Are You An Alcoholic?

[Don Chance]

6 hours ago, xylophone said:

A rather bold statement, and not proven in any way, shape, or form!

 

There will be many people like me who enjoy two or three glasses of wine with a meal at night, and that is their total alcohol intake for the day.

 

There are a few times when I won't drink wine with my evening meal at all, but these are few and far between, and I look forward to sampling a good wine, not for the alcohol content per se, but for the "flavors" inherent in it.

 

I drink tea every day, as do millions of people, and they are not addicts, so not quite sure where you are coming from with your post, and I didn't go back in the annals of posting history to find out exactly what the questions were with regards to, "are you an alcoholic", but I am perfectly happy with my wine/alcohol intake as are many of my friends with theirs.

Tea is not a very strong drug, many people are addicted to caffeine in coffee and it will indeed cause problems with anxiety and other problems. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2012/08/21/caffeine-the-silent-killer-of-emotional-intelligence/?sh=c4797cc118ce)

If you read what i said is that the high or the enjoyment comes from the addiction. Nobody who has never tasted wine before or alcohol would think it tastes good. Think back to when you were a teenage and had your first drink. You didn't like the taste and might have gotten sick and thrown up.  You can reach that state again, a virgin!

 

Even drinking 2-3 glasses of alcohol a day is addictive. You will get a different high from that first glasses because it will satisfy your withdrawal from alcohol.  Most people addicted to a drug do not believe it is a problem. You know this is sub for alcoholics right?  If you aren't addicted then why don't quit for a few days and see how you feel? If you want an optimized life then any addiction will not be a benefit. Studies show that any amount of alcoholic is harmful too.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/19/health/alcohol-brain-health-intl-scli-wellness/index.html

 

[xylophone]

34 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

Tea is not a very strong drug, many people are addicted to caffeine in coffee and it will indeed cause problems with anxiety and other problems. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2012/08/21/caffeine-the-silent-killer-of-emotional-intelligence/?sh=c4797cc118ce)

If you read what i said is that the high or the enjoyment comes from the addiction. Nobody who has never tasted wine before or alcohol would think it tastes good. Think back to when you were a teenage and had your first drink. You didn't like the taste and might have gotten sick and thrown up.  You can reach that state again, a virgin!

 

Even drinking 2-3 glasses of alcohol a day is addictive. You will get a different high from that first glasses because it will satisfy your withdrawal from alcohol.  Most people addicted to a drug do not believe it is a problem. You know this is sub for alcoholics right?  If you aren't addicted then why don't quit for a few days and see how you feel? If you want an optimized life then any addiction will not be a benefit. Studies show that any amount of alcoholic is harmful too.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/19/health/alcohol-brain-health-intl-scli-wellness/index.html

 

Ah, I'm obviously on the wrong thread, because if this thread is for alcoholics, then I shouldn't be on it, because I'm not one.

 

I have gone many days and weeks without a glass of wine and am pleased to get back onto tasting wine, because it's a hobby of mine, as it is with many other folks I know.

 

Using your analogy/statistics, it would appear from your "reasoning" that all winemakers are alcoholics, as are wine critics and anyone who enjoys a glass of wine or two from time to time.

 

Pointless discussing it because your statement that "even drinking 2 to 3 glasses of alcohol a day is addictive" is a nonsense.

 

I will therefore take my leave from this thread because it has no interest to me whatsoever and doesn't apply to me.

 

And for other wine lovers out there, don't be disheartened, because there can be some health benefits from a daily glass of wine or two.........

 

Whether red wine has any prominent health benefit is still a debatable issue. However, studies have shown that consuming a moderate amount of red wine, which has an alcohol content of 12% -15% on a daily basis helps in the prevention of a number of diseases including heart disease.

 It should be remembered that there is a fine line of difference between moderate and excessive. 

10 Health Benefits of Red Wine
#1. Rich in antioxidants.
#2. Lowers bad cholesterol.
#3. Keeps heart healthy.
#4. Regulates blood sugar.
#5. Reduces the risk of cancer.
#6. Helps treat common cold.
#7. Keeps memory sharp.
#8. Keeps you slim.
 

PS. Will not reply to any retorts on the subject as I don't fit the "alcoholic" category. Good bye and stay well..........and be careful of drinking water as it can contain all sorts of nasties!!!

[Neeranam]

8 hours ago, Don Chance said:

Anyone who drinks everyday or smokes weed every day etc is an addict. Which means they will be experience negative side effects from the drug because your body can not process and remove the drug effectively.  In which case they should stop because it will negatively effect your life. Anytime you have tolerance to a drug it because an addiction because the high will be associate with the tolerance not the actual drug.  In essence you will trade your alcohol addicting for Baclofeen. But that is ok because the side effects are far less. It is a miracle!

 

Even if they only have 2 drinks a day.  People shouldn't take alcohol or marijuana not more than once every 7 days to avoid any tolerance.  It is likely you will just out grow it if you follow this rule.

 

If you do drink everyday check out the Baclofen FAQ's. Then all you need to do is take Baclofen for 4 years and your body will rest and you will have no desire for alcohol. Then you will taper off the Baclofen and you will be fully cured.  Then you can have a drink or two as you like but why would you?  Beer will lose all the taste like when you were a child and never had tasted it before. Remember? You didn't like it.

 

It is very simple and easy so you don't have to keep on moaning about it on this sub.

Nonsense, many people can drink every day and not be an alcoholic. 

 

This has nothing to do with Balclofen. Changing on addictive substance  for another is not wise, it's much better to stop totally if you are an alcoholic, which I guess you are. Did you answer the questions truthfully?

[Neeranam]

39 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

You know this is sub for alcoholics right? 

No, it's for all with a drink problem. 

 

It's crucial, imho, to determine if you are an alcoholic or a problem drinker(abuser) as the treatment is different. 

[Neeranam]

7 minutes ago, xylophone said:

I will therefore take my leave from this thread because it has no interest to me whatsoever and doesn't apply to me.

please stay, it is useful for other with a problem to hear from those who don't

[Don Chance]

15 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Nonsense, many people can drink every day and not be an alcoholic. 

 

This has nothing to do with Balclofen. Changing on addictive substance  for another is not wise, it's much better to stop totally if you are an alcoholic, which I guess you are. Did you answer the questions truthfully?

I never used the word 'alcoholic.' Baclofen is not really an addictive substance, it is not like alcohol or even a benzo, you are not getting wasted. Alcohol addiction or alcoholism is a metabolic illness. It is like any sickness. Baclofen is just a medicine. If you don't want to see the data, million of people have been treated successfully with it. It took 4 years to reset. If you want to white knuckle it for 4 years it will not work except in 5% of the case.

 

I have been full circle and no longer take Baclofen. I can drink a beer if i want, it is meaningless to me now.  I think Baclofen treatment is an amazing discovery, that is why i like to share with others.

[Neeranam]

1 hour ago, Don Chance said:

I never used the word 'alcoholic.' Baclofen is not really an addictive substance,

You used "addict". 

A drug is addictive or not, which is it?

 

[Neeranam]

Balcofen looks pretty addictive to me. I highly recommend people do not use this for cutting down their alcohol use! 

I'd like to see what the wise here say @Sheryl 

 

Baclofen withdrawal can cause a potentially life-threatening condition. Withdrawal can occur with both oral baclofen and ITB.

https://journals.lww.com/rca/fulltext/2012/40020/management_baclofen_withdrawal_syndrome.16.aspx

 

Withdrawal from baclofen can have clinical manifestations that include agitation, insomnia, confusion, delusions, hallucinations, seizures, visual changes, psychosis, dyskinesia, hyperthermia, and increased spasticity.^2,3 There have been many published cases reporting psychological symptoms in association with baclofen withdrawal; specifically, delirium arising secondary to abrupt baclofen cessation.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5167087/

 

 

Baclofen withdrawal symptoms can be similar to those of benzodiazepine and alcohol withdrawal. Withdrawal from all of these substances can be severe and, in some cases, deadly. People are most likely to go through baclofen withdrawal if they have been using the drug for more than a few months. Baclofen withdrawal can occur whether someone uses a low or high dose. If someone suddenly stops using the drug, withdrawal symptoms are more likely to be severe. Baclofen withdrawal symptoms can include:

• Visual and auditory hallucinations
• Tactile hallucinations
• Confusion
• Delusions
• Disorientation
• Delirium
• Insomnia
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Memory problems
• Anxiety
• Changes in perception
• Hyperthermia
• Depersonalization
• Psychosis
• Mania
• Mood disturbances
• Changes in behavior
• Tachycardia
• Seizures
• Tremors
• Fever
• Extreme rebound muscle rigidity and spasticity

https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/baclofen-addiction/withdrawal-detox/

[Sheryl]

It is a serious medication and best taken under medical supervision.  Stopping it abruptly can indeed trigger a severe reaction, it should be gradually tapered.

 

The evidence for use of baclofen for alcohol dependence is mixed at best, see https://www.cochrane.org/CD012557/ADDICTN_baclofen-alcohol-use-disorder

[blackprince]

In my youth I was trained by the Brixton (it's in South London) Alcohol Recovery Project in Rogerian (Carl Rogers) Client Centred Counselling.

 

I believe alcoholism is a progressive addiction. I don't believe it's an illness.

 

I do believe some people are more susceptible to alcohol related problems because of cultural and family background, and life issues too - for example retirement can leave people with lots of time on their hands (hint - many people on this forum are retirees).

 

I believe AA has got it wrong in terms of medical science.

 

But I also believe AA often provides the best (sometimes the only) group for people who have gone a long way down the road of this progressive addiction.

 

When I was young, the Encyclopedia Britannica classified only 2 drugs as physically addictive - alcohols and opiates. Times have changed, but I still believe the EB had it right.

 

 

[sezze]

[Don Chance]

https://baclofentreatment.com/

 

Some the best information on Baclofen you will find on this site written by an Australian Doctor.  I can you getting off of Baclofen was not hard. You have to reduce the dose gradually, once you are down to 40mg per day you can just stop all together. 

You will taking Baclofen for 4 years or more to treat withdrawal symptoms and cravings for alcohol. Once you reset from alcohol there is no need to take Baclofen any longer because you will no longer have anymore cravings!

 

Remember we are taking Baclofen for the treatment of alcohol addiction.  What are the withdrawal systems of alcohol? They are much worse.

 

Signs and symptoms of the various stages of alcohol withdrawal may include:

• headaches
• anxiety
• tremors
• insomnia
• fatigue
• mood changes
• gastrointestinal disturbances
• heart palpitations
• increased blood pressure or heart rate
• hyperthermia
• rapid abnormal breathing
• hallucinations
• seizures

What are the side effects of alcohol?  The side effects of Baclofen will dissipate over time and they are mild, typically drowsiness. Ironically, side effects of Baclofen can be alleviated by increasing the dose.

 

The long-term side effects associated with heavy drinking are:

• Cardiovascular diseases
• Liver disease
• Respiratory infections
• Cancer
• Nerve Damage
• Ulcers

 

Lots of clinical studies show that Baclofen is the most effective treatment known.

 

https://baclofentreatment.com/practice-guides/how-baclofen-is-different-from-other-alcohol-addiction-treatments/

 

"

As the table shows, naltrexone and acamprosate show only a 10% improvement over placebo in the large number of studies done on these two medications. This gives a Number Needed to Treat (NNT) of 9. This means an average of 9 patients must be treated for one of them to find benefit over the placebo effect of the medication. These results have been found repeatedly and consistently – naltrexone and acamprosate are reliably ineffective for most patients (Up to Date Review: Pharmacotherapy Alcohol Use Disorder).

In contrast, the randomised controlled trials of baclofen in heavy daily drinkers show 42-49% improvement over placebo (link). This gives a NNT of 2.2 ie an average of 2.2 patients must be treated for one of them to find more benefit than placebo.

 

The most recent study, BACLAD showed abstinence rates at 24% for placebo vs 68% for baclofen at 3 months."

[Neeranam]

2 hours ago, Don Chance said:

Once you reset from alcohol there is no need to take Baclofen any longer because you will no longer have anymore cravings!

Better off taking valium for a few days, rather than something for 4 years, IMHO.

Naltrexone is another alternative, as it stop the alcoholic producing those naturally occurring opiates.

[Neeranam]

20 hours ago, blackprince said:

I believe AA has got it wrong in terms of medical science.

I think AA got it right -  a 3 fold illness. Spiritual, Physical and Mental.

[rott]

On 5/15/2020 at 1:02 PM, Neeranam said:

Frankly, I'm sad to see that some here find the topic of alcoholism a joke.

 

This is a sub-forum entitled "I drink too much".

 

if you are not concerned, why are you reading this?

Well it is a sub-forum not an obstacle course. Half that number of questions would have been a more realistic start with the rest coming later. 

[rott]

On 12/9/2021 at 8:49 PM, Neeranam said:

No, it's for all with a drink problem. 

 

It's crucial, imho, to determine if you are an alcoholic or a problem drinker(abuser) as the treatment is different. 

Not often I agree with you Nero but you called it right there.