One important thing about alcohol is that it is a drug, and drunken people become addicted to it. It is normally the most difficult thing for the addict to admit his dependence. Usually he invents so called alcoholic excuses aimed to protect his boozing and acquit his progressively irrational self and usually other harmful behavior. Symptoms of addiction are the habitual alcoholic excuses that the addict makes to himself and others to prove his harmful habit. There are some alcoholic excuses used to make to fool themselves.
"What’s a problem?"
Thus an alcoholic may indignantly deny that he has a serious problem with alcohol. He doesn't understand what people who criticize his drinking are talking about - and he is genuinely offended at their unfair attacks upon him. In revenge he resents and, of course, drinks more.
"I have to drink for my business."
The addict insists that he will no be successful if forced to "give up" drink. He proves the booze as needed "the cost of doing successful business." Although in fact, his addiction has already begun to deteriorate his work performance and business relations.
"All I want is a little relief!"
The addict believes that the addiction is the only remedy of consolation and security available to him in a cruel world.
"Drinking helps me to overcome shyness".
For people who are too stressed, shy, or nervous, alcohol can seem like assistance to have a good time in a social situation. But there is a big difference between having a drink to relax, and drinking a lot during several hours that you loose control.
"Drinking helps me to decide my problems."
Many people drink too much in order to escape from their lives, forget their troubles, or "drown their sorrows". And they actually forget their troubles, at least for a night. But does forgetting problems make them go away? In fact, alcohol makes things worse, because alcoholism is just one more problem to add.
Frequently exclaiming: "Leave me alone! I'm not hurting anybody but myself!" the addict does not find anything contradictory that he might knowingly be harming himself, regardless of whether he damages anyone else. He does not wish to recognize how his behavior impacts and harms other people.
"Look at yourself! You're not so pure yourself!"
Due to proverb that "the best defense is a good offense" the alcoholic tries to distract attention from himself by "attacking the attacker". The addict is often keen at pointing the vulnerabilities and shortcomings of those who threaten his addiction.
"I can stop any time I want to!"
The addict finally acknowledges he has a significant problem but frankly believes that he can give up any time he makes up his mind. Because he does not yet understand the nature of addiction he supposes that recovery is only a matter of his own power.
"It wasn't my fault!"
The addict attempts to distance from the consequences of his deeds. He bravely defends himself and find who is guilty: the employer who fired him or the officer who arrested him or the wife who divorced him were actuated by dishonest or frankly corrupt motives.
Common stereotyped addictive defenses include the following alcoholic excuses:
- Everybody else is doing it so why shouldn't I?
- I only drink on weekends.
- Now is not good time to stop.
- I only drink a little.
- Nobody is going to tell ME what to do.
Although alcoholic addict believes himself to be free to make his own choice, in fact he is completely under control of his addiction. In such situation alcoholic excuses entail fatal consequences.
