1. Drinking Patterns
When they have one drink, they experience a craving to have more and cannot predict what their alcohol intake will be. Can anyone?
They obsess about the next time they will be able to drink alcohol. Sometimes.
They behave in ways that are not characteristic of themselves while drunk and continue to repeat these unwanted behaviours and patterns. That doesn't sound like me.
Surround themselves socially with heavy drinkers. Define "heavy".
Getting drunk before actually arriving at parties/bars (pre-partying). For sure.
Setting drinking limits (i.e., only having 3 drinks, only drinking 3 days per week) and not being able to adhere to them. Nope, I don't set limits like that.
Driving drunk and not getting arrested or involved in an accident. I'd prefer not to think about this one but I'm getting better.
Always having to finish an alcoholic beverage or even another person's unfinished beverage. I don't brew beer to throw it on the lawn.
Using alcohol as a reward. Well if someone helps me move house it would be wrong not to give them some beer.
Drinking daily or binge drinking (more than 5 drinks in one sitting) on weekends. Yep.
Having blackouts (memory lapse due to excessive drinking) and not remembering what they did for a portion of their drinking episode. If I can't remember it then it didn't happen.
Feeling guilt and shame about their drunken behaviours. Never!
Taking breaks from drinking and then increasing alcohol consumption when they resume drinking after a period of time. Nope, no breaks here.
Engaging in risky sexual behaviour when intoxicated. Define "risky".
Not being able to imagine their life without alcohol in it. I'd prefer not to think about it.
2. Denial
Have difficulty viewing themselves as alcoholics because they don't fit the stereotypical image and because they feel their lives are manageable. Alcoholics go to meetings. I'm a drinker, not an alcoholic.
Avoid recovery help. Avoid what?
Make excuses for drinking by using alcohol as a reward or to relieve stress. No excuses here.
3. Professional and Personal Life:
Well respected for job/academic performance and accomplishments. Nope, that's definitely not me.
Can maintain a social life and intimate relationships. To an extent.
Surround themselves with people who drink heavily. Again, define "heavy".
4. "Double Life":
Appear to the outside world to be managing life well. Nope.
Skilled at living a compartmentalised life (i.e., separating professional, personal, and drinking lives). Doesn't sound like me.
5. Hitting Bottom:
Experience few tangible losses and consequences from their drinking, often by sheer luck. Now we're talking.
Experience recurrent thoughts that because they have not "lost everything," they have not hit bottom. Sure.
Often hit bottom and are unable to recognise it. If this is bottom then I'm a happy man.
