How bad does it have to be to be considered an addiction? I don’t know if this is the right place for me. I feel like it could be worse so I have no right being here.
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If you consider it a problem, it is a problem and there is help for you here. What’s going on if you care to say?
Nothing too little or too big for here …
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Hi lovely,
I think we all think that at the beginning…i suppose the answer is that it’s affecting you enough that you’ve logged in here and posted. The other part is that you feel like you have no right to be here…that indicates there’s something making you feel inadequate or ‘not worthy’ if you like? Both of those things would mean you need a bit of support at the very least. If you’re comfortable enough talking about it, maybe give us an idea of what your habits are?
The most important thing is that you know we’re all here to support you, whatever form that takes. Its gonna be okay. Xxx
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Welcome. I know what you mean as I am able to function perfectly well while drinking, but I also have an addiction to it (think about it all the time, plan my day around it etc.) If you are unhappy with how things are you absolutely have a right to be here.
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About a year ago I started drinking. Ended up getting pretty heavy and I would try to hide it from my husband. He wouldn’t really say anytjing but I knew he was worried. Then I decided to quit and being pregnant helped. I made it a year. The past couple weeks I decided to just have a beer here and there. It started out fine, I did good and could just stop at one or two. Well tonight Ive had a few and also raided some of my husbands vodka. I’m honestly ashamed yet it’s hard to stop yah know.
It’s not amlnything that’s actually affected my life though. Never gotten in trouble cause of it although that’s probably because I caught it before it got to that point.
Though now I’m realizing how much I’ve missed it.
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Welcome to Talking Sober friend. I feel you came here for a reason. And I hope you’ll find what you’re looking for. I sure did, over four years ago. So much support to receive and to give. So much knowledge to gain. So much togetherness to experience.
It’s no use comparing. From what you describe I’d say you caught this in the nick of time and now is the time to be quit forever. To use a cliche: we each dig our own holes and we can get out as soon as we stop digging. I’m glad you are here. We’re int his together. All of us. Welcome again and wishing you all success on your sober journey @ChildOfFate . X
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I am glad you are here! I am thinking you also have a little one at home. Lots of support here for you.
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You don’t need to be physically dependent on any substance to actually be addicted. I’m learning my addiction shows in my behaviors as well. Hiding drinking is definitely not normal. You haven’t gotten in trouble “YET”. I can also have a drink or 2 and put it down from time to time there is always that one time though that could have totally destroyed my life or someone else’s. Although I’ve been busted alot from alcohol related instances. There are times I have definitely gotten away with what should have ended my life. Sounds like you belong here to me. I hope you stick around and find what works for you.
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@Mno theres another forum mich like this one that I frequent though under a different username and its for different issues. I like it very much and I think I’ll like it here too.
@Alisa He turned 3 months today. Part of why I’m so ashamed I got out of hand today. I can’t be doing that.
I think I will stick around, for at least a little bit. You guys seem really nice and I havent really been able to connect with anybody on this issue. Mainly cause I’ve hidden it and been too scared to admit to the people close to me that I have an issue.
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@Jftself that last paragraph in my previous comment is for you. Won’t let me @ 3 people. New user and all
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It’s like they say we are only as sick as our secrets. There’s people here with different issues. I’ve definitely got more than a couple lol. You’re not alone.
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You can’t. It sounds like your drinking is escalating and that is not good. You want to stop. So many mothers and fathers here with children who say how they missed so much of their child’s or children’s lives because of their drinking and so glad they got back the trust that they lost etcetera.
Lots of people check in daily on the Daily Checking in thread. I am putting a link that goes to a post I made tonight and you can scroll up or down. It is a way to help see others and read their daily update and be accountable by being there. Or you can do your own thread. Lots of help and welcome to Talking Sober.
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I think sometimes we view drinking through a different lens than we would other ‘habits’ and it can be helpful to pull it out of the sort of harmless context it’s in. Essentially, its an incredibly dangerous, highly addictive and seriously toxic substance, it causes literally hundreds of thousands of deaths a year, and completely devestates peoples lives. Its fundamentally more dangerous than heroin…and yet…if you saw me relaxing in the garden with my children, with a needle in my arm, you’d be completely horrified.
Thats the problem with alcohol. Its been marketed in such a way that we find it hard to work out whether we’re doing something thats hurting ourselves. There’s literally TShirts aimed at mothers with ‘wine o’clock’ emblazened across them…imagine if i sold the same with cocaine or cigarettes? There’d be outrage.
So, thats not to say that no-one has a right to drink - of course they do, plenty of people drink without developing an addiction or destroying their lives…but the suggestion that you are abnormal or struggling when you do have problems is just a toxic mentality thats been shoved in your face because its profitable.
It helps to question “if i replaced the glass of vodka in my hand with a needle, would it change my perspective on what im doing to myself…and more importantly, why?” Because its essentially the same situation, a slightly different substance, but just as dangerous, just as poisonous, just as addictive.
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This eloquently puts things in to perspective, thank you 
x
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Welcome @ChildOfFate!
I didn’t think I was that bad either, and these wise folks told me to look for the similarities, not differences. You’re going to find so many here that you can relate to, no matter what the addiction. Great community and I hope you stick around.
We call those the “yets”. I haven’t lost my job, yet. I haven’t lost my family, yet. If I kept drinking, those yets were bound to happen.
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I’m chipping in here, totally agree with the advice popping up. Doesn’t matter how low your particular low is before you recognize booze is not for you. Glad you’re here!
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Welcome to the forum @ChildOfFate ! Glad you’re here 
it’s always nice to see a new friend join and decide to make their life better 
And happy 3 months to your little one 
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If u feel like ur addiction is causing problems in ur life, no matter the severity, u belong here 
u dont have to reach a rock bottom before getting help and seeking support. This is a wonderful forum full of amazing supportive people. Hope u stick around
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I recently went skydiving for the first time, it was amazing! Why do I bring it up?
As I fell to earth in a free fall, I thought “Wow! This is great, I want it to last forever! So, why shouldn’t I keep it going?” Of course, if the chute wasn’t deployed, I would have crashed into the earth at terminal velocity and probably died.
Sometimes, even though what we’re doing feels good, and there isn’t immediate harm, if we don’t pump the brakes and deploy our chute, we will crash; eventually.
I guess this is a long winded, round about way of saying, YOUR rock bottom is when you put the shovel down and stop digging.
Seems like if you want to put the shovel down, you’re exactly in the right place. Welcome!
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Please stay. I didn’t think I was in the right place either till I started reading other stories. Keep coming back.
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