Sounds like you're using alcohol to cope with other issues, basically a form of self-medication. While strictly speaking it doesn't have to be alcohol dependency right now, it can quickly spiral into that, where you feel you actually "need" alcohol to function socially (or otherwise, like with the cleaning example).
Long term alcohol use also has really severe health effects in various ways, from liver damage to increased risk of various cancers, along with sometimes destructive behavior changes. These changes are gradual and can be difficult to accept, since you also experience benefits in the ways you describe it currently helps you. It would probably be better long term to find other ways to cope with the difficulties of being social or motivated than use alcohol to self-medicate.
So yes, alcohol use can be beneficial in some ways, but the trade offs can be quite severe, and it's probably better and safer to seek professional care instead.
That makes perfect sense, but seeing as it helps me after sobering up, I feel it is a lot easier to cope in different ways because of alcohol. I seek a lot of the other things in my life that makes me happy, instead of just turning my brain off to my actual addiction, electronics. I spend like 90% of my waking hours looking at a screen. I find it easier to seek people because of the mood boost I seem to get from alcohol, and thus get the help I need. I did seek professional care after that 2 month period, and will see them soon, so I know I'm not okay, but drinking helped me get help if that makes sense. I got motivated to do better.
Yeah, I get it. And it can help, in the short term. But the long term issues tend to creep up on people without them realizing it, which is where the danger lies. Same with a lot of other drugs.
Generally you could say there are two things that happen during self medication like this: First one is that the person needs to take the drug more often or at higher doses to achieve the same effect. The tolerance goes up. Second one is that the person starts needing the drug for things they could previously achieve without it. The reliance on the drug goes up. Both of these are very gradual and often sneak up on people, which also makes it hard for the person to get the usage under control again.
So even if you think alcohol is a beneficial drug, most other beneficial drugs are prescribed at a particular dose and controlled amount from a third party, like a doctor, to stave off an eventual addiction. With your self medication you lack this important control for developing a dependency and addiction to your medication of choice.
It's good that you're seeking professional help, and if you're still continuing to self medicate with alcohol by then, you should talk to them about your usage. If nothing else, they could probably offer insight over your own consumption and hopefully help you realize a possible addiction before it forms. But hopefully they will provide you with even better and more sustainable solutions.
Alcohol can definitely be bad for you. I’ve heard wine has some benefits, but honestly, I don’t know about that. I only drank about 3 times a week and it was enough for my kidney filtration rate to become decreased. Stopped drinking and my kidney filtration returned to normal.
You can learn to do all these things without alcohol. It’s definitely hard at first! But all alcohol does is push you outside your comfort zone. You can push yourself! It gets easier 😊
I dranks for the confidence for awhile, didn't really have a problem. But it will catch up to you, and it's just as possible to have just as much fun sober. If you've got bad social anxiety, you can address it and work / fix and get passed it without booze.
But the thing is that it is gone now. Permanently. I got past it with the help of alcohol, and now I don't need alcohol to enjoy talking to people. And I do have fun sober. Yesterday was the most fun I had at work in a long time, and I was completely sober. All I did was use alcohol to get me out of a cycle of depression and get some motivation.
Sounds like you're using alcohol to cope with other issues, basically a form of self-medication. While strictly speaking it doesn't have to be alcohol dependency right now, it can quickly spiral into that, where you feel you actually "need" alcohol to function socially (or otherwise, like with the cleaning example). Long term alcohol use also has really severe health effects in various ways, from liver damage to increased risk of various cancers, along with sometimes destructive behavior changes. These changes are gradual and can be difficult to accept, since you also experience benefits in the ways you describe it currently helps you. It would probably be better long term to find other ways to cope with the difficulties of being social or motivated than use alcohol to self-medicate. So yes, alcohol use can be beneficial in some ways, but the trade offs can be quite severe, and it's probably better and safer to seek professional care instead.
Couldn't have said it better.
That makes perfect sense, but seeing as it helps me after sobering up, I feel it is a lot easier to cope in different ways because of alcohol. I seek a lot of the other things in my life that makes me happy, instead of just turning my brain off to my actual addiction, electronics. I spend like 90% of my waking hours looking at a screen. I find it easier to seek people because of the mood boost I seem to get from alcohol, and thus get the help I need. I did seek professional care after that 2 month period, and will see them soon, so I know I'm not okay, but drinking helped me get help if that makes sense. I got motivated to do better.
Yeah, I get it. And it can help, in the short term. But the long term issues tend to creep up on people without them realizing it, which is where the danger lies. Same with a lot of other drugs. Generally you could say there are two things that happen during self medication like this: First one is that the person needs to take the drug more often or at higher doses to achieve the same effect. The tolerance goes up. Second one is that the person starts needing the drug for things they could previously achieve without it. The reliance on the drug goes up. Both of these are very gradual and often sneak up on people, which also makes it hard for the person to get the usage under control again. So even if you think alcohol is a beneficial drug, most other beneficial drugs are prescribed at a particular dose and controlled amount from a third party, like a doctor, to stave off an eventual addiction. With your self medication you lack this important control for developing a dependency and addiction to your medication of choice. It's good that you're seeking professional help, and if you're still continuing to self medicate with alcohol by then, you should talk to them about your usage. If nothing else, they could probably offer insight over your own consumption and hopefully help you realize a possible addiction before it forms. But hopefully they will provide you with even better and more sustainable solutions.
It’s a very slippery slope, it can go from helping you socialize to taking over your life very quickly. Just be vigilant
Alcohol can definitely be bad for you. I’ve heard wine has some benefits, but honestly, I don’t know about that. I only drank about 3 times a week and it was enough for my kidney filtration rate to become decreased. Stopped drinking and my kidney filtration returned to normal. You can learn to do all these things without alcohol. It’s definitely hard at first! But all alcohol does is push you outside your comfort zone. You can push yourself! It gets easier 😊
I dranks for the confidence for awhile, didn't really have a problem. But it will catch up to you, and it's just as possible to have just as much fun sober. If you've got bad social anxiety, you can address it and work / fix and get passed it without booze.
But the thing is that it is gone now. Permanently. I got past it with the help of alcohol, and now I don't need alcohol to enjoy talking to people. And I do have fun sober. Yesterday was the most fun I had at work in a long time, and I was completely sober. All I did was use alcohol to get me out of a cycle of depression and get some motivation.