Problem Drinking Alcohol?
By: 2SC Staff
Let’s face it – It’s downright scary to ask yourself a question like: “Do I have a problem with drinking?” Chances are that for a long time drinking alcohol has made you feel better! It has helped you relax in social situations, cope with painful feelings and escape.
One way of thinking about alcohol is that it has been a good friend throughout your life, but has become a not-so-good friend – a bad influence that has started creating problems. And considering whether to part with a life-long friend is hard to say the least!
The following are three questions to guide you in answering the question about whether you have a drinking problem. Are you ready? Let’s jump right in!
1. When it comes to drinking, what am I aware of?
The first step is to slow down, take some deep breaths and simply be aware of alcohol’s role in your life. Just look at the facts and at your experience in the here and now.
Another word for this is mindfulness – which is defined as the accepting and non-judgmental focus of one’s attention on what’s happening in the present moment. It’s a wonderful and essential tool when looking at your life and what changes you’d like to make.
Here are some examples of some questions to ask regarding your relationship with alcohol:
“Is alcohol affecting my relationships?”
- “Is alcohol affecting my job performance?”
- “Has a coworker or supervisor made comments about my drinking?”
- “Do I often drink more than I intend?”
- “Is the drinking mostly working or mostly not working?”
- “Is alcohol affecting my health?”
Answering these concrete questions can provide evidence regarding whether alcohol may be problem in your life.
“If I continued drinking, I was really going to sabotage my whole life.”
Bradley Cooper, GQ, January 2014.
2. Am I using labels?
Labels in general are seldom helpful, and when it comes to problem drinking this is especially so. Some people are fully comfortable calling themselves an “alcoholic.” But many aren’t – and these labels can be big barriers – ESPECIALLY if you are just beginning to ask yourself these hard questions.
First – “alcoholic” may have bad connotations for you. You may think of all sorts of stereotypes making it difficult to look at your situation objectively.
Second – to identify as an alcoholic can be limiting. Saying “I am an alcoholic” can label you principally as an alcoholic. You’re way more complex than that! Just because you are a human being who may have a drinking problem doesn’t mean that YOU are a problem.
Identifying you as THE issue chips away at your self-esteem, getting in the way of having a better life.
Describe your relationship with alcohol any way you wish:
Problem drinker
- – I get messy when I drink
- – Powerless over whether I can stop drinking
- -Have alcohol issues
- – Heavy drinker
And if you go to an AA meeting it’s perfectly okay to say Nothing at all. You can, if you wish, say:”
– “My name is ___” without saying anything else.
– “My name is ____ and I don’t know whether I have an issue with alcohol.”
– Anything else you want to.
“You know you’re in trouble when you’re shopping for wine glasses in the vase department of Bloomingdale’s.”
– Elaine Stritch: Art Info, July, 2014
3. What if I didn’t drink?
This is a great question because it asks about possibilities – and your dreams! People talk about how they used to dream big while sitting on barstools having drink after drink. At the time they were unaware that drinking was the primary barrier to achieving the good things they wanted for themselves.
As Craig Ferguson asked – what would your life potentially look like if you put down the bottle? Is it possible that it could be better than it is now? Is it possible it’s getting in the way of your dreams?
“I got sober…I began to think: ‘Wait a minute – if I can stop doing this, what are the possibilities?’ And slowly it dawned on me quitting was maybe worth the risk.”
– Craig Ferguson:
People talk about how they used to dream big while sitting on bar stools having drink after drink. At the time they were unaware that drinking was the primary barrier to achieving the good things they wanted for themselves.
As Craig Ferguson asked – what would your life potentially look like if you put down the bottle? Is it possible that it could be better than it is now? Is it possible it’s getting in the way of your dreams?
Final Thoughts
Questioning whether you have issues with drugs or alcohol can be difficult. But it doesn’t have to be – and you don’t have to do it alone! Explore the questions with mindfulness, and talk about your concerns with a professional who is trained in substance abuse.
If you are interested in learning more about how to address drug or alcohol issues you may want to read Sober for Good by Anne Fletcher. She offers a variety of ways people have addressed drinking problems and is widely respected in the field. There is also a great quiz you can take on line to assess if you have a drinking problem.
If you are in Chicago and interested in speaking with one of our therapists about whether you have a drinking problem, please give us a call at 773-528-1777 or send us a confidential note through our online contact form.
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