Me, at my depths of addiction, I never went out and partied, it was just me at home with a bottle or two. Now *that's* a bad deal.

In social settings, I wasn't one of the uncontrollable bar-hopping drinkers. In part, this was good in that I never got into fights, did stupid stuff, or tried to drive home from a bar while drunk, but on the other hand, drinking shots at home finally did start to have an effect on health and at work. Bad, very bad.

I could probably handle a glass or two of beer while bowling, or a marguarita, Long Island iced tea, or something else over dinner. But that wasn't what eventually caused problems for me. And at this point, it's actually dangerous to me for me to destroy any more of my liver with even a beer or two.

I've heard arguments that the "total abstinance" program of AA can be detrimental. I can't disagree with that; for many people, the whole-hog AA program is damn stupid. And its religious overtones really turns me off. (No matter what they say, the Higher Power is God, and I don't care what they pretend, they pretty much say "You atheists or agnostics are screwed.")