Is it normal that i can't stop drinking?

I am a student, I'm 19, fairly intelligent, very sporty and in good health. But I have an problem that bothers me but I can't/won't stop it. Whenever I start drinking, after a couple of beers I can't stop. I'm small but I can drink a very large amount so this becomes both costly and a disconcerning for me. My default choice of action on a night out if things get boring or awkward is to drink more nowadays. Do I have a problem?

Voting Results
23% Normal
Based on 13 votes (3 yes)
Help us keep this site organized and clean. Thanks!
[ Report Post ]
Comments ( 17 )
  • Diver2

    The Gypsy is an asshole but his advice here is right on. Try AA with an open mind.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • thegypsysailor

      How kind of you to say so, I think?

      Comment Hidden ( show )
  • thegypsysailor

    Ever hear of AA? You are an alcoholic, plain and simple. If you don't get help, it will ruin your life. Get your alcoholic ass to a meeting, today! Need I say more?

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • Most addicts, of which alcoholics are, are absolutely NOT honest with themselves at all. OP is being honest so I don't think they classify as an alcoholic.

      OP, I think I know who you are, I won't say anything. But being honest with yourself like this is a very good thing, you realize that the drinking has become somewhat problematic and that is not a good thing.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
        -
      • thegypsysailor

        If one is an alcoholic, they are and alcoholic even if they aren't drinking. It doesn't matter if they are honest or not; they are addicts.
        One does not EVER stop being an alcoholic if one is an alcoholic. They can only choose not to drink, but there is no cure.

        Comment Hidden ( show )
          -
        • Heavy drinking isn't always synonymous with being an alcoholic. Heavy drinking can easily turn into alcoholism but it doesn't always.

          Comment Hidden ( show )
            -
          • thegypsysailor

            Oh, please. He's admitted he can't stop, binges, etc.
            I don't need a lecture on alcoholics; I've known plenty. Hell, I've even tried to become one.

            Comment Hidden ( show )
              -
            • He's admitting he may have a "problem" that's a step many addicts don't even get to.

              Comment Hidden ( show )
  • Aries

    I think this all depends on your drinking habits . We need to be clear on how often you are drinking and to what extent , what is "a lot" in your mind? I think a lot of young people drink a couple beers and keep going now does this mean if you go out for dinner and have a glass of wine you can't leave without emptying the bottle from the back or does this mean when you go to a party , catching a small glow wont suffice ? If you are drinking every day .. AA is the way to go if you cant help yourself , if you drink once a week .. you are young and if you drink socially but drink 8 beers .. you are young and that's what happens when kids party but keep in mind not to drive and also you do need to learn your limits regardless because it can be fatal .

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • thatsnotmyname71

    But I'm young and have only been properly drinking for maybe a couple of years, could it not just be a phase or part of student life?

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • thegypsysailor

      People are born alcoholics, they don't become one. If you binge on booze, even only occasionally, and can't stop after a drink or two, even when you want to; YOU ARE AN ALCOHOLIC.
      If you don't want to admit it, that's just fine, but get it into your head that you are an alcoholic and will be for the rest of your life.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
        -
      • St.Deraj

        To the OP: Only you can ultimately decide if your drinking is a problem, and what you need to do about it. I'd suggest you find an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting near you (there will be one, and probably quite a few, wherever you live). Go, and just listen. No one will make you talk or commit to anything. Just hear what others have to say, and think about how it relates to your own experience. There are even online meetings. All of it is free, safe, and no strings attached. At the very least, it's worth an hour of your time to find out more about it.

        To the Gypsy Sailor:
        Not one of those statements is 100% true as written, and the first paragraph is almost completely false. In fact, no one is certain of exactly how, when, or why a given person becomes chemically dependent (an "addict") in the clinical sense. Experts agree that once this threshold is passed, the condition is chronic, progressive, and currently irreversible. Its progression can be halted by taking certain measures (e.g., discontinuing use of the substance & adhering to a proper treatment plan), and these must be maintained for life to prevent relapse. If they are, the person is a "recovering addict" (or "recovering alcoholic," if you insist on upholding the outdated, baseless, and absurd differentiation of alcohol from other psychoactive drugs). They are still an addict for the rest of their life, and without ongoing effort at recovery they WILL return to active addiction, so your last statement is technically true.

        However, the distinction between active and recovering addict is like night & day. It is important -especially for addicts & those around them- to stress this because without it, many people hear "addict for life" and think the hell that is *active* addiction will last forever. This breeds hopelessness, which in turn keeps people from even attempting the difficult road of recovery. It makes both addicts and families far less willing to reach that critical first step of admitting that there is a problem. So your last statement is, at best, entirely unhelpful. The way it sounds to someone who is -either directly or indirectly- struggling with this is: "It's fine if you keep this all to yourself, just so long as you realize that you're completely f-ed, and always will be!" Addicts and families would be better served by realizing that if you take away the stigma, addiction is very much like type 2 diabetes. Both are devastating and terrible if left untreated, but both CAN be treated. In both cases, treatment usually requires substantial and difficult lifestyle changes since, in both cases, lifestyle choices were a major factor in developing the condition. Perhaps this medically-accepted and far more relatable phrasing might be better than, "You're a bum- you were born a bum and you'll die a bum!" yes?

        And this brings me back to your first statements. Although there is compelling evidence that genetics plays a role in addiction, one is absolutely NOT "born [addicts]." Most likely, some people are more predisposed toward substance abuse &/or addiction due to family history, but chemical dependency (again, the clinical, chronic condition recognized by medical science; not the popular stereotype) requires, by definition, one having used the given chemical. The only people born as addicts are those who were exposed due to the mother's use during pregnancy, and even that is a much rarer phenomenon than the media lead us to believe decades ago.

        Your second statement is even more absurd. There is no amount or frequency of drug use (including drinking alcohol) that makes one an addict. Not all alcohol addicts binge drink, drink every day, or any other popular assumption. Likewise, not everyone who binge drinks or drinks daily is, in fact, addicted. In truth, the threshold between substance use/abuse/addiction is rather nebulous, and different for each individual. Alcoholics Anonymous insists that people SELF-identify as alcoholics for exactly this reason. Only you really know if you have a problem with drinking &/or other drugs. The closest thing to a common thread is the simple question: Is alcohol (or whatever) causing problems in your life? If so, you MIGHT be an addict, and ought to think about making some changes.

        Comment Hidden ( show )
    • Ellenna

      The issue is the words "can't/won't stop": if OP is concerned about this there's a fair chance he's on his way to alcohol addiction if not already in it.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
    • Short4Words

      Could be. You might be overreacting. But it's important you take care of yourself.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
  • thatsnotmyname71

    OP here, thanks guys. I've decided to take your advice and I'm going to go and sit in on an AA meeting this weekend, if I do have a problem hopefully this should help. Thank you all for your advice and support

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • RoseIsabella

    http://www.aa.org/

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • Please get help. I had to watch someone very near and dear to me head down this same path. It's a very slippery slope to the bottom.

    Comment Hidden ( show )