Um been told I might have a problem

[flying_kiwifruit]

On Wednesday I got told I "might" have a problem with alcohol. I'm not usre though, I see nothing wrong with my drinking but other people do. I drink so I can sleep at night, its just a shot or two before bed. I don't get what is wrong with that, but according to a counsellor that can be classed as alcolhol abuse. Any opinions.

 

[BobW188]

Any habitual use of alcohol can indicate dependence. I'd suggest you try for the next night or two to do without; and that you search up the NZ site for Alcoholics Anonymous. Somewhere on it you'll find a self-test which, if you answer honestly, should give you a good idea whether or not you are a problem drinker.

 

[Angeldove97]

I would think to myself about why I had those shots before bed. I grew up in a family where drinking was shared with the children (in small quantities) at parties and such. So drinking was never a big deal to me. However, if I started noticing that I was drinking when it was odd times of the day (morning, late late night, etc) or drinking very fast or drinking alot, I would be worried that I might have some issues that needed to be resolved.

I don't think you have a drinking problem, but I'm worried that perhaps you have some underlying issues that you need to take care of. Why did you feel like you had to do the shots before bed? (Btw, you don't have to answer this, just think about it) When else have you been drinking? Who do you drink with? How much do you consume?

I would suggest you speak to a professional about this-- like your counselor and work with them to see what issues in your life are causing a *possible* drinking issue.

 

[celticfan83]

On Wednesday I got told I "might" have a problem with alcohol. I'm not usre though, I see nothing wrong with my drinking but other people do. I drink so I can sleep at night, its just a shot or two before bed. I don't get what is wrong with that, but according to a counsellor that can be classed as alcolhol abuse. Any opinions.

I totally understand where You are coming from I work in the resturant industry. Many night I am so amped up from working until 2 or 3 in the morning i need something to bring me down. On days I must work the next morning early it might be a glass of wine or two or a over the counter sleeping pill. When I don't have to be up early I use the 'I'm board" method where I just watch TV or dink around on the internet until I am tried and go to bed. I understand where you are coming from 100% as my job is recreating wine lists for a large multi-national restaurant company. My job when you come right down to it is to drink wine and make a choice to put it on a list or not. That being said I take 3 weeks a year to not do anything but be sober, and which I have told my bosses I would rather buss tables than feel a craving for alcohol.
Thus my advice is two fold, one drink when you will, but two only drink when you can or want. If at any time you can't fallow those rules then seek help.

 

[TheMainException]

It could be classified as abuse yes...but if you simply continue to drink the same amount every night to sleep and it's nothing, then maybe it isn't a problem...it could simply be a cheaper alternative to sleeping medication...you have to carefully examine yourself and possibly talk to a counselor to see if you have a problem or not...

 

[FaithfulWife]

flying_kiwi~

I'll be honest...I think TheMainException speaks wisely. It's possible for some people that it "might" not be an issue. It's just the choice to unwind and any other choice would also actually work--it's just a pattern like brushing teeth before bed. For other people it "might" be an issue. Like for me, it would not be cool to drink a shot or two of tequila every night because I drink too much! All-too-often it would lead to more and more shots!

I would say in this instance to keep an open mind, honestly look at yourself, and trust the guidance of a professional. After all, they have training so that's why they're pros!

BTW--it's good to see you on the site!


~FaithfulWife

 

[Criada]

I agree ith the advice above, sweetie.
Drink is only a problem if you can't do without it.. and if you need an increasing amount to have the effect you want.
If your counsellor thinks it's a problem, maybe she could work with you on other ways to help you relax and sleep.

 

[madison1101]

How long have you been having the shots at bedtime? What happens if you don't have the shots at bedtime? Have you prayed and asked the Lord what HE thinks? Have you ever had periods of time when you drank to the point of drunkenness?

I have no idea if you are dealing with alcohol abuse or not, but when my therapist suggested I had a problem with alcohol, I listened to HIS advice and went to AA. My suggestion would be to attend a few AA meetings and listen to the people share their experiences of drinking and trying to stop. Then, try to stop your shots at night and see what happens.

Good luck.
Trish

 

[NewlyWife]

I used to work in the restaurant industry till 2 or 3 am and I totally know what it is like to be so wound up, you cannot sleep. Have you tried anything else to sleep? How about reading, or meditation, or even taking a quick jog if you have access to a treadmill in a safe location?

I know that going to AA seems an extreme step to you- I'm being advised of the same and I'm not sure about it, either (I drink way too much when I do drink). Maybe if you do not feel ready for that step, you can instead decide to try alternative methods of relaxing or tiring yourself out for a while. I just can't see that having shots every night is a healthy thing. It has to feel better in the morning to sleep without alcohol in your system, too.

I sometimes use Xanex to get to sleep and my doctor (I recently switched) told me when I requested my last refill that she'd prefer to give me a mild prescription sleep aid. Maybe you can look into something like that?

 

[devonian]

On Wednesday I got told I "might" have a problem with alcohol. I'm not usre though, I see nothing wrong with my drinking but other people do. I drink so I can sleep at night, its just a shot or two before bed. I don't get what is wrong with that, but according to a counsellor that can be classed as alcolhol abuse. Any opinions.

Having a problem with alcohol and being an alcoholic are not the same. If your counselor says you might have a problem, listen to him/her.

But, if you are wondering if you are an alcoholic, the test for alcoholism is a two part test:

1. After having one or two drinks, do you have a craving for more? Honestly answer this question for yourself, do not think that just because you forced yourself to stop you have evaded this part of the test. Only you can know if you actually crave more. Alcoholics will often try to decieve themselves on this point.

2. Can you go for a year without drinking? Also, look at this honestly. If you say, "Sure I can, but I don't want to" then you might be deceiving yourself. Or, if you are willing to take this part of the test, are you counting down the days until the year's over? This is just another form of self deception.

Alcoholics are so good at self deception that listening to others can be of great use. Don't dismiss the counselors suggestion especially if anyone else also thinks there might be a problem.

By the way, being alcoholic is not really so bad, if it is treated properly. Untreated alcoholism is what is bad. There is a solution, and I am a recovered alcoholic to prove it.

 

[rjdudley55]

I'd like to toss in some advice if I may. What you don't want to happen is for a "problem" to become an addiction. I'd visit some AA meetings just to get a feel for what COULD be your future. I'm in no way saying it is, but, listening to some of these folks talk about how they started is worth the price of admission. And try to find an AA meeting you LIKE attending, you'll get a lot more out of it. There's wisdom in a multitude of counselors. (Read that somewhere... And I'm also not saying you have to go to any meetings for any specified period of time, but, a couple at least to get a flavor. Hope this helps.

 

[NewlyWife]

I found an article on a website about sleep and alcohol and I want to link you to it, but my post count is not high enough to include links in my post OR to PM you. Aaargh.

Search for a website called Calorie King and look up an article there about sleep and alcohol.