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Taavi
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Member Since: Jul 2020
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3 yr Member
Default Jul 26, 2020 at 11:16 AM
  #1
I used to barely drink at all because 1. I don't like the taste of alcoholic drinks that much and 2. I've always been worried of doing something embarrassing when drunk. I don't like to party much so there's never been much reason for me to drink.
Then about five weeks ago I made the mistake of drinking a little bit when I was feeling down and turns out it made me feel better. Not "better" in the normal sense, more like calmer and less stressed.
It kind of became a habit for me to drink a little bit almost every night because it just takes the edge of a little bit and helps me sleep. I only drink hard stuff like vodka because I can mix that and don't have to taste it as much and I only have to drink a little bit to feel the effect.
I feel weird about this because I know that drinking almost every day isn't the most sensible idea and drinking because you feel stress isn't good either.
At the same time I really don't drink a lot. Over the course of the last five weeks I drank three bottles of vodka (0,7 l) + two small bottles of jagermeister (0,1 l). Lots of people my age get wasted every weekend which is more alcohol in comparison.
I have never been wasted. I drink enough to get this slight buzz but stop before I actually get drunk. I've never been hungover either.
I feel conflicted because often I just feel really bad and I wish I could just get smashed so I would stop feeling all this crap and get my brain to stop thinking bad things. But I never do it because 1. I know it's a bad idea, 2. I'm afraid of what I would be like uncontrolled, and 3. a hangover sounds really unpleasant.
Some days I think **** this isn't good, I probably shouldn't be drinking every day. But then I think chill it's just 100 ml of vodka and you've never been drunk so it's ok.
For me it's basically wanting to do something but being sensible and ending up only doing the light version.
Is that ok or is it not or am I being unreasonable?
I'm 18 btw.
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splitimage
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Default Jul 27, 2020 at 10:43 AM
  #2
Hi Taavi,

Welcome to psych central.

First off, I wanted to say that it's great that you're questioning the role of alcohol in your life and what you want, while you're still at such a young age. I know at your age a lot of people are into binge drinking and getting wasted, both of which are wasted and a bad idea.

I can't tell you to drink or not drink, but I will share a little bit of my experience. I binge drank in university but never got really sick from it, and all my friends were doing the same, so it didn't seem like a big deal. Then when I graduated and got my first job, I slowed down, but definitely still drank a lot. I really started to have problems when I started my masters degree part time, while working full time. I started to have a glass of wine after my night classes to as you said "take the edge off." That slowly turned into a glass of wine every night, and then that started to turn into a glass of wine and a couple of shots of whisky. Slowly my consumption increased until I was in full blown addiction and drinking 750 ml of whisky a day. This process did take years, by the way and it's not inevitable for you, but I wanted to share it as one of the risks of daily drinking.

When you drink because you want to change your mood, that's always a bit of a warning sign, Could you try not drinking for a day or two and trying something else like herbal tea, or meditation, or going for a walk, or whatever you like to relieve some stress and relax yourself. Ask yourself, and be honest, how that feels. If you find yourself missing or craving the alcohol that might be a sign that you've got the start of a problem. Maybe write down your feelings when you drink / don't drink, and see what comes up.

Bottom line is I think people need to ask themselves the question of, is alcohol causing a problem in my life? and Is it something I depend on to cope? If the answer to either is yes, then perhaps that's a sign you need to consider stopping with or without the help of a support group or counseling.


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"I danced in the morning when the world was begun. I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun". From my favourite hymn.

"If you see the wonder in a fairy tale, you can take the future even if you fail." Abba

Drinking a little bit every day
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