Alcoholism

LegacyUser

I'm 16 years old and have been drinking for a few years. I wouldn't be described as a heavy drinker until this year, previously it was a glass or two of cider at a friend's house or something along those lines whereas this year its been a lot heavier - I was almost suspended from school because I drank so much during a recent French Exchange and last weekend along I drank a good ten pints and plenty of spirits. All my mates jokingly call me an alcoholic.

Which was fine. I'm young and like to think that I'm indestructable. I've known since I was a kid that I come from an alcoholic background (two of my uncles drank themselves to an early grave, and another isn't far off it) and that I personally have an addictive personality - but I never gave serious thought that I might become an alcoholic.

Only I've just found out that my dad had an alcohol problem - at one stage on three bottles of vodka per day. This has me worried. My parents are both pretty trusting and while they don't encourage me to drink, they accept that I do drink. I'm worried that unless I bring this to a head - at the very least cut back significantly - I'll become an alcoholic.

I'm looking for advice on what to do (don't suggest AA), any facts and common misconceptions about alcoholism and anything else that people may find relevent.

LegacyUser

Hey Mate, Grimes here,too lazy to log in. I also drank at an early age. Heavily. I do drink alot and smoke too much ( ive 179 in front of me now). I really think you should cut down on the amount of Alcohol you drink and when you drink. I drank in Bushy Park from 16 onwards and I have a very addictive personality. Try to limit yourself to once or twice a week when your out with your mates but if you have to drink to fit in then just have a few. But seriously once three times a week maximum, try to persuade your mates to do somthing else rather than drink. Good Luck

Xterminator

Hi,

I started drinking at an early age too.
I guess its almost expected of young people to do so.

Anyway as far as advice, I'd say to you that you should be able to go out and have a laff without getting pissed!
There is nothing wrong with having a couple of drinks in a social scene, as long as you dont go overboard.

If your mates 'tag' you as a mad drinker, you might feel pressured to get sloshed just to keep your image! This would not be wise. By now yu will have a good idea of what your drink 'limit ' should be.

I would not advise drinking on weekdays (during school term), as youre up for school, and you will be adversly affecting your education. Remember if youre old enough to drink, youre old enough to act responsibly.

Also if you set out to get drunk every time you drink, then youre on a slippery slope indeed.

Finally there are reccomended maximum units of drink you should consume in a week. As you are not fully developed, I'd reccomend you ensure that your weekly average is no higher than the reccomended alownce for a woman, till your 18 (I'm assuming you are a otherwise healthy MALE specimen!).

However, this is only effective when keeping to the recommended levels of alcohol consumption per week. Binge sessions should be avoided - alcohol intake should be spread over the whole week.
The recommended consumption of alcohol per week is:

no more than 21 units of alcohol for women.
no more than 28 units of alcohol for men.


A unit of alcohol is defined as follows:

250ml (1/2 pint) of ordinary strength beer / lager
one glass (125ml / 4 fl oz) of wine
one pub measure of sherry / vermouth (1.5oz)
one pub measure of spirits (1.5oz).

For source, and further reading about alcohol and its affects on the body, see WEbdoctor

X

LegacyUser

With a father as a recovering alcoholic, I know how hard it can be to change your drinking habits, and have also well experienced the realisation of wtf you're doing after a 4-day binge. Luckily, you seem to be like me, where early on I realised 'Hey, history of alcoholism, I'm gonna have to watch what I'm doin....'. You're already drinking to excess, tbh. Ten pints + spirits at 16? FS....that'd have most people on the floor at 40 years of age. No doubt you were blind drunk. Watch out for that. If you're going out and getting absolutely trolleyed every weekend (I mean the kind where you can't stand to eat anything until dinnertime the next day, and you don't remember most of the night before), stand back and take a look - Do you enjoy being that drunk (probably not), and was it worth it the next day? If you can answer no to both, then try a month out.

If you're knacker drinking with your mates, get a bottle of coke or just stay in, instead of drinking. If you're going to pubs, just drink coke/orange/7up. If you physically cannot do this, ie you have to have a drink, I'd get worried. Otherwise, you will get a great look at what it's like for other people when you're so drunk, and maybe you'll think twice about it. Everybody knows that it's much more enjoyable to be drunk when you can still speak, still stand, see straight (mostly), and people aren't laughing at you. Try and find your 'level'. I have a certain level I reach where I know I'm drunk enough, and I (normally) stop drinking. Sometimes I'll drink a little more than my level, sometimes a little less, and sometimes I'll go all out and get hammered, but that's not often. Unfortunately, finding your level is all about self-control, which at 16, is one of those things that doesn't really exist.

Best thing to do is to think, every time you start on a new can/pint/glass, about how hungover you'll be in the morning when you finish it. That way you'll find your balance between drunk/hungover that makes it worth it - it worked for me anyway

As Xterminator said, if you're going out drinking with the plan of getting completely comatose, then there's something very wrong. And don't drink on schoolnights, ever (unless there's a wedding or something). Believe it or not, there are plenty of things to do other than drink, you just have to go looking for them.

Ignoring the rest of my post, the most important thing here is that you've realised you're drinking too much, and you're susceptible to alcoholism. Go talk to your school's guidance councillor/your doctor. Some of them are woeful, but at the very least he'll give you some good leaflets/resources/advice on where to start. And if you're mature and straightforward with him, he'll reciprocate. And he won't say a word to anyone.

Shiminay

Believe it or not, it's not too difficult to give up drinking - I was gone a bit bananas there for a while around my birthday - blackouts and the works (these scare me). After forgetting exact details of something rather important that happened during one of those binges, I was shocked and bloody frightened. Alcoholism can be genetic. My father was an alcoholic, his brothers and sister are alcholoics, his uncles are alcoholics - you see?

Is there a history of alcoholism in your family?

If there is, slow down now and take a hold of it.

If not, you're probably not in as much danger, but it'd be wise to stop - you seem to drink an awful lot for someone underage. Chill

Giving up isn't that hard actually - I managed a month without a drop and it was a doddle - I honestly thought I'd have difficulty, but I didn't. I don't have particularly strong will power, just don't try and kid yourself into thinking you're never going to drink again - that'll never work. Set yourself a time period (a month is the handiest) and go without for that period. Try avoiding the places you go and people that you go drinking with (but don't cut your mates off - that'll be bad). Explain to them that you're off the drink for a while and they might slag you off and offer you beer for the laugh (like my mates did), but if they're decent mates, they'll be only too happy to help out.

Godd luck with it.

As for me - I'm back on it, but in moderation. Went a bit mad there last wekeend (copious amounts of the sacred nectar were consumed). However - it's Ok to go mad every now and again

Venom

Kharn that month you were locked up in the joy for drunk and disorderly conduct dont count as giving up da sauce for a month

Seriously tho if you feel you have a problem seek help with the AA.Your mates might think you drink to much but then again they might just be wussies who trhink a couple of harp or miller is being mad.

LegacyUser

Me again.

I've decided to give it up for a month to see just how big a part it plays in my life - hopefully I can manage that, and if I can't I'll have a chat to the guidance councillor when I go back to school. I'd prefer to just cut back, but I know that as soon as I have a few I'll just want more.

Hopefully it won't be too hard - I've told one of my mates how I feel and she was really supportive and another one of my friends is sober so I can hang around wih him at partys etc.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice, much appreciated!

hacktavist

Become a stoner?

Caesar_Bojangle

once you see someone get their stomach pumped, it'll soon put you off drinking so much. I have two mates who i reckon have a similar problem to yours but cant actually see it themselves when i try to point it out to them.

l3rian

stop drinking kid

LegacyUser

I started drinking at 14.
Had bouts, also have some alcoholism in my family and I'm naturally addicitive.
Was a wee bit worried for a period during 4th year when I would go out every weekend, get wasted on buckkie or cider or whatever was handy, and spend saturday morning and afternoon making passionate love to the toilet bowl.
Soon got sick of it, and the lack of cash.
You know you shouldn't be drinking as much, you obviously aren't happy with it, so just stop.

WEasier said then done, I know, but wouldn't be worth it if it wasn't hard.

memphis

Lots of people start drinking at an early age, unfortunately it appears to become part of the Irish culture these days. Hey, what the heck, I started drink when I was about 16.

However I would say you should be very aware of your habit particularly if alcoholism is in the family.

LegacyUser

Hactavist,

Funnily enough,

A distant relation of mine was a ferocious Alcoholic about 5 years back, he gave it up and started smoking weed.
He has not touched a drop of alcohol since.

This is an example of a 50 Year old Man, i would not reccomend this to someone at the age of 16, it will do your brain no favours.


Always remeber that alcoholism is herditary be very very concious of this when you are drinking.

I know of 5 people within a group of my friends who as far as i am concerned they are on the road to being fully blown Alcoholics, an example of this being - one of them now blacks out every time they drink, yet they are not the slightest bit worried, ive tried on many occasion to talk to them about it only to be snapped at.

They are all now in and around 21-25.

The fact that you came out and posted this thread would indicate that you are worried, thats a good thing because if you do not sort out your problems at a young age, it will only get harder as you grow older.


Why don't you go out with your friends some night that they are drinking and do not sip one drop of alcohol, simply buy none, this will be a good test of your will power.

You will also get to watch your friends make complete fools out of them selves

Another Suggestion i would make would be to quit while your ahead.


Take good care of your body and your mind, they are more fragile than you could ever imagine.

Samba

Gah, didnt realise i wasnt logged in, my comments above

LOUGHLIN

Sorry but I have to be frank. Stop now. You are 16 years old. You are drinking in one month the amount that an adult (that is someone who drinks a glass or so at an evening out within family or friends when they go out) would drink in 10 months. That is a very very ....... thing to do. You have a life in front of you. Respect yourself.

leeroybrown

I started drinking when I was 16. I don't think that there is any problem with drinking at that age so long as it is done in moderation. Its one thing to say that you might become an alcoholic but you have to remember that if you're drinking way too much when you're that young you risk severely fscking up your liver ... and thats something no-one wants to do.

seamus

Originally posted by Unregistered
, an example of this being - one of them now blacks out every time they drink, yet they are not the slightest bit worried, ive tried on many occasion to talk to them about it only to be snapped at.

Samba, I'd tell this dude to get to a Doctor. Frequent blackouts when drunk can lead to serious migraines, blood clots, brain damage, or ultimately death, if something isn't done about it. A girl I know here in college began blacking out when sober and ended up blacking out while driving her moped. She was OK, but she drinks very little now.

DeVore

Unreg, you make me glad I made this board. Give up drinking like that, its not going to help you and you are patently an intelligent and social bloke.
If you are wondering if you can go 30 days without the sauce... you need to think what that means in and of itself.

I've gone nuts on it myself but thankfully I get unmercifully sick if I drink to real excess so I've never drunk to blackout...
I've been on 3 day benders before but finding oneself and one's mates chucked out of Fifel Goes West for liberating a goldfish in the early morning matinee which surruptiiously swigging whiskey from a bottle makes you think "wtf am I doing here and where did we get that goldfish?!" (no joke! )

so, give it up and try taking up a sport or music or something but you need to give yourself some credit and a chance man, everyone has a big red self-destruct button and the only thing that can stop you pushing it is you... noone else will stop you.

DeV.

nesf

Well to be honest I used to quite a heavy drinker, with much same backround as alot of the ppl here, a long sting of alcoholism on both sides of my family. But about a year and a half ago I was at a party and ended up drinking a half bottle of whiskey, and 2 bottles of vodka, in less than 2 hours ( the second was forced down my throat by a drunk mate, having a laugh.) I ended up falling and knocking myself unconcious, and giving myself a nice new skull fracture and falling into a shower, where the shower was turned on, by someone trying to revive me. But since I was lying on the sink hole, no water drained away.

Sleeping in water for 6 hours with a chest infection is a very bad idea. 3 days later I was taken to hospital with a temperature of 108 and pluresy in my left lung, developing pneumonia in my right one. I hadn't been able to hold down water for 2 days because I was coughing so hard. If my flatmates hadn't found me in my room, and got my parents to get me to a doctor I'd have been dead. I lost nearly 3 stone in the two weeks while I was sick. I'm still recovering tbh.

I still drink but rarely more than 3 or 4 pints. As Kharn said, it's ok to go mad every so often, and I've no problem getting drunk with my mates, but I don't drink nearly as much as I used to. Plus having a partner halps loads. My present girlfriend of around a year and a half, is a light drinker, so I tend to stay fairly sober around her.

Samba

Seamus,

I have tried on numerous occasions to talk sense in to this girl .


I will try once more bearing this example in mind.

Better yet, ill e-mail her a link with the affects of blackouts, that way i will not be within a 5 mile radius of her

Thnx


Samba