What Defines An Alcoholic
DO YOU THINK YOU ARE AN ALCOHOLIC?
Millions of people though out our world we live drink alcohol. Some of them drink responsibly and then there are those that abuse alcohol. That being said, "what defines an alcoholic and do you think you are one?
These are things I have come up with that define an alcoholic and my life as an alcoholic through my own experiences drinking alcohol.
- I couldn't go anywhere if I knew there would be no alcohol served.
- All I thought of when I would wake in the morning was how many hours would it be till I could have my first drink of alcohol?
- I was so embarrassed of my addiction to alcohol that I would hide and drink.
- I would sneak beer into the house or garage in fear that the neighbors would see it.
- I lived in denial for many of years and never thought for a minute I had a problem.
- Many of us might get into arguments while drinking alcohol, but when if sober the argument might of never happened.
- Putting everything second in life with alcohol being number one before all, including spouses and family. The alcoholic might not think they are putting alcohol first in their life, but others see it just fine, and may say something to us, but we won't listen.
- You can't have just one or two social drinks and call it the night. As for myself, I wish I could of done that, but one or two drinks were just not enough.
- Drinking alcohol everyday of the week, month after month with no breaks.
- Drinking more and more to get to that buzz you had the last time you drank.
- Spending money you don't have to support your addiction to alcohol and depriving your families needs.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
ADMITTING AND ACTING ON IT
Admitting that you are an alcoholic is a huge step in the right direction, and acting on your addiction is next. Getting yourself out of denial and admitting you have a drinking problem is a wonderful achievement, so now you have to take massive action in order to get and stay sober.
First, the alcoholic needs to want sobriety for them self and no one else. YOU need to want sobriety and not be forced into it by someone else, otherwise I feel it will not work long term. Once you have made up your mind to get clean and sober the rest will follow.
Sure, I am not saying it will be easy, because it won't. I went through it and it was tough, but as the days and weeks passed by I looked back and said to myself, "Look Mark I have been sober for two weeks now." It is such a great feeling to say the word sober."
Many people may call me and you an alcoholic, but your are the one that can really define if you are truly an alcoholic. You know best by your own actions and lifestyle you choose to live. If you define yourself as a alcoholic then do something about it and change your life around and get yourself clean and sober. You won't be sorry you have taken action on your life.
We all have one life to live, so why live it in a daze and drunk most of time. If you think continuously about drinking alcohol and when your next drink will be than I do believe you might have a huge problem with your life and your drinking. Think about it long and hard, as I did, and you will see just how messed up your life is. If you think about it long enough it just might trigger something in your mind, as it did for me, and you will wake up to see just where you life is heading. By drinking alcohol and abusing it you will only go one way and that is to rock bottom.
If you reach that stage in your life you will change, believe me. Sometimes it takes something drastic in your life to make that change in your life, so why wait till that happens. Do something about it before you get to that point in you life.
Just try out sobriety for a month or two and I do believe if you have it in your heart to get and stay sober you will not go back to that horrible lifestyle you had before.
These are all the different things that went through my mind and I try to pass my experiences of drinking alcohol and what made me see the light to get and stay sober. I try to express my feelings and tell my stories to help others realize there is a life after an addiction to alcohol.
GO FOR IT !!! YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE, ONLY GAIN, AND THAT IS MORE YEARS ADDED TO YOUR LIFE!
Comments
nice Hub!
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Neal, Thanks so much Neal. still trying to get the word out to the world that sobriety is possible for anyone that wants it.
A Lot don't realize that they are poisoning themselves slowly or quickly. Most think they can control "The Devil in the Bottle". Most do control it, but in the end it destroy's them. Most of the time it's to late to reverse the damage Drugs cause.
I wish I could show my Brother In Law this hub. He is a sad and lonely man who can't get through the day without alcohol. It is such a waste and we all hope that one day he will admit he is an alcoholic and reach out for help, before it is too late and when that day comes the family will be there to help him. Like you have pointed out in your hub, an alcoholic needs to want to change for themselves.
An interesting hub that I feel is written from the heart. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing. I admire your courage and your desire to carry the message to those who still suffer. The families of alcoholics suffer, also, but no more than the alcoholic himself.
Very interesting hub, clean life :)
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@ Neal, you are so right Neal. When alcoholics get sick from too much booze is then they want to stop drinking, but as you said in many cases the damage is done. Thanks for reading and commenting Neal !
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@ Debbie Roberts, Thank you Debbie for reading and commenting as well. What you and I said about wanting to get sober is the main and most important thing to achieving long term sobriety. For myself I tried to quit drinking once before but I was just not ready to let it go. It is so sad to see those that are addicted because I know what they are going through. deep down inside you want a better life for yourself but that booze keeps you from getting sober. I wish and pray for your Bother-In -Law to hopefully see the light and stop drinking once and for all.
God Bless him and you Debbie. Don't give up on him.
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@ Ruth- Thank you for your kind words to me and for reading my hub. As for the alcoholics families they don't even see what they are doing to others. I know because I never saw it either.
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Ruchira, Thanks for reading. I hope it helps others to get sober and stay sober.
Great advice. As you state, it is getting the person to admit they have a problem that will open the door to recovery. Just heard of an acquaintance who was caught driving drunk for the fifth time. I hope they get help before something tragic happens.
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teaches12345 , Thank you for reading and commenting on this hub. I wish so bad for your friend to finally see the light of how he/she is endangering not only his/her life but many innocent people by the actions of drinking and driving. You are so right that the alcoholic must want sobriety for themselves and no one else. Many people think they have no problem with their drinking whatsoever. Hopefully this will be the last time for a DUI and give a wake up call to get sober once and for all before it is TOO LATE.
Thank you for this Hub. I've had a few friends and loved ones in my life who would openly admit that everything you have laid out here is bang on. Thanks for creating some awareness about alcoholism.
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SMD2012. Thanks so much for your comment. It means a lot and I write all these hubs regarding alcoholism in hopes that I will touch someone's life and let them see that sobriety is possible in anyone's Life.
Hoping with you that your work to help alcoholics has great success.
This reminded me that after years of hearing my mother describe her father's behavior I happened to mention the fact that he was an alcoholic. She was surprised and offended, and I was surprised that she was!
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RTalloni , Thank you for reading and your comment. Many people don't know if someone has an addiction. They hide it well as I did for many years. Once I started writiing here and in my blog and family members started to read what I wrote they were surprized too, saying I didn't know Mark had a drinking problem
I live in the U.K. where drinking is a common thing. This makes being an addict easy to hide and often heavy drinking is encouraged or seen as funny.I found what you wrote a real help and wish everyone goodluck.
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@ DTSALES -Thanks for reading and commenting on this hub. It make me feel good that this may have helped you and hopefully will help many others in the days and years to come.
God Bless and stay strong!!
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