How much did you drink, for how long?

[user77385]

How much did you drink, for how long, quantity, frequency, age at quit date, and was there any damage?

Please share your thoughts, I am just curious?

[bonita]

depending on the night-i drank anywhere between like 1 and 20 drinks. from the ages of 15 - 21. it was only once in awhile when i was younger. after i turned 21 i probably got wasted almost every night for 3 months, and a few times a week for about a couple years before that...
didnt know i had a problem til i was 20 though.
i havent completely quit, but i want to...
sounds like jsut from your questioon...you havent quit but know that you should, and are trying to reassure yourselve... that your problem isnt as bad as someone elsess- so you'll be fine.
if you think you're an alcoholic, you are.
good luck, im here to talk, i know its hard.
oh and as far as the damage...ive got tears in my esphogus.. and im sure my liver is fucked-i can feel it hurting all the time- and this is only after 6 years... i need to quit soon.

[Max Headroom]

I just registered here today after stumbling across the forums on a googling. So hi!

Anywho I've drank almost every night for close to a year now. Around 10 or so beers a night. I may skip one night then right back to it the next. I've had tons of issues in my life last year but mainly I drank because I couldn't go anywhere after having a DWI..

Before that I was a typical highschool student binging on the weekends from 17-21.

[jujubee]

I started drinking when I was 15 or 16. Drank until I turned 39. It probably escalated in my early 30's but it was always there. Unless I was in a big "working out phase" it was always there. Sometime beer , sometimes wine sometimes hard liquor. I went through periods of daily drinking for several weeks to just binge drinking a few times a week....but it was always there. Any emotional or physical repercussions seem to have resolved since I quit. Will I be more likely to develop cancer for living so many yrs with a weakened immune system?...who knows. No one knows the what if's. I can only control today. At least now I am equipped physically and mentally to deal with what comes my way. It may not always be easy but it is definitely easier without the booze.

[Hoots]

Start Date: 12
End Date: 30
Amount: Various amounts at various frequencies.
Damage: Lost a job at 18, some self-esteem and respect.

May I please have my banana now?

[Sleddy]

I was 9 when I stole my first sip of beer. Up until 21, I would just drink occasionally because it was not easy to get. I remember thinking that I must not have a problem because I could go months without. I did not realize that I was using it for emotional support regardless of how often that occurred. When I graduated college and had some money, I would pick up a case at the beginning of the week and drink a few each night. At 31, when I first attempted to regulate, I limited myself to 1.75L (1/2G)of gin a week. Don't know about any damage, at least my liver is not sticking out. Just a lot of wasted years sitting around doing nothing and not developing emotionally.

[snivi]

First drink? Hmmmm about 13 and it was New Years eve and it was an all out drunk!

Drank through High School but only when I could get it on weekends, maybe Friday night.

By college I drank every day

Continued that pattern, with the exception of a one year period I quit in my twenties, until about 3 weeks ago. Well 24 days ago to be exact, but who is counting.

I'm 40 and I drank 10-12 beers a night for the last 15 years and drank probably 4 nights a week minimum prior to that in college after high school.

[anonymousgroder]

started some time at 13 and drank almost every day, with some exceptions, but only a few. i would do anywhere from 6 to 18 drinks a night for about 7 years, then slowed, then went back to about 8-10 per night with occasional binges. i am worried about my throat, but i've never gotten looked at. the other organs came up clean in a recent test, so i consider myself very lucky. i'm 32 now.

[jonesing]

I started drinking when I was 15 or 16. Drank until I turned 39. It probably escalated in my early 30's but it was always there. Unless I was in a big "working out phase" it was always there. Sometime beer , sometimes wine sometimes hard liquor. I went through periods of daily drinking for several weeks to just binge drinking a few times a week....but it was always there.


jujuybee, you seem to have been living the same life as me on the other side of the pond

[greengirl32]

Anywhere from 3-8 drinks at a time, the last few years. Binge drinking in my 20's, just when we'd go out or party.

First drunk at 17, pretty infrequent until 21 or so, am 32 now.

I just got tired of it all. Thinking about it, wondering if I was drinking too much, worried about health.

[There's something more...]

Hello. I started at 15 (1st time) then here and there until about 19, fake ID time, then, it progressed to wine or beer daily and hard drinks and beer on the weekends. (From 19-21 I spend alot of my time involved in hard drugs and drinking played a second fiddle to that) I partied hard and a lot until I got pregnant at 25 (w/ the man I am now married to- and would not allow drugs as a part of our lives. Thank God!). I chilled through that, no drinking, than about 6 months after the birth I started drinking a few nights a week. Now it is every day and I am 30....you wonder..."How did I get here", like it was overnight. It is only at night- a bottle of wine. I have no desire during the day but the anxiety kicks in at night and I have tried to cut back w/ no success. I love the gym and if I could just switch my 'desire' back into my health I'd be fine- lol. That has helped me in isolated times.

[tryingtocope]

Hey there! I'm "just" on day 6 so this is fresh on my mind and I'm still struggling with the acceptance--BUT I am! I started drinking when I was probably 13-14 (I would steal it out of my grandparents liquor cabinet and fill the bottles with water--bad sign huh?). I drank sporadically throughout high school (like others have said, it's hard to get). Around 19 is when I started drinking every night with my roommates and hard core (shots and beer) on the weekends. I'm 40 :0 now and I honestly don't remember much of my 20's. Everyone drank like I did (at least those that I hung out with). I never drank through my 3 pregnancies and it was NO BIG DEAL!!! Once they were born I would usually start drinking wine again after a few months (little to start, only in the pm and about 2 glasses). I'm a Dental Hygienist, I promote health and healing at work and strength and confindence with my children. BUT when I have finished my job at home and at work, I would drink (every other day) about one 1.5 L of wine (the big one) and smoke about 1-1 1/2 packs of cigarettes within a 3-4 hour sitting! I would just go escape into the backyard and call my friends, family, whoever would listen! This had been going on since around age 31 or so! Not always that extreme but about 2 days a week it was, the other 2 would be about 1-2 bottles a night. The alternating days I didn't drink because I had a massive hangover! Sooooo sick of it! I want to remember my kids childhood and I want to find better coping skills so that I can learn to deal with my insecurities and anxiety! I look about 29-30 (maybe 30-33 now with the drinking and smoking), I feel young but I am sure my insides tell a different story. My eye's starting to get blurry a little lately and the night before I quit I had heart palpitations while trying to go to sleep--scary shit!!!
-Shannon

[jonesing]

is that shannon that went to the citadel?


I am alsways being told I look younger than I am (and i guess i do) f**k knows how that has happened with my lifestyle since i was 18

I used to live in SC BTW

[moneyman]

I started drinking when I was 12 or 13. All we did was smoke weed and drink. did both until graduating from college and then stopped the weed but have done some since. Kept drinking though and over the past few years I would say that I drink every day from the time I get home after work until bedtime. usually pretty drunk by then. kids are young teenagers now and I really don't want to miss any more. It is affecting all areas of my life in a 'boiling the frog' kinda way. I'm stopping today.

[phinfan]

Bonita,

Just curious, you made the comment that you can feel your liver hurting. What does it feel like and where exactly on your body does it hurt. My lower front right side always feels bloated from all my drinking. I am going to quit and hope that it goes away.

[azerty]

Started in early teens, was drinking heavily every weekend by 17. Left home at 24 and started drinking every day - 3 or 4 beers maybe - while still drinking heavily at the weekends - 7 or 8 beers and a bottle or 2 of wine on Fridays and Saturdays. Quit smoking at home at 31 and started doing a couple of beers and a bottle of wine every night instead. At weekends this would increase to 4 or 5 beers and usually 2 bottles of wine on Fridays and Saturdays. By 36 was doing 7 or 8 beers and a bottle of wine every night of the week, sometimes 2. Was asked to stop drinking by my family in 2007 which I did, quite easily with hindsight. Bit anxious and sleepless at first but soon got over that. Had the odd enormous bender with my mates every couple of months, but otherwise sober all year. Back on the booze in 2008, trying to limit it to weekends only, but usually fail. 6 or 7 beers and a bottle wine, or a couple of bottles of wine is the norm at the moment most nights. Why am I here ? Because a small voice is telling me I need help and should stop. But a louder voice is telling me to go home and start drinking.

[4eva]

How much - 1 bottle of wine per night. On weekends - a cocktail before
How long - same as everyone else...hard to get until 21. Not at all during pregnancies and dieting...pretty consistantly from 32-42.
Age at quit date - 42
Damage - OMG ...I hope none!

[Hilikus]

I usually drank about 3 pints a night on weeknights. But sometimes it would jump to 3 pints at home, then another 2-4 at the pub. On weekends it depended on when I started drinking, so sometimes it was upwards of 12 pints. Which works out to be about 18 bottles of beer.

I quit when I was 27. I started drinking when I was 17.
No serious damage that I am aware of anyway.

[Hoots]

I want my bananaa!!

[turnerxc]

Much-7 beers on the weekdays and more on the weekends. Started on gin about 3 months before the quit. Did an entire bottle in one night quit shortly after
Long- since age 16-17 didnt get bad till my 30s. I'm just about 40 now

[tryingtocope]

Jonesing- No, not the Shannon from the Citadel. I just moved here (2mo. ago)from California with my husband and kids-my husband is in the military and we have to move every 4 years. Can't say I like it much, the weather SUCKS!!!! I like to be outdoors (hiking, beach, camping, etc...) can't really do that here without feeling like you're gonna pass out from the humidity!!! Why were you here?

[jonesing]

college

I loved!!!! the weather

but i am am from the uk and you are from california, which may be why I thought SC weather was great

[tryingtocope]

Yeah, California (by the beach) was always between 70-85 with maybe 5% humidity. What is the weather like in the UK and why were you here in the US going to college. Jst curious...

[BillB]

How much: Well, that's hard to say. I always buy/bought the biggest bottle of Bacardi Rum. I don't know how big to compare the bottle to but it's the biggest one, I would say it's a half gallon and I drink/drank 1/2 of the bottle on Friday night and then the other 1/2 on Saturday night.

How long: From age 18 to last night.

Age at quit date: 40

Damage: Physically, none that I know of except for the typical headache and/or throwing up the next day and feeling tired all day. 3 DUI's.

[Bridgit]

It's pretty warm here today, clear and hot after a rainy spell.

[peace4u]

First drink and black out at 13(also threw up). Binge drinking throughout high school every weekend , and more often during school breaks. Alway's drank to get drunk. Didn't even notice others did not drink like me. Frequent drinking continued till about 32(not alway's an all out drunk) then started drinking 3-4 times a week till 36, to almost daily for the next 12 years. It only escalates for me, sober almost 5 months now. Peace.

[ClearBlue]

To much, for to long, from way to early in life.

Hence the reason I am here to make healthy changes in my life.

I've been struggling with this addiction, on a very dangerous level, for several years now.

In reality it's been much longer, but the fact of the matter is that I must quit or I risk losing everything important in my life, including life itself.

[Bobbie]

Omg, thanks everyone for sharing. It's a bit of an eye opener, isn't it!!

I actually didn't drink before I was 18. 18-20 I'd pretty much drink a little bit at parties and not think much of it. But when I moved into my own place (no parents, no flatmates) I started drinking alone.... Probably 1-2 bottles of wine or around 10 beers on any given night... Sometimes stronger stuff. I'd drink just about anything! It started out being fun, hanging out with myself all tipsy, going online, listen to music and having fun. I've always enjoyed my own company.

But the later years, 22-26 haven't been fun drinkwise. At all. I'd still drink anything at any time. Never too early or late for a drink. Also, I've been living in a spot where there's no less than 8 bottle shops within walking distance, one of which is open until 1 am... DANGEROUS. When I woke up after having been drunk, I'd just drink some more, even at 8 am.

I've always drank more than everyone else at the party, and be the one to pass out in someone's bed or couch. Embarrassing! I have embarrassed myself so many times, it makes me cringe.

Anyway, the facts:

How much: 2 bottles of wine or a twelvepack of beer almost every night (Prob 5 nights a week on average)
How long: For the past 4-5 years

Geez....

[Piglet]

I was drinking 2 bottles of vodka per day for several years. I mean 750ml bottles which is 56UK alcohol units per day, a dose fatal for most people. On top of this I took benzos and other downers... oh, and sometimes opiates.

[ed blaq]

Started partying around 17yo weekends only then off to college and it has been 3-4 times a week for 26 years. I was sober for 18 months when I went to rehab for a coke problem at 25 but never went back to the blow just stayed drinking. I come from a long history of functional Southern drinkers and have always been able to drink an enormous amount of booze. To tell you the truth it grosses me out to even try and put into words an actual amount of sauce I have drank the last two and a half decades.
Happily sober now for 16 beautiful days!

[alterego]

Drank for 25 years

Moderate: 4/5 pints per night to to not drinking 3/4 nights per week, but never a full week without a binge at the weekend

Steady: two bottles of wine per night

Extreme: Stella and large vodka chasers, up to 8/9 pints and 16 or so shots of vodka per night.

I have varied from moderate to extreme, I gave up vodka for several months then went back on it with a vengeance prior to this quit.

Pyhsically I think (hope) I am ok? mentally I kept going down dark paths that I do not want to return to ever again.

For some it will cause untold physical damage in a short space of time, for others it may take several years, it can cause severe depression and anxiety/panic attacks. It can suddenly shorten your existence without warning.

[results]

Started drinking a little in my teens. During college and early 20's I drank socially at clubs and parties, I was into getting high in other ways then. By my mid -to- late 20's the drinks started to go down faster and the regular social drunk nights started happening 3-5 nights a week. It wasn't until my 30's that I started drinking around the house and during the day, it was a quick downward spiral from there.

36 now, 3 days sober.

[Clear Sky]

Age 14 - Couple beers on Friday & Saturday
Age 18 - 6+ beers on Friday & Saturday
Age 21 - 10+ beers or 1/2 bottle of Gentlemen Jack 2-4 times a week
Age 30 - 12-15+ beers 5-10 times a month (sometimes more than 10 days)
Age 32 - Water, milk, and coffee with an occasional sprite

[philo237]

My worst was 1.75L of rum in two days, just the other week. That bottle cost $50. 50 bucks to feel like crap.

[dare2livedreams]

one weekend I shared 8 cases of beer, 2 bottles of wine, 3 bottles of jaeger, 2 bottles of rum, and a bottle of vodka with a couple others. was hungover for a week.

just one of many weekends.

[Sandrea of the light]

I started drinking at 17 with my first husband on a canoeing trip. Vodka and OJ. We eloped at 18, he came to California to get me from Minnesota. We married in Las Vegas, in February of 1977 and went to Wyoming to strike it rich in the oil fields. I started my drinking career there and soon realize we were both alcoholic. We separated and he died in a fire trying to save his puppy, drugged and drunk on our 7th aniversary.
I moved back to Minnesota shortly after, and hooked up with my daughters father, another alcoholic. He was a musican, and we lived the crazy party life on and off for 20 years. I did quit drinking for 3 years while going to college and having our daughter. I picked up my drinking again after she was about 1. 20 miserable years of heartache, drunken wars and lots of abuse.
I've had 4 DUI's in those 20 years.
I went to treatment, and met my husband, another alcoholic and meth user in aftercare, all was well for about 2 years and I picked up my drinking again, and our lives together got very difficult. Ofcourse I didn't see it the way he did.
The only thing I really liked to drink was Boones Farm Strawberry Hill. If I got 2 bottles I could almost maintain, but it was usually 3. I had them hidden all over the house and sometimes lost track. I thought I was so sneaky, right.
So I made a shamble out of a great marriage. Then this last summer my husband got so sick of it he started drinking again, pretty much started riding his bike and stopped coming home, and at the time I didn't really care, my bottles meant more to me. I never thought I really had anything to worry about, I never thought he would cheat on me. Then the rumors started coming in, and he ran away. He hooked up with a party girl and ran away to the cities with her.
Thats when I realized how out of control I really was, and started getting the help I needed. Its the first time I reached out and got the help I've needed for so long, finally admitting I am powerless. My hubby's home now, and we have a long road ahead, but I think we both learned a thing or two. I'm humble now, and will fight for the rest of my life to continue this sober journey, whatever it takes. I'm 50 now, I don't have time for this shit anymore.
Thank God for this site, and for AA and counseling. It works. Sandrea

[_paulmh_]

Thanks for your honesty Sandrea

[Happy]

I'm humble now, and will fight for the rest of my life to continue this sober journey, whatever it takes. I'm 50 now, I don't have time for this shit anymore.
Thank God for this site, and for AA and counseling. It works. Sandrea

Great post Sandrea, you will make it!!

[Iris]

1st drink.....drank myself unconscious on homebrew at a new years eve party aged 12. Woke up the following morning having shit myself and vominted all over the house.

Didn't really drink again until aged 15 but immediately drank myself into oblivion....kind of set the pattern for my drinking life, which consisted of drink to blackout and go to bed. Only drank a couple of times then took up serious drinking the day after my 1st wedding (to a man I'd only known 6 months)

Over the years my drinking cost me dearly but I always blamed others...a couple of extra marriages, one to a complete nutter, violent in the extreme. To the last one who in my wisdom I married a month after meeting, drink being our only common interest :eek:

That all ended 11 years ago but my drinking continued, culminating in lost jobs, lost relationships and dangerous relationships....All interspersed with occasional breaks in drinking (sober time) and always followed by back to drinking.

At my worst I drank 2 bottles of wine almost every night of the week. Hangovers sometimes meant I'd only drink 4 nights a week, but mostly it was 5/6 times a week.

Now 7 weeks free from both alcohol and cigarettes and feel free. I WILL NEVER GO BACK

[Clear Sky]

Damn cool Iris. 7 weeks rocks