If you’re blacking out twice a month, and it’s becoming more frequent, drunk driving is only one aspect of a much bigger problem. If you are serious about addressing the core issue you’ll need to look at ways to stop drinking. There are many alternatives to AA, all with various strengths and weaknesses, and you’ll have to do so work to find what works for you. It’s unfortunate that you’re doctors aren’t much help, but I think pain management and alcohol addiction are different enough that you might get a better response.
Good luck, it’s going to be a difficult time, but wanting to change is a great first step.
Some people do not metabolize alcohol well. In medical school they claimed this was true of some people of Asian descent, but it applies to lots of others.
Alcohol metabolism follows zero-order pharmacokinetics. Unlike most drugs, you metabolize it in a linear way, so much per hour per unit of body weight. Most adult males, of sufficient size, who metabolize normally can work through about one drink an hour. One drink of normal strength is about one bottle (12 Oz) beer, 5 Oz of wine or 1-1.5 Oz of spirits.
Drinking and driving is dangerous, and socially unacceptable. Legal consequences are severe in most places, and any accident becomes harder to defend.
Best bet is to limit oneself to a few drinks and wait as many hours as alcoholic drinks drink before driving; finish the night drinking drinks without alcohol. If in doubt make alternate driving arrangements.
Though this works without technology, it does not really address the question posed. Sorry.
However, the solution may be not to mix alcohol and driving. Talk to your doctor about ways to cut down; the web has much advice on the topic too.
I’ve had other work done on my car by a guy who also installs/services them, the vast majority for those who are court mandated to have them. Because of all the costs involved, including for him to regularly ‘service’ it he believes they are a money making scam by the court system. However, he has told me that the costs go waaay down if you voluntarily install one rather than having it court-mandated as there’s both less servicing & lesser costs (the courts get something like ¾ of the fees the user pays, not him).
I’m wondering, since the majority of their customers are required users rather than voluntary if that’s the pricing that you’re seeing. I’d suggest speaking to an installer/maintainer rather than just look up ‘rack rates’ on the company’s website or costs posted by your court system if you haven’t already do so. It may be less expensive than you’re led to believe.
I don’t suppose there’s any way to change your primary care provider? Folks might have more specific ideas if you’re willing to share where you live, what you have for insurance, and how much you’re willing and able to pay out of pocket.
It’s not about the cost for my Dr. I’m on Blue Shield. They send me a list of approved Drs that I’m required to stick to. I live on the coast of Ca, mid-state. Not a lot going on here. I think there only about 4or 5 approved Drs in my area.
For some reason there is a bugaboo against prescribing naltrexone to people taking oxy. You would think they would want you to be on it. Go figure.
My Dr in my last town prescribed oxy and naltrexone, she seemed to think it was a good idea. But even the the pharmacy resisted filling it. They had to call my Dr every time and make sure she was ok with it.
As I stated above, in all caps, this is not court mandated.
Not necessarily, our capitalist system also works if you can build better and cheaper mousetrap. The system you are talking about is oppressive and corrupt.
This whole paragraph is ignorant to the point of being offensive.
I am not trying the same thing over and over. I stated that AA wasn’t working and asked for other suggestions.
Again, you don’t know me and that is wrong and offensive. Installing a device that prevents me from potentially killing someone is not a bandaid. I have sought medical help. It’s clear you know nothing about addiction. If it was as easy as you seem to think it is, it wouldn’t be such a major health issue in this country. Take your moral high-ground somewhere else please.
I think the point was that since nearly all breathalyzers are court mandated that’s what the market provides. The market for voluntary breathalyzers is so small that no one offers models for those uses. At least that seems to be the case, is there a market for voluntary interlocks?
Well, it’s prominent in the ads locally. In any event it’s just one more thing I can do to help myself.
It doesn’t make sense to voluntarily install a device that I have to pay for monthly only to try to defeat it. People who try to defeat IIDs (and there are tons of YouTube videos on how to do this) actually don’t wasn’t to stop. I do. This could be just one more building block in that process.
But I take your point. However, for voluntary, it should be easy to make a more cost effective device. And to my point about it being a corrupt industry, here’s an example:
Intoxalock, one of the main companies, ran an add that I am holding in my hand. It reads, “Intoxalock offers low pricing for voluntary devices for only $49 a month”.
However when I called, I was informed it was $37.50 every two weeks. Plus $35 install and $75 every time it failed for whatever reason. It was explained to me that, oops, marketing made a mistake.
Do you generally drink to excess when you drink at all? If so, then before that first drink, while you are still sober and logical, make sure you do not have your keys or access to your car?
Back in my bar go’n days, I took a taxi too the bar, that way I would have no choice but to take a taxi home when I was drunk. Then Uber became a thing and it was even cheaper.
It’s not a hard habit to get in to. Even for an alcoholic. (Which I am)
Also, an added benefit is you can enjoy yourself more at the bar bc you’re not thinking about that dreaded ride home and getting pulled over by the po-po.
I’d like to suggest that you visit https://www.reddit.com/r/stopdrinking/. It’s a very accepting community that includes people who have used a wide variety of methods to help with alcohol problems. If you let them know your particular situation, they will recommend approaches that might work for you. Plenty of people there won’t do AA because of the higher power issue. They can also recommend some great books, podcasts, etc. to help.
Can you try again to consult a psychiatrist who treats substance use disorders? I’m sorry the first doctor(s) wasn’t genuinely helpful. Sound like they ought to get into another line of work, like dermatology where us imperfect great unwashed don’t show up.
One of my kids is a shrink. He would love it if you showed up and asked for medication or other treatment. And there are mainly helpful, evidence based treatments for substance use disorders that a psychiatrist can offer. AA has little evidence base behind it in the scientific sense, he doesn’t push AA or NA. A young doc, relatively fresh out of training is more likely to have good treatments in their toolbox, go for young.
I wish you nothing but the best Lucas_Jackson. You want to change and although I don’t know much about alcoholism, I have to believe that people who want to change do better than people who don’t.
I have a very good friend who is an alcoholic. At one point, he was at risk of losing his law license and he also did not want to go to AA because he didn’t believe in a higher power. There are other people out there in your situation. My friend ultimately started working with a counselor who was not a 12-stepper and they tried various behavior modifications. He did get his drinking under control for a long time and improved the quality of his life. He has hit a rough patch recently but he’s back to work on his alcohol issues and I have hope for him.
One thing he did to reduce the risk of subsequent arrest was to stop driving almost altogether. He went almost everywhere, rain, shine, or snow, on a bike. I don’t know if that would help you. Best wishes.
Be of good cheer. Keep on doing what you are doing and sooner or later it will be court mandated and your problem is solved.
Snarky sarcasm aside, the suggestion of taxis or Uber is probably your best option, but the issue of drinking to the point of blackout will be an issue because I suspect that one evening you will be so drunk that the driver will just say “Nope”. So perhaps the solution is moderation, rather than getting blind drunk twice a month, could you get somewhat drunk several times a week, but not to the point where a driver refuses to drive you home? Believe me, I know how one drink leads to another and then another until you won’t stop. So the behavioral change you might need to make isn’t going completely sober, which is what a 12 step type program is designed for, but just to stop getting completely shit faced when you do drink. But you have to make some choices and own your own behavior and not blame it on the bullshit DNA excuse. How you do that is the hard part, and I hope you can figure it out.
Are you able to just drink at home or are you a guy that has to be out where the “party” is? Because that seems like it solves (part) of your problem. Get your booze from the liquor store and then give the keys to your wife before you start drinking.
Take a cab/Uber.
Drink at home.
Have a designated driver set up.
I’ve been a drunk my entire adult life. It’s never tripped me up. Just assume that anytime you drink you’re going to blow your brains out on it and have something set up before you take your first sip of the night.
Sounds simplex but when you fall into the habit of doing it this way it will keep you out of trouble.
Another option might be to stop going to bars that willingly continue to serve you when it’s clear that you’ve had too much. Around here there are brewpubs that have a 3 or 4 beer limit. Maybe changing where you drink might help, maybe talking to the bartender about when to cut you off when you order your first drink. A place that serves you until you are blacking out really isn’t helping you. Seems simple, but having servers who keep an eye on their customers from getting too drunk may be helpful.
I respect @Lucas_Jackson for acknowledging the problem, and trying to find solutions. Saying that, what might be for the best is to not try and find one solution, but to find several that work in conjunction. Sometimes trying to find the perfect option distracts you from trying several partial fixes that work or at least give you time to find a better one.
So, as an example, you could start with @Dag_Otto 's excellent suggestion to have the bartender or server cut you off at a specific point when you enter such an establishment if the social aspect is the key option for drinking. You can also have a ‘buddy’ who you trust to keep you honest, they don’t have to be a designated driver, they just have to be there to take the keys from you and send you home with an uber/taxi/etc if that’s what it takes. And if drinking to blackout is a goal (your life not mine) you can make that your ‘drink at home’ night.
While I’m not much of a drinker, I had a former friend (they’re gone down the Qanon hole and cut off anyone who wouldn’t go with) who liked to drink and knew they couldn’t stop once they started. So they went with ‘cheat days’ lifted from various diet programs. They were cold turkey 28 days a month - but bi-weekly they planned ahead and binged on those 2 specific days. Since they knew they were coming, they found it was easier to stay on-plan as it were the rest of the time. And since it was scheduled in advance, they had an easier time arranging for transportation.