A Drinking Problem

Garycw · Oct 31, 2014

I had to give it up entirely for health reasons. Or I could have kept it up and died. Decided I'd rather live a while. Started drinking for about 40 years. Sober now for 10 years. Believe me, it's better sober!
It can cause a multitude of problems other than health too. Its a progressive addiction also, needing more & more. There's many ways this can kill you. If needed AA meetings help tremendously, but the sure fire way to quit is to realize you're going to die if you continue. That it most of the time. I've known several people that chose death. You're really much better off to not drink or take drugs if any kind, although if you think you need to get high, or ease some kind of paid, you're better off to grow your own female, High grade pot for personal medicinal purposes. Just don't be messing around machinery if doing so. For the record, I do neither, but see nothing wrong with growing for personal use.
I also don't see any problem with a glass of wine with dinner or a beer if you leave it at that. Drinking a fifth of whisky or a 18 pack of beer by yourself is something else.

JimWalch · Oct 31, 2014

Alcohol: According to Chemistry It's a Solution

orezok · Nov 2, 2014

I'm glad I'm a Drunk not an Alcoholic, I don't have to attend all those **** meetings! :laughing:

tcreeley · Nov 2, 2014

Around here- you see guys walk out with a six pack, and other guys with a 30 pack - just a few beers to relax with - right.
Some drink, some don't. My father started each morning with some wine, added beer in for lunch, and more wine. By dinner the bourbon showed up. When he was in his early 50's his 3rd wife weaned him off the amounts, disinvited the frequent drinking buddies and guests, told him he had to provide a proper example for his two new children (half siblings). He did - turned a new leaf. Come 6 he had his shot of bourbon for the night. He was down to 1 or two beers or a glass wine for the day. He was healthier, became a good father.
My wife's uncle used to pass out on the sidewalk and his kids would cross to the other side of the street in the morning as they walked to school. Uncle Ray, nice man, died in his late 40's. A relief. One of his son's also has a drinking problem.
Today's kids turn to marijuana as much as to drinking. They say the marijuana calms them, no meaness in their bones.
People are people. Easy to moralize.
My fatherinlaw always kept his supply of beer in his car trunk, or in the basement of his house at home- that way no one could monitor him. Miller lite, Harp. He always had a few walking home from work at GE (30 years) at the Irish bar. He is 95 and blind from macular degeneration now. Still gets around - but doesn't drink anymore.

tcreeley · Nov 2, 2014

Orezok - I like that - "Don't let the bastards grind you down." on the avatar!

lilranch2001 · Nov 2, 2014

My belief is that different people have different levels of addictive personalities.

Personally I have done a lot of dumb things earlier in my life, and never had any problem stopping (other than arguing with rs)

but a lot of people in my life get hooked on some really silly or really bad stuff

We should all pray for those addictive personalities!

Bird · Nov 2, 2014

lilranch2001 said:
My belief is that different people have different levels of addictive personalities.

Personally I have done a lot of dumb things earlier in my life, and never had any problem stopping (other than arguing with rs) but a lot of people in my life get hooked on some really silly or really bad stuff

We should all pray for those addictive personalities!

I don't know whether its personality or physical body chemistry, but I do know that some become alcoholics and can't stop drinking while others may drink way too much at times, but have no problem stopping.

tcreeley · Nov 2, 2014

Bird said:
I don't know whether its personality or physical body chemistry, but I do know that some become alcoholics and can't stop drinking while others may drink way too much at times, but have no problem stopping.

I read once that the people who can't hold their liquor early on, learn to regulate their alcohol consumption so as to avoid feeling sick, embarrassing themselves, etc. They quit drinking earlier in the day or at a party.
The people who genetically can hold their liquor early on, keep drinking past when the other guy is puking or passed out or stopped. Life is good for them, but in the process they consume much more alcohol over time, and that changes their body chemistry producing alcoholism at a greater rate than the other guy.

Who knows the truth of it. I have family on my wife's side that have their beers and do just fine, and others who are lucky to hold down a job despite a solid work ethic. That's addiction.
The opiate addiction is the one that we are all starting to see around us. That one scares me - seems to suck them in faster and keep them. Time will tell.

Happy Gilmore · Nov 2, 2014

I am enjoying sobriety, too many ugly memories from my times of over consumption. I simply choose to not want go back to the darkness that alcohol can bring. In a time in my life when so much was going wrong, drinking seemed like a solution to numb the pain. I was always the guy who thought, how bad can things get, how do people end up the way they do or that'll never happen to me. The fact is things can get ugly real quick and out of hand even quicker. If you choose to drink do it responsibly, I just like don't like what I've seen alcohol do. I'm not a preacher.

I just don't want to end up looking like this;

brain55 · Nov 2, 2014

I probably would have continued drinking a few more years if it hadn't been for the meth. That stuff caused me some problems, then again, if I had been capable of normal drinking, I may not have looked for other chemicals to change how I felt. Of course when I addressed the meth problem it was suggested that I not drink or smoke weed either, and I got the opportunity to look at my drinking. Upon further review I realized the problems I created when I drank. I wasn't a daily drinker and I didn't drink that much, the reality was I didn't know when I was going to over do it. Usually it happened at a bad time. The cocaine and meth lost me jobs, the alcohol ended me up in jail more than once. I joke about the coincidence of not going to jail since I quit drinking. That lifestyle seems so foreign to me now. Getting up Thursday, going to bed Sunday, the coming down, the not eating days at a time. I weighed 50 lbs less than I do now and I only weigh 145. Needless to say, I didn't look good.

The bonus is my wife and daughter have never seen me drunk or high.

Brian