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I got my information from the same people who have a solution for alcoholism, AA.
Drug addicts are constantly trying to water AA down by trying to convince any fool willing to listen that alcohol is a drug, no it isn't. It is not a narcotic, you could try a dictionary if you can't grasp the distinction.
You're confused about the difference between a drug and a narcotic. You also might want to try a dictionary.
"A drug is any substance (other than food that provides nutritional support) that, when inhaled, injected, smoked, consumed, absorbed via a patch on the skin, or dissolved under the tongue causes a physiological change in the body." Source
"The term narcotic (/nɑːrˈkɒtᵻk/, from ancient Greek ναρκῶ narkō, "to make numb") originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with sleep-inducing properties. In the United States, it has since become associated with opiates and opioids, commonly morphine and heroin, as well as derivatives of many of the compounds found within raw opium latex." Source
Alcohol is not a narcotic -- but it is a drug. You are, I'm afraid, wrong -- and I assure you, I'm not saying this as a "drug addict".
Quote:
A person who has serious trouble with alcohol does not automatically qualify as alcoholic.
Problem drinkers might need medical intervention to stop, they might need detox, they might even die an early death but unless they exhibit the symptoms of alcoholism they are simply abusers.
As I said, "alcoholic" is a non-clinical term used by AA members to rationalize the perceived successes and failures of the program and make sense of them in the context of their pseudo-religious belief system. Look, AA is a fine bridge for newly sober individuals because it provides a social context for support in maintaining sobriety. It also provides the newly sober with a body of knowledge for maintaining sobriety. That's why professionals who work with alcohol dependent people often recommend AA. If it works for you, great. But it's not a necessary condition for sobriety for everyone.
The claim that there's a special category of drinker called an alcoholic that is somehow different than those drinkers who have serious trouble with alcohol is nonsense supported only by the tales told in the big book and around the tables of AA. But if believing this is so keeps you off the sauce, go for it.
I drank excessively for 20+ years in spite of major consequences, and couldn't stop on my own until I went into intensive outpatient treatment for several months. I went to AA meetings for a year or so after on the recommendation of my counselors, and haven't been to one since. I haven't had a drink since January 8th, 1993 - and that without continuous attendance in AA or a sponsor or "working the steps". Oh, that's right -- that means in AA terms that I wasn't a "real alcoholic", but just a person with "serious trouble with alcohol". Right.
Maybe he is sneaking some pills too....
Painkillers like Vicodin, Xanax, Oxycontin, Percocet, Demerol, Norco accelerate drunkenness.
These days with Dr's under threat from the FDA of prison and loss of license for prescribing even the mildest opioid painkillers I serious doubt he could find a doctor to prescribe him a Tylenol No 1 (almost placebo strength). It's gotta be something else.
I don't have all that much to add because everyone else seems to have addressed the usual suspects: sneaking alcohol elsewhere, medications, an underlying medical condition...my ex was/is a hardcore alcoholic and I go to take some cough syrup and none would be there. My dad used to drink AFTERSHAVE when he could not get his hands on an alcoholic beverage. I don't think your husband sounds quite that bad. Light beer or regular beer though, that makes no difference. They will get you drunk just as quickly. Might seem elementary to ask, but how many ounces are in each of these 3-4 drinks? "One drink" is considered approximately 12 oz. beer, 5 oz wine, or 1-1.5 oz liquor. Also, what is the actual alcohol content, is he drinking on an empty stomach, and is he drinking them rather quickly? These things can all have an effect on his behavior after "just 3-4 drinks".
Drinking every day, though, even if he is not addicted, sure sounds like a maladaptive way to deal with something else in his life. Is he experiencing a lot of stress due to work or something else? I can only speak for myself, but when I am under extreme stress, it affects me in numerous physical ways, including my balance. Are there life changes that you can make to try to mitigate the amount of stress that he (and you!) might be under? I used to drink to cope with stressors in my life until I got sick of the effect that it was having on my life (beer cans everywhere, feeling terrible, etc.) that it has now been over two months that I have touched alcohol. I can only tell you what seems to be helping me and you can use what works and ignore what doesn't. I have had to eliminate things and people from my life that have raised my stress levels far beyond my coping skills. I switched therapists because my old one was doing really nothing except taking my money. If he isn't, maybe your husband can benefit from some sort of counseling. AA and other 12 steps have helped a lot of people, and no offense to anyone that swears by them, but they are a turn off to some people, and there is an alternative that I have been using that you can find online called SMART Recovery. They have online meetings, chats, message boards, and also a lot of reading materials that help people do a cost-benefit analysis of their drinking (or, really any other addictive behavior), identify triggers, and help increase coping skills. They also have resources for friends and family. It could be worth checking out.
I don't know where he would get these drugs though. And I've never found anything yet.
Where there's a will there's a way. He could even be huffing something like gasoline, people do the strangest things to catch a high.
But my first suspicion would be he gets tuned up on the way home, has a stash that's better than your searching skills, or has pills. Pills are easy to hide.
... there is an alternative that I have been using that you can find online called SMART Recovery. They have online meetings, chats, message boards, and also a lot of reading materials that help people do a cost-benefit analysis of their drinking (or, really any other addictive behavior), identify triggers, and help increase coping skills. They also have resources for friends and family. It could be worth checking out.
The SMART Recovery site also provides resources for starting a SMART support group in your community if there isn't one already:
My mom is an alcoholic and so is the OP husband. 3-4 beers every night??? My mom drinks at least two 1.75 liter bottles of vodka in 2 days. if she is off on the weekends she can polish off 3 of them. She also hides empty bottles of vodka all over the house under the couch and in her closet because she doesn't want us to know how much she's drinking. She doesn't drink before work or drive drunk. She was drinking wine but switched to Vodka about 1 year ago. She has been like this for about 13 years (since my dad died) Do not confront your husband when he's drunk!!!Big mistake I have learned with my mom. They get defensive, yell and scream and then bring up things about you because they don't want to hear what you have to say and it draws the attention away from you saying they need to stop drinking. She also hides the vodka in empty water bottles to make you think she's drinking water. vodka is clear so it looks like water. Smell it and you'll know. I know when my mom is drunk & when she calls and acts nasty I simply say I have to go and hang up. She knows she has a problem so that's #1 #2 is to get help which she says she'll do when she retires which is hopefully before end of this year. The OP husband is doing more than 3-4 beers. I am not going to tell the OP to leave their spouse because that's not up to me. If she chooses to stay then both her and her DH need help. Call AL anon.
A 12oz Budweiser which is rated at 5% ABV is exactly the same amount of alcohol than 1.5 oz of 80 proof liquor. Most American light beer is slightly less at about 4%
5% of 12 = .06 oz (beer)
40% of 1.5 = .06 oz (liquor)
8oz of red wine (12% ABV) is even more, 12% of 8 = .96 oz
So for those that think beer is not as bad as the "hard stuff", you would be wrong.
A 12oz Budweiser which is rated at 5% ABV is exactly the same amount of alcohol than 1.5 oz of 80 proof liquor. Most American light beer is slightly less at about 4%
5% of 12 = .06 oz (beer)
40% of 1.5 = .06 oz (liquor)
8oz of red wine (12% ABV) is even more, 12% of 8 = .96 oz
So for those that think beer is not as bad as the "hard stuff", you would be wrong.
I was unable to edit my post.
I put an extra zero in the figures by mistake. The .06 oz should be .6 oz for both beer and liquor compared to almost an ounce (.96) with the red wine. Mind you, this is pure alcohol content.
I was unable to edit my post.
I put an extra zero in the figures by mistake. The .06 oz should be .6 oz for both beer and liquor compared to almost an ounce (.96) with the red wine. Mind you, this is pure alcohol content.
A standard drink is defined as: 12 oz of beer, 1.5 oz of 80 proof liquor, or 5 oz of non fortified wine -- rather than 8 oz of wine. A standard glass of wine is therefore also 0.6 ounces of alcohol.
A standard drink is defined as: 12 oz of beer, 1.5 oz of 80 proof liquor, or 5 oz of non fortified wine -- rather than 8 oz of wine. A standard glass of wine is therefore also 0.6 ounces of alcohol.
Thanks for the info. I actually did not look up the "standard" sized glass of wine but based it on what I would personally drink.
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