If you are reading this and think you have a problem with alcohol you are NOT ALONE. Alcoholics are everywhere, and sober alcoholics will help you get sober. It is impossible to get sober by yourself. You need God and the help of a sponsor (someone to walk you through the steps). First things first though.
There are several ways to determine if you are an alcoholic. The easiest way to know is to honestly answer a few questions. Making a decision whether or not is only something the individual, YOU, can decide. For me it was obvious. I answered yes to all of these questions from the time I started drinking regularly (about age 15).
- Have you decided to stop drinking but can only last a few days?
- Do you get annoyed when people question you about your drinking habits?
- Do bad things (even only once or twice) happen when you drink?
- Do you feel like you need more drinks even when you are drunk already?
- Do you black out or have you blacked out when you drink (even just a few times)?
If you answered yes to two or more of these questions, you probably have a problem with alcohol or are on your way to becoming an alcoholic. Most people don’t want to face the idea of being “labeled” as such. But there comes a point where drinking alcohol no longer works. Click here for a more thorough questionnaire.
The book of Alcoholics Anonymous states: “FOR MOST normal folks, drinking means conviviality, companionship, and colorful imagination. It means release from care, boredom, and worry. It is joyous intimacy with friends and a feeling that life is good.” – p. 151, “Alcoholics Anonymous”.
For NORMAL drinkers, having a drink of alcohol provides a short-lived feeling of euphoria (a buzz) that quickly wears off, passes through the system quickly, and does not trigger an obsession. My wife can drink one glass of wine and is fine with that. Do you ever feel like you cannot quit drinking once you have started? For us alcoholics, one drink is never enough. Do you constantly think about drinking during the day? I would plan my days around consuming alcohol.
This is the obsession and a tell-tale sign that alcohol has control over your mind. It will not let go until you stop drinking. The problem with this obsession is that it gets worse and worse until you cannot escape its grasp. Then the “rude awakening of the hideous four horsemen appears: terror, bewilderment, frustration, despair”.
At this point, you are probably saying, “yeah but I can handle it”. This is a lie to yourself. Once alcohol gets its claws into you it will not let go until you have lost most of what is worthwhile in your life (marriages, children, friends, houses, cars, jobs, ad infinitum) are institutionalized, locked up, or dead.
So what should I do?
If you think you have a problem with alcohol get help. While I attend Alcoholics Anonymous and find it effective, there are many programs you can use. Alcoholics Anonymous is a great place to start. You can find meetings here no matter where you are in the world.
You should not be afraid to go to a meeting because EVERYONE there has experienced alcoholism and people are there to help you. A core principle of A.A. is helping other alcoholics achieve sobriety. Make sure you raise your hand when they ask if there are any newcomers and don’t be afraid to get help.
The bottom line is GET HELP before alcohol destroys your life. It is a relentless, progressive illness; a medically diagnosed and defined disease of the mind, body, and spirit. Click here for more help.