Do I need Alcoholics Anonymous?

[Jonathan]

I was engaged to a girl at 20 years old. We lived together since we were 18 for a few years, moving out of state away from family. Times got bad and we used alcohol as self medication every day, binge drinking. It helped us by numbing the bad, and escaping our problems. Time moved on and we eventually broke up. Since then, I can't get my mind off her. It's been a year, fourth months, and two weeks. I've been getting drunk in my room about 4-5 days a week. Though, it's as it was before, for an escape. A few months in this break-up period, I had no addiction to alcohol, no wanting of it because I met someone else and for a time and it made me forget about her. This was only denial and a quick fix, but what I'm trying to get at is I did not need the substance when I was in a happier state. I work as a composer for media, and work from home. Because of this, I do not have any friends, and stay home day in and day out working. No real way to go out and meet people as I live in a new city and my job does not permit me to be around people (once again, I work from home). I get into deep depression and drink to, well, as cliche as this may be, drink my pain away. I do know for a fact that if I'm happy, and in a good place, no addiction is present. It is only escape because I lost her, and I am alone in terms of friendship. The former is the majority by far.

Sorry for the paragraph of self-serving depression. I don't mean to try to attract sympathy. All I'm wondering is, considering my situation, do I need AA? I feel I need alcohol every night I'm in this room alone, though when I used to have friends and a somewhat healthy lifestyle, it was not like the problem I have now. Though, in my profession, there's not many ways to get a social life, living in a new city. Kind of a catch 22.

Thanks everyone

[dWali]

There is no doubt in my mind that you are an alcoholic and that AA will be of benefit to you.

AA is not only for people who drink 24/7.

Only you can decide whether you should go.

[2teachU Islam]

We say if you can go without drinking for a year you are most likely not.

You can try some control drinking. Go to the bar or by yourself plan on having only one or two. If you can't do that you may be an alcoholic.

However there is hope. You can go to AA. It will not hurt you even if you are not an alcoholic. Twelve step programs are a spiritual way of life that can benefit anyone. This is why you see so many 12 step program's like NA and food Anonymous.

Check a meeting out.

[Stinky]

Your gunna drink yourself to death kid- I had the same problem. AA helped me, especially for the first few months. I wake up in the morning and I'm not dizzy and sick and I don't have to worry about embarassing myself at bars late at night.
Go to an AA meeting what have you got to loose?

[mammothvolcano594]

If you can stop drinking without cravings or suffering from withdrawal symptoms then you are not a full-blown alcoholic, at least not yet.
There are drinkers who are described, as you said, as binge or problem drinkers.
And also, as you say, you are self-medicating and it sounds as if you are habituating this problem.
Answer: You may not need AA, but you certainly need counseling or therapy before you become an alcoholic IF you cannot stop / control your drinking of your own accord and will power.

[TyB]

AA is a perfect solution. Not only are they for helping you stay away from alcohol so that it doesn't become an issue, but they also will help you deal with you depression and its reasons, but you will also meet lots of people and develop friendships.
They assign someone to you make sure you don't go off the wagon, which is one connection, but if you get a friendly enough sponsor, you will get to know the ins and out of your new city.
The quickest way to beat your depression is to not focus on yourself but to help someone else. This will also give you that opportunity. Needed people have no time to be depressed.