A Conversation for Alcohol Abuse

Not that bad

Post 1

Binaryboy

Hello there chaps -

I used to drink too much and be a bit of a bad boy with a beer. I'm not sure if I was an alcoholic or anything but that was definitely the way I was going. I wasn't very happy with the difference between me and an alky being just one of semantics.

Anyway. I just gave up drinking. I had a bet with a friend that I could stop drinking for 3 months. I thought that it would be really bad, not drinking for that period of time. But what really suprised me was, not drinking actually made me feel fantastic. I had bags more energy, concentration, and just generally felt better - like being 10 years younger. There were some bad points, like watching your mates having a glass of wine and thinking, bloody hell I could do with one of those, but a bit of monastic attitude got me through that phase.

At the end of the three months I didn't want to go back to drinking. I haven't touched a drop since, and now I don't even miss it.

So... the point of this entry is, don't think you can't do without a drink. You might really suprise yourself. I know I did. This might not work for everyone, but it is something to bear in mind: that your life won't necessarily fall apart if you stop drinking....


Not that bad

Post 2

Primord

that's a good point---for some people it may be that they are put off stopping because of always only hearing about how HARD it will be for them!
well done!
smiley - choc


Not that bad

Post 3

Researcher 193954

I like the fact that, although you have chosen to give up drinking, you don't hold it against other people who do. It seems like a lot of the people posting messages on these "alcohol-related" conversations are all very "anit-booze." I think you are a very strong person giving up something you liked as much as alcohol, and I have ample respect for you accepting that others do drink, and that that doesn't always constitute an addiction. Bravo!


Not that bad

Post 4

Primord

hmmmm-the reason some of us are against drinking is because we know the damage it does-I drink, but I don't do the things I have seen people do-and as soon as I think I am drinking more than I should I lay off it for a few weeks.
I don't think anyone is just saying "ooh-boozers! burn 'em!"
smiley - laugh


Not that bad

Post 5

shrinkwrapped

smiley - grr I'm annoyed I missed all this, I would have had plenty to contribute! Curse my lack of 'net access at Uni...

I've not managed to read all the other threads yet, but I didn't see many "anti-boozers" postings in the ones I did. While I agree that a tolerant attitude is the right one to have, part of me is wondering why we SHOULDN'T be anti-boozers?

I say this because, especially in Britain and especially for younger people such as myself, not drinking can be seen as some sort of crime against humanity. Almost all of our social cutlture is based on this one drug. Not everyone is addicted, but it seems to me that a lot of people cannot imagine life without it, and have built up a strong reliance on it.

I do not drink. I do not think that people who use alcohol are 'bad' in any way, and I do not generally voice my opinions about why I don't drink when I am socialising - that would certainly ruin the mood! But the fact is I do not feel comfortable with people in general's attitude that just because everyone is doing something, that makes it okay. Alcohol will not solve your problems. Alcohol does not make you more popular or attractive, although you may feel it. Contrary to popular opinion, it is not REQUIRED to have a good time, and personally I think anyone who disagrees must be pretty dull.

I am not expecting this to go down well. I've met h2g2 researchers, I know how they love to drink! And I mean no offence to anyone. But I would like to voice what I really think for once - I DO have reasons for not drinking, although I don't like to spoil the mood at social occasions by voicing them, and not all of them are flattering to those who act as though Alcohol is some sort of wonder


Not that bad

Post 6

shrinkwrapped

...drug. (Hit the post butoon accidentally mid-tirade! Whoops!)

smiley - huh in an attempt to re-cap... er... yes. I'd like to see some anti-boozer comments - it's not as if EVERYONE does like to drink or think it's a great thing to do at every social occasion ever. It's just that the common tide of opinion is against us... and we fear being branded party poopers!


Not that bad

Post 7

Mark the Strange

The drinking culture extends way beyond Uni.
My years in HM Forces taught me that.
Defence would grind to a halt with out booze.
I know, I saw what years of it did to my blood pressure.
Let moderation be the watch word


Not that bad

Post 8

Adrian 222589

That was good to hear you did very well.I believe what you have written in fact I know what you are saying it brings the memory for me. I stopped much the same way in august 1985, and have never looked back at least I can say that I have that will to have that fighting spirit to endure over the bad times.
Adrian


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Post 9

Researcher 228804

Bollox I am a drunk....and i need help


Not that bad

Post 10

zendevil


what a crying shame NOBODY responded to this desperate appeal for help; possibly the one & only time this person plucked up all their courage & admitted they had a problem.

i know full well how difficult that is;the person has now disappeared from hootoo, no doubt went out & got pi**ed once they realised no one appeared to be listening.
smiley - cheerssmiley - wahsmiley - cheerssmiley - wah


Not that bad

Post 11

Heba

Well, it seems it's not that bad at the time (especially when your drunk). But, in the long run it shows.
You loose money, maybe eaven friends... But even, you still drink... What else could you do whit all your freetime?
A very good sign though is, when you can admit you're having this kind of problems...
This is how it's been, at least for me.


Not that bad

Post 12

tartaronne

Hey Heba smiley - smiley

Come and have coffee and a chat at The Great Outdoor bar with fellow Nordic researchers, an English lurker and two dinosaurs.

F95740?thread=200932&latest=1


Not that bad

Post 13

Seenalot

hi.I'd like to bring the focus onto the people around a problem drinker, who bear the brunt of this illness,without the anaesthetic of alcohol and pick up the pieces.
I'm a 50 year old father of 2 young children aged 6 and 7. I discovered 5 and a half years ago,that their mother was drinking over a litre of vodka every day. And this was after we had been living together for a total of 10 years. I thought I knew her.
I knew something was wrong with her behaviour, but had no idea of the cause. I didn't know what alcoholism was, only the image of the park bench drunk. I didn't realise then that all the people in that cliched image ,started off with just one drink. My once beautiful, witty, caring partner hadn't fitted in with that picture for one second.
For 6 more months, I struggled with dealing with the effects of the illness, and where at first I had been getting tired and hurt and baffled by this illness, I became physically and mentally exhausted, and ,from trying to work full time as a production manager, and tending to our kids (as she stopped caring for them). I collapsed totally beaten by trying to battle her illness. At this point I found Al-Anon family groups,(020 7403 0888) for friends and relatives of alcoholics.I started learning about alcoholism, and the role I played in that relationship. I dont exaggerate when I say it saved my life, it is an extraordinary experience living with an alcoholic. My partner left over 3 years ago, and carried on down the gruesome steps of alcoholism. Contact is many months apart, and last time I saw her, she looked ready to die,, still in denial. My children and I still work at the program of recovery, by attending groups, which consist of members who have experienced the (almost unseen , as we were in denial, mirroring the illness in ourselves)awesome damage caused by living around alcoholism . We share our strength hope and experience, learning ways to cope, survive, and even achieve personal growth from the effects of the living with someone tormented by this physical, mental, and spiritual disease.
I have found all the posts to be so interesting, thanks for sharing


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