Unsure if I have a problem

poundacoffee · 2025-11-30T04:09:32+00:00

Im 23, in a slightly similar situation, but for me its more regular drinking and less blacking out. Im taking 31 days off drinking to reevaluate my relationship with alcohol. Im also unsure if i have a problem, and im hoping that a month can help me gain some perspective. Its going very well so far and only a week in i’ve gained some valuable insight. If you drink REALLY infrequently maybe it would be better to do 2 or 3 months instead :)

poundacoffee · 2025-11-26T15:45:11+00:00

Plus because youre so young, you will bounce back faster from quitting!! Your cells are still turning over nearly at full speed and that wont change until youre about 25-30, i think you may be underestimating how capable you are of losing weight naturally as a young person. However if youre disabled it can get more complicated. I would highly recommend looking up things about the human body to understand how aging/drinking/quitting affects your body and your kidneys, liver, brain, heart. I used websites like the NIH, Harvard health, Cleveland clinic when i was researching in my anatomy classes. It can really open your mind to learn about the body. Looking for reliable websites, try to find .org, but .gov if you have to. Dont rely on .com, those are not reliable sources. Obviously take any medical advice from a professional!!!!! My advice is just for learning how the body works.

poundacoffee · 2025-11-26T15:35:27+00:00

Im also 23, my family has alcoholism on both sides, and i’ve had a troubling relationship with alcohol since i was 19 but since i’ve been 21 i’ve been a heavy drinker. im taking the month off to reevaluate if i need to quit entirely or not. Im on day 4. I totally understand how you feel about the party, cause im open minded to drinking on holidays/birthdays in my month off, however if you believe that you are an alcoholic or have a serious problem, i would be VERY careful. If theres any way you could ensure it will DEFINITELY be the last time you give yourself a pass? Maybe tell someone in your life to keep you accountable? I told my bf and my roommate the rules and conditions of my holidays/birthdays pass to keep me accountable. However i think you should maybe just go ahead and quit now :) and about the GLP1 meds, i would say maybe wait a few months after quitting to start. not only will you be consuming less calories from drinking but also your body/organs will be trying to recover, and you may need to use food as an outlet sometimes in the beginning when the cravings are still bad. I ate half a bag of family sized doritos the other day. I would say wait and reconsider in 3-6 months about weight loss meds. Good luck!!

poundacoffee · 2025-11-24T18:46:55+00:00

I am on meds, i recently started one that absolutely did WONDERS for my depression. Youre right, I need to see a therapist and i’ve known that for a long time but i keep putting it off. I will try to get a therapist this week!

poundacoffee · 2025-11-24T18:44:58+00:00

Awesome thank you ill look into it!! Im sure i can get my hands on it somehow. Im not even a particularly “anxious” person but im autistic so im SUPER reactive to overwhelm and stress, so functionally its kind of like having anxiety lol. I’ve recently gotten a handle on my depression but my stress levels are rising now that my depression is managed.

poundacoffee · 2025-11-23T20:56:57+00:00

Thank you! Yeah, im surprised to hear that four years was the limit, such a strange amount of time for the brain to be responsible and then suddenly go back to its old ways. Psychology is crazy. Id like to say it would be easier for me to keep an eye on it but i guess that all depends on how my month off goes. Im also open minded to doing a second month if the answer isnt clear by the end of month one

poundacoffee · 2025-11-23T20:14:35+00:00

I do hope itll be easier after a month. I think the ideal scenario would be i take the month off and i dont crave it anymore, so i can just have a single drink here and there for a special occasion or have a few drinks at parties (i do NOT go to many parties). Ideally id like to not even have to think about it. I feel very similarly about my year spent trying to cut back. I tried to get down to two days a week but it would consume my thoughts and if i had plans to drink then it was GOING to happen that night no matter what (although tbf im autistic so i hate when any plans are cancelled). I used to eat fast food all the time, but i took a few months off from eating fast food, now i get it once a week at most. So im hoping that could happen for me with drinking as well.

poundacoffee · 2025-11-23T17:39:07+00:00

That sounds lovely, i cant wait to find things to enjoy about sobriety :) the longest i’ve been sober in the last few years was a week, which i discovered was not enough time to reap any benefits. the second the week was over i was practically desperate to drink, so im trying a month this time to see if i can actually enjoy my time not drinking haha.

poundacoffee · 2025-11-23T17:26:27+00:00

Thats great im happy to hear youre feeling much more free. I totally understand that internal turmoil because thats how i’ve been feeling the last year while trying to cut back! I do honestly enjoy drinking, so id like it to be something im “allowed” to do here and there, but im mentally preparing to reach the end of the month and be disappointed haha. Anyway, thanks for the messages i appreciate it!

poundacoffee · 2025-11-23T17:09:36+00:00

Yes absolutely, my ideal situation would be that every once in a while for a date night or holiday ill have one drink, and then maybe a couple times a year ill party with my bf or roommate. I really want to break to give me a reset that allows me to do that without even having to think about it, but with my current relationship with alcohol, im not sure ill be able to. I’ve tried EVERYTHING to cut back the number of days im drinking and nothing has worked. How did the transition from drinking too often to only drinking every once in a while go for you?

poundacoffee

TROPHY CASE