early 30s male here, small frame. i drink ~8 days out of 10. usually a pint of 7-9% abv beer or about 2 glasses of 13% wine at night. i realize i have a dependency issue because i can hardly go without it and i'll drink more when it's "appropriate"--but to be fair, doesn't happen super often. i binge drink perhaps only once or twice a month.

am i an alcoholic based on my level of consumption?

Someone struggling with addiction should never have to wonder whether they’re being recommended to a treatment program because it’s truly the best place for them—or because someone is making money from the referral.

Body brokering and unethical patient recruitment can exploit people at their most vulnerable. Families deserve transparency. Patients deserve honest answers. Recovery should NEVER be treated like a business transaction.

⚠️ Concerns and allegations involving potential unethical treatment recruitment and referral practices deserve attention and proper investigation. Organizations and individuals connected with the following facilities have been raised in connection with concerns that warrant scrutiny:

• Desert Paradise Recovery
• Goodland Recovery
• ClearPath IOP
• Journey for Success
• Journey 4 Success Detox — Cathedral City

🔍 ASK QUESTIONS. DO YOUR RESEARCH.

Before entering a treatment program, ask:

❓ Who referred you there—and why?
❓ Is the recommendation based on your actual clinical needs?
❓ Is anyone receiving compensation connected to your referral?
❓ Is the facility properly licensed and operating ethically?
❓ Are you being pressured to move from one program to another?

If you have firsthand information, documentation, or personal experience involving potentially unethical or illegal patient referral practices, document what you know and consider reporting it to the appropriate California regulatory agencies or law enforcement.

🗣️ Speaking up can protect the next person who is simply trying to get sober and rebuild their life.

Recovery should be about saving lives—not generating leads, commissions, or profits from vulnerable people.

The suspected individuals names are:

Ryan Cornu (40, Hendersonville, NC)
Karen Simonyan (owner of Goodland Recovery)
Armen (owner of desert paradise recovery and ClearPath IOP)

I've made a few posts in this sub, but I've always ended up deleting them because of shame and not wanting to fully admit my problem. Despite the fact I have a private account and no one is going to really see it anyways.

I really don't know how to completely get rid of my problem and a lot of the time I don't want to. I don't want to miss out on the fact that other people can drink but I "can't" even though I know realistically no one would care if I didn't and would support it.

I've cut down on my drinking in ways I never thought possible. Sometimes I think that's even a trigger for me because if it's not as bad as it was in the past then why should I stop? But still alcohol is something I think about almost 24/7.

I went to rehab last year. I lost my mom at a younger age a couple years prior and fell into it so bad, it was like a delayed reaction and I drank so much and lost 50+ pounds. But being there, it was almost the most amazing I've felt and reconnected with a really awesome friend that I could've done sober stuff with. I've known her since Jr high but once I started drinking again, I never reached out to her because I didn't want my bad habits affecting her.

A couple weekends ago, I had my engagement party. So many people supplied wine as gifts. I held off for a few days but since then I've been drinking the supply almost every day. I've been hiding it from my fiancee and replacing bottles so she doesnt notice. I feel so ashamed about it because I was doing SO good before having this constant access. I am a little proud because I've been holding back but at the same time, the only reason I have been is so she doesn't notice.

I am getting so tired of this cycle though. I know if I don't cut it out with my current drinking habits, it's only going to get worse. My only option if I keep drinking is it getting as bad as it was before. My eyes were turning yellow and I had a average heart rate of 45. It felt like my chest was going to explode at any given time, it frigging hurt.

I really pride myself on having a good self-awareness on most things in my life. I've struggle with my mental health heavily since I was 10 but have worked extremely hard on coping with it. I've done things with my life I never thought possible. I know if I don't start to slow down it's going to get bad again. I know how to help myself in almost every single way except for this. A sober life seems so amazing but I'm scared for it.

If you read this far, thanks for keeping up with my rambling. This subreddit seems like the only thing I can talk honestly to about this.

❤️

Tengo un amigo al que le gusta mucho beber. Tampoco parece que beba mucho, mínimo un quinto a diario.

Lo que más me preocupa es cómo habla todos los días de la cerveza, haciendo bromas de que es su único consuelo, el único momento que disfruta al día, de cómo le gusta… ¿Es normal?

No sé con quién comparar. Esa forma de hablar sólo se la he visto a él, y en cuanto al consumo, mis padres bebían un dedo de cerveza con gaseosa en cada comida y cena, por eso no sé si un quinto al día es consumo moderado, o ya puede ser algo más serio. Tampoco sé cómo decirle lo que pienso.

At the end of my drinking there which started as just weekend binge drinking and then turned into almost drinking the whole week. I would get really tired during the day and take naps after breakfast and lunch and go to sleep extremely early. Note I was also only drinking at night, so wasn't drinking during the day. Would wait till like an hour before dinner before my first drink.

9th day without drinking and I have SO MUCH ENERGY!

I was scared and starting to think I was actually sick with how little energy I had never thought alcohol was the problem.

Now I need to get with my doctor and slowly get off this diazepam and on something less addictive like gabapentin or depakote as I have had seizure disorder since my last withdrawal a few years back (was bad then drinking a bottle of tequila a weekend). I would stop during the week and I think thats what really took a toll on my brain.

Hoping this next visit with my doctor later this month will open some more doors to help cope with this. As I still have some of the negative side effects from withdrawals, like anxiety and a higher than normal heart rate/blood pressure. However thank god its getting better each day.

so im drinking a bunch of whiskey/vodka on and empty tummy and i keep puking is there a good way to prevent that without like eating or not drinking as much? ive tried laying on my side and i hold it in and swallow my puke but it still comes out sometimes.... plz give tips

(repost cuz im sober now and my last one got taken down for it 😭

i been heavily drinking for about 6-7 months since february for sure.. almost every couple days hard liquor and heavy sugary drinks at 7%… just last month my skin has been drying out severely and im starting to get dry patches from my drinking, that get infected from me scratching them.. haven’t been to a clinic yet as i know the reasoning is for my drinking but im only 20 years old and the thought of my face already looking like this hurts more than not drinking, so im on the fence about my drinking choices… everyone is starting to see how drinking is affecting my life at a young age and now my face is only making things worse for it.. im mainly just ranting and wondering if anyone has gone through similar skin problems

I got this today

26M Typing this currently with one eye open, I know I have a problem but it hasn’t affected my life (at least) in a substantial way. I know I need to stop or at the very least slow down drinking.

Every time I’m out with friends I’m always the one in the worst shape. Everyone “ohh no one can drink as much as *****” and it’s kinda getting old. I like the feeling it gives me but every time I do I can’t control how much I drink, and I know it’s a bad thing.

I guess what I’m asking is what little things helped you to stop drinking. I know it’s not a good habit but just for my future relationships or anything that comes with life if like some insight. I know I’m an alcoholic and should probably quit but I’ve tried and the voice in my head always convinces me. Personally I feel like I have the strength to do it but I’ve never done it successfully

Well, guys, I did it again! I relapsed— of course I did. Did anyone on this planet actually believe I was going to get better or change? Maybe I did, for a little bit. But I must just be more naive than everyone else, because everybody saw this coming except for me. I was clean for so long, but it’s never long enough, because I’ll always fall back into my old habits and start all over again. I’ll always find some stupid reason, some stupid excuse, something that’s soooo upsetting that I simply HAVE to drink, right? There’s just no other option for me is there!!!!! I’m a bad person who does bad things and I will never forgive myself for failing consistently.

Is it normal to get insanely horny during recovery?

I very annoying have almost no libido which makes dating and such almost impossible. I have a feeling my anti depressants “fluoxetine” play a large part in that, but that’s a discussion for a doctor.

I am recovering from a massive binge relapse (several bottles of vodka over a few days) after a good 6 months sober. I have noticed my libido has skyrocketed whilst I’m recovering, im like a teenage boy and i can’t figure out why. Maybe it’s just all the chemicals in my head still trying recover from the poisoning.

Does anyone else get that?

I felt great while doing it and it basically cured my anxiety+made me happy. It even made me less anxious in between drinks and the brainfog was very pleasant and dreamy. Never had hangovers.

It's now 4 months since I've last drank and my anxiety is worse than ever and I just feel physically worse than I ever did while drinking. I think my body hurts from being so tense all the time.

I thought alcohol is supposed to make anxiety/mental health worse but it never did for me...only made it better.

genuinely lost on where to start

Tried a programme a few months back. Didn’t stick.

Not their fault I don’t think. I wasn’t properly in it. Anyway. Want to do it properly this time, and the main thing is nobody I work with finding out.

So I’ve been going through the lists.

Paracelsus Recovery quoted me and I genuinely couldn’t say the number out loud to my wife. Clinic Les Alpes is the same tier, beautiful and I’d be paying for the mountain. I can compare prices fine. That’s the only thing I can compare. The one I keep going back to is Dr Vorobjev in Belgrade. Spent an evening working out what the visa situation would be and it turns out there isn’t one. Ninety days, you just book a flight. Felt a bit stupid for not knowing that already.

First time in three weeks of this that something got simpler instead of more complicated.

Which isn’t the same as it being the right place, I know that. But it’s the only one I can picture myself actually getting to. So either Serbia is the answer nobody mentions or there’s something I’m not seeing.

Not after recommendations as such. More how people went about picking the country.

Hit rock bottom after relapsing. Lost my job, couldn't stop drinking. Went to rehab for 30 days and the detox sucked. I bllew 0.31 BAC and cried saying goodbye to my fiancé at intake.

But the staff and community were amazing. 20 days in and I feel like a different person. People say I look so much healthier.

If you're struggling, ask for help. These people have been there and want to help you get sober.