Alcoholism: What is it to you?

[InfiniteNow]

I've been thinking about this term recently for many reasons. As I have attempted to better understand it, I realize that my own experience is somewhat limited. My question is pretty much stated in the subject.

 

Alcoholism. What is it to you?

 

 

Maybe viewing the term through the eyes of another will help me to fill in the gaps of my own understanding.

[HydrogenBond]

I read a bumper sticker that summed it up. It said I am not an alcoholic. I am a drunk. Alcoholics go to meetings. It seems to apply someone who thinks they have a drinking problem and is trying to do something about it. If one does not think they have a problem they are not an alcoholic. They may or may not be a drunk, since social standards do not apply to everyone.

[Guest chendoh]

I read a bumper sticker that summed it up. It said I am not an alcoholic. I am a drunk.

In denial

Alcoholics go to meetings. It seems to apply someone who thinks they have a drinking problem and is trying to do something about it.

In denial, and trying to cope.

If one does not think they have a problem they are not an alcoholic.

Definitely in denial

They may or may not be a drunk, since social standards do not apply to everyone.

Social Standards are in denial.

Alcoholism. What is it to you?

C2H6O is classed as a drug, and as such, can be abused.

 

If one can keep it to a couple of drinks, fine. But many can not.

If you even have one drink, don't drive.

 

Here in Pa. it's .08, at 160lbs., 4 12oz cans of beer, 20ozs. of wine, and 4 shots of whiskey can put you there in one hour....

 

Let's say, your sitting at an on ramp, after havin' a few at the local waterin' hole. The guy comes up behind you and creams ya'.

Your at fault, beause, you were not, to be there, in that condition, in the first place.

NO IFS.....NO ANDS......NO BUTS......

 

My situation was a little different, I had 5 beers in 4 hours. The officer came up to our group, smelled the beer, and since I had the keys in my pocket, I and a few others got arrested for DUI...Legaly, I had control of my vehicle, Yes, that's the LAW.:rolleyes:

 

If this sounds like the voice of experience, It is, I just finished my first time offender's ARD course, and I'm 54, started drinking at the age of 14.

Had two spans totaling 23 years that I didn't drink, Am I an alcoholic?, maybe, maybe not. I would have to say yes. When I got caught, (sounds like denial) I was drinking two cases a month, I was probaly a legaly walking drunk.

I will not deny it, but I know I have trouble, when I drink more than a six pack, at one setting. Blackouts?....No, but ya' wanna' talk about sloppy?

 

'All I wanted to do is take the edge off'.....Pretty soon, there's no edge to plane. people tend to forget and make excuses to defend drinking.

Sound familiar?

 

And ya' know? in a way I'm glad I got caught, Humans, sometime need to get wacked to knock some sense into them. I know I do.

Thank God, I had the support, of friends and family

 

Just call me Happy, and recovering! :) Been, 7 months now. have had urges to have a beer, not because I need one, because I want one.

Can't say that I won't fall off, but ya' just have to get right back up, dust your self off, and get back into the game, okay?

 

Well.....I've givin' ya' enough to chew on for now, Let me grab my soapbox...

I think I'll move on down to the park................

[infamous]

 

Alcoholism. What is it to you?

 

 

Just one of many ways to shorten one's life span and cause much grief for those loved ones suffering the loss.......................Infy

[Queso]

man some people just don't like to be sober.

after a while, it gets severely boring for us.

And alcohol is cheap and legal.

 

We should legalize absinthe and replace alcohol with it.

Not only will our people be more creative,

but they'll value their insanity with sanity

and life would be a lot crazier.

[Queso]

let me rephrase myself,

some people don't like to be sober ALL the time.

 

and yeah i guess addicts hate sobriety all together.

[Racoon]

I'll throw my two bits here for IN's "further understanding" ;)

 

Alcohol is a much Larger drug problem than anyother (w/ the exception of cigarettes perhaps)

But I'm sure ya' all knew that already.

Nearly half of all crime and domestic abuse issues results directly or indirectly to Booze.

 

Alcoholism IS a genetic malfunction to the degree that those with it, or a Family history of it, Place the booze above normal sociological function.

Its a bit like obsessive-compulsive disorder...

 

I think there are several degrees of Alcoholism. You have "functional" alkies, that seem to pay the bills, and make production quotas at work...

to the completely rampant alcoholics you see on the streets- homeless w/o anything but the next bottle.

(one of which Is a friend of mine, a tramp I befriended - see Do You Help The Homeless? thread)

 

There are Angry drunks, and there are Friendly drunks.

Angry Drunks give drinking a bad name many times...

 

While many College-age kids Drink too much on occasion - myself included before - It seems to be a drug of "social lubrication"

 

The test I heard to see if someone IS an alcoholic is this: They cannot leave a room or area with an unopened bottle laying around.

 

AND about 90-95% of ALL alcoholics smoke cigarettes! :)

 

More reasons why Psychology should be studied by all.

 

hope that helps some IN! :rolleyes:

[Racoon]

Oops,

I forgot to add a few things from anecdotal experience:

 

I think Culture has a big thing to do with it as well.

By denying drinking until 21 here in US, and "stygmatizing" it to various degrees - I think exacerbates the problem.

 

I never touched a Drop in high-school! I had 1 Busch-light due to tremendous peer pressure. I was all about lifting weights and academics...

My friends couldn't push me at all...(except that once, just for experience purposes)

 

But when I went to Venezuela, that changed... First day there was "Here - you drink this!" :rain: :beer: :girl_hug:

 

There is No age you Cannot buy booze down there, or most other Latin countries for that matter.

And as I learned from my European counterparts - the drinking age is around 15 or so - as teenagers "learn" to enjoy a glass of wine or two with meals and friends...

 

I think that by "condemning" use until 21 sets up larger long term problems - One being that by restricting use and availability - ONLY encourages rebelious teens to want to drink more!!

 

Make it legal at 18 for Gods sake! If you can get Drafted and Killed at that age - me thinks you can handle a few beers!

 

Its a by-product of a Puritanical roots system established long ago that needs to be Updated!

 

OK, enough soap box talk...

Thanks for listening! :)

[InfiniteNow]

Good points all. It's funny, last night I was thinking I would bump this due to lack of response. :)

 

 

I was beginning to wonder if maybe people 1) run from the idea that they may be, 2) do not understand it in anything more than a few sound bites, 3) don't care, or 4) maybe this thread just got missed in the lieu of other really cool issues being discussed on Hypo. :confused:

[Guest chendoh]

IN, have read response, but can't stay, will reply near 6pm est..........

i'm late, i'm late, i'm late for a very important date................

[Guest chendoh]

Good points all. It's funny, last night I was thinking I would bump this due to lack of response. :)

 

 

I was beginning to wonder if maybe people 1) run from the idea that they may be,

Denial, It's scary to know you are vulnerable, a touch or a ton of embarrassment, a sensation of not only letting yourself down, but others to.

2) do not understand it in anything more than a few sound bites

and they won't unless their forced to. YOU, broke the law,that was set to maintain order.

We all admire Hammarabi don't we?

Are you going to be big enough to admit YOU made a mistake. 'don't do the crime, if you won't do the time'

3) don't care, or

Denial,again, self explanatory

4) maybe this thread just got missed in the lieu of other really cool issues being discussed on Hypo. :cup:

....nahhh :shrug:

[Celeste]

 

Alcoholism. What is it to you?

 

 

Though I used to drink quite often, I seldom drink anymore. Mainly because I've seen and experienced the effects first hand....Lots of alcoholism in my big family.

 

What alcoholism is to me:

 

1. It's not wanting to drink, it's needing to drink, to cope or take the edge off or simply to function.

2. Having body shakes by noon without it.

3. Lying about it; ie, drinking an 18 pack of Bud every night, but telling others it was only a 6-pack.

4. Frequent blackouts

5. Hiding bottles everywhere...in the tool box, toilet shed, back of the closet, garage, inside of old work boots, etc.

6. Denial

[InfiniteNow]

Thanks, but what's a "toilet shed?" Sounds a bit like an outhouse? ;)

[Celeste]

InfiniteNow

Thanks, but what's a "toilet shed?" Sounds a bit like an outhouse?

 

:cup: I didn't know what it was called .... my ex hid a bottle of Jack in the back part of it ...where the fresh water is...the toilet tank?

I guess I should brush up on my plumbing (or lack of) skills. :confused:

[Guest chendoh]

Only other I can think of; in the tank behind the bowl......

During the flood of '72 when agnes came through, the city wisely advised to toss all consumables.

 

People gathered up the full; beer and whiskey bottles cleaned 'em off and drank 'em.

[Guest chendoh]

...where the fresh water is...the toilet tank?

:cup:

As it enters the tank it's fresh, but once there it becomes contamiated.

Local codes now require back flow preventers on service lines.

Didn't have them back in '72

[Celeste]

Originally Posted by Chendoh

People gathered up the full; beer and whiskey bottles cleaned 'em off and drank 'em.

 

I take it that your saying the beer and whiskey bottles were being stored in the tank behind the bowl? When I first discovered my ex's bottle, I was really naive...it appears now that it's a favorite hiding spot for more then I had imagined. Later, my ex explained it was the added "coldness" of the water, and the placement of the bottle, allowing him to sneak a swig or two at his leisure. He was a "on the rocks" kind of guy.

 

As it enters the tank it's fresh, but once there it becomes contamiated.

 

Eww..clean or contaminated, I just couldn't bring myself to drink anything that came out of a "toilet tank". :cup: