# Thread for functioning and working alcoholics



## BF 388 (Jun 26, 2019)

Greetings exalted ones. 

This thread is for those of us that hold down full time 9-5 jobs, whilst being fully functioning alcoholics. 

As an exanple, I down 3-4 700ml bottles of whisky a week.

Any observations, post them here.


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## Lemmingwise (Jun 26, 2019)

Is an addict really an addict when they're fully functioning?

Or does fully functioning just mean countdown until he/she isn't?


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## Exigent Circumcisions (Jun 26, 2019)

>OZfag
>thinks their drinking is fine

Checks out.

Nah, I've known lots of functional alcoholics and a very few functioning addicts of other kinds. I think general lack of stigma and ease of access to liquor makes it easier to be a working drinker.

Eta: at least you're not pissing it up on the dole, so you've got my respect for that.


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## Maltninja (Jun 26, 2019)

Functioning is a very flexible term.


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## Gustav Schuchardt (Jun 26, 2019)

I think you can rate a society by how easy it is for its addicts to be functional. America is based on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. For a chronic alcoholic that means lots of booze.

Many great thinkers would agree. Benjamin Franklin once said that wine was 'proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy'.

The guy who sleeps outside the liquor store said 'I wanna make sure I'm there when it opens'.



Exigent Circumcisions said:


> Nah, I've known lots of functional alcoholics and a very few functioning addicts of other kinds. I think general lack of stigma and ease of access to liquor makes it easier to be a working drinker.



The interesting thing is that the drugs that are legal - alcohol and nicotine - have functional users. The drugs that are illegal don't really. For every fast talking media scumbag with a coke habit it will all come crashing down at some point, it's only a matter of when.

Pot is sort of in between. It's not heavily criminalised in a lot of places and there are people who smoke pot occasionally who are more or less functional. On the other hand there are people who smoke it all the time and are clearly fried.


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## Lemmingwise (Jun 26, 2019)

Gustav Schuchardt said:


> The interesting thing is that the drugs that are legal - alcohol and nicotine - have functional users. The drugs that are illegal don't really. For every fast talking media scumbag with a coke habit it will all come crashing down at some point, it's only a matter of when.


I've seen more than a few use alcohol to let it all come crushing down too.


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## DuckSucker (Jun 26, 2019)

Lemmingwise said:


> I've seen more than a few use alcohol to let it all come crushing down too.


I mean it's not necessarily true. What it is more like is that as alcohol and nicotine are socially acceptable, addicts or even people who you would otherwise say have "substance issues" dont go to as great lengths to hide their use or it's easy to spot their influence. 

For every opiod pill user youve seen ruin their life, there are probably people who use it and other drugs regularly who are functioning and you just dont recognize it.

There are reddit forums for just about everything, used to be one about shoplifting--but there are several for every drug, and more than a few for actual alcoholics. They can be good resources actually, to learn about your drug and how to use it without fucking up necessarily. There are several doctors, otherwise "prestigious" professionals who post there and talk about their use. 

One lady on the alcoholic forum said her dentist was flirting with her and she back, it wasnt even about the money, she wanted to jump his bones, and was worried about having to pretend to be mostly sober--turns out, they decided to skip doing anything but drinking and going back to his place for more booze, coke and pot. The dude frequently "partied" and used, relatively casually I guess, but managed to keep a professional demeanor. I guess you wouldnt call him an "addict" but there it stands.


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## Lemmingwise (Jun 26, 2019)

DuckSucker said:


> What it is more like is that as alcohol and nicotine are socially acceptable, addicts or even people who you would otherwise say have "substance issues" dont go to as great lengths to hide their use or it's easy to spot their influence.



I suppose my perspective is different after discovering a liquor cabinet that was refilled with water to hide the fact that they were all emptied.


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## Gustav Schuchardt (Jun 26, 2019)

Maltninja said:


> View attachment 816225
> Functioning is a very flexible term.



That's hilarious.


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## Kamiii (Jun 26, 2019)

Alcohol addiction is a carnival ride compared to actual drug addiction


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## The best and greatest (Jun 26, 2019)

Lemmingwise said:


> Is an addict really an addict when they're fully functioning?
> 
> Or does fully functioning just mean countdown until he/she isn't?


Functioning alcoholism is a term to mean you can function within society and still have an alcohol dependancy. The alcohol dependancy interferes with your personal life in ways that make you an addict but you still manage to show up to your job on time. Really bad alcoholics like to claim the term to minimize their dependency in the eyes of others, so the confusion is understandable.


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## Zero0 (Jun 26, 2019)

BigRuler said:


> im neither an alcoholic nor functioning. can i post here?



Might as well become an alcoholic then.


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## YourMommasBackstory (Jun 26, 2019)

i can't have a 9-5 jobs, but i do have 12hr night shifts. Love my work because it allows me to drink and smoke hookah.


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## Slappy McGherkin (Jun 26, 2019)

Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll have another drink.


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## Tasty Tatty (Jun 26, 2019)

Lemmingwise said:


> Is an addict really an addict when they're fully functioning?



Sadly, it is. 

And I say "sadly" because this "normality"  they show hides any serious issue and fools people into believing there is no problem. 

Take, for example, Gary Oldman. He said he was never the kind of loud obnoxious drunk people assume all alcoholics are. He only drank alone in his room and went to work completely wasted and still was able to perform well. It took him years to accept he had a problem because it didn't affect his work. It affected his personal life, though.


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## Piss Clam (Jun 26, 2019)

You are going to crash eventually man. Then you'll be in the hospital on Antabuse.

Try rehab and look to see if you have an underlying psychiatric issue.

Alcohol withdraw can kill you. Serious.



			Acute Alcohol Withdrawal - Alcohol Use Disorders - NCBI Bookshelf
		


At any rate:


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## Exigent Circumcisions (Jun 26, 2019)

Piss Clam said:


> look to see if you have an underlying psychiatric issue.


_If? 
  



Kamiii said:



			Alcohol addiction is a carnival ride compared to actual drug addiction
		
Click to expand...

_
You know that alcohol withdrawal is one of the only types of withdrawal that can kill you, right? With stimulants you just want to die but it's not going to happen. With alcohol you can seize and die.


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## a feel (Jun 26, 2019)

Hello, fellow alcoholics! 
I am currently in the final phase of a 3 month alcohol rehab and therapy, so I can safely tell you that you're not nearly as "functioning" as you think you are. Which is fine, because that's simply part of our inherently human denial to have a problem, and we've all been there. The majority of people in my group and the majority of people I met on my journey back to sobriety are employed (including myself, which is why it took me years to accept I am an alcoholic), have families and don't stand out to an observer unless they know what to look for.

You're fooling yourself, mate. Trust me when I say I thought like you a couple of months ago, but now that I'm sober I realize how much alcohol ruled my life, my decisions, my feelings, and how it prevented me from mental growth. I also felt fairly energetic and fit. LOL. I wasn't. I am slowly regaining that now, and enjoying every minute of my sober life. 

Again, you're fooling yourself.


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## Exigent Circumcisions (Jun 26, 2019)

a feel said:


> Hello, fellow alcoholics!
> I am currently in the final phase of a 3 month alcohol rehab and therapy, so I can safely tell you that you're not nearly as "functioning" as you think you are. Which is fine, because that's simply part of our inherently human denial to have a problem, and we've all been there. The majority of people in my group and the majority of people I met on my journey back to sobriety are employed (including myself, which is why it took me years to accept I am an alcoholic), have families and don't stand out to an observer unless they know what to look for.
> 
> You're fooling yourself, mate. Trust me when I say I thought like you a couple of months ago, but now that I'm sober I realize how much alcohol ruled my life, my decisions, my feelings, and how it prevented me from mental growth. I also felt fairly energetic and fit. LOL. I wasn't. I am slowly regaining that now, and enjoying every minute of my sober life.
> ...


Nobody likes a quitter. 


Nah congratulations, I personally drink about 3-4 750ml bottles of vodka per month but I used to be putting down 6-12 beers most days of the week and that was hell.


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## Al Gulud (Jun 26, 2019)

HAHAHAHAHA How The Fuck Is Alcoholism Real Hahahaha Nigga Just Walk Away From The Bottle Like Nigga Close Your Mouth HAHA


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## a feel (Jun 26, 2019)

Exigent Circumcisions said:


> Nobody likes a quitter.
> 
> 
> Nah congratulations, I personally drink about 3-4 750ml bottles of vodka per month but I used to be putting down 6-12 beers most days of the week and that was hell.



Haha! Thank you! I honestly didn't plan to never drink again when I started my journey.

POWERLEVEL:

  My drinking had spiraled out of control (after easily 20 years of alcohol abuse) due to an event, and I honestly thought I could just go and "fix it" and go back to drinking "normally" (for me) because I was comfortable that way and didn't have a problem. I hold a steady job, right? How bad can it really be? How could I be an alcoholic when, clearly, I am a *functioning member of society with a 9-5 job*?

Spoiler: Most alcoholics are.

It was only through therapy that I learned how fucked up I really am and that drinking sucks even though I'm always gonna crave alcohol every now and then because my brain now works that way. I don't ever want to go back to my "functioning alcoholic" days even though I felt fine at the time. In hindsight, my job and alcohol were all I cared about and everything that defined my miserable existence. The human brain is a remarkable thing with a remarkable ability to fool itself so we don't have to face the ugly truth. 

Edit: tags.


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## Piss Clam (Jun 26, 2019)

Well if you want to be real men post your highest BAC. Which you would have to have either been arrested or admitted to the hospital.

Mine was .450 (hospital) and that is when I quit drinking.









						Blood alcohol content - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org
				




And that is no shit my friends, that is coma level, but I was just fine walking and talking just fine.

If you want to know that is drinking a half gallon of whiskey about every two days, or in a day....it depends don't it.

I was diagnosed manic/depressive decades ago so I used the alcohol to temper down the mania....you just build a tolerance to it.

But I tell you, it all ends badly, so go to rehab or a hospital and ask for help. It ain't gonna work out for you.


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## a feel (Jun 26, 2019)

Piss Clam said:


> I was diagnosed manic/depressive decades ago so I used the alcohol to temper down the mania....you just build a tolerance to it.
> 
> But I tell you, it all ends badly, so go to rehab or a hospital and ask for help. It ain't gonna work out for you.



This, OP. It ain't gonna fix itself. At some point, you're gonna lose what little control you still have over your drinking. You may not realize it now, but substance abuse and addiction usually starts out as a coping mechanism for some underlying issue. Once that issue becomes clear, you can take steps to improve your life.


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## Midlife Sperglord (Jun 26, 2019)

I drink about three six-packs of beer a week, usually on the weekends.  My doctor has expressed his concerns about this, and oddly enough, he suggested that I replace it with the now legal Mary Jane in my state.  But since I am now used to doing both of those things at the same time on the weekends, I gotta make a sacrifice somewhere.

Still, it has no effect on my job performance or my social life so far.


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## Fek (Jun 26, 2019)

Yeah, uh..somewhat on topic, and avoiding the powerlevel as much as possible:

I'm currently dealing with a [person] who thinks he's functional in spite of the alcoholism, and Imma have to put a solid [X]Doubt on the "functional" part. Now, I don't remotely doubt that he (and you guys dealing with it yourselves) _feel_ that way. I'd just place a hefty wager that it's pretty obvious you're actually not to anyone who is close enough to give a rat's ass about you.

We all deal with personal shit in our own way, just don't let it destroy you, eh? Kinda defeats the point.


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## Nykysnottrans (Jun 26, 2019)

Man Wakes Up From Bender With Financial Problems Solved
					

EUGENE, OR—Though he has only the haziest memories of what happened between the time he left work Friday evening and woke up late Sunday afternoon, marketing associate Ben Taylor told reporters today that during his 36-hour drinking binge, he somehow managed to sort out his entire financial...




					www.theonion.com


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## Voltaire (Jun 26, 2019)

Zero0 said:


> Might as well become an alcoholic then.


Anyone who drinks less then a bottle of whisky per day ks baby tier you are the equivalent of girls on Instagram talking about depression and mental health while they have hyper privilledged positions in society.


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## UQ 770 (Jun 26, 2019)

Maltninja said:


> View attachment 816225
> Functioning is a very flexible term.



I fucking hate you. I now see why Colonial and Medieval Europe outlawed fortune-telling. I need another drink.


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## wellthathappened (Jun 26, 2019)

If you still get up and go to work, you're* functioning.


*I'm


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## Karl der Grosse (Jun 26, 2019)

If I woke up tomorrow morning feeling like I felt every morning back when I was a "functioning" alcoholic, I'd go straight to the hospital.  I got lucky, one day I just woke up and the desire to drink had disappeared.  I felt like hell for a month, but whatever was making me pound whiskey like a rat pushing a lever for a crack pellet never came back.  Still hasn't in over a decade now.

I ran into a young guy who used to be my neighbor the other day.  He's drinking every night and all day when he has a day off.  He's smart, good-looking, educated. He works hard too.  But it's all falling apart for him.  I could see it clear as day.


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## V0dka (Jun 27, 2019)

Exigent Circumcisions said:


> _If?
> _
> 
> 
> ...



Sweet!





a feel said:


> This, OP. It ain't gonna fix itself. At some point, you're gonna lose what little control you still have over your drinking. You may not realize it now, but substance abuse and addiction usually starts out as a coping mechanism for some underlying issue. Once that issue becomes clear, you can take steps to improve your life.



Depends on your issue, depends whether you can identify it, depends if it can even be fixed through "hiking up those bootstraps and getting back on the bike" assuming that person is even in such a state or even capable of reaching it.  And if you are fixing it in other ways, then what pills are you taking?  Now your just medicating in a different way, and those pills have massive withdrawals that can turn you into a crawling blind baby.

Theres a lot of unknown factors for each person, even down to how much shit they can take, how resilient they are to it.  Whats behavioral?  Whats genetic?  Some people do what they have to do to keep functioning.  If they didn't they'd be long dead.


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## UQ 770 (Jun 27, 2019)

Fek said:


> We all deal with personal shit in our own way, just don't let it destroy you, eh? Kinda defeats the point.



Oddly enough after starting to drink as heavily as I currently do, most people just treated me like an average dude who's a little awkward in public. Made me immediately cut just about all of the neurotics out of my life, as I realized they were addicted to something on the side. After that, suddenly I started drinking (less) recklessly. Never trust someone who's socially awkward, they're hiding something.


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## a feel (Jun 28, 2019)

V0dka said:


> Depends on your issue, depends whether you can identify it, depends if it can even be fixed through "hiking up those bootstraps and getting back on the bike" assuming that person is even in such a state or even capable of reaching it.  And if you are fixing it in other ways, then what pills are you taking?  Now your just medicating in a different way, and those pills have massive withdrawals that can turn you into a crawling blind baby.
> 
> Theres a lot of unknown factors for each person, even down to how much shit they can take, how resilient they are to it.  Whats behavioral?  Whats genetic?  Some people do what they have to do to keep functioning.  If they didn't they'd be long dead.



Username/post combo checks out.

"Bootstraps" is an inherently American concept, and that's not how therapy works over here. Through behavioral therapy, and most importantly, analysis (of myself, my own behavior and reactions) I was able to find different responses than "DRINK!!!111" and regain confidence in myself by actually solving problems and minimizing bad feelings through *healthy *responses instead of substance abuse.

That's literally it. No one told me to man up. No one forced me not to drink. No one offered me any pills. I changed the way I (re)acted, observed the results, which were positive, felt better about myself, learned how to handle pressure and how to essentially balance my life - things I was absolutely certain I already knew how to do, except I didn't because I was a drunk fuck who really had no idea because I emotionally stunted myself through alcohol, and prevented myself from reaching the level of confidence and maturity to successfully get through life without it. Try it. It's worth it.



> If I woke up tomorrow morning feeling like I felt every morning back when I was a "functioning" alcoholic, I'd go straight to the hospital. I got lucky, one day I just woke up and the desire to drink had disappeared. I felt like hell for a month, but whatever was making me pound whiskey like a rat pushing a lever for a crack pellet never came back. Still hasn't in over a decade now.



Yeah, I never want to wake up like that again and think "this is fine." It's not. It's shit, and it doesn't have to be that way.
Btw, I had the same thing with nicotine a couple of years ago. I just lost the desire to smoke and quit that same day. Haven't felt the urge since.


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## V0dka (Jun 28, 2019)

a feel said:


> I was able to find different responses than "DRINK!!!111" and regain confidence in myself by actually solving problems and minimizing bad feelings through *healthy *responses instead of substance abuse.



If the problems are always solvable and the healthy responses always worked, the psychology and psychologist professions wouldn't exist.  That's the thing, situations and particular problems and even people themselves are different.


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## W00K #17 (Jun 28, 2019)

Exigent Circumcisions said:


> >OZfag
> >thinks their drinking is fine
> 
> Checks out.
> ...




Agreed it's also much cheaper than having an illegal narcotics addiction. An opiate addict can shoot up several hundred dollars worth of product a day. Pretty hard to have any other semblance of a life when every red cent goes to that. A handle of nasty rot gut vodka can be had for less than $15. Lot easier to keep the lights on with that kind of expense for your addiction than it is with heroin, crack, meth etc.


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## UQ 770 (Jun 28, 2019)

V0dka said:


> If the problems are always solvable and the healthy responses always worked, the psychology and psychologist professions wouldn't exist.  That's the thing, situations and particular problems and even people themselves are different.



Yeah, I'm gonna bump this and say that you turn to this kind of bullshit when you feel like you're out of options. I'm not adverse to therapy in and of itself, but modern psychology is so filled with stuck-up assholes that I've just accepted that its not even going to try and meet me half way on just about anything. "If you want something done right you've got to do it yourself" shouldn't apply to mental health but unfortunately at least where I live it does.


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## a feel (Jun 28, 2019)

V0dka said:


> If the problems are always solvable and the healthy responses always worked, the psychology and psychologist professions wouldn't exist.  That's the thing, situations and particular problems and even people themselves are different.



You don't need to re-learn how to tie a shoe every time you buy a new pair. Our brain heavily depends on automatism. If your standard response to feeling overwhelmed is to punch someone in the face you will never not punch someone in the face in that situation unless you stop punching people in the face and try something else. That's literally how the brain works and how to solve problems that trigger the "feeling uneasy" response. 

But that's it from me, I don't want to TMI.


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## Karl der Grosse (Jun 28, 2019)

In my experience, many times drinking compulsively is self-medication for other mental health issues, especially depression.  People who are chronically depressed like alcohol because a drink or three buoys your mood, induces a sort of pseudo-manic feeling (in some people, at least), and eases social anxiety.  Of course, in the long-term compulsive drinking makes all of your problems worse.  And it makes it so much harder to get appropriate mental health treatment.  It's hard to tell if someone's depressed because of alcoholism or because they have an underlying mental condition, and harder still to treat any underlying issues while the chronic drinking is continuing.


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## Underestimated Nutria (Jun 28, 2019)

Gustav Schuchardt said:


> I think you can rate a society by how easy it is for its addicts to be functional. America is based on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. For a chronic alcoholic that means lots of booze.
> 
> Many great thinkers would agree. Benjamin Franklin once said that wine was 'proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy'.
> 
> ...


Or I would say, drugs are legal or illegal depending upon whether or not they are conducive to you going into work the next day. 

BTW Opiates should have lots of functional users in a sane society, I lived in a country where codeine, synthesised from morphine, cost well under $10/gram from the pharmacy. Heroin if anything should be cheaper, and barring acute toxicity, it's a lot better for you than any other drug.


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## Classist. (Jun 28, 2019)

Locomotive Derangement said:


> Never trust someone who's socially awkward, they're hiding something.


I just have autism, I can't help it


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## V0dka (Jun 28, 2019)

Underestimated Nutria said:


> Or I would say, drugs are legal or illegal depending upon whether or not they are conducive to you going into work the next day.
> 
> BTW Opiates should have lots of functional users in a sane society, I lived in a country where codeine, synthesised from morphine, cost well under $10/gram from the pharmacy. Heroin if anything should be cheaper, and barring acute toxicity, it's a lot better for you than any other drug.



LOL that's so funny.  Because I used to take codeine every day before I started drinking.  Then the media hit us with the "opioid crisis" and every woman in my life came to me and told me how bad opioids were and started hiding them from me and nagging me about it so I was like "fine, you win"  so I took up drinking, and because the media didn't tell them theres an "alcohol crisis" they are fine.  Fucking morons. LOL


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## UQ 770 (Jun 28, 2019)

V0dka said:


> LOL that's so funny.  Because I used to take codeine every day before I started drinking.  Then the media hit us with the "opioid crisis" and every woman in my life came to me and told me how bad opioids were and started hiding them from me and nagging me about it so I was like "fine, you win"  so I took up drinking, and because the media didn't tell them theres an "alcohol crisis" they are fine.  Fucking morons. LOL



Please shut the fuck up and delete your post. They're already talking about artifically raising the price of booze where I live, don't give them any ideas!


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## V0dka (Jun 28, 2019)

Locomotive Derangement said:


> Please shut the fuck up and delete your post. They're already talking about artifically raising the price of booze where I live, don't give them any ideas!



Don't worry about it, I'm sure the alcohol industry had a hand in "opioid crisis" since codeine is cheaper and longer lasting than alcohol, it was the only way to compete.


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## Underestimated Nutria (Jun 28, 2019)

V0dka said:


> LOL that's so funny.  Because I used to take codeine every day before I started drinking.  Then the media hit us with the "opioid crisis" and every woman in my life came to me and told me how bad opioids were and started hiding them from me and nagging me about it so I was like "fine, you win"  so I took up drinking, and because the media didn't tell them theres an "alcohol crisis" they are fine.  Fucking morons. LOL


Unfortunately we don't live in the described society. In ours, it'll take you a few months tops before your tolerance to codeine will be such that it won't do anything regardless of dose (for the most part codeine only works to the extent your liver metabolizes it to morphine, and that's only IIRC 400 mg or so, tops) and then having already demonstrated a fondness for opiates, you will end up switching to something that works. Which will upend your life.  Strange to say, however, people on high doses of strong opiates do seem to eventually reach a fairly stable dose given unfettered access. 

Stop drinking though, look up what it's doing to your brain long term if it helps and you are invested in intellectual interests. I knew someone who was very high achieving in one of the prestige professions whose IQ was tested at 90 after 15 years of very heavy drinking.


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## UQ 770 (Jun 28, 2019)

Underestimated Nutria said:


> Stop drinking though, look up what it's doing to your brain long term if it helps and you are invested in intellectual interests. I knew someone who was very high achieving in one of the prestige professions whose IQ was tested at 90 after 15 years of very heavy drinking.



Good thing liver failure will probably plug me before the ten year mark. They're talking about nuking alcohol in my country because people are dropping like flies from it over here. I've reached a point where I'm fine being part of that statistic.


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## V0dka (Jun 28, 2019)

Underestimated Nutria said:


> Unfortunately we don't live in the described society. In ours, it'll take you a few months tops before your tolerance to codeine will be such that it won't do anything regardless of dose (for the most part codeine only works to the extent your liver metabolizes it to morphine, and that's only IIRC 400 mg or so, tops) and then having already demonstrated a fondness for opiates, you will end up switching to something that works. Which will upend your life.  Strange to say, however, people on high doses of strong opiates do seem to eventually reach a fairly stable dose given unfettered access.



It's why I'd take a break for a few days, not only did my tolerance increase, but the side effects become more pronounced, so you have to cut yourself off for a bit.


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## Underestimated Nutria (Jun 28, 2019)

Locomotive Derangement said:


> Good thing liver failure will probably plug me before the ten year mark. They're talking about nuking alcohol in my country because people are dropping like flies from it over here. I've reached a point where I'm fine being part of that statistic.


Have you ever had a benzo scrip?


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## V0dka (Jun 28, 2019)

Locomotive Derangement said:


> Good thing liver failure will probably plug me before the ten year mark. They're talking about nuking alcohol in my country because people are dropping like flies from it over here. I've reached a point where I'm fine being part of that statistic.



LOL they are just talking about it?  Here's Alcohol vs the Opioid crisis.  From the world health organization.



> *Alcohol*
> _21 September 2018
> 
> *Key facts*_
> ...



So 5.3% of all people in the world die due to alcohol, with upwards of 25% of people affected in injuries and/or deaths related to alcohol.  While 0.65% of people in the world die to Opioids. Any Opioid.

So really, the lesson here is, they really don't give a flying fuck about helping people or preventative measures in any way shape or form.  

Some people get money out of you for the Alcohol, then other people get money out of you to clean up the mess if you make one.  And that's how the world works.


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## UQ 770 (Jun 28, 2019)

V0dka said:


> Some people get money out of you for the Alcohol, then other people get money out of you to clean up the mess if you make one.  And that's how the world works.



I hope you're right. This one bothers me since its one of the few things in life i enjoy that I can purchase over the counter.


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## Autocrat (Jun 29, 2019)

Your heart, liver, and kidneys won't 'fully functioning' for long


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## Black Waltz (Jun 29, 2019)

I don't drink that much and I'm a nonfunctional mess


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## Buster O'Keefe (Jun 29, 2019)

Dink Smallwood said:


> I don't drink that much and I'm a nonfunctional mess



Maybe try drinking more?


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## UQ 770 (Jun 29, 2019)

Underestimated Nutria said:


> Have you ever had a benzo scrip?



I could easily acquire one, but it's not like they're going to prescribe it on a permanent basis. Removing the alcoholism isn't going to remove the underlying problems, so I'd get off the drug and back onto the bottle in short order. Might as well save myself, the doctors and my country's medical system the time and energy.


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## UW 411 (Jun 29, 2019)

Is this where I collect my chip?


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## Underestimated Nutria (Jun 29, 2019)

Locomotive Derangement said:


> I could easily acquire one, but it's not like they're going to prescribe it on a permanent basis. Removing the alcoholism isn't going to remove the underlying problems, so I'd get off the drug and back onto the bottle in short order. Might as well save myself, the doctors and my country's medical system the time and energy.


Agreed that it won't address your underlying problems. Of course. But it will be easy to find a psychiatrist happy to keep you on clonazepam or something fairly long acting as long as you need, even permanently, if it means you're keeping your life together and not actively destroying your organs. You will probably find it tickles the same part of the brain that alcohol does, and gives you the space you need to re-evaluate life, etc. Think of it like methadone maintenance or something, where you're taking a drug that's still a full opioid agonist but with a 24 instead of a 3 hour half life.   Alcohol is processed so quickly and typically with such uneven administration that your mood, life, planning etc is all over the place and a little stability will help you see that. PS (to others)  I am aware of all criticisms that can be made to this post, I'm definitely a better living through chemistry type, but I’m assuming we're in a last measures situation



V0dka said:


> It's why I'd take a break for a few days, not only did my tolerance increase, but the side effects become more pronounced, so you have to cut yourself off for a bit.


I'm curious by the way what you mean by side effects being more pronounced?  I've never heard of this. The most typical side effects are histaminergic, like itching, red face etc but that gets bettet not worse. Your colon definitely develops tolerance slower than your brain, that's the only thing I can think of


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## UQ 770 (Jun 29, 2019)

Underestimated Nutria said:


> Agreed that it won't address your underlying problems. Of course. But it will be easy to find a psychiatrist happy to keep you on clonazepam or something fairly long acting as long as you need, even permanently, if it means you're keeping your life together and not actively destroying your organs. You will probably find it tickles the same part of the brain that alcohol does, and gives you the space you need to re-evaluate life, etc. Think of it like methadone maintenance or something, where you're taking a drug that's still a full opioid agonist but with a 24 instead of a 3 hour half life.   Alcohol is processed so quickly and typically with such uneven administration that your mood, life, planning etc is all over the place and a little stability will help you see that. PS (to others)  I am aware of all criticisms that can be made to this post, I'm definitely a better living through chemistry type, but I’m assuming we're in a last measures situation



I agree with your suggestion for the most part and am very well-informed on the matter of benzos. Essentially, its been observed that they work almost completely like alcohol as far as the brain is concerned, so I can see their utility. The problem with therapy is that its just not trustworthy and never was. The ineptitude of modern psychology damaged my life considerably several times and is part of the reason I started drinking in the first place. On top of that, even if I found a drug that worked there's no guarentee that I would be allowed to remain on it. Legislation, cold feet, or even my doctor getting hit by a bus and replaced with a more timid character could mean getting any controlled medication yanked out from under me with zero warning. 

I wish there was some system of bureaucracy in place to handle people willing to use controlled substances more responsibly than the pill addicts. I'd be perfectly happy going through the paperwork, background check and obtaining a loisence if it meant I had some part of the machine to protect me. Right now though something as simple as your doctor reading a scary research paper can end your prescription in a day.


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## Underestimated Nutria (Jun 29, 2019)

Locomotive Derangement said:


> I agree with your suggestion for the most part and am very well-informed on the matter of benzos. Essentially, its been observed that they work almost completely like alcohol as far as the brain is concerned, so I can see their utility. The problem with therapy is that its just not trustworthy and never was. The ineptitude of modern psychology damaged my life considerably several times and is part of the reason I started drinking in the first place. On top of that, even if I found a drug that worked there's no guarentee that I would be allowed to remain on it. Legislation, cold feet, or even my doctor getting hit by a bus and replaced with a more timid character could mean getting any controlled medication yanked out from under me with zero warning.
> 
> I wish there was some system of bureaucracy in place to handle people willing to use controlled substances more responsibly than the pill addicts. I'd be perfectly happy going through the paperwork, background check and obtaining a loisence if it meant I had some part of the machine to protect me. Right now though something as simple as your doctor reading a scary research paper can end your prescription in a day.


Psychiatrists don't have typically have time to do what you're thinking of as therapy. You'll go in periodically, say you’re well, answer a few questions from a check list, that's it.

No psychiatrist will simply cancel your klonopin scrip, if you're honest and doing what you are supposed to. It just won't happen. It's unlikely he'll even start tapering down before you're fully comfortable, and tapering klonopin takes a long, long time. You can always go up again anyway, or see another doctor if there really is a problem. This is an eminently soluble problem, I assure you. Even if I were wrong, what's the worst case scenario? You wind up back where you are now except without a few months or years wear and tear on your liver.


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## UQ 770 (Jun 29, 2019)

Underestimated Nutria said:


> Psychiatrists don't have typically have time to do what you're thinking of as therapy. You'll go in periodically, say you’re well, answer a few questions from a check list, that's it.
> 
> No psychiatrist will simply cancel your klonopin scrip, if you're honest and doing what you are supposed to. It just won't happen. It's unlikely he'll even start tapering down before you're fully comfortable, and tapering klonopin takes a long, long time. You can always go up again anyway, or see another doctor if there really is a problem. This is an eminently soluble problem, I assure you. Even if I were wrong, what's the worst case scenario? You wind up back where you are now except with a few months or years wear and tear on your liver.



That's a lovely narrative but the threat of legal action in the wake of certain events over here has led therapists to become very reckless with how quickly they'll slash drugs. I've learned that psychology is a highly unforgiving field to interact with once the therapists themselves start thinking about their own self-preservation. When machines like medicine and government clash, the collateral damage is massive and we all lose.


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## Underestimated Nutria (Jun 29, 2019)

Locomotive Derangement said:


> That's a lovely narrative but the threat of legal action in the wake of certain events over here has led therapists to become very reckless with how quickly they'll slash drugs. I've learned that psychology is a highly unforgiving field to interact with once the therapists themselves start thinking about their own self-preservation. When machines like medicine and government clash, the collateral damage is massive and we all lose.


Maybe things are different in Russia or Africa or something but what I am suggesting is both correct and not at all unusual. I know many many people in my somewhat conservative country on daily permanent benzo scrip. The less trustworthy ones may be required to dose at a pharmacy, or at least collect no more than a few days supply at a time. You can discuss these fears with the prescribing doctor, who will be more than happy to discuss his expectations, how titration and tapering will work etc.  I'm not going to post more on the matter since this is less about the surface topic than your attachment to the way you are living now/resistance to change


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## UQ 770 (Jun 29, 2019)

Underestimated Nutria said:


> Maybe things are different in Russia or Africa or something but what I am suggesting is both correct and not at all unusual. I know many many people in my somewhat conservative country on daily permanent benzo scrip. The less trustworthy ones may be required to dose at a pharmacy, or at least collect no more than a few days supply at a time. You can discuss these fears with the prescribing doctor, who will be more than happy to discuss his expectations, how titration and tapering will work etc.  I'm not going to post more on the matter since this is less about the surface topic than your attachment to the way you are living now/resistance to change



I had a therapist (somewhat unprofessionally) reveal to me that there was a system in place to handle patients that were percieved to be looking for specific drugs. The few details I understood from the encounter were enough to make me give up on the idea. Blacklists, etc, stuff that can show up on a background check and employers would certainly know about it. Unless the man was insane himself, I'm inclined to believe his testimony.


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## Underestimated Nutria (Jun 29, 2019)

Locomotive Derangement said:


> I had a therapist (somewhat unprofessionally) reveal to me that there was a system in place to handle patients that were percieved to be looking for specific drugs. The few details I understood from the encounter were enough to make me give up on the idea. Blacklists, etc, stuff that can show up on a background check and employers would certainly know about it. Unless the man was insane himself, I'm inclined to believe his testimony.



There is no such thing in any country I have heard of. There is such a thing as medical confidentiality. Doctors look askance at drug seekers, not people looking for legitimate pharmacotherapy. Again, discuss these fears with an actual doctor. Say to him, hey, if I get a scrip from you, will I be put on a list, gulaged etc?


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## UQ 770 (Jun 29, 2019)

Underestimated Nutria said:


> There is no such thing in any country I have heard of. There is such a thing as medical confidentiality. Doctors look askance at drug seekers, not people looking for legitimate pharmacotherapy. Again, discuss these fears with an actual doctor. Say to him, hey, if I get a scrip from you, will I be put on a list, gulaged etc?



I highly doubt just asking them will make them forthcoming about such a thing. If anything, being nosy about that kind of thing probably makes you subject to scrutiny in the first place. People lost careers and such over the opioid crisis, they are very defensive now and not friendly to any new patient seeking medication. I understand their postion of course, but its likewise not fun being treated like a criminal just because I tried to get informed about the topic ahead of time. 

Just this discussion we've had here alone should highlight my total exhaustion I've experienced dealing with therapy altogether. I need a drink.


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## Underestimated Nutria (Jun 29, 2019)

Locomotive Derangement said:


> I highly doubt just asking them will make them forthcoming about such a thing. If anything, being nosy about that kind of thing probably makes you subject to scrutiny in the first place. People lost careers and such over the opioid crisis, they are very defensive now and not friendly to any new patient seeking medication. I understand their postion of course, but its likewise not fun being treated like a criminal just because I tried to get informed about the topic ahead of time.
> 
> Just this discussion we've had here alone should highlight my total exhaustion I've experienced dealing with therapy altogether. I need a drink.



Just admit you love living the way you are now. If there was a button you could press to solve all your problems, you would be concerned about repetitive strain injury, bursitis and carpal tunnel. What if I fall down when I press the button? What if it springs back and hits me in the face? What if it's secretly connected to a nuclear arsenal? Your life must be awesome cuz you sure sound committed to it.


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## UQ 770 (Jun 29, 2019)

Underestimated Nutria said:


> If there was a button you could press to solve all your problems, you would be concerned about repetitive strain injury, bursitis and carpal tunnel.



I'd be concerned but probably not to the extent that I am right now. Isn't that supposed to be the point of technology?



Underestimated Nutria said:


> What if it's secretly connected to a nuclear arsenal?



I've have more fun than distress thinking about this one, to be completely honest with you.


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## Kaiser Wilhelm's Ghost (Jun 30, 2019)

Functioning or not, if your using it as a coping mechanism then you are going to at some point see it become a net detriment in your life. 

Morality aside, think of how much money you will save if your not funding a habit.


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## UQ 770 (Jun 30, 2019)

One thing that occured to me awhile back on this topic is that a very large number of treatment options either involve or heavily suggest the use of support groups, religious or otherwise. Meanwhile, I can't think of anything that'd make me want a drink more than being around a bunch of pathetic losers with the same issue. Or just being around people in general, these days.


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## Varg Did Nothing Wrong (Jun 30, 2019)

Locomotive Derangement said:


> One thing that occured to me awhile back on this topic is that a very large number of treatment options either involve or heavily suggest the use of support groups, religious or otherwise. Meanwhile, I can't think of anything that'd make me want a drink more than being around a bunch of pathetic losers with the same issue. Or just being around people in general, these days.



Good job turning this thread into the @Locomotive Derangement Pity Party.


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## UQ 770 (Jun 30, 2019)

Varg Did Nothing Wrong said:


> Good job turning this thread into the @Locomotive Derangement Pity Party.



That's like the total opposite of what I meant, but I guess this is a good demonstration of why I stopped bothering with this crap in real life too.


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## Karl der Grosse (Jun 30, 2019)

"I can't go to therapists and ask for appropriate medication because they'll put me on a super-secret Watch List.  I can't go to therapists to treat my underlying problems because psychologists are all a bunch of elitist assholes.  I can't go seek treatment in any way for my alcohol dependency because most forms of treatment involve me actually being around other people, and I can't have that.  Other people with my exact chemical dependency issues are a bunch of pathetic losers whom I'm too good to be around.  It makes me want to drink being around people.  Guess I'll sit here and drink, which is really what I want to do anyway."

Dude, you've given a whole bunch of excuses in this thread and they're all bullshit.  You know what AA meetings are actually like?  It's an hour or so out of your schedule to hear a bunch of stories and maybe get some good advice.  Don't like the pseudo-religious trappings? Ignore them.  They won't throw you out of the meeting for not doing your homework.  You know what does help with psycho-social problems?  Helping other people.  Being there to support them.  Listening to them talk about their struggles.  It helps them and it helps you.  As far as them being pathetic losers?  Anecdotal, but I used to go to an AA meeting where they could buy half the state from their pocket change.

I don't even go to AA meetings.  I used to.  AA didn't solve my problems, but I've heard some of the funniest, and most fucked up stories at meetings.  If nothing else, going to recovery meetings, AA or otherwise, is an hour of entertainment you'd otherwise spend drinking.  It's even free!


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## V0dka (Jul 1, 2019)

Kaiser Wilhelm's Ghost said:


> Functioning or not, if your using it as a coping mechanism then you are going to at some point see it become a net detriment in your life.
> 
> Morality aside, think of how much money you will save if your not funding a habit.



powerlevels



Spoiler



I'm not sure if you realize exactly why many drink.  If they weren't drinking they wouldn't be spending money because they wouldn't be functioning.  In some cases, you need to drink just to go out to to do the shopping.  Like if my access to either alcohol and pain medication was completely cut off, I would just kill myself, because I wouldn't be able to function.

And I've done all the stuff, I walk a few miles every day, I eat right, I go to the therapist (which just reminds me out loud why I should be dead really) etc etc, but I have a drink and death just seems like less off an option.



This isn't just some "oh I'm down the dumps" thing, I mean, I'm sure some are.  But not everyone.  Should probably be thankful I'm not on heroin.


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## Kaiser Wilhelm's Ghost (Jul 1, 2019)

V0dka said:


> powerlevels
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Fair point to make. Some people aren't able to function normally, or it becomes the new normal. I've seen people who have managed to turn their lives around. I've seen some who have literally slipped into oblivion because of their alcoholism. Given a societal choice, I'd choose functioning alcoholics over non-functioning any day, because at least they mainly have their shit together. 

Also weird observation. Most of the functioning alcoholics I've met were corporate women. It's hard to have the same respect for your boss, when you find them passed out in a puddle of vomit and piss.


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## V0dka (Jul 1, 2019)

Kaiser Wilhelm's Ghost said:


> Also weird observation. Most of the functioning alcoholics I've met were corporate women. It's hard to have the same respect for your boss, when you find them passed out in a puddle of vomit and piss.



It's still impressive to me, because even though they might get spotted in such a way by a co-worker, most people won't be aware, and to society at large they are a functional moving part. They are still contributing to society more than me making hot takes on the ass end of the internet.


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## guccigash (Jul 2, 2019)

There is an immaculately dressed woman who sits on a bench at the park I go to at like 7am each day. Always wears something bright red. She's usually smoking so I had assumed she doesn't smoke at work or in the house so that's her smoking spot until I saw her have a crafty sip of a can of strong cider. 

I dunno if the British Army is any different now but my uncle was smashing the alcohol the whole time there (along with everyone else as he tells it) then going out on marches/patrol early next day. he carried on unabated after he left at 45. Just like his Dad before him. Having that structure (and that drinking culture also) is a dangerous combination creating the mirage of a "functioning" life, then when civvy street calls......


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## AF 802 (Jul 2, 2019)

JOKES ON YOU, I CAN'T DRINK HAHA.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS FUCKING SUCK. KILL ME.


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## V0dka (Jul 3, 2019)

guccigash said:


> There is an immaculately dressed woman who sits on a bench at the park I go to at like 7am each day. Always wears something bright red. She's usually smoking so I had assumed she doesn't smoke at work or in the house so that's her smoking spot until I saw her have a crafty sip of a can of strong cider.
> 
> I dunno if the British Army is any different now but my uncle was smashing the alcohol the whole time there (along with everyone else as he tells it) then going out on marches/patrol early next day. he carried on unabated after he left at 45. Just like his Dad before him. Having that structure (and that drinking culture also) is a dangerous combination creating the mirage of a "functioning" life, then when civvy street calls......



You do what you have to do.  People have responsibilities, they have mental trauma, etc etc.  Either they find something for them to continue functioning, or they kill themselves.  

That's why I wonder sometimes, are some people just innately psychologically weak?  You've heard of the type of person that is raised in an abusive household with beatings and yet they become a fully functioning and successful member of society.  While someone from a less severe upbringing, might have a few bad life events and throw themselves off a bridge. 

I often think about if people have a biologically or behavioural coping mechanism, that varies person to person.  Not learnable, just, how they are wired.


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## a feel (Jul 3, 2019)

V0dka said:


> I often think about if people have a biologically or behavioural coping mechanism, that varies person to person.  Not learnable, just, how they are wired.



They do. It's called 'resilience' - the thing we lack that makes us alcoholics (along with many other contributing factors, but lack of resilience makes us extra vulnerable in the first place).


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## Corbin Dallas Multipass (Jul 3, 2019)

Ugh, it's a tough one.  

I personally have alcoholic tendencies but the circumstances of my life allow me to avoid falling into alcoholism. Probably for a lot of the same reasons as other people here have said.

So I'll share my personal stories on the subject, I have a few.

My father is a "functioning and working" alcoholic, but just barely.  But not all of that is due to the alcohol...
As I've gotten older and talked to him more, I've come to understand it's all based on anxiety, especially social anxiety.  
Social anxiety was my big reason for drinking. I wanted to meet people, but the actual process of meeting people made me so anxious I would be fucking weird and make things worse. Of course being a drunken asshole doesn't give the best first impression, but at least I didn't give a fuck at the time.

Then the next day reliving every cringy moment just adds more anxiety. Hooray vicious cycles!

I work with a dude who is a functioning alcoholic, young guy, mid 20s.  He's a fucking go-getter, busts his ass. Also drinks very heavily, and finds himself frozen with anxiety at times at the thought of going out in public. He's actually doing much better than he was, he's not drinking before work anymore...

His dad, from what he has told me, was basically the same, but worse. Horrible social anxiety to the point of becoming agoraphobic.  Drinks to cope with the anxiety. Is physically dependent on alcohol.


So I guess my point here is, the underlying symptom of anxiety seemed to be the root cause in all these instances.  So if you are in that position, a simple thing to try would be going to your regular old primary care doctor (or get one if you don't have one), and tell them you're having problems with anxiety.  A small dose of kolonopin(I'm sure I spelled that wrong) can do wonders. You don't necessarily even have to deal with a therapist if you just can't stand the idea, although it bears repeating that therapy does help a lot of people.  

But if you're frozen with anxiety I can imagine telling you to spill your guts to a stranger maybe just makes you want to drink more. I can sympathize. I also am a stubborn asshole just smart enough to be right more often than not (or at least perceive it that way), and thus I think I know better than everyone, which obviously causes more trouble with therapy.

Like I said, personally although I've got the tendency and it runs in the family, at the moment I'm not an active alcoholic. But every drink I have just makes the next one seem all the better, and I like getting drunk more than being drunk. If my social circle included more drinking I'd be right back at it....

Finally, the lame old cliche of "You have to want to get better" is sadly reality.  Do you actually want to stop drinking, or do you just want to minimize the negative consequences for it?  I couldn't quit smoking until I got fed up with smoking. When I "knew I should quit" I could halfheartedly start the process but never stick with it. Because I didn't want to quit.


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## BF 388 (Jul 4, 2019)

Just an update. I managed to get through this week with three bottles of whisky, whilst exceeding and blasting my work requirements out the ass. 

I will die, I know, I'm just running a competition between liver cancer and self loathing.


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## V0dka (Jul 4, 2019)

Corbin Dallas Multipass said:


> inally, the lame old cliche of "You have to want to get better" is sadly reality. Do you actually want to stop drinking, or do you just want to minimize the negative consequences for it? I couldn't quit smoking until I got fed up with smoking. When I "knew I should quit" I could halfheartedly start the process but never stick with it. Because I didn't want to quit.



If you think you can quit and keep functioning, that's the real question.  Some people don't have the luxury of being a celebrity that books themselves into a detox clinic for months because they've become completely incapacitated if they can't drink/take drugs.  Regular people don't have that luxury.

Can you quit and keep functioning?


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## Kaiser Wilhelm's Ghost (Jul 4, 2019)

Speaking of functioning alcoholic.

I once knew a particular person who was out on an engineering job for a subdivision doing electrical layout. Said person is doing said layout in the presence of heavy work equipment, including giant graders that scrape the surface dirt in order to level everything out. These are big machines, about 12 feet up the cab. 

No worries guys are in high vis, and the workers are used to it. One is noticed weaving a bit and getting a bit too close as well, but they think nothing of it. Though that said, one of these goes over you, there won't be much left in terms of recognizable structures. 

Guy is still weaving and turning erratically, which in those big machines is really something you don't see often. A truck from the owner of the rigs and essentially site supervisor, drives out hell for leather to get alongside this digger, waving guy down. Guy stops after a few seconds of slowly rolling forwards, and the supervisor. Mr. T.  
Gets up the side of that digger, flings guy out the cab and drops him down to his assistant who loads him into the truck and drives off, as Mr. T. starts the grader up and drives it off to their holding area. 

Hour later Engineer and said person helping with layout are having lunch in a local restaurant with Mr. T. 

"What happened to that guy you picked up in the grader?" Comes up naturally through the course of lunch conversation. 

"That stupid mother fucker was sent home! I'd have fired his fucking dumb ass, but I can't find anyone to replace him at the moment." Mr. T. grumbled.

"Why? What did he do?" The Engineer asked. 

Turns out Guy was a functioning alcoholic, who had gone on a bender the night before, and had decided in his infinite wisdom that work hours were not a reason to stop the party. 

He'd been sitting up in his cab, doing his grading work and working his way through a bottle of Jack at the same time. 

T had to send him home obviously, but was fuming, not because Guy had been drunk on site, but because Guy had been openly drinking in one of his machines at work, and if caught by one of the site safety inspectors, would have probably cost T the development contract which was a cool 2 million dollars.


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## a feel (Jul 4, 2019)

V0dka said:


> If you think you can quit and keep functioning, that's the real question.  Some people don't have the luxury of being a celebrity that books themselves into a detox clinic for months because they've become completely incapacitated if they can't drink/take drugs.  Regular people don't have that luxury.
> 
> Can you quit and keep functioning?



Dude. Seriously. If you wanna drink, just drink. No one is gonna force you to quit. No need to come up with a thousand stupid reasons why you can't stop or that Bill Gates is the only person in the world who could possibly potentially afford rehab. Btw, I am posting this on my second to last day in said rehab which has cost me exactly zero and addressed the underlying issues which led to my addictive personality, so that I may lead a much happier life. You do you. If you wanna drink just do it. No one's gonna stop you but yourself.


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## Your Weird Fetish (Jul 11, 2019)

Not an alcoholic but I have a question for the ones that are. After being a teetotaler for years I've started drinking one night every 1-2 weeks. Helps me relax, etc. But now I'm starting to notice it requires more to get me buzzed. How long do I have to quit before the resistance goes away? I'm not comfortable with the required amount of alcohol escalating.


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## a feel (Jul 12, 2019)

Your Weird Fetish said:


> Not an alcoholic but I have a question for the ones that are. After being a teetotaler for years I've started drinking one night every 1-2 weeks. Helps me relax, etc. But now I'm starting to notice it requires more to get me buzzed. How long do I have to quit before the resistance goes away? I'm not comfortable with the required amount of alcohol escalating.



Once you've crossed that line there is no going back. Your body never forgets. Even after years of not drinking all it takes is a couple of days at most for your body/brain to require the same amount of alcohol as it does now. That's why alcoholics can't go back to "normal" amounts or have the odd glass of wine every now and then. You've already noticed this. Alcohol obviously is an addictive substance for a reason, and its withdrawals can literally kill you. 

The resistance never goes away. Sorry.


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## Karl der Grosse (Jul 12, 2019)

Now you need to watch out for the next stage of alcoholism, where you drink and feel completely sober until you have x number of drinks and then suddenly are completely fucked up.  Once you get to that stage you will start having a lot of blackouts and doing things that have lasting repercussions.


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## Corbin Dallas Multipass (Jul 12, 2019)

Your Weird Fetish said:


> Not an alcoholic but I have a question for the ones that are. After being a teetotaler for years I've started drinking one night every 1-2 weeks. Helps me relax, etc. But now I'm starting to notice it requires more to get me buzzed. How long do I have to quit before the resistance goes away? I'm not comfortable with the required amount of alcohol escalating.


Alcohol tolerance seems to wear off fairly fast, I know if I go a month without drinking I get pretty buzzed off a single beer. Getting used to being drunk is different and never really goes away. It's never gonna feel the same as when you started.


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## BoingoTango (Jul 12, 2019)

V0dka said:


> LOL that's so funny.  Because I used to take codeine every day before I started drinking.  Then the media hit us with the "opioid crisis" and every woman in my life came to me and told me how bad opioids were and started hiding them from me and nagging me about it so I was like "fine, you win"  so I took up drinking, and because the media didn't tell them theres an "alcohol crisis" they are fine.  Fucking morons. LOL



Uh, dude, In all seriousness maybe it's because you did have a problem. Shit ain't no joke. If you're just replacing one thing with another like that too, that's probably a problem. I don't know man, I'm not really a good person to be preaching to no body, but that's not good my man. 100% super cereal



Corbin Dallas Multipass said:


> Alcohol tolerance seems to wear off fairly fast, I know if I go a month without drinking I get pretty buzzed off a single beer. Getting used to being drunk is different and never really goes away. It's never gonna feel the same as when you started.


This is very true with any drug. I remember the first time I did weed. I literally laughed hysterically uncontrollably for at least an hour the first time I managed to get high ( I remember it took me 2 or 3 times of 'smoking' to actually get high - i didn't smoke cigarettes or anything before, so I wasn't taking it in my lungs properly)

I've never been able to recreate that feeling, even after 3 or 4 months of not getting high.


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## Your Weird Fetish (Jul 12, 2019)

I've never actually gotten completely fucked up. I've never even had a hangover. Not sure if that will affect anything in terms of how long I should go between drinking.


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## BF 388 (Jul 15, 2019)

Your Weird Fetish said:


> Not an alcoholic but I have a question for the ones that are. After being a teetotaler for years I've started drinking one night every 1-2 weeks. Helps me relax, etc. But now I'm starting to notice it requires more to get me buzzed. How long do I have to quit before the resistance goes away? I'm not comfortable with the required amount of alcohol escalating.



What are you drinking?


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## YourFriendlyLurker (May 23, 2022)

I heard about an intrestingt algorythm of how to define the relationships "alcohol & you".  Let's say yersterday in the evening you got  pretty wasted. You wake up in the morn:

1) you think about the alcohol you drank in the evening and feel like you are gonna be sick --> you are not an alcoholic but you got it pretty hard. Your day is wasted.
2) you think about the alcohol you drank in the evening and think that if needed you could have some of it again later today --> you are still human and you are ok.
3) you think about the alcohol you drank in the evening and crave more alcohol to feel yourself better --> GG, you are alcoholic.


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## Meiwaku (May 23, 2022)

YourFriendlyLurker said:


> I heard about an intrestingt algorythm of how to define the relationships "alcohol & you".  Let's say yersterday in the evening you got  pretty wasted. You wake up in the morn:
> 
> 1) you think about the alcohol you drank in the evening and feel like you are gonna be sick --> you are not an alcoholic but you got it pretty hard. Your day is wasted.
> 2) you think about the alcohol you drank in the evening and think that if needed you could have some of it again later today --> you are still human and you are ok.
> 3) you think about the alcohol you drank in the evening and crave more alcohol to feel yourself better --> GG, you are alcoholic.


This is some cope dude the second one also a dangerzone alcoholic mindset. If you find yourself having to justify to an internet forum why you drink that much you have a drinking problem. If you get so drunk you pass out sick and want to drink the next day, you have a drinking problem.

I'm not an alcoholic, I don't even drink. But I've watched some people close to me die in an early by the bottle who were VERY high functioning. As in CEO of a company or high ranking stock broker. Basically your high functioning until you're not. You're like a deathfat where you can teeter in a human weight range and do people things while fat and otherwise function......until one day you can't and you ruined your life.

Addiction is very hard to break of any kind whether it's drugs, alcohol, food, sex, gambling.... It's because the addiction ends up taking part in an essential bit of your reptilian brain where the "eat, survive, fuck" level is. I've never met an addict of any kind who never slipped up and never had trouble quitting. It's normal for people to have a few different tries before they can finally kick it for good and don't let this have you give up. Go to a hospital to safely detox and get a therapist. Rehab is insanely priced and not worth it imo. As a psychfag i can tell you the most important thing is not only to STOP drinking, address your feels, but to REPLACE it with a pro-social healthy thing. If you don't replace the behavior with something you can do forever it's not going to work. Where you would drink to cope you meditate. Where you would drink to cope you walk your dog. Where you would drink to cope you post on New Zealand fruit website.

That's basically the equation that works for all mentalz. Find out why you (bad thing), stop (bad thing)by replacing with (good thing). I'm not saying there's nobody that doesn't belong in rehab. But if you're able to read this thread and are on the functioning level or the "heavy drinking" cope you realized you have a problem you might be able to do this on your own.


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## YourFriendlyLurker (May 23, 2022)

Meiwaku said:


> This is some cope dude the second one also a dangerzone alcoholic mindset. If you find yourself having to justify to an internet forum why you drink that much you have a drinking problem. If you get so drunk you pass out sick and want to drink the next day, you have a drinking problem.
> 
> I'm not an alcoholic, I don't even drink. But I've watched some people close to me die in an early by the bottle who were VERY high functioning. As in CEO of a company or high ranking stock broker. Basically your high functioning until you're not. You're like a deathfat where you can teeter in a human weight range and do people things while fat and otherwise function......until one day you can't and you ruined your life.
> 
> ...


I am not an alcoholic but thanks for your support lol.  This was a thing I heard from the actual doctor who treated addictions. Especially the point 3, because it's your body sending you a signal that something is fucking wrong. Getting over drank factually is intoxication, it's extremly alarming if your body instead of avoiding the toxin starts craving it.  He also said pretty much of what you wrote but all those comlicated schemes about understanding the reasons why you drink, replacement and other shit don't work for most people. For them "everything is under control", "that psychological bullshit is for fags" but one day it appears that they are true and honest alcoholics. The point 3 is a moment when shit gets real.


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## Meiwaku (May 23, 2022)

YourFriendlyLurker said:


> I am not an alcoholic but thanks for your support lol.  This was a thing I heard from the actual doctor who treated addictions. Especially the point 3, because it's your body sending you a signal that something is fucking wrong. Getting over drank factually is intoxication, it's extremly alarming if your body instead of avoiding the toxin starts craving it.  He also said pretty much of what you wrote but all those comlicated schemes about understanding the reasons why you drink, replacement and other shit don't work for most people. For them "everything is under control", "that psychological bullshit is for fags" but one day it appears that they are true and honest alcoholics. The point 3 is a moment when shit gets real.


Lol okay. That's interesting though. I don't work with addicts much personally despite being well versed in it because it's a special type of exhausting. You burn out more quickly with certain types of psych work (addiction, CSA, and DV victims are by far the worst for burnout imo but it's very noble work and kudos to those who fulltime it). 

Basically and the thing is people don't understand how powerful the addiction urges are.  Professionally, I know of a man who ended up under a bridge drinking because that was better than his family or multi-million dollar ground up company. I'm positive he's dead by now.

It basically consumes you and it's usually too late if you're not vigilant on your self-awareness and being honest with yourself. You have to be honest with yourself and say it out loud and in your internal dialogue to be able to catch when it's going too far. 

Nobody can make anyone else quit using (drug of choice) but I want to at least for freebs put out tools for Kiwis who might one day consider it.


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## Ughubughughughughughghlug (May 24, 2022)

What would you consider it when you know you can't handle alcohol, but you are able to stay away from it most of the time? The only alcohol I buy anymore is to pregame with before social events, which I think probably isn't even worth it. I think of myself as an alcohol in the sense that I don't think I'm capable of keeping alcohol in my apartment without binge drinking, but I am capable of not going out and buying it.


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## God of Nothing (May 24, 2022)

Ughubughughughughughghlug said:


> What would you consider it when you know you can't handle alcohol, but you are able to stay away from it most of the time? The only alcohol I buy anymore is to pregame with before social events, which I think probably isn't even worth it. I think of myself as an alcohol in the sense that I don't think I'm capable of keeping alcohol in my apartment without binge drinking, but I am capable of not going out and buying it.


You come from a family of alcoholics, and you know it'll just become another problem in your life if you start.

Everyone can't handle alcohol. Three or more glasses is all it takes to make a person intoxicated. Something that causes life problems but makes you feel good before making you feel shit for a fleeting moment can't possibly be good for you. There's a reason why being a drunkard used to be a bad thing: you are a walking disaster waiting to happen.


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## Ughubughughughughughghlug (May 24, 2022)

God of Nothing said:


> You come from a family of alcoholics, and you know it'll just become another problem in your life if you start.
> 
> Everyone can't handle alcohol. Three or more glasses is all it takes to make a person intoxicated. Something that causes life problems but makes you feel good before making you feel shit for a fleeting moment can't possibly be good for you. There's a reason why being a drunkard used to be a bad thing: you are a walking disaster waiting to happen.


My father wasn't an alcoholic but from my grandpa's generation back there were some and my brother and sister are.


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## Stoneheart (May 24, 2022)

YourFriendlyLurker said:


> 2) you think about the alcohol you drank in the evening and think that if needed you could have some of it again later today --> you are still human and you are ok.


that sounds like an alcoholic...


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## God of Nothing (May 24, 2022)

Ughubughughughughughghlug said:


> My father wasn't an alcoholic but from my grandpa's generation back there were some and my brother and sister are.


Like I said, family of alcoholics.


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## a feel (Sep 1, 2022)

YourFriendlyLurker said:


> He also said pretty much of what you wrote but all those comlicated schemes about understanding the reasons why you drink, replacement and other shit don't work for most people. For them "everything is under control", "that psychological bullshit is for fags" but one day it appears that they are true and honest alcoholics.



Yeah, addicts obviously won't question their choices and motivations too hard as long as there are substances to be had.
Replacements aka redirections are what works when a person has managed to abstain from their substance of choice and is ready and willing to remain sober and move forward. That's when you suddenly realize you have zero coping skills and a bunch of time that was previously dedicated to being drunk and useless.
That's also when all the * feels* hit you, because you no longer numb yourself over every little inconvenience you never learned to cope with.
Take it from me, you gotta pick up new hobbies fast and find activities that will de-stress you. You will level up your coping skills with every successfully resolved difficulty. You'll learn to accept that sometimes, shit sucks, but there's always something to look forward to, because you wanna do things and go places and life just sucks sometimes, but not forever.

Still sober. 



Meiwaku said:


> That's basically the equation that works for all mentalz. Find out why you (bad thing), stop (bad thing)by replacing with (good thing). I'm not saying there's nobody that doesn't belong in rehab. But if you're able to read this thread and are on the functioning level or the "heavy drinking" cope you realized you have a problem you might be able to do this on your own.



This, a thousand times. Rehab is worth it depending on what they offer in your country of residence; but the above is true for everyone. It works, it's basic conditioning.


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