James Patrick

[Weave]

If you think you are ready, you are ready. Do what you gotta, Ink.

[Stoner]

ink, you'd have all our support. We care about you. You're ready — go for it. Making changes in life is hard, but people are usually much better off for it on the other side.

[darksabre]

If this is the thread to open up about alcohol abuse, I guess I'll have to put my two cents in. Anytime I have more than a couple of drinks, I black out. No brown out, no partial memories, nothing. Four, five, six hours...the whole night gone. I'm sure this has a lot to do with me hitting it pretty hard in the 90's. What started as left over partying in college, turned into a decade long drunk ass fiasco. Every night, no matter what, I was drunk. Not 4-5 beers drunk. Falling off the barstool, doing and saying the most reprehensible things, making a complete ass of myself. That was inky in the 90's. pretty much a terrible self serving ahole. I hated what I had become but I couldn't stop it. I finally moved on from that life after I met my ex but that doesn't mean the ugliness doesn't rear it's head.

 

Almost unilaterally, when I start drinking, I don't stop until I fall asleep, pass out or run out of booze. When I'm stuck in that moment I don't want to stop. I know it's going to ###### up my next day but I always tell myself I'll push through it and man up. I don't drink like I used to but once or twice a week I'll convince myself it's what I want to do. I don't get to the 15-20 drink stage like I did but 8-10 for sure. I think I'm ready to call it quits. It's not really fun at this point.

 

If you can cut alcohol out of your diet completely you should. Your health is your best investment as you get older.

[X. Benedict]

If this is the thread to open up about alcohol abuse, I guess I'll have to put my two cents in. Anytime I have more than a couple of drinks, I black out. No brown out, no partial memories, nothing. Four, five, six hours...the whole night gone. I'm sure this has a lot to do with me hitting it pretty hard in the 90's. What started as left over partying in college, turned into a decade long drunk ass fiasco. Every night, no matter what, I was drunk. Not 4-5 beers drunk. Falling off the barstool, doing and saying the most reprehensible things, making a complete ass of myself. That was inky in the 90's. pretty much a terrible self serving ahole. I hated what I had become but I couldn't stop it. I finally moved on from that life after I met my ex but that doesn't mean the ugliness doesn't rear it's head.

 

Almost unilaterally, when I start drinking, I don't stop until I fall asleep, pass out or run out of booze. When I'm stuck in that moment I don't want to stop. I know it's going to ###### up my next day but I always tell myself I'll push through it and man up. I don't drink like I used to but once or twice a week I'll convince myself it's what I want to do. I don't get to the 15-20 drink stage like I did but 8-10 for sure. I think I'm ready to call it quits. It's not really fun at this point.

Inkman, I hear you, man.

I don't have any wisdom in the way of advice, but best people I know are ex-drunks. They are just awesome people to hang out with, as I imagine you would be.

[Andrew Amerk]

 

 

When you blackout you're usually out for an extended period of time. People tell you all the things you did the next day. And you're all like "woah I don't remember that last hour".

 

Brownout is when you blackout for short periods of time that you aren't aware of. Your moments of consciousness feel seamless but in reality you just blacked out for two minutes and now your girlfriend is crying and you don't know why. You sorta come in and out of it but don't know that it's happening which can be very confusing.

 

Thanks for explaining. This makes sense.

[That Aud Smell]

thanks for the post, ink.

 

alcohol is a strange and powerful beast. it's critical to be honest with yourself about what it's doing to you, and whether you're controlling it or the other way around.

 

and i agree: essentially eliminating alcohol from a diet is likely the best available way to improve your health.

 

good luck, man.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Ink,

 

As others have said we are all with you in this.

 

Seems like you have made up your mind. That is the critical step. You are ready.

 

Best wishes.

[Huckleberry]

luckily im a teddybear when drunk, but i see alot of people become aggressive when drunk.

If i was like that i just wouldn't drink anymore.

 

And i get where Ink is coming from, last 5 years me and my buddy went out on a binge atleast 4x times a week. (that involved 20 beers a night + wodka + gin :blush: )

Now i just limit myself to one night of drinking a week because i don't feel like its worth it anymore. Also getting my drivers licence a year ago, i just don't want to drive around drunk like most of my buddies do.

[SwampD]

If this is the thread to open up about alcohol abuse, I guess I'll have to put my two cents in. Anytime I have more than a couple of drinks, I black out. No brown out, no partial memories, nothing. Four, five, six hours...the whole night gone. I'm sure this has a lot to do with me hitting it pretty hard in the 90's. What started as left over partying in college, turned into a decade long drunk ass fiasco. Every night, no matter what, I was drunk. Not 4-5 beers drunk. Falling off the barstool, doing and saying the most reprehensible things, making a complete ass of myself. That was inky in the 90's. pretty much a terrible self serving ahole. I hated what I had become but I couldn't stop it. I finally moved on from that life after I met my ex but that doesn't mean the ugliness doesn't rear it's head.

 

Almost unilaterally, when I start drinking, I don't stop until I fall asleep, pass out or run out of booze. When I'm stuck in that moment I don't want to stop. I know it's going to ###### up my next day but I always tell myself I'll push through it and man up. I don't drink like I used to but once or twice a week I'll convince myself it's what I want to do. I don't get to the 15-20 drink stage like I did but 8-10 for sure. I think I'm ready to call it quits. It's not really fun at this point.

This sounds similar to when I had to quit smoking pot. When it got to the point where I had to choose every night: smoke and be miserable or not smoke and enjoy myself, it became a very easy decision to make.

 

If I had your relationship with alcohol, I would quit and not look back.

 

Good luck.

[inkman]

I appreciate all the response. It's not going to be easy. It's woven into the fabric of my existence. I've moved on from the dispicable ahole part of it, but booze and me have had a long intertwined relationship that I'm not sure how to walk away from. I don't think 100% abstinence is a plausible solution. I know my parents have gone down a similar road and manage through moderation. I'll need to try that approach. Enjoy two or three drinks and call it a night. Otherwise, it will just make things uncomfortable and unpleasant for everyone.

[Claude_Verret]

I just heard last week of a former high school classmate passing away from the effects of alcoholism. At 42 years of age. Very sad.

[chileanseabass]

I gotta be honest, I've probably had a drink 4 or 5 times in my life (I'm 33). Never been drunk, never had a brownout or black out, and never really enjoyed it anyway. It's just hearing about those stories that kill any desire I have to have a drink. I come from a family that doesn't really enjoy it, so I never grew up around it, but had friends whose parents were alcoholics, and seeing/hearing those stories, plus the effects on my friends when they were drunk just made it so unattractive to me. It's probably been 12 years since I've had one, and continually face ridicule from my boss for not partaking at company events, but I can't say I feel like I'm missing out. I fully realize one drink here and there isn't a big deal, nor will it cause "problems," but I just have no desire to partake.

[MattPie]

I appreciate all the response. It's not going to be easy. It's woven into the fabric of my existence. I've moved on from the dispicable ahole part of it, but booze and me have had a long intertwined relationship that I'm not sure how to walk away from. I don't think 100% abstinence is a plausible solution. I know my parents have gone down a similar road and manage through moderation. I'll need to try that approach. Enjoy two or three drinks and call it a night. Otherwise, it will just make things uncomfortable and unpleasant for everyone.

 

I haven't done it in awhile, but for awhile I was in the habit of marking down drinks on my hand with a pen. For me, it's a lot easier to appreciate the number of drinks I've had if I can see it. My wife both have trouble stopping after a number of drinks. For her it's around two, for me it's 3 or 4 depending. I've gotten better about it (and she has been for awhile), but I still fall apart once in awhile. Luckily, the very worst it gets for me is being handsy, not violent. Most people can't tell I'm drunk, I'm just quiet and mellow.

[That Aud Smell]

manage through moderation. I'll need to try that approach. Enjoy two or three drinks and call it a night. Otherwise, it will just make things uncomfortable and unpleasant for everyone.

 

i have friends who've managed that transition quite well. it can be done.

[darksabre]

 

 

i have friends who've managed that transition quite well. it can be done.

 

It's where I'm at these days. I went to Buffalo with Josie to visit some friends on Saturday night. I had two beers and called it quits while everyone was playing wine pong and tying one on. Oddly enough some of my other friends followed my lead. It was kinda like being back in high school in the days before every event involved boozing. It was kinda nice.

 

Everything in my life is coming full circle including alcohol consumption.

[inkman]

It's where I'm at these days. I went to Buffalo with Josie to visit some friends on Saturday night. I had two beers and called it quits while everyone was playing wine pong and tying one on. Oddly enough some of my other friends followed my lead. It was kinda like being back in high school in the days before every event involved boozing. It was kinda nice.

 

Everything in my life is coming full circle including alcohol consumption.

It seems like every adult function I'm involved in revolves around booze. I'm sure that has something to do with the company I keep but it's gotten to the point where I have to stop attending normal people activities because everyone is boozing up and I just don't want it. Golf, weddings, kids bday parties, family events, any sporting event, fantasy football drafts and those are just when I leave the house.

[TrueBlueGED]

I appreciate all the response. It's not going to be easy. It's woven into the fabric of my existence. I've moved on from the dispicable ahole part of it, but booze and me have had a long intertwined relationship that I'm not sure how to walk away from. I don't think 100% abstinence is a plausible solution. I know my parents have gone down a similar road and manage through moderation. I'll need to try that approach. Enjoy two or three drinks and call it a night. Otherwise, it will just make things uncomfortable and unpleasant for everyone.

 

While I was never in a place where you were with drinking, this is basically what I do and I find it's a really good solution. Having a couple allows you to still "fit in" and do what you think you're "supposed to" at certain events, but without doing anything stupid and without the miserable next day. What works best for me to moderate is just nurse the beers for long periods of time--I was never able to drink a few early and stop for the rest of the night, so now I just prolong the 2-3 I allow myself to last the evening.

[SwampD]

It seems like every adult function I'm involved in revolves around booze. I'm sure that has something to do with the company I keep but it's gotten to the point where I have to stop attending normal people activities because everyone is boozing up and I just don't want it. Golf, weddings, kids bday parties, family events, any sporting event, fantasy football drafts and those are just when I leave the house.

Don'y forget that unlike us professionals, some people only drink at these events

Edited May 9, 2014 by SwampD

[LGR4GM]

I have to admit that I am around ppl who drink to get drunk on the weekends and sure sometimes I get a little sauced but most days, like today, I will have 3 beers at the bar over the course of 4 hours and go home. I have no desire to chug vodka redbull like its water and then intermix that with shots. Football games I get yelled at because after 5 hours of tailgating I am done drinking for the day pretty much. Ah well if other people want to be drunk every weekend that is their choice.

[X. Benedict]

It's where I'm at these days. I went to Buffalo with Josie to visit some friends on Saturday night. I had two beers and called it quits while everyone was playing wine pong and tying one on. Oddly enough some of my other friends followed my lead. It was kinda like being back in high school in the days before every event involved boozing. It was kinda nice.

 

Everything in my life is coming full circle including alcohol consumption.

 

WNY really is an anomaly. In the rest of the country drinking 8-10 beers in a relaxed evening isn't considered normal.

[inkman]

WNY really is an anomaly. In the rest of the country drinking 8-10 beers in a relaxed evening isn't considered normal.

It's bizzare. Almost everyone I know my age gets hammered in their free time. To the point if you sit at home and read a good book with some tea your a loser.

[josie]

WNY really is an anomaly. In the rest of the country drinking 8-10 beers in a relaxed evening isn't considered normal.

It's so true. I'm from a rust belt city myself but I've never seen a mentality concerning alcohol like Buffalo. It truly is an alcohol town with a sports problem. I don't know of other cities with bars open as late.I've never met so many people who consider what I call binge drinking to be completely normal. I got made fun of a lot of being the DD in college. "you don't know how to have fun".

[SwampD]

It's so true. I'm from a rust belt city myself but I've never seen a mentality concerning alcohol like Buffalo. It truly is an alcohol town with a sports problem. I don't know of other cities with bars open as late.I've never met so many people who consider what I call binge drinking to be completely normal. I got made fun of a lot of being the DD in college. "you don't know how to have fun".

Of all the people that I've met from all over, the ones most down to earth have been from WNY. I wonder if the two are connected.

[josie]

Of all the people that I've met from all over, the ones most down to earth have been from WNY. I wonder if the two are connected.

I wouldn't be surprised.

 

I take the beer loving, big hearted people of WNY over the uptight hippocrites back home.

[darksabre]

 

I wouldn't be surprised.

 

I take the beer loving, big hearted people of WNY over the uptight hippocrites back home.

 

I just wanna drink a dozen beers and play some Kan Jam yo.