This is probably the number one question I hear from people who are coming to terms with the fact that they have a drinking problem. And the answer I always tell them is this:
Maybe you can drink again but you should prepare yourself for not being able to. If you have proven yourself incapable of drinking moderately it is very much recommended that you do not drink again.
The problem with making a black or white, yes or no statement on this is that no two people are the same and the term ‘alcoholic’ is incorrectly applied in modern verbiage.
The dictionary definition of an alcoholic is someone who is addicted to alcohol and has formed a dependency on it. Does that mean that once someone is no longer addicted that they can begin to drink again?
Again maybe, but don’t count on it.
Someone gets addicted to alcohol through prolonged and heavy usage. You do not get addicted from a big bender here and there, it requires a persistent usage. If, for example, you are someone who doesn’t drink all that often but when you do you drink far too much and blackout. You are a ‘problem drinker’ or more colloquially a ‘ heavy binge drinker’. You should identify what causes you to drink in such a way and try to drink in moderation. However you are not considered to be an alcoholic.
Another example. Say that you drink every day, often too excess, and going without alcohol leaves you with withdrawal symptoms. It is likely you are addicted to alcohol and need some kind of detox program. However after that program can you drink again?
If you are able to drink in moderation then yes. But again don’t count on it.
A lot of (read: most) people with alcohol dependency issues got that way because they were unable to drink moderately. They were unable to go out and only have 3 or 4 drinks. Instead those 3 or 4 drinks turned into 10 or 20. And the next day followed the same path and so on. These people should not attempt to drink again as moderation is not for them and they are better off staying sober.
For a real life example lets look at me. I know that after a few beers I will want a few more. And then a few more. And a few more again for good measure. I have tried drinking in moderation plenty of times before and it has never worked. I therefore cannot drink again because I know that any amount I drink will inevitably result in a blackout and will seriously endanger my long term sobriety.
There is a growing school of thought that some people with addiction issues are able to be ‘cured’ through therapy. These are usually people who had underlying psychological problems that they self-medicated with alcohol. These people once coming to terms with their issues may be able to drink responsibly again in the future should their therapist approve.
I would always recommend against drinking again as a “test” to see if you can. That way madness lies.
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