OCD about being/becoming alcoholic?

Hi All. Ive been lurking around here for a while now months and had the normal ups and downs that everyone else had. Ive had anxiety/ocd for as long as I could think, prob from age 19-33 (im 33 now). Ive been diagnosed by the doc with GAD and OCD (pure o, with the main compulsion being googling everything all the time). I have now latched onto the fear that I am/or will become an alcoholic I was wondering if anyone else had the same fear at some point. I kinda relate it to having a mental illness fear, like the fear you are going schitzo. A little background on this one, I drank like the rest of my college buddies through school and early 20s (not any more or less than the group that involved 2-3 nights a week binging at the bar). Used to also drink 2-3 glasses of wine with dinner and gf a few nights a week for a little while in my mid 20s. About 5 years ago, I was getting married, basically thought that it was time to grow up and get some better habits. Now I drink maybe a glass or 2 of wine at a saturday night dinner with friends and I can only remember getting drunk 2-3 times in last 5 years or so (maybe drinking like 4-5 drinks).


I just wanted to put it out there if anyone else had weird mental fears like this. My anxiety seems to analyze that maybe I drank too much in college and my 20s that I broke my brain into becoming an alcoholic and i am eventually doomed to that fate. I constantly think about it everyday, feeling like there is something wrong with me. I literally notice alcohol everywhere now and tense up and get anxious anytime I see it. It drive me nuts! To be honest, I do like to go out with friends and have a drink or 2 at dinner and socialize (only 3-4 times a month), but the whole topic scares the heck out of me. Wondering if anyone else had this topic or something related. Kinda feel out on an island here. I thought OCD people were not supposed to get pleasure from any focus of their obsessions? does that mean its real?

Also all I do it take alcoholic tests online to prove I'm not and read posts of people that are alcoholics and compare all day long. Drives me Nuts!

Hi, you don't sound like an alcoholic at all, I am an alcoholic, nearly 9 year sober now in AA, I'm ocd too (kinda goes hand in hand). My boyfriend has ocd, different from mine. I empathize with your fear but thought I might suggest sitting in on a few AA meetings as the 12 step program works on everything to help restore us to good mental health, especially ocd, you would perhaps be surprused at what good the 12 steos can do with anything, and folks in AA are kind and supportive to everyone, my life has completely changed for the better, and alcohol really wasn't my problem just a symptom of deeper emotional problems. Maybe take it as a weird sign from a higher power that you should check it besides it would help dispell those fears. Best of luck to you!! : )

-- Sun Apr 06, 2014 4:32 am --

Hi, you don't sound like an alcoholic at all, I am an alcoholic, nearly 9 year sober now in AA, I'm ocd too (kinda goes hand in hand). My boyfriend has ocd, different from mine. I empathize with your fear but thought I might suggest sitting in on a few AA meetings as the 12 step program works on everything to help restore us to good mental health, especially ocd, you would perhaps be surprused at what good the 12 steos can do with anything, and folks in AA are kind and supportive to everyone, my life has completely changed for the better, and alcohol really wasn't my problem just a symptom of deeper emotional problems. Maybe take it as a weird sign from a higher power that you should check it besides it would help dispell those fears. Best of luck to you!! : )

Hi, I know this is an old post, but I found this while compulsively googling (haha) whether anybody else had this obsession. Worrying I am an alcoholic is driving me crazy. I am diagnosed with OCD but spend some of my time convinced I don't have OCD at all, and I'm just an alcoholic. I enjoy drinking a lot, I especially use it to relax with friends and with my partner, but I have never blacked out or felt out of control. I'm also a psych major so I know the signs of a substance use disorder basically by heart and go over them all the time mentally... ("I want a drink, but is that craving?" "I drank 2 drinks instead of 1, does that mean I'm out of control?") I want to get rid of all my alcohol and never drink again just to prove I am in control. My OCD therapist has told me the ideal would be for me to drink a glass of wine while telling myself "I can't know whether or not I am an alcoholic" because uncertainty is what I am afraid of... Did you ever get over this obsession? I feel like it's taking over my brain.