Alcohol abuse, need some advice

curiosityandcat

Greenlighter
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Apr 4, 2010
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I was recently arrested, therefore I can't smoke for about 6 weeks. Since I've been arrested (about a month), I've been drinking nearly every night. It's gotten to the point now that I can drink 3 32oz Olde English and a Four Loko (12% alc/vol) and be at an okay drunk. Before I could drink one or two 32oz and be at a okay drunk.

I've drank much more than this before in a night (like almost half a handle of Vodka, I was trashed though [80 proof]), but, I was wondering, is this signs of extreme liver damage, that a need to be worried about, from drinking for only a little over a month (I'm referring to it taking me 3 32oz's and a Four Loko to get a good drunk going)? I was under the impression that it takes a decade or more of heavy drinking like this to do extreme damage to the liver. Normally, I'd say I'm going to be fine for a while but all of my friends can't believe how much I can drink without being that drunk (they're all college lightweights who usually just smoke), so it's got me worried.

This is only going to continue until these next 5 weeks are up, then I'll be done for quite some time. Will I be okay or should I reconsider my alcohol problem earlier and deal with sobriety until I can smoke (marijuana)?
 
i think you will be fine my advice would be try not to drink from the second you wake up try to drink just at night but still i do not think u will experience alchol w/d from that short period of time
 
You won't have WD or damage your liver too much, I think trying out being sober could be a good idea though sometimes it's good to clear your head if you haven't been sober in a while. Also, yes you could be on the road to an alcohol problem if you are drinking every night NOW, I remember having problems with alcohol that started from a similar place (replacing another substance).
 
Liver damage will, of course, vary from person-to-person, but a few months of heavy use in college isn't really enough to do any real harm. With that said, two things to watch out for:

1) If you're drinking daily, even for just a month, that first night not being drunk isn't going to be as comparatively enjoyable. In fact, again pending on how you're put together, you might get some minor physical WD and/or anxiety/cravings. Sure, it's not going to be like the horror stories you read from those who have been drinking hard and heavy for years, but it's still not something you should want to subject yourself to if you can avoid it.

Perhaps slowing down a bit? Tolerance to alcohol builds (as you've shown yourself) kinda quickly. If you're not wanting to stop completely, then maybe slow down a bit? This could mean in drinks per night and/or the number of days per week you do drink. What's the downside to this? I guess you might not have as much fun? I know it's college life and all, but alcohol does not care who you are. Two months of drinking daily and your time is up...it might not be so easy to just switch back over to weed as you're planning. Last think you want is to be using more than one substance nightly, right? If you slow alcohol down sooner than later, you can learn to have more power over it. So that you don't end up in a tight situation during your twenties and you can enjoy life (and if you want, responsible drinking from a time to time) way better.

2) Alcohol is unique in that people can be like "I've done Drugs X, Y, Z, etc., but nothing has made me make a fool of myself more than alcohol." Haha, I'm like this. I've done a lot of stuff, but my biggest regrets and stupidest choices were made while intoxicated. Even when I was "functioning." So if you keep drinking daily, each day you set yourself up for the risk of anything from making an idiot of yourself unintentionally to (at worst) getting yourself into more legal trouble. As such, you want to lessen this risk by not drinking as much.

Just because your tolerance goes up does not necessarily mean that it's taking more drinks to get your BAC up. You have to take into large consideration how becoming drunk is less novel and more of an understood "regular feeling to a day." Kind of like getting high, if you ever developed a tolerance to cannabis.

Ya, so all in all I'd say to maybe cut back if you don't want to quit completely. Focus on getting through the next 5 weeks, on keeping up with school, on keeping a positive attitude and good handle on your emotions (tough to do when drinking a lot), and so on. I hope it works on for ya!
 
Thanks so much for all the advice guys, you really put me at ease. The thing is, I ONLY drink at night, well sometimes I start around 5 or so, but it's NEVER earlier. It's having no negative impact on my regular day, I was just concerned for the health aspect.

Just because your tolerance goes up does not necessarily mean that it's taking more drinks to get your BAC up. You have to take into large consideration how becoming drunk is less novel and more of an understood "regular feeling to a day." Kind of like getting high, if you ever developed a tolerance to cannabis.

That's what I've always wondered, I thought maybe it took more drinks for me to get drunk 50% because my liver was starting to ignore more and more of the alcohol because of damage and maybe 50% of me being used to it and knowing how to handle it better. But now I understand.

Thanks again for the advice :)
 
^ No. If anything, over an extended time of abuse, the liver will be damaged to the point where it cannot metabolize alcohol as well, meaning less drinks needed to get a high BAC.

With tolerance comes the ability to be more functional at higher BACs. That's essentially what the world means. That's all that's really happening to you! If you don't believe me, buy a breathalyzer. What's got your friends going nutty will probably only have you feeling a tiny buzz.
 
curiosity, it is really good that you're concerned for your health and that you're aware of the potential problems that binge drinking can cause. As others have said it's unlikely that you've caused any major damage in this period of time. But if you are worried, please don't hesitate to go and see your doctor and explain the situation to them. They could do some tests to make sure your liver and other organs are okay, and discuss some options with you about counselling (if you think you would benefit from it).

As for your question re: should you keep drinking for the next 5 months or try for sobriety now, in my opinion it is always better to maximise sobriety, so if you've got the option to cut down/quit drinking for now, do it.

Good luck! And keep us updated <3
 
Start slowing down gradually. Trust me, you are falling into a pattern you do not want too.

BTW, not to be a snob but the beer you are drinking is hangover city.

I would suggest you buy a sixer of something, even like a MGD or Bud. Get yourself stabilized on an amount and then reduce from there.
 
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