Is drinking to feel better always bad?

[altlover85]

Is it bad to use alcohol as medicine? Alone?

Sometimes when I have a tough day with my work I will have a scotch or glass of red wine to make myself feel better. It can be several times a week.

How do I know it is not alcoholism? or is it?

I think there are several ways to know if it's alcoholism or not.

1. If you have consequences from your drinking and continue to drink, that might be a sign to get evaluated.

2. If you can't stop drinking once you start.

3. If you are preoccupied with drinking.

There are others, but from what you've shared with us, I wouldn't be worried. I'm not a medical professional, but I have my own struggles with alcohol and have asked this question before, so I know some of the differences between regular drinking and unhealthy drinking from research online.

 

[palbert]

One martini is too many.

Two martini's are just fine.

Three martini's are not enough.

If you are the last you've got a problem.

 

[justanothershyguy]

Honestly, I think it can be. Binge drinking? Bad. Constant drunkenness? Bad. Drinking to get drunk? So-so. A drink with dinner to loosen things up? Nah, that just feels nice.

 

[csb999]

maybe a crutch but if you need a crutch you better hope to god there is one . If you never need one you are luckier than most .

 

[cityboy-stl]

I started drinking to feel better. Then I needed a drink so I wouldn't feel bad. Which are you?

 

[csb999]

as well that amount is so small it's barely noticable . Klassik Italian children drink a lot more than that every day .

 

[jensu846]

drinking alone could be a sign. whats the fun in that? if you say you just do it to calm your nerves after a hard day, then you are depending on it. and/or will eventually become dependant on it. try having a hard day and not drinking, and if you can do it, then you have no problem. If you cant, then you may have one.

 

[refujiunderground]

alcohol is a depressant. you're better off smoking weed instead.

 

[altlover85]

alcohol is a depressant. you're better off smoking weed instead.

I wouldn't recommend brownies, unless you know how strong they are. I took one a month ago and it really fucked with me. I'd rather drink any day. Plus, I hate the smell of weed.

 

[HunterM]

No

 

[chance1]

I don't drink very much - my father was an alcoholic so perhaps i am extra leery of the possibility

I enjoy drinking with others - alone not so much

a single drink after a hard day I cannot imagine is a problem - it's designed to calm you down ? take off the edge?

anything more than that i have to believe is a problem

you should find a way to relax in lieu of the drink is my advice

i use the gym to work off my work stress

good luck

 

[sixthson]

I think the fact that you are asking is a red flag.
The fact that you are self medicating with alcohol is also a red flag.

I don't believe the quantity is what makes someone dependent.

Since you seem to be concerned, you might want to step away from it for awhile.

People drink for a variety of reasons. The taste is not generally one of them. They drink to alter their mood or to chill out, relax, etc. Time away from it might help you to better understand why you drink. It could be harmless or it could be a problem for you.

 

[SaskGuy]

I don't see a problem with that, unless you do it too often. You might want to cut back just a bit, because you don't want to become dependant on it. Plus, it's expensive, and it causes some pretty nasty medical problems.

I drink on a regular basis, but I try to keep it down to once a week. I don't drink to feel better though, it's just something I enjoy doing.

 

[swerve]

^If you're going the Red Wine angle for bettering your health -- go with a high elevation, South American Malbec!!!

I don't know this because I'm a wine snob -- my brother is -- and that is what he recommended for me...

As long as you can stop for periods of time (weeks, months, years) without missing it, or feeling that you NEED it -- you don't have a problem...

 

[Harke the Boeotarch]

For me drinking is all about lowering my standards so I can get along with other gay men.
In that sense drinking alone is not very useful, though the brain damage is actually a good thing.

 

[crimsonpaine]

Is it bad to use alcohol as medicine? Alone?

Sometimes when I have a tough day with my work I will have a scotch or glass of red wine to make myself feel better. It can be several times a week.

How do I know it is not alcoholism? or is it?

Well drinking the wine is beneficial and good for you, for health reasons. If you know and understand why you are drinking it, and using it as an escape and that is your sole escape then you are fine. But if you find yourself grabbing the bottle every time something bad happens, and it stops being one glass and you wind up drinking a whole bottle then maybe you should take a step back and re-evaluate the situation.

I am not much of a drinker, but every now and then I want a glass of something at the end of the day. It could be because I had a good day, or a bad day. I just know I'm not going to let a bottle be my escape.

 

[bankside]

As an act of mental discipline, I will occasionally declare an alcohol-free period of a few days to a few weeks. I find I am indifferent to the time away from the bottle, except on a few days of greater than normal chaos at work, where my first reaction to my self-imposed abstinence is resentment.

I find that makes the exercise entirely worthwhile: the next morning always feels like an accomplishment.

So, I would say, drinking to feel better is good when you have chosen to do so and it is not otherwise an unreasonable choice. It would be bad in my own experience if I had chosen not to. I have found it useful to test myself on this point and it has left me feeling very much in control.

 

[nycguydowntown]

For me drinking is all about lowering my standards so I can get along with other gay men.
In that sense drinking alone is not very useful, though the brain damage is actually a good thing.

.........

 

[maxpowr9]

Last night I binged a tiny bit because I was alcohol-free for a week due to my allergies which really took me over.

I don't get why people think having a stiff drink after work is a bad thing. People look down on alcohol with such disdain but tobacco gets a free pass? A paradox to say the least.

I just look at the HR notes to not hire smokers and to fire them at will. Says nothing about drinkers but only people who drink on the job.

I am not admonishing alcohol in the least. The "disease" runs in my family and I have known others with it. If you think peppermint schnapps [Rumple Minz to be precise] is "mouth wash", you need help.

I will add that I have met exactly one functioning "pothead" in my life. She is one of the most brilliant people I have encountered and she smokes weed to deal with her major anxiety problems.

 

[crimsonpaine]