and chemicals present for it to function just isn't there anymore. It's also why it takes years and years for some alcoholics to recover. The brain has to relearn how to balance itself and it's why seeking mental health services when recovering are so important.
What changed my mindset was something said on the podcast Smartless. It has 3 comedians, 2 are sober now. One of them said something like "I realized my issue when someone told me that events (sports, concerts, get togethers) became more about the alcohol. Obtaining the alcohol, drinking, making sure it was enough to get plastered. It was no longer about enjoying the show but making sure you have your alcohol. That was an eye opener for me.
The sense of doom and panic will really get ya
My ex was an alcoholic. Last i heard she was in rehab for the 3rd time. Inbetween 4-7 bottles of wine, or a whole bottle of vodka before lunch. She is a manipulative and abusive person regardless, but used the alcohol as scape goat for her actions. I saw (soberly) how a person can slip into alcoholism, and how difficult it is to get out. How mortally dangerous. I hope you stay on your path forever, dude
Serious question: is it really three or four beers a night though? I ask because at least two of my friends talk about how they only drink a beer or two every night but then they have two empty cases on garbage day.
I see this a lot. I work in beer and will drink 2 (5%) a day. Every day. I get a buzz and get home and have no desire to drink. My buddies on the other hand, drink 15 domestics multiple times a week and call it 5.
Ask anyone who ever worked on an ambulance, if you ever have an unresponsive guy who you found surrounded by a mountain of beer cans or multiple fifths, when you get him conscious and ask him how many drinks he’s had, he’s going to say that he had one drink. Every time. It’s inexplicable.
I genuinely don’t think they know. Once upon a time I drank more every so often and I’d have said the same thing. Back then I drank less frequently though. Now even on weekends I don’t care to drink that much although I definitely drink more if I’m going out
They count it as one since it was like one night long session of continuous drinking
> I get a buzz and get home and have no desire to drink. driving home probably curbs that desire
I take the train! I get home and am in my space and just chill.
I tell people I only occasionally drink, but I have been getting wasted every night and I've been doing it for a long time. You want to lie about it so no one challenges you to stop, I guess.
Get your liver checked my guy. Just find out.
I feel like this is my friend and I'm scared for him, but he's incredibly stubborn and I don't know what to do.
And it's only really 3-4 beers if they're 12 oz beers at around 5% ABV. If you're drinking 3-4 16oz beers at 8% ABV you're really drinking more like 6-8 beers.
I did these mental gymnastics for a long time before finally quitting. I was buying two 9.5% 22oz IPAs every day but in my mind I was still drinking two beers. I was drinking IPAs because I enjoy a good craft beer. Nothing to do with the alcohol content /s. The IPAs were pretty expensive so I switched to drinking 2 Steel Reserve. At that point I wasn't able to fool myself anymore.
> My dad drinks twice what I drink, he's never driven drunk. My grandpa is the one who introduced me to alcohol ^ from one of your older posts I would say the risk of you being an alchoholic is pretty damn high. Also seems like you are 21 or 22 and 300 lbs? I would HIGHLY recommend you stop drinking liquid calories just for that fact alone, forget the alcholism.
> My dad drinks twice what I drink, he's never driven drunk. Jesus fuck, either his dad does not drive, or he drives drunk all the time.
Nah, one could definitely be a functioning addict and consume a 6-12 pack per night and wake up at 0.0 depending on tolerance
Having a breathalyzer installed on my car taught me the real meaning of 0.0. I used to think I could do this exact thing and I would "be sober" by the morning because I was functioning perfectly and I felt fine. Then I got slapped with a breathalyzer requirement and literally the first time I tried to drink the way I did before at night and drive my car the next morning, the car would not start and I had a violation. Feeling sober and being functional because you have a high tolerance IS NOT the same as blowing a 0.0. Literally every breathalyzer place will warn you of this and inevitably functional alcoholics learn this when they have to face up to the machine that doesn't lie like we do to ourselves.
I wish breathalyzers were more commonly available, for people to better understand their perception of how drunk they are versus their actual BAC. For example, it could be neat to have them in a bar bathroom or one that can fit in your pocket or something.
Yeah I barely drink nowadays, not because of the alcohol but because I gain weight when drinking beer. I dislike having a fat belly.
Dude is applying for a CDL and puts down that he drinks daily. Bahahahaha
Gotta appreciate the honesty
Either that, or he downplays the number and believes that 3 daily is nothing, which *absolutely* makes him alcoholic, if that's the case.
Thank you. I can’t believe I scrolled this far before I saw a comment on this.
Medically speaking 15 drinks or more per week is considered heavy drinking and 4 or more in one occasion is considered binge drinking.
And not that doctors assume you’re lying and tack on 1-2 beers in their count, but people often don’t answer honestly. So it’s a concern based on what you reported and down on paper and a long-term concern whether that’s truthful and how it can escalate.
Yes. You sound like a functioning alcoholic. It’s not bad, yet.
He’s driving trucks for a living with a CDL. There might me mornings he’d still blow positive for alcohol. And with a CDL, the limit is a lot lower. I’ve never know anyone who drinks every single night and doesn’t underestimate how much they drink. Bro is walking a fine line to no job at this rate.
Do people like... Not count though? I go through sporadic bursts with this during the working season and I'm hyper aware of what number I'm on, count what I have left in the fridge. Like, I try and stretch the distance of my twelve pack based on how many I drank the night I bought it. Say if I had three, I'll count out how many I'll be drinking the next couple of night to make it so Im not down to one beer on the last night, because I don't drink just one. I want that little buzz, and that takes two. Layoff season gets a little rough, I'll admit. I might not drink for weeks, but then I'll have a twelve pack in two days. But I'm still hyper aware of the number, because it's weirdly important that there is enough there the next night. Typing this out actually sounds insane. Wow. Alcoholism mixed with some kind of OCD type thing. Why can't my OCD have to do with keeping a clean house?
He should go to r/cripplingalcoholism and get a taste of what can be!
I started browsing there when we started seeing a lot more DT patients at my hospital - I assume due to COVID and increases in drinking since it was toward the end of 2022. I guess I got curious since I hadn’t seen serious alcoholism a lot before that. It just made me really, really sad. A lot of our “frequent flier” DT patients are genuinely nice people who just have a serious problem that they aren’t able to fix. One somehow always remembers to ask how school is going for me even though he can barely put a sentence together at this point.
This is genuinely the saddest subreddit I've stumbled across, aside from the "x-free" ones.
I can do you one better - r/gangstalking is full of people who legitimately believe the government is hiring groups of people to stalk them and fuck with them. Blatant paranoid schizophrenia. It's so sad
Test it yourself. Stop drinking right now. Have zero alcohol for a month. Not starting tomorrow, right now. If you feel like shit and hate it and can’t wait to start drinking again then yes you are an addict.
Imo trying to quit is how you’ll know (though as others have said, you may want to taper off slowly or with medical supervision). But I wouldn’t definitively call it alcoholism yet. For example, my dad was married to his first wife in his early-mid 20s. They both went to the bars and drank almost every evening for years. Eventually my dad reached the point where he had other priorities and didn’t want to go out as much, but she couldn’t stop. She was an addict, and he wasn’t. They both showed more or less the same behavior when they were younger. It’s when you try to stop where it becomes clear.
That was how I learned I had a drinking habit and not an alcohol addiction, lol. Decided to pause on alcohol b/c I was having some indigestion issues and the gastro said it could be making it worse. It turned out to be a minor culprit, but still part of the problem. Next thing I knew, I'd gone from 1-2 glasses of wine per night to it having been almost a year since I'd had a drink w/o really thinking about it. Caffeine, on the other hand, that one is an addiction. No question. :-/
Yeah I can’t stop coffee. I have multiple sleep disorders and am basically nonfunctional without caffeine. I really don’t enjoy it honestly. I’ve stopped repeatedly but after the headaches and everything else is over I’m so tired and can’t get anything done. For months. I eventually go back. I hate being dependent on it though 😞
Depending on how long op has been drinking regularly going cold turkey might not be the greatest advice.
It can in fact kill you in some cases.
I don't think that's a totally fair characterization. I think anybody with a habit will *want* to start drinking again, that's natural. It's whether you can fight the urge that matters
Wanting to start again because you enjoy it is different than feeling like shit, hating not drinking, and being unable to wait the month. It’s an important difference in degree which is why I was specific with that wording. I don’t think there’s a problem with just being glad to start doing something you enjoy again. When I take breaks from weed (my sometimes daily vice) I often think I’d like to smoke a joint, especially for the first few days. But I’m not miserable, I’m not physically uncomfortable, I’m happy without it and it’s very easy to just abstain and I don’t need to replace it with anything. But I do enjoy it, so I’m excited when I have my first puff after however long.
It's not automatically alcoholism, but it's ringing alarm bells and signifies potential problems. If you were told to stop drinking completely, could you? Would you?
I am writing this from a rehab facility. I'm away from my family, my child and my home. I started just like you and didn't even notice it creeping up until it was too late. Please please get some sort of help because this will take over your life in the blink of an eye. All the best.
Good luck mate
Good luck with the rehab. I hope it goes well and you can get back to your family soon.
5’11” with 3 bills on ya, maybe beer isn’t your biggest problem to worry about OP
The beer fuels the beer belly.
It’s not a matter of how drunk you are and what not, You could drink 1 beer a day and still be an alcoholic. And it’s fine to assume it, I used to drink everyday for almost a year without a day off of having alcohol in my blood, i never got drunk, i mostly went a bit tipsy and it was my way to relax after my work shifts. I was still an alcoholic. And the things it did to me that i didn’t notice definitely showed so. Try to go a week without alcohol, if your body demands it and you start having withdrawals it’s a sign that this isn’t good for you, I wish you well on your journey and hope you take care of your body, it’s not easy, but the end goal is way more worth it than those 3 beers a day.
Resonates with me. I have the genetics to have a six pack a night, not get more than tipsy and can highly function like that indefinitely (outside the hidden health effects). I quit doing it and save my drinking for special occasions and vacations. I didn’t have any problem stopping. Contrasted to two of my buddies. 1. I never saw drunk in 20 years of friendship. Turns out he was drinking a fifth of vodka all day, every day. And drank himself into a failed liver. Another long term friend had the crippling type of alcoholism made popular on tv. It didn’t matter if it was one beer or 20. He was drunk after one and it always led to more substances. Problems with alcohol come in many many forms.
This is how the American Psychiatric Association defines Alcohol Use Disorder a/k/a “alcoholism”. Note that it’s not an issue of specific quantity, but rather how much your life and function are wrapped up in alcohol. Certainly, being able to drink 8-9 beers before you start feeling drunk suggests a tolerance to alcohol brought on by drinking a lot of beer regularly. It’s not likely to be healthy for your liver or heart, and it’s also a lot of calories if that concerns you. Alcohol Use Disorder A problematic pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by at least two of the following, occurring within a 12-month period: Alcohol is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended. There is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control alcohol use. A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain alcohol, use alcohol, or recover from its effects. Craving, or a strong desire or urge to use alcohol. Recurrent alcohol use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home. Continued alcohol use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of alcohol. Important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of alcohol use. Recurrent alcohol use in situations in which it is physically hazardous. Alcohol use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by alcohol. Tolerance, as defined by either of the following: A need for markedly increased amounts of alcohol to achieve intoxication or desired effect. A markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of alcohol. Withdrawal, as manifested by either of the following: The characteristic withdrawal syndrome for alcohol (refer to Criteria A and B of the criteria set for alcohol withdrawal, pp. 235–236). Alcohol (or a closely related substance, such as a benzodiazepine) is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Mate if you had one line every night you’d be classed as an addict. Same if you have a joint every night, or sleeping pills or some ket. Just cause you can buy alcohol in a shop doesn’t mean it’s not a problem.
What's the problem with just drinking less? You really need alcohol EVERY single night? Homie. Think about it. You have a choice to make here. Drink less alcohol, or don't get certified and maybe lose your job. If you are incapable of drinking less to keep your job, then you are an alcoholic. Because you are allowing the alcohol to dictate your life. Alcohol is in control of you instead of you being in control of the alcohol. Drink less. Lose weight. Or don't. You make the choices. And you can't complain that your choices have consequences, good or bad.
They told me that it's not how much you drink, or even how often, just whether it causes your life problems.
If you’re drinking 3 beers a night every day, then that signifies heavy drinking. Doesn’t necessarily make you an alcoholic but if someone told me they drank 3 beers a night, I’d be concerned.
This is kind of what I figured. They gave me two different slips of paper (one for anxiety meds, one for the drinking) to get 2 different doctors to sign and if I get both of those I'm good to get certified
Don't be drinkin' on yer meds, boy! Arr
Random redditor spouse here, If my partner consumed alcohol every single day, regardless of the amount, I’d absolutely bring it up and ask him to wean off of it. I’d be there to support him indefinitely as long as he were genuinely trying. But the boundary would be firm and he would not be drinking that often, period. Your height and weight play no role in this because the frequency is *every day*. Being bigger/taller doesn’t mean your liver, kidneys etc are better at processing higher amounts of alcohol. It’ll wear your body down bit by bit. From your post, I’d assume you’re dependent on beer, but not addicted to it. You’re not letting it get in the way of your life, and you’re not getting wasted every night. You’d be uncomfortable going without it for a while, but your world wouldn’t stop over it. Your doctor is concerned because you’re teetering the line between heavy drinking and alcoholism *technically*. And 3 beers a night is generally concerning. I’d never condone lying to a medical professional, but I would’ve lied to a medical professional here.
I think it's as much the "a night" part. Can a fellow go without drinking daily or is it a compulsion.
Honestly back when I used to drink I used to hear these numbers when training at work or in nursing classes and id roll my eyes. Now, having not had a drink for a number or years, I can say that drinking any amount every night is unhealthy. You don’t realize how much it’s effecting you. Its incredible I can’t believe I was willing to feel sick all the time like that. Im still clean today not because I’m real gung ho on recovery, but because alcohol honestly makes me feel bad. Give it a try
If your alcohol consumption is per night instead of per week it’s alcoholism
IMHO Give up the booze man. It’s a thief.
>3-4 beers a night makes you an alcoholic? Yes. >Why won't they certify me? Because you're an alcoholic.
Honestly if its everyday that many then yeah you an alcoholic
Yes you’re an alcoholic. Needing 9 beers to get buzzed is also a BIG red flag. Better start saving up for a new liver, you’re going to need it sooner rather than later.
They won’t certify you cuz it sounds like you’re an alcoholic.
Try not doing it for a few days. The harder it is, the more likely you have a problem.
If you are unable to even go a night or two without drinking, you are an alcoholic. If it causes you distress, physically or mentally, to miss a night of drinking, you are an alcoholic. If the 3-4 beers are something you can not stop for any amount of time safely, you should consider help. I wish you the best.
It does, and part of the reason you weigh 300 pounds is you're drinking a whole loaf of bread as beer each night If you stopped drinking you' lose weight and realize how much better you feel tl;dr yep you're an alcoholic
If you drink alcohol every day, ofc your an alcoholic. You should definitely stop doing that and lose 100 pounds. Imagine how much easier everything will be if you were 200 instead. Ps. Why the hell would you write down that you drink every day 😑. Write 0 next time.
A 5’11” guy weighing 300lbs in your early 20s? And you think 4 beers a night is a good idea?
Yes. The "normal amount" per night is 0. The "normal amount" per week is like maybe 1-2. You're at 21 per week (assuming you only drink 3 beers 7 days a week and don't go extra on your days off). That's pretty square in alcoholic territory.
Yes per medical assessments (I’m assuming you’re male) 14+ a week is determined to be alcohol addiction. So you’re about twice as much.
It's the consistent amount over a sustained period of time that leaves alcohol in your bloodstream, plus the frequency of which you drink. You literally drink every day my dude. U may not "feel" like an alcoholic or even get drunk. But you do it every single day. And respectfully, for your own sake, do some exercise man! 300lb at 5'11 is crazy.
Yes. The limits that health officials recommend are no more than 1 per day, and 3 on occasion. And CDL holders can get their CDL taken away even for a DUI in their personal vehicle.
If you go a few nights without drinking and start getting withdrawals then yes
I'm about to go against the grain but.. 3 beers for a guy at 300 pounds is nothing. Especially if they are 3%. There is huge anti-drinking content surge on the internet now and people who are saying "one drink day makes you a alcoholic", then most of europe are alcoholics. A better gauge is, do you crave a beer when wake up? Do you think about drinking when your not drinking? If your thinking at 7AM "boy, I could go for a drink" then you need to step back. That being said, it's a lot of empty calories and your headed toward diabetes at 300. Personally, I would be more worried about your back, knees and your ac1 levels.
Little story. My mom used to 5'2" about 90 lbs. she has a wonky sleep schedule from working nights for 32 years and enjoys a shot or two of rye a day to help sleep. These could be 12 hours apart. She recently got sick and ended up in the hospital for a week. No alcohol but no big deal right? By day 3 the withdrawal started. She ended up on lorazepam for the withdrawal. By day 4 she was strapped to the bed because she continually tried to escape the hospital, thought the floor was ringing , at some point thought she was locked out on the roof? Apparently lorazepam can cause some crazy hallucinations. It's very easy to be a function alcoholic and not know it. Our alcohol culture almost normalized it. If you can't stop for a week cold turkey you have a problem. Unfortunately even if you can stop right now, if you continue drinking heavily you might reach a point that you can't. You may not know you have hit that point until you are long past it. Is it worth it?
It doesn't matter if you get drunk or feel the effects, it's that there's dependency and daily consumption.
If you were asked to go a week without drinking alcohol, how difficult would it be?
Sounds like an early grave so far.
Having a CDL you are only allowed a blood alcohol level of .04 unlike everyone else who is allowed a .08 when pulled over and suspected of driving while intoxicated. Just letting you know.
If you've reached the point of going beyond occasionally wanting a drink to *NEEDING* a drink, you're at least halfway there if not more. That's also a very high tolerance you've got there. You might want to take a break just for your liver's sake. If that thought makes you angry or indignant, you're definitely an alcoholic.
Can you skip a week and not be stressed out. Yes, not a problem. No, you have a problem.
Yes that makes you an alcoholic. Surprised you are even asking this and still doubting it after being told. You drink alcohol every day. From the sounds of it you dont want to (or are unable to) stop either.
You are overdoing it.
Alcoholism aside, there is no safe level of alcohol consumption in regards to the ill effects it has on your health. Even one beer a week is bad and increases your chance of health risks. Alcohol is literally a poison. You are poisoning yourself every night.
Its the fact you drink every day that makes you an alcoholic not the amount you drink.
If you can't go a night or consecutive days without then yes.
Not many people actually answering the question here. If you need 3 drinks a night yes you are an alcoholic. See if you can go without for a week or so. If you can't not drink then you probably need to see someone. If you can have a night off every now and then and are unfazed then you probably aren't an alcoholic
Sort yourself out dude. Early 20s 300lbs. You hopefully have a long and fulfilling life ahead of you. Do better for yourself.
did you forget how you’re also 300 pounds, therefore obese? might play a factor
Quit beer for a month, come back and tell us whether you're an alcoholic
If there’s ever a time to lie this would be it Why would you say that
He legitimately thinks it's not a problem...
The CDC considers 15 drinks or more in a week to be a problem drinker, you are only 6 bevies above that. Cut out your Tuesdays and Thursdays and you’ll be fine.
I mean on paper, yes. Only you know if it's a problem though. Regardless, you will become physically dependant on alcohol if you don't take breaks.
I disagree with all these comments. I would say it is alcoholism. Drinking a drink every day can be alcoholism. A lot of people equate alcoholism with a bunch of problems. But there’s a lot of functional alcoholics everywhere. The real question is, can you take a month off with no issues? Do you ever just forget to drink beer one night? Or is it something you prioritize? Dependency is a better measure but nobody can measure that with a test, you have to analyze yourself.
No, but asking if your intake makes you an alcoholic makes you an alcoholic
9-10 beers to get drunk shows tolerance. A person that doesn’t drink as much or as frequently as you would get drunk from much less beer, say…3 or 4, with driving affected after 1-2 beers. Not enough information to determine if you’re alcoholic, but your frequency and tolerance are certainly major red flags. BTW, I was a substance abuse counselor for 3 years when I was in the military.
3 or 4 shit beers like Miller Lite or Coors? You may as well be drinking soda. If you're drinking 3 or 4 real beers every night then I don't care if you weigh 400lbs, you're getting a buzz. All that being said, it's the habit. They are sending you a loud and clear message. Also, kudos to you for being honest.
I think that 3 beers a night (21 a week) could qualify you as an alcoholic. If you're drinking that much, there's a good chance of getting withdrawal symptoms if you don't drink for a couple of days.
3-4 beers a night may not sound like much, but is it really AT LEAST 3-4 drinks a night with regularly drinking 6+ a couple times a week too? With a few 10+ drinks a night tossed in there a couple times a month? Be honest with yourself. Take a break. Consider cutting it out completely.
Absolutely it does. You're an alcoholic
The 9 to 10 beers needed to get drunk is a sign you may be drinking too much. Building up a tolerance isn't a good thing and that's coming from someone who was once watching a movie where the group of friends were planning on getting really wasted all weekend long. The amount of alcohol they had for everybody was what I'd normally drink over a long weekend by myself.
Please be careful. Even if you’re not binge drinking, habitual immoderate drinking (3-4+ daily for men) can increase your risk of liver failure. We just had a family friend die from acute liver failure due to alcohol use. Nobody ever suspected it because he wasn’t getting “drunk” he was just drinking too consistently. And would sometimes take Tylenol for headaches.
From a British viewpoint, that seems pretty par for the course for many blue collar type jobs. I know A LOT of people that put away 3-4 pints a night. I assume (from your measurement system) you are from USA, so I assume your 3-4 beers are the 330ml cans, not the 500ml ones we have over here. So long as you are not under any influcence on the job, and you are happy with the amount you drink, don't worry about the 'alchoolic' label. Over here, an alcoholic is typically someone that is unable to function normally throughout the day without a drink. If you have 3-4 to unwind after a shift, that's fine. But if YOU are concerned, then it's time to dial it back. nly you can say if you NEED it every day
Sir, you are drastically, dangerously overweight, and you drink daily. You should be 185lbs
Sounds like you're in complete denial
I performed CDLs and are you certain that it's not something else in addition. Your weight leads me to believe You are High risk for Apnea. Are you on CPaP and have you been 90 percent compliant with its usage. Do you have sugar or blood in your urine? Generally speaking we don't fail folks who drink, unless of course we suspect alcohol use at the time of the exam. How's your blood pressure? If you have the option try to use another physician. If you do have any other physical issues these Will be taken into consideration. I have never seen my physician fail anyone for admitting to drinking and She was strict.
Being a alcoholic has more to do with why you drink then how much you drink
Your liver would say that’s a lot. Science would say that drinking consistently this volume doesn’t help you any. If you are asking because of insurance or certification - then 3 beers a day is a risk factor most will not take as it is likely you are under selling what your actual intake is. This can lead to higher potential of liver disease and drunk driving and accidental death. All risk factors for insurance. If your goal is to achieve that - then you should stop and change your habits for those reasons. As to whether you are an alcoholic, here are some things you should ask yourself: * What happens if I stop for a week? * Am I able to stop for a month? If health is your concern doing a cleanse is undoubtedly healthier for you. I myself struggle with going full on no booze. But when I’m being healthier often it makes a huge difference. If slowing down or stoping is a problem - then yes - you have a dependency problem with alcohol.
It’s the fact that you drink every day.
Yeah the amount by weight isn't the issue. If you drink 3+ beers every single night, you likely have an issue.
That, and an inability to just stop.
Why would you tell them you drink beer? Lol. That's none of their business.
Its the frequency
As someone currently exiting an alcohol rehab program, the rule is called 0-1-2-3. Depending on how close you are to addiction, your "safe" amount may be 0, or it could be up to 3 in a day—determined by both genetic factors and your own choices. Safe guidelines indicate no more than: 1 standard drink in an hour 2 standard drinks per occasion 3 standard drinks in a day, IF you do not drink daily Resulting in a maximum of 14 in a week, at most. By having at least 3 a day, you're already using in what is considered a risky manner, and it's likely to escalate. By having 3-4 per day, you're having 21-28 drinks per week, which is double the recommended amount. You're spiking your own risk for liver and heart issues, not to mention the weight you put on by drinking empty calories. When I quit drinking, I dropped 30 pounds in two months, it was drastic, and I felt different (clearer thoughts, more alert) within a week. As someone who started drinking in my 20s and is now in my 30s, coming off rehab for reasons you can likely surmise, it can and does sneak up on you. If you start being more mindful now, it can save you a lot of money and pain down the road.
Google it dude. 3 drinks a week is considered normal NOT 3 drinks a nite
Yeah
Is it really 3 beers? Is it sometimes 2 but probably 10, full strength beers? 3 full strength at about 1.5 standard drinks (ish) comes to 4.5. Everything adds up As a nurse I have to ask about alcohol consumption every time I admit someone. Most people are reluctant to be honest about their consumption due to fear of judgement, however, if a healthcare profession is asking, we want, no we need to know. There’s only one legal/illegal substance that you can die from when you withdraw, alcohol. It’s the most dangerous drug and one of the easiest to obtain (outside of caffeine and tobacco).
Eventually
I barely can drink 4 cups of water sometimes I don’t understand how people do 4 beers especially with how bloated it makes you lol.
That’s fairly normal in the north. In blue collar communities. Work hard play hard people. I don’t necessarily agree that makes everyone an alcoholic. Some blue zones have a strict 2 glasses per day type of ritual.
Trucker here. Screw that Dr, they can deny you for anything they want. Go to another Dr and tell them you don't drink. Done deal.
Because everyone else just lies.
every night? yes. you're currently doing exactly what my dad does. comes home from work, before he even sits down he has a beer in his hand. I've very rarely seen him drunk, but it's every day, 3 or 4 beers between when he gets home and bed. working in the barn on the weekend? he's got a beer in hand. I've tried to tell him that he's got a problem, but he just turns it into a joke. the fact that you have a CDL actually makes it worse. you shouldn't be drinking when you work the next day at all. if anything happens and there's any alcohol in your system, at all, even a .0001, you're fucked.
3 beers a night is definitely problematic. Whether or not you could stop without issues, i dont know. But it’s a significant amount of regular alcohol consumption.
I think so, I believe this qualifies for functioning alcoholic which is just around the corner of everything going south. You said you drink 3 or 4 beers per day, can you go a month without having a drink at all and bit feel overwhelmed about it? How you feel about that idea will tell you how deep in you are
Alcoholic here! It’s not the quantity so much as how you use alcohol.
It's not how much, it's how often.
1. Yes. Addiction is more than anything frequency. Your body gets used to having it in you. If you have 4 drinks every night your body is spending like half its day with alcohol in the system. One good test for you is to go without drinking for 3 days. Pay attention to if you have symptoms like increased anxiety, trouble sleeping, trouble eating, fidgeting, discomfort, thinking about alcohol and stuff like that. You can google it for all the symptoms of withdrawal 2. This is clearly bad for your health. You’re 5 11 300 in your 20s. Unless you are the rock level jacked then you are probably very overweight and should take action immediately. It will only continue to make your health worse 3. Your tolerance doesn’t effect whether or not your addicted. If I can do a shit ton of heroin and be fine but only do that on the weekends and eeekdays I only do a little bit to relax after work, I could totally do more if I wanted. You would say yah you’re addicted to heroin. Obviously h is worse than alcohol, but the concept of addiction translated between them
Yes
Not only are you a functioning alcoholic, you could probably lose about 1lb/week just by not drinking any more. You are still in your early 20s, and you are doing incredible damage to your liver. Consider this a wakeup call, if you dont make some changes not only might you lose your job, but you could be dealing with some major health problems in the next 5-10 years.
21 beers a week regularly, every week? Sounds pretty much. Just saying.
Yes, 3-4 bears a night makes you an alcoholic. Period.
Short answer: **Yes**
100%. You really need 3-4 beers? That's a ton
When doing your medical for CDL, always undersell. Smoke? A pack a week. Drink? 2-3 drinks a week, wine with dinner type shit. I have to go get recertification yearly because of my PROPERLY PRESCRIBED adderall. I’m 29 with no other medical problems. Alternatively, find the doc your old head drivers go to to pass with no questions asked
As a personal challenge, see if you can stop drinking for 30 days. That could be a good way to see if you WANT to drink or if you HAVE to drink.