How do you protect yourself?

[Cheesefood]

I was at the liquor store across the street the other night, getting my wife some wine. There was another guy in there, a tall skinny, nicely dressed fellow. As he walked closer, I discovered his secret: the big, bulbous nose of a late stage alcoholic. I saw him go to his car, it looked like he lived in it.

It made me think about my own consumption. When am I drinking too much? How long of a break should I take from time to time? I'm sure it's something that's crossed all of your minds from time to time. How often do you take a break? What should I be doing to better protect myself from becoming an alcoholic?

 

[BierMuncher]

My break starts each day at 6:00AM when I wake up and usually lasts about 12 hours.

Seriously, I keep threatening to take a break. Not because of the alcohol issue, but the calorie issue. I recon I'm drinking the equivalant of 4-6 homebrews each night at around 150-170 calories each. That's 600-1,000 extra calories each night.

If I stopped drinking homebrew, I'd lose 20 lbs in a month...easy.

I don't worry bout the alcohol. I'm a drinker. If I didn't drink the wholesome goodness that is homebrew, I'd be downing wine or vodka, or some good Irish whiskey.

The fact that you recognize what you don't want to become will go a long way in making sure you don't become that.

 

[the_bird]

If I'm feeling down or depressed, I don't drink, never. That's my rule. I also make sure that I don't crack a pint EVERY night, that at least one or two nights a week, I don't have anything.

 

[Vermicous]

Two great-uncles and one great-grandfather of mine have died from liver failure. Being ADD, one of the disadvantages is a addiction-prone personality. Alcoholism is something I have to think about all the time.

If I find I am drinking too much, I take a break. One week is usually all I need to feel better. At one time, my wife made an issue of my drinking, so I quit for six weeks. I had intended to go for longer, but that was enough time for my wife.

 

[BierMuncher]

...At one time, my wife made an issue of my drinking, so I quit for six weeks. I had intended to go for longer, but that was enough time for my wife

Are you sayin she liked you less sober??? :cross:

 

[Ryanh1801]

If I'm feeling down or depressed, I don't drink, never. That's my rule. I also make sure that I don't crack a pint EVERY night, that at least one or two nights a week, I don't have anything.

Thats the best time to drink. I really only drink on Weekends. I have slowed down a lot, since I have turned 21. My first three years of college are a blur. I would go to party's almost every night. As far as the calorie issue that is me. I need to lose around 50-60 pounds and beer does not help especially good beer.

 

[Vermicous]

Are you sayin she liked you less sober??? :cross:

Must have been, I don't think she really expected me to be able to quit for that long.

 

[Desert_Sky]

This is why I tend to brew lighter alcohol % beers. I love to drink beer. I love to drink many beers at a time also. And as funny as this may sound, sometimes it bothers me when I get a buzz in the middle of the afternoon. It's hot outside here, and the beer tastes too damn good to only have one. But then I want to still be semi productive, and not get buzzed or drunk all afternoon.

But am I worried about my body becoming addicted to the alcohol? Sure, to a point I guess, If Im not already. Life's a bitch, then you have to drink a beer everyday. Could be worse I guess.

I don't know, its always on my mind.....so I don't think I'd lever let myself spin out of control.

 

[Ize]

Great topic.

I look at it this way, I consider myself an alcoholic. I need beer in the evening to help me wind down and I know it. I don't drink at all during the day, except on weekends. Then mostly I wait until the early afternoon, it depends on what's going on. But I do keep an eye on how much I drink. (Unless I'm too drunk to keep track. ) At most tho I'll only take one day off a week.

Unless some jagbag got under my skin at work, then all bets are off.

Ize

 

[Dude]

Honestly cheese...I think "by the book" every single one of us would be considered an alcoholic.

Personally, I'm screwed if alcoholism is hereditary--my grandfather was a drunk and my father is a drunk...and I am well on my way.

I get scared straight about once every year or so when I'll wake up from a big bash and not remember big blocks of the night before. I go real easy for a few months after something like that.

I do have one thing going for me though--if I drink ANYTHING alcoholic in the early afternoon--I'm screwed. If I stop for even 30 minutes I get the most debilitating headache that I can't even function--so I rarely drink until after dinner. Kinda sucks when I'm at a picnic or a day baseball game or something and can't even enjoy a beer because I know I'll be non-functional for the rest of the day.

 

[Ize]

I do have one thing going for me though--if I drink ANYTHING alcoholic in the early afternoon--I'm screwed. If I stop for even 30 minutes I get the most debilitating headache that I can't even function--so I rarely drink until after dinner. Kinda sucks when I'm at a picnic or a day baseball game or something and can't even enjoy a beer because I know I'll be non-functional for the rest of the day.

Sounds like a built-in "self-preservation" switch. My only sibling could use one of those. He's a textbook alky.

Ize

 

[homebrewer_99]

...with a condom...

 

[alemonkey]

My maternal grandfather was an alcoholic, but dried out later in life. I have an aunt who's pretty bad and probably will die from it some day. Myself, I get worried every now and then. I really like the sauce, but I try to limit myself to 1 or 2 drinks a night. Every now and then I take some time off just to make sure I'm not overdoing it. Any more the next day hurts too much, so I rarely get too torn up.

I think the key is if you can't function (meaning sleep, go to work, deal with life, etc) without a drink. I drink because I enjoy it, not because I feel like I need it. If I ever get to where I think I NEED a drink then I'll know it's time to quit. Of course, my taste for bourbon on the rocks has all my co-workers thinking I'm a big time drunk

I'm sure according to AA I'm an alcoholic, but from what I've heard they pretty much say if you deny it, it's just more proof that you have a problem. I really enjoy sex, too, so I suppose that means I'm a sexaholic?

 

[ScoutMan]

Have SWMBO bail you out of the county lockup for a DUI once. That's enough to curtail your consumption to a reasonable level, if not make you quit entirely.
One night 3 years ago, we went out to celebrate SWMBO's birthday and the closing of a real estate deal that me and my buddies had been working on for over a year. I drove home, rolled through a stop sign on the road to my house, and got pulled over in my driveway. Participated in the stupid human tricks and blew a .104. Legal limit at the time was .100. All of the crap that went down surrounding that event (Court, Insurance, Work, SWMBO, Kids, Jail) is enough to keep me in check. No matter how much I'd like to have another pint or two, I don't want to go through that again even more.

 

[user 574]

I don't think 1-2 a night is a problem personally. I look at it as similar to a glass of wine which is supposedly "ok"; until they change that rule. There was a time where 1 pint could never be the end for me. It'd be 3-4. I have an addictive personality though so have to keep myself in check. At home is not a problem. Social drinking I can get outta hand <beatdowns by swmbo help>. It's in my family though. Parents were a martini before dinner religously then an after dinner cocktail. Dad may have a beer after that but I never saw them hammered that I recall. Both my sisters are kind of like me. I have a brother 14 years older than me that is a blazing drunk. He's a homeless guy for the most part in downtown MKE. He can't be helped, no matter how hard we try. He'll be dead in less than 5 years but we thought that 5 years ago too. That's a reality check for me...

 

[Ize]

I have a brother 14 years older than me that is a blazing drunk. He's a homeless guy for the most part in downtown MKE. He can't be helped, no matter how hard we try. He'll be dead in less than 5 years but we thought that 5 years ago too. That's a reality check for me...

Change the 14 years to 2 years and you have my brother EXACTLY, and the same thing we've been waiting for. If at one time he was a Ceritified Master Commercial Carpenter and pissed it all away, then you DO have my brother. LOL, didn't know we were related dB.

Ize

 

[Cheesefood]

Dude, you hit it on the head. Technically, we are all alky's. If, tonight, your wife said "I think you need to quit drinking", we'd all fight and deny.

My wife's family has drinking problems. They are cultured around drinking. They laugh and tell stories about driving drunk into cornfields and getting bombed as teenagers. Her parents laugh and think it's funny, but I'm horrified. Neither my wife nor her brothers can drink hard alcohol without becoming extreme jerks. And once they have one sip of a drink, they're up all night drinking. My wife is starting to realize this as a problem and quit drinking hard alcohol. I told her I'd leave her if she didn't quit drinking vodka.

I can have one or two per night and call it a day. Some people can't. I can't drink in the daytime because I get buzzed too quickly, and like Dude I feel like crap and then I end up in bed by 8:00pm.

My family has addiction problems. My grandfather was an alky. His sons and daughters have fought with all types of addiction. Several of my aunts were junkies until they cleaned up.

I know I get hooked quickly. I didn't drink until my sophomore year of college, and then I went into it full speed. Prior to that, it was all manners of drugs (except H, I won't touch it).

So right now, I'm good with booze. I don't drink in the day time and I'm not drunk every night. Still, I sometimes wonder if I'm not walking the line.

Thanks for letting me sound off.

 

[Yooper]

My dad is an alcoholic and my young life was total hell. He's not drinking anymore but it's about 30-40 years too late for me. As a result, my brother rarely drinks.

I do drink- and enjoy a good beer and some wine. I drink a beer every night after dinner when I'm at home on the computer. Occasionally, I'll have a second beer. One of the reasons I don't keg is the consumption issue- yes, kegging would be easier. But my husband and I talked about it- how much more would we drink if we didn't have to go through the whole open the bottle, pour it in the glass, rinse, see the empties piling up, etc? Just pour a pint or even half a pint- that would be too easy and would probably let us drink too much. When we aren't at home (out or on vacation), I don't miss the beer. It's more a part of my whole at home, watch the news, computer, beer ritual.

My children (ages 17 and 15) don't drink and neither do their friends. (I love having Geeks for kids!). But that will change, I know, probably sooner rather than later. My kids have never seen me drunk or even loopy. If I have a beer at the pub when we're out for pizza, I ask my daughter to drive home. I'm hoping that this demonstration of responsibility will help them have realistic ideas of alcohol consumption.

I think the real test is "Do I WANT this beer?" vs. "Do I NEED this beer?". I love everything good that life has to offer- good food, drink, sex, laughter. But the key is moderation in all things.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

I think about it a ton. The old saying 'one's too many, and a hundred is not enough' sums me up. It can be difficult for me to stop once I start. As far as taking breaks goes, I'm 100% dry when I'm away at work (unless it's Cuba ), and usually work 15-20 days per month, (if I ever go back to work, that is...)

 

[rdwj]

I really only drink on the weekends (usually not on Sundays) and special occasions. Typically, if I drink heavily on a Friday, I'll drink very little, if anything on Saturday.

I know plenty of guys that drink every day. There is a noticable difference between those that drink heavily and those that have a couple of beers a night. If you're drinking heavily on a regular basis, you should consider backing off a bit. If you can't, then you probably have a problem with drinking.

 

[uwmgdman]

For me I generally will have a beer, occasionally two, one or two nights Sunday-Thursday. Friday and Saturday I typically have a few; 2-5. Once or twice a month on a Friday or Saturday that 2-5 can go a fair amount of higher and those are the one or two times in month I'll be drunk.

I used to drink a ton in college, but that kind of lifestyle not mention my body weight was too much (too much pizza and tacos come bar time on top of the 20+ beers). After I graduated (about 4 years ago) I've kept to that plan and I'm satisfied with the amount of beer I drink and that, combined with not eating like an idiot and exercising, I've lost 75 of the 80 lbs I gained in college.

 

[Evan!]

I'll be honest---most nights I have something to drink. Maybe a couple bottles of beer or a glass or two of vino or a couple fingers of bourbon. I exercise like a fool and keep myself in tip-top shape, and I rarely get f'd up (poker night, I'm looking at you!) Sometimes I feel kinda bad when I realize that I rarely go without having anything at all, but then I remind myself that I just like having a beer or two when I get home from work, and I have nothing to feel guilty about. It doesn't affect my life in any negative way, so...there ya go.

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

Usually 1-2 a night, none during the day.

The big test for me is coming up in a couple weeks, my dad's coming to visit for a month and I get embarrassed drinking in front of the guy. Looks like I'm gonna go a month without a beer or a cigar. It's really not a problem though, I can and have dropped it completely any time I needed/wanted to.

 

[Craig5_12]

Funny, I just asked SWMBO last night if she thought I drank to much. I have about 1-2 HB's everynight now that I'm brewing on a regular basis. Her reply "You're smart, you'll know if you get carried away.....because I'll tell you"

Some of the best advice I've ever received from a Dr. was what he suggested an addiction was. (this was from my younger more experimental days)
Any type of activity that gets you in trouble in 1 of a few ways:
1) Financially
2) Legally
3) Familial
4) Mentally
5) Physically

You can pretty much create your own definitions of "trouble" though. If your "activity" leads to something you define as trouble, you should probably look closer into what it is you're doing.

 

[Wolf]

I drink every day, but it is almost never more than one a night when I'm home, or 2-3 when I go out on the weekends. Maybe once a month I drink 4-5 in a night.
I love beer, but don't particularly care for getting drunk. I did that plenty in the past, I'm over it. Once in a while I get in the mood to tie one on, but not too often.
It helps that I suffer from migraines, so headaches from overindulging come easily and always run the risk of triggering a genuine migraine.

 

[Flyin' Lion]

Due to my schedule, I can only drink one-two weeks a month. I rarely get drunk or buzzed though, I really do appreciate beer for the flavor. I'm lucky that there are no alchoholics in my family so I'm not concerned about that either, that isn't to say that I take it for granted though.

 

[jjasghar]

i guess i'm lucky... or unlucky to answer this question.

i'm a type 1 diabetic. I have to look out always with my booze intake. I've fallen in love with beer more and more each day, but you know... i like my feet and my...*cough* "member" *cough.*

i'm not saying become a diabetic, but think about it, you have a healthy body great mind, dont waste it by going off the deep end.

 

[Hermish]

I normally have 1-2 beers about half of the week nights. Then on the weekends I might stay home and only have a few beers, or I might go out and have more, but I really only get drunk a few times a month. I don't really see myself having a problem since I have had quite a few times where I have gone long periods without a drink, and I never NEED a drink.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I'm Irish so I've limited myself to drinking to only the days ending in "Y".

 

[Orpheus]

I'm Irish so I've limited myself to drinking to only the days ending in "Y".

They all end in "Y" so that's no good. You have to take it one step further. I, for instance, only drink on days ending with "day". It's much more limiting!

I figure as long as enjoying my beer doesn't interfere with my social, family, or professional life, I'm good to go, and so far it hasn't.