Aspergers causes alcoholism? WUT?

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MindBlind
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03 Jul 2014, 6:25 pm

My mother thinks I am an alchoholic because apparently enjoying a cider alone (in fact, I wasn't alone - I was with my sister) means I must be trying to hide my drinking. She thinks that I am going to end up like my father and she claimed that I have an "addictive personality". So I asked her to substantiate that claim and she thinks that because I have special interests (which is a symptom of aspergers) that means that I have the makings of an alchoholic.

She thinks that anytime I drink, I am addicted. It doesn't matter if I drink alone or drink with friends, she thinks that I am going to end up like my father. Even though I don't get withdrawal symptoms, don't have trouble controlling my intake and don't drink very much at all.

I know she is just concerned, but I just resent being compared to my father and being told that I'm gonna end up like him. I also resent being told that my aspergers makes me an addict. But I especially resent the fact that in my culture, you're a weirdo if you have the occasional drink alone in your house (in my case, once or twice a month), but it's totally acceptable to go out binge drinking on a friday night, covered in your own blood, vomit and feces.



mr_bigmouth_502
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03 Jul 2014, 9:11 pm

While there are a lot of aspies who self-medicate with drugs and alcohol in an effort to feel "normal", you don't sound like one of them. There's nothing wrong with enjoying a drink or two alone. There is no physiological difference between relaxing by yourself with a beer, and drinking the same beer around some other people. I would only be concerned if you were binge drinking, and that's if you're with friends OR by yourself.

I can sort of understand your mother's dilemma though. My grandfather had problems with alcoholism for much of his life, which may have contributed to his current health problems, and for that reason I often worry that I'm making my grandmother uncomfortable whenever she sees or hears about me drinking. I was kind of obsessed with alcohol for a while, more as a "special interest" than a genuine addiction, but I've had enough bad experiences with hangovers and just feeling like s**t after drinking too much that I can't see myself drinking enough on a regular basis to be an alkie.

But my point is, your drinking habits are nothing to worry about. If anything, I should probably be a little bit more concerned about mine, and they're nothing compared to what a lot of young people around here do.

Don't forget, most social norms are created by NTs, and generally, NTs prefer to do things in groups rather than alone. The idea of enjoying anything alone is weird to them.



sly279
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04 Jul 2014, 2:40 am

my mom is the same way.
1 bottle of wine drank over weeks= I a drunk



DukeJanTheGrey
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04 Jul 2014, 4:38 am

I have an alcohol problem, I am not dependant on it and it has nothing to do with my condition but reading this while drinking at 10.38AM has just reinforced that I need to go and seek help with it.


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wendigopsychosis
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04 Jul 2014, 12:47 pm

MindBlind wrote:
She thinks that I am going to end up like my father


It sounds like this doesn't really have anything to do with you. This is about your mother's own issues. Not your fault. Sadly, I don't think there's anything you can do, besides try not to actually become an alcoholic. She's taking out her past traumas on you, and this kind of thing can't usually be argued against rationally :(


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waltwilliam12
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14 Jul 2014, 1:56 am

sly279 wrote:
my mom is the same way.
1 bottle of wine drank over weeks= I a drunk


Same here, only I don't even have to open the bottle.

I collect celebrity wines. And I constantly endure the whole "I don't want you to turn into an alcoholic", "Are you an alcoholic", etc.



mr_bigmouth_502
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14 Jul 2014, 4:58 am

DukeJanTheGrey wrote:
I have an alcohol problem, I am not dependant on it and it has nothing to do with my condition but reading this while drinking at 10.38AM has just reinforced that I need to go and seek help with it.


What's wrong with having a drink in the morning if you're not going to be driving or doing anything else that requires a sober state of mind?



YourMajesty
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14 Jul 2014, 5:45 am

Would any alcoholic drink cider for its alcohol? :?


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trollcatman
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14 Jul 2014, 8:00 am

YourMajesty wrote:
Would any alcoholic drink cider for its alcohol? :?


I used to think most alcoholics would drink the heavy stuff like vodka or whiskey. But an expert I saw on tv a few years ago said the majority of alcoholics drink beer or wine.



chris5000
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14 Jul 2014, 3:59 pm

trollcatman wrote:
YourMajesty wrote:
Would any alcoholic drink cider for its alcohol? :?


I used to think most alcoholics would drink the heavy stuff like vodka or whiskey. But an expert I saw on tv a few years ago said the majority of alcoholics drink beer or wine.

every alcoholic I have met drinks beer or wine. you would call the type of person who drinks hard liquor a drunk. alcohol drinking is not bad till it reaches the point you NEED to drink everyday. you will know it when you start getting the shakes when you dont drink