By Shira Kogut on Jun. 10, 2016
AA and its 12-step program have helped many people and while alcohol can be fun, it can also be a very serious matter.
We know all too well that it’s a fine line between “I drink because I enjoy it” and “I drink because I need to“, we work for a booze-magazine/app after all–it’s literally our job to drink!
To help set the record straight for everyone, we’ve created a quick quiz to help us, and you, establish if it might be time to seek help…
Has your drinking passed from fun to addiction? Take this quiz to find out:
- Do you crave an alcoholic drink on a daily basis?
- Do you use alcohol to cope with difficult situations/times in life (ie: “I’ve had a rough day, I NEED a drink or two, ok maybe three…”)?
- Do you get antsy if you do not have a drink in your hand when you go out?
- Has your drinking affected your personal or professional relationships?
- Has your drinking prevented you from achieving personal goals?
- Have people around you made comments or expressed concerns regarding your drinking habits?
- Have you recently experienced a blackout (a period of time where you cannot recall what happened) because of your drinking?
- Is it difficult for you to go more than 4 days in a row without drinking?
- Do you sometimes feel guilty about your drinking habits or how they affect those around you?
- Have you changed routine behaviours (spending, schedule, areas of hangout, etc…) to accommodate your drinking?
If you answered yes to at least 3 of these questions your casual drinking may have become a more serious problem. If you’ve answered yes to more than 6, there’s a good chance you’ve slipped off the deep end; consider reaching out to your family, friends or a professional for help. Find a local AA chapter near you on their website or check yourself into rehab whatever method you choose remember, you are not alone (Watch our celebrity confession videos and read the articles about people’s “ah-ha moments” below).
More About AA
In 1939, Alcoholics Anonymous published their first book and this was the beginning of a global movement, a 12-step program to help people stop their drinking addiction. “AA is an international fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem. It is nonprofessional, self-supporting, multiracial, apolitical, and available almost everywhere. There are no age or education requirements. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about his or her drinking problem.” If your drinking or someone you know’s drinking is starting to become a full time job rather than a hobby, please do not hesitate to reach out to AA, a family member, a friend or a professional for help.
Image by: CDC Vital Signs American Journal of Preventive Medicine
At Just Wine and Just Beer, we do love our drinks, but we also care about you and your health. Drink responsibly and be accountable for your actions.
Read about how others realized their drinking was becoming a problem:
How Novelist Joyce Maynard Realized She Had a Drinking Problem
When “Mommy Needs a Drink” Isn’t Funny Anymore
10 Signs That Made Me Realize I Was an Alcoholic (And Not Just a ‘Party Girl’)
What it’s like to quit drinking, by those who’ve done it – or are trying