Aspergers / ASD and alcohol

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I scarcely drank at all until I hit 40, though on the few occasions I had done so, I usually got into an alarmingly paralytic state as I had no idea what I was doing.

These days I drink most nights on my own (wine or beer), but try to restrict my intake to around 40-45 units per week. I can actually drink quite a lot now while remaining perfectly functional. I acknowledge and accept the health risks, but feel that the trade-off between those and the sense of mental release which the alcohol creates to be acceptable.

I've used alcohol as a non-pharmaceutical sleep aid since I was 21. I never touch the stuff during the day.

Haven't been falling-down "drunk" since my late 20s. Just get a nice, dull buzz now, and go to sleep.

Hangovers are the result of low blood oxygen levels. If you drink enough water, you won't get them.

Life sucks, then you die - and it's a lot shorter than you imagine. Don't let anyone tell you how to live yours, the judgemental f**ks. They never know what the hell they're talking about, but they're convinced that they do. Screw them.

There's no grand "meaning" to this existence, it's just a big role-playing game that NOBODY EVER WINS. Drink up.

To your original question, I'm diagnosed with ASD and I think my reaction to alcohol is relatively normal. I'm a rather lanky guy, and I start to feel a buzz around my third or fourth drink. Over a night of drinking, ten drinks is fairly normal.

A curious thing I've noticed is that I only ever get drunk when I'm around other people. I've been blackout drunk more times than I can remember, but not one of them occurred when I had been drinking by myself (which is decently regularly). I think I do it as a way to stay occupied without really having to converse with people at a party/gathering. Trying to figure a way to quell social anxiety other than drinking, which happens to be something I both enjoy and is considered socially acceptable.

I got my disability cheque two days ago, and the first thing I did with it was go out and buy alcohol. Yay. I've already consumed 4 500ml cans of Strongbow, 8 beers, and roughly 3/4 of a 750ml of 44.9% rum. Feeling kinda sh***y tbh.

Well apparently, with me being an alcoholic, I can hold my liquor. I hate those hangovers, too. They're no fun. So I just drank some more to treat the hangovers. I kept forgetting about them every time I drank. But all I cared about was having fun and getting drunk. I've been sober now for 10 months and 12 days. During my last relapse, my body couldn't even handle the liquor anymore. It's like my body just gave up. So now I guess I'm sensitive to it.

I'm an alcoholic too, with eight years sober. I tend to build up quite a tolerance and the withdrawal from booze and the resulting over-stimulation on top of being autistic and having cPTSD is a nightmare to be avoided. It takes awhile to feel better after quitting, but ultimately you get a natural desire to feel healthy. Your brain chemistry also improves. And there are rewarding activities that can make us feel good and fulfilled that eventually fill the void from alcohol or other addiction. Over time I've learned to read about and expose myself to things that are inspiring and positive because when I'm spiritually down, sick, or tired I tend to look for quick fixes. (An advert on WP just now started talking over my speakers about 'quality vodka and gin' made without grain, lol).

You might be onto something. I can safely say that my own alcohol tolerance is relatively low - I can drink about two beers without getting drunk, but once I start on a third beer, the likelihood of me getting drunk is close to 100%.

Not to mention three shots of Jack Daniel's. That was a mistake I've made sure to never repeat.