The TiB Career Series: Ask a Functional Alcoholic.

Can we have Russell Williams as our next Ask A ... thread? The mind of a functional serial killer seems pretty neat.

On topic, what's the longest you've gone without a drink over the course of being an alcoholic?

 

You have to know that your days of being "sharp" and "on the ball" are probably limited. Does it bother you to know the long term effects you are having on everything? Body, family, work, all of it.

I have always enjoyed your posts and even pointed out a couple times that you are overdoing it but you do realize you sound proud of your drinking? Most people are not impressed anymore.

I think every person knows an old aunt, uncle, grandfather ect, that drank a fifth of gin every day and smoked a pack of lucky strikes and lived until they were 85 and were fit as a fiddle. It can happen, it's just like knowing everything we do why would you want to?

 

When you talk about having a bigger world (sorry not sure how to work the quotes yet):

"Before I had a family, my world actually was bigger, in many ways, because I drank. I would talk to people I would have never considered because I was drunk. Mind you, my social anxiety is terrible. Sometimes I have a hard time going into a shop or restaurant if there are too many people there."

I get what you're saying here. I don't drink every day, maybe three days a week and not always to get drunk, but most of my friends do the same. Because we all drink it is our way to get together, like many others, but sometimes we all binge drink to the point of blacking out. Many of us are more social and able to connect with others, either to get laid or just conversing with others we don't know, when we are drinking; not a bad thing in my book. I do sometimes think that I over-do it more often than I should, three illegal consumptions, an OWI, and a court sponsored evaluation all say I exhibited signs of alcoholism but hell I'm a mid-westerner, what else am I going to do? Plus the stretch between my last illegal consumption and my OWI was 10 years, not that it matters. My thoughts are if you're ok with it, from your comments it seems you are for the most part, then fuck it. Do what makes you happy.

My one question is: Would you recommend this lifestyle to others? Assuming they were able to live productive lives as you do.

 

I had a friend in college who was an alcoholic. He would do whatever it took to get a drink, such as hold part time jobs for a few days to get some cash so he could afford a handle of some shit vodka. Or he even went as far as theft from the local liquor stores. Have you ever made it this far?

This same friend, the last time I saw him, would puke and cough up blood when he tried to stop drinking for more than two days. Is this normal and have you ever experienced it?

Have your friends stopped hanging out with you because you drink so much?

Edit: Oh god, oh god, oh god!!! Rep points so low...need a shot.

 

Do you worry how this will effect you son?

How do your colleagues not smell the stale booze on you? Do you have a trick, because last time I turned up after a big night I was told by 2 people I smelled like the floor of a pub. (I had showered, shaved and brushed the toofies)

Doesn't feeling like total shit all the time get old?

 

What's your favorite beer?

 

What advice would you give to your 16 year old pre-alcohol self, knowing what you know now?

Is there any particular point in your life, that immediately comes to mind, where intervention of any kind from anyone would have changed your habits today?

Have you tried any form of therapy or self-improvement for your social anxiety issues, or do you also not care about changing that?

 

I'll second the question on how it affects your son, if that's not too personal.

What would it take for you to stop drinking?

How was that year not drinking at all, and why did you do it?

 

I just saw this thread, and considering I can't remember the last night I was sober, I'll contribute how I can. I'm pretty damn functional when it comes to being an alcoholic. I've played college and semi-pro soccer while drinking heavily every night. I ruined three pretty serious relationships because I liked to booze. I've had multiple friends sit me down at once because they thought I had a drinking problem. When I learned people thought I drank too much, I got really good at hiding it.

Considering my lifestyle, I'm lucky. For the last three years, I've been a very, very heavy drinker. Of all the people I know, there are maybe four people that can drink more than I can. All four have at least 60 pounds on me. If you saw me somewhere, you'd never think I did anything to excess, except maybe exercise.

For my junior and senior years of college, I was plastered at least six nights of the week. I believed, and still do, that I was a better goalkeeper when I was hammered the night before. Now, I'm drunk every night of the week. I spend about fifty dollars a week on booze, and that's only because I pay half price on Sunday nights. Every other night, I drink for next to nothing. No bullshit, I can go to a bar in my town, drink for five hours, and not have to pay anything at the end of the night unless I want to.

My mother is a recovering alcoholic. She hasn't had a drink in close to thirty years. Her father is an alcoholic. My father has multiple family members that are alcoholics. My older brother is an alcoholic. There's no doubt in my mind that alcoholism isn't partly genetic.

This is my favorite month ever. Because I can wake up at 7:30 in the morning and start drinking because the World Cup is on. I can get pretty drunk in the morning, take a nap after the games are done, and go into the bars at 10, then rinse and repeat. I don't drink because I need to, I drink because I want to. I don't need to be drunk, but if I said I didn't enjoy the taste of alcohol and its affects on me, then I'd be a damn liar.

Edit: I've been arrested four times for alcohol related incidents. Two of which I got dropped because I have a badass lawyer whom I've known since I was ten years old.

 

Whatever is free.

Honestly? I wouldn't tell him anything, because I love where I am in life. I've done things that most people dream of doing, and I've done it with great success.

I would have to no longer be able to live my lifestyle to stop drinking. If I had to choose between a roof over my head or booze, then I'd take the roof, without a doubt. But until that day comes, I won't stop, and I know it.

I know these questions weren't aimed at me, but the longest I ever went was around a month, when I was diagnosed with clinical depression. I quit for a month during my senior season of college, and it was the most miserable time I ever had. I played like shit, I was quiet and no fun at the soccer parties, and I generally cared less about life than I did before the diagnosis. When I realized that I was just missing the fun in life and started drinking again, I never looked back. The night I stopped not drinking, I hooked up with three good looking girls and had a blast at the party my house was having. That pretty much solidified the fact that booze was going to be a big part of my life.

 

You say that you've been an alcoholic ever since you hit the egg.

Isn't that a cop out though?

Not tryin' to sound like a douche, but my mother passed away from being an alcoholic and being in many social situations I'm able to handle my alcohol (have a drink or 2, or none).

I'm no Dr. Phil but you sure your drinking isn't coming from something else?

 

Honestly, I feel like you're not that special. I drink 6 of 7 days of the week. If I'm not taking down a handle of vodka on the weekend, I'm probably knocking out half a case per night during the week. What makes you different from the rest of us functional alcoholics, to the point where you can tell our story? Amount of drinking? Duration of drinking? Time since you started? ( I was 13, made me sick) Not sure where I'm going here. I may be able to contribute on the same level as you with a different perspective. I work for the NSA, and drink in roughly similar patterns as Whores.

 

Well I once drank 12 cans (500ml) of beer on my own and felt worried the next day. If anything this had made me much more happier about my own drinking. Kudos, all!

 

I wasn't in denial either, every morning when I barfed in the sink and looked at myself in the mirror I knew I was an alcoholic, knew that I would eventually have to stop drinking. I didn't think stopping was possible as alcohol was part of my identity, part of who I was. You mentioned that "I had a problem" but there isn't any past tense needed, I have a problem with alcohol. I don't see the point of only having a glass of wine or a couple of beers, I would always drink to at least get a buzz.

Hell, if I could drink in safety I would still be drinking. I'd be drinking right now, later in the day and tomorrow morning. Point is I can't and as long as I remember what is was like to have my life controlled by alcohol I have a good chance at not drinking.

You say you don't want to stop, fine. I didn't either but my physical and mental health said otherwise. Again, good luck in your life and I wish you the best.

 

I can relate a little to this whole tale of woe and whoa.

Whores obviously has a white collar gig, probably high stress, and it's probably performance based.

If you find success in that type of job while you're under the influence of excessive amounts of alcohol often and are even encouraged to partake in that level of consumption by your superiors because it brings in results you can get trapped into a shitty lifestyle awfully quickly.

The human mind is an easy thing to trick. You have success when you take your clients out drinking or interact with people more effectively while half in the bag and then suddenly you NEED to be in that condition to function. It's a shitty way to live. I know from first hand experience.

 

Genetics and epigenetics increase one's vulnerability, but psychosocial factors play a major role as well, and the biological is a stronger influence for some while the psychosocial is stronger for others. But regardless of the foundational makeup, use is still required in order to cross the addiction threshold (the point at which use becomes compulsive) and use is a choice.

 

Someone before asked how do you keep the weight off. Well my grandfather was a hard core alcoholic, he was skinny as a rake. A lot of genuine alcoholics are, I think mainly due to the fact that booze becomes way more important than food.

 

I know a guy that developed type 2 diabetes when he was in his late 30s. Probably weighed 320 at the time. He didn't want to stop drinking, so he cut down his food intake instead. He has like half a turkey sandwich and a thing of yogurt every day, and most of a handle of rum, plus whatever pharmaceuticals are around. Now he weighs 185.

Best salesman I've ever met, as well.

 

You talk about how you are aware that you are an alcoholic and that you don't want to quit drinking. If you could go back in time do you think you would still drink to the point where you became an alcoholic? Would you have cut down or made a conscious effort not to become an alcoholic (do you think that this would have been possible for you)? Or would you have quit altogether?