Blacking Out

[eastcoastbias]

I have a problem with drinking too much.  I only drink once a week so it doesn't affect my everyday life but when I do drink I drink way too much.  I probably black out almost every time I drink.When I do, I lose all coordination and can be mean to the people I'm with including my girlfriend.  I've always drank hard liquor so beer has litle to no effect on me.  When I drink beer I just get annoyed because I have to drink so much of it to get drunk.  I'm not looking to stop drinking but I need to figure out what I can do to help control my drinking. I also do embarassing things when I'm blacked out.  I never intend on blacking out but once I get drunk i never think I'm drunk enough and keep drinking at way too fast of a pace.  I come from a family where drinking was a common occurrence and all of my friends drink on a regular basis. I recognize however that I need some help to stop drinking such large amounts of alcohol at a time.  I'll take any advice/suggestions. Help!

[ibizan]

ur probably not gonna like this but then i tell folks what i think..and many times they don't like it but oh well!i've been sober and clean 24 years.....i think ur beyond controlled drinking.....u report a history of losing control....but then ppl don't stop drinking cuz its a good idea.....so if u try to limit ur drinks and end up going overboard.....again.....u have a definite answer to ur question......methinks u don't have that OFF switch many of us tried to find but couldn't!:)

[girlybuff]

One of the most popula rmisconceptions of our time is about the typical alcoholic.  You don't have to be a homeles person drinking wineout of a box onthe park bench to be alcoholic.  Alcoholics come in all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life.
Alcoholism is not defiined by how OFTEN you drink but by what happens WHEN you drink.  You might not be an REAL alcoholic YET but you're certainly drinking alcoholically.
I too drank on weekends, never missed work, never got arrested, never got a DUI, etc. etc. but drank to get drunk every time I drank and blacked out all the time back to the very first time I drank at 15 years old.  All those things (jail, accidents) are YETS for me and I flinch at the days when I woke up from a night of binge drinking to go out and check the grill of my car to make sure I didn't hit anyone in a black out whilst driving home.  
I am sober 6 years so take my advice.... .get help now.  Your life will change.  You might end up doing somethig in a black out that could change your life forever.
Good luck and God bless.  

[jml1986]

Self control and a desire to fix the problem. You gotta want to stop or it will never happen.

[jbosco]

Blackouts are a frightening phenonomen and what Girlybuff said (You might end up doing somethig in a black out that could change your life forever) is spot on.  "Binge-srinker", "functional alcholic", whatever--labels mean nothing.  What is important here is that you have absolutely no control whatsoever as to when you will blackout and what you are capable of doing during that blackout.

Hopefully, that prospect will sink in and you can make a decision now rather than later when any damage is already done.  

I highly recommend the book Under the Influence for facts regarding drinking and the biophysical changes our bodies go through.  Take care of yourself.

[Jennifer375]

sounds like 'binge' drinking and the easiest way to reign it in if your going to insist on drinking anyways is to EAT while drinking. Have 2/3 drinks then either drink ONE big glass of water or eat a little somethig, meat, bread doesnt matter, just food of some kind. If you continue this way from the moment you begin drinking until you go to bed that night it will GREATLY reduce the chances of blacking out atleast entirely and you wont feel quite as bad the next day. The best way to lessen the hang over (if you get them) is to either not drink at all or to drink AS many glass's of water or other uncaffinated drink as you do alchohol. But unfortunalty the disassociation that occurs with drinking often makes it easy to forget to drink water,,, so eating helps keep you from getting  'damn drunk' and just lets you get a heavy buzz.

JM2 cents

[ibizan]

whoa girl u got it down pat there.....i used to think act eat and drink as u describe.....such a miserable merry-go-round of denial called alcoholism!glad i retired from the **** 24 years ago!hope u don't drive a car when ur doing this!

[Jennifer375]

LOL Ibizan,, in germany they call it life... just depends on your perspective and nationality I guess. Haben Sie einen schönen Tag!

ps,,, I dont drive at all because I live my truth,, one of those is that we cant just howl about global warming,, we have to each do our part... so bus only for me! :0)

[ibizan]

u r right about the global warming!i drive very little..in our small town if ur drunk and walking somewhere and the police know u u get arrested for public intoxication or mebbe one will drive ya home!May the Force be with u!:)

[Jennifer375]

Yep, most towns in america are like that I think,,, in germany they have beer gardens where you can drink till your hearts content WHILE eating, and if ya pass out dead drunk on the sidewalk its not considered the most humiliating thing in the world. BUT reputation does mean alot so most civilized folks call a cab lol. :0) Just amazing though how whats taboo in one country is unimportant in anouther.

May the powers that be always smile on you too ibizan! :0)

[ibizan]

it is interesting about different countries and their norms with the alcohol!most folks over here if drunk in a social setting don't act civilized!here in America its estimated that one out of 10 is alcoholic....and growing with prescription drug abuse/dependence....what r ur rates over there if u know?

[Jennifer375]

Im from central america Ibizan,,I was just using Germany as an example of how cultural norms differ widely from place to place, and how where you live and the sense of right and wrong change depending on your rearing. For example, here in america eating dogs or cats is considered unimaginable and barberic,, but in china they are just part of the food chain and chickens are held in higher esteem.

And I agree with you,, in America those who drink heavily tend to act badly and at times quite violently. In america though the reasons for drinking tend to differ from the reasons to much booze is consumed elsewhere though no? Here it tends to be abused by those seeking to remove their conciouseness from the pain in their lives.... as where in many other places alchohol is simply part of everyday life and drunkeness that occassionally follows nothing more than the consiquences of to long a dinner break.

The increase in drug dependance , pharmacudicals does appear to be an ever growing global problem as well I agree. We recently moved from the city , and did so in part because the area where we were living was filled with young people who discovered pills in their parents medicine cabinets, only to find they can not distance themselves from those mind altering chemicals freely when they are ready. It became frightening, particularly for one with small children, and not the type of enviorment most people would want their children exposed to at a young impressionable age.

Thankyou Ibizan for taking the time to engage in this conversation with me, in the circles I am in it would be considered, **Good medicine** for all.

*Bowing to you in respect and appriciation*

[ibizan]

oh so u live in Central America or in Germany?i have read about many of the different ideas and norms of other cultures which u state...Central America sends a lot of cocaine to the USA...our heroin comes from Turkey and Afghanistan.....President Bush a few months ago told the prez of mexico to stop sending drungs our way..the prez smartly replied we wouldn't send them if ur people didn't have such an appetite for them!:)so true!enjoy this discourse with u as well dear...thank u and ur welcome!:)

[caregiver222]

Giving up alcohol is very hard. The "blackouts" are very dangerous signs. You are destroying brain cells, and the blackouts are very serious. I know it hard, but I want you to promise to find a program and really try. Life and sentience is too precious to relenquish for a drink. Prayer halps too. Good luck.