How do I stop drinking so much?

[Anonymous]

Every time I drink, I drink to the point that I black out and don't remember what happens. I want to stop drinking so much, but I still want to have fun with friends.

[Anonymous]

1. Get to an AA meeting. They're everywhere, no one needs to know (obviously) and having a sponsor is a HUGE help. It's so, so, so important to get that network or people who are also trying to change in the same way, going through the exact same struggles... It's amazing.

2. If you feel like it start seeing a therapist, they can only help.

3. Separate yourself from situations and people who will encourage you to drink. That step is the hardest. You need to only surround yourself with people who are supportive of you. Who won't every put you in a situation where you should be drinking, who won't hand you a drink, who won't ask, who won't trick you... It hurts a lot- the purging... You'll lose a lot of friends. I'm not going to lie when I say your whole network of people may crumble from beneath you. But the friends you make next, or the ones who stick around will be the best friends you've ever had. Truer than any other.

But, as the cliche AA quote goes- "The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem." You haven't quite done that here but you're close and you want help so that's a good start.

Now, Alcoholic is a very viscious term, and I don't think you are an alcoholic. But you do need to stop drinking. If you can't control yourself when you drink then you just need to stop. Period. I only drink once... every four or five months? and that's generous. And I still have the most amazing time with my friends. We find all kinds of awesome things to do, play games, watch movies, make fun of said movies, go to the park at night, go swimming in the ocean in the winter, all kinds of stupid, fun stuff. ANd some normal boring stuff, too like roller skating, paint ball, arcades, Lazer Tag... It's all about how you see the world and the people you surround yourself with.

Make that first step to get outside help. You can do this, I believe in you. You are wonderful and strong and beautiful and truly amazing. Truly powerful. Just... get the help you need right now because it's okay to be weak sometimes, it's okay to ask for help.

[bubbiexo]

Some people can't drink in moderation. I'm one of them... 9/10 times, there is not a way for you to learn to drink in moderation. I know it's not what you want to hear, but I'm speaking from experience after trying for 3 years to "cut down and control it". Maybe take a break from drinking and see how you feel. I know you think you gotta drink to have fun and go out with your friends... But think about the consequences and how the pain it's causing you. It's totally possible to have fun without drinking. Even if you're young.. I quit drinking at 20 and have had the best 2 years if my life with more fun than I ever had when I was drinking. And if your friends can't take a break every so often and compromise to find something else to do with you, then you might want to reevaluate who you're hanging out with. Obviously it's up to you, but you have to decide if it's worth it.

Good luck:)

[THE_Godfather]

Back at you!

[Prof_Don]

You have to change your mentality with alcohol. It's a gradual process to adopt the idea that you can drink, get tipsy, get buzzed, and even get moderately drunk without completely blacking out.

One thing that helps you is to drink beer whenver you can (I know HS and college students take shots at pre parties) instead of hard liquor; it hits you slower and the "liquid barrier" (12oz of beer is same alcohol amount as 1.5oz of hard liquor) will slow you down (because if you don't you'll puke and sober up).

Later in the night sip on drinks instead of chugging down drinks.

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These are all 1st hand tips since I went to a "top ranked party college" and still managed to graduate! :-D

[sovetskii13]

You don't have to drink alcohol to have fun. If your friends are motivating you to drink with them, get new friends because they are a bad influence. I've never even tried alcohol in my life (I'm 23) and I can still easily have fun playing sports, walking around in a park, going on trips, etc.

One of my best friends likes to drink alcohol, but he never told me to try it or anything like that. I didn't want to, and that was that. He's the good kind of friend. You should get friends who won't push you into drinking.

[mblake09]

Sometimes it helps to pace yourself a little bit, and leave a longer amount of time between each drink. Having a water or soft drink in between in each alcoholic drink also helps. Or maybe you might find it helps to have something to eat while you're drinking. Having food in you stomach slows down your drinking and might help absorb a bit of it. Hope this helps :)

[THE_Godfather]

Not to drink at all.

I'm one of those people. The problem is one beer is too many & 100 is not enough.

[bubbiexo]

+1

[nowistheonlytime]

He's right, if you are one of those people that thinks one is good, more is better, then don't drink, you will just snowball fast,

[Anonymous]

Well unfortunately you will probably continue this until something bad happens like mysterious pregnancy.

Don't go to parties where this kind of drinking is going on. Go to more moderate events like a regular bar that has a bar-tender who will cut you off when you have had too much.

[coldxgal]

All you have to do is think about how bad drinking is for your health. Google the bad effects drinking alcohol has and stuff like that. and you can have fun without drinking IF you are surrounded by good people/.

[beastman88]

maybe get some new friends? or suggest something else that doesn't involve drinking

[PLLFan21]

You don't need alcohol to have fun :-) well at least I know I don't..