I cant handle my drinking

I understand, I think. Assuming you want to tackle this on your own without support groups or shrinks, probably the only effective way to deal with it is to not kid yourself about having self control problems - KNOW that you'll not want to stop once you've had that first couple of drinks and handle that by either a)not having those drinks at all, or b)making sure that you're only drinking in a very safe situation, with people you trust and that won't encourage you to be irresponsible. It's all a matter of degree - the worse the end results of your drinking are (including the effect on your self esteem) the more you'll need to go with the first option.

Why do you drink?

Is it because you like the social aspect, and booze makes you funnier/more relaxed/nice to be around?

Or are you drinking to mask the fact you are unhappy about things? (if so, what things?)

for some people, quitting entirely is the only thing that works. there are lots of people who have done it and every one of them will tell you it's the best thing they've ever done. and a lot of them would love to help you out. you have no idea. write me!

I second what dan said. This is mostly an issue of practicality. The kind of hard drinking you are doing now will ruin your health and ruin your life and probably do so rather rapidly. As CJ hinted, if you are unhappy enough that can undermine your desire to turn away from this course. Plenty of people have committed slow suicide that way, rather than choose the faster method.

If you aren't suffering in that way and drinking to oblierate your pain, then you just need to take the bull by the horns and find a way to change. Odds are very high that means a drastic change in your drinking habits - most likely quitting altogether. Your body just isn't built for that much abuse.

Good luck. It's not the easiest thing to control, as you no doubt are discovering.

Dan OTM. If one leads to another leads to another - then the only real solution is just not doing it at all.

It sounds lik you're a binge-drinker (vs. someone who has to have a drink every day). It's not as difficult as it might seem. If you can resist that urge to have the first drink, you're most of the way there. If you can keep resisting the urge over a period of weeks, it just becomes habit. Take the energy and money you focus into drinking and do something else with it.

I'm at a pub now making this post now. I didnt even want to go out, but then I was the first to suggest that we go to a late bar. I dont think its a case of drinking to ease the pain (although I do have "issues" i guess). I just get wrapped into the buzz and go on instinct and then go and over-egg the pudding so to speak. I'm definitely a binge drinker although I do go for an odd pint on weekdays. It's just that drinking is a big part of my life and yeah I like drinking for the social aspects (more confidence, good fun) but then I get on my Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde buzz. I've had my family on to me before about it before for drinking. Friends on the other hand when I say I need to quit, they just say I need to pace myself. Anyway, thanks for the advice.

there's also the advice that magazines give about how to slow the onset of drunken-ness, and therefore hopefully minimize the icky stuff happening while drunk like eating a big meal before going out and making sure you're drinking water/soft drinks as well as beer, ideally alternating one beer with one soft drink. that way you could still go out with your friends but maybe not get quite so drunk.

although if other people/you think you might have a problem that is bigger than that, certainly take the advice above. they seem to know what they're talking about.