A
male
age
41-50,
*ute guy
writes:My female friend drinks about 10 shots of vodka every night..sometimes more. She does this in about a three hour span when she gets home from work. After that she appears to be very drunk. She slurrs words, hallucinates and becomes a little verbally abusive and belligerant. I suspect she has become an alcoholic because this bahavior has been constant over a year and it literally is an every single nite habit. She's 26 years old and only weighs 125 lbs. Am I overreacting or does this sound like an addiction? I have tried to talk to her about it. She gets defensive and says she knows she's a mess, but she needs it to sleep and take the edge off because she suffers from bad anxiety. I am with her every nite and I have kept a close eye on her bottle. I've even caught her hiding it in such places as under the bathroom sink and in her clothes hamper. Any suggestions? I'm beyond worried.
View related questions:
alcoholic, drunk Reply to this Question
Share |
Fancy yourself as an agony aunt? Add your answer to this question! A
female
reader, bernergirl +, writes (17 April 2011):
 I am not a doctor but it sure sounds like she is using Vodka and self medicating. I suffer from Anxiety and there are prescription drugs that can help. My doctor and I monitor it very well. If she would talk to her doctor she wouldn't have to use Vodka. I've always heard that when the vice affects your routine and daily life then it is a problem. So if she can't function without it or do nightly activities then I would say she has a problem.
Maybe record what she does at night and show her how she speaks and acts when she is drinking and see if that helps her realize she may have a problem. So in answer to your question...in my opinion yes she has a problem and yes you should be worried.
A
female
reader, lovebird1  +, writes (17 April 2011):
Yes, this is an alcohol addiction and you aren't overreacting.
The problem is that people with addictions, especially with alcohol, tend to find a bzillion excuses and reasons for their behaviour and react with anger and denial towards those who confront them. So be prepared this isn't going to be easy for you and you need to keep your energy as well and try not to get sucked in this destructive behaviour of hers.
But I agree with mrg123, try to confront her in a subtle way. As a friend, someone who is on her side. Maybe you can also tell her that there is more appropriate medication and strategies against anxiety than drinking, since anxiety seems to have been the initial problem. Maybe she'll trust you and tell you what she's so afraid of? In long term,I guess she'll need to do some therapy or she'll stick with this problem.
...............................
A
male
reader, mrg123  +, writes (17 April 2011):
 Is she addicted? The short answer from what you say here is 'yes'. It's an addiction in my eyes when the person in question feels they cant cope/function without alcohol and b) they cant go out without getting drunk, ie, they cant actually control their intake. She obviously fulfils a because the alcohol is crutch to her by her own admission and I dont think its a wild assumption that b is true too. The fact your friend is also hiding the bottle is not a good sign. So, having answered the question what's the solution? Not an easy one because having reached this stage she needs professional help and that's something we cant give. However, to even get her here you need to get her to admit to having a problem. I don't think telling her she has one will help - it obviously is true but she wont see that. You need to be a bit more subtle; forecful, but in a subtle way; maybe giving her literature to read on alcoholism to read and just asking her to read it? The key thing you need to focus on is this, getting her to admit the problem she has then to seek professional help. Good luck.
...............................
|
