What constitutes Alcoholism?
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Some of the end stage alcoholics I've treated are indeed very thin and malnourished, but not all.
I think my main comment is that many are in the earlier stages where they could do something about it but don't realise how dangerous their level of drinking potentially is to them as many consider alcoholism as normal and like smoking rationalise their intake as not being harmful because Mrs Biggins lived until 96 but had a packet of **** or a bottle of vodka a day.
I think my main comment is that many are in the earlier stages where they could do something about it but don't realise how dangerous their level of drinking potentially is to them as many consider alcoholism as normal and like smoking rationalise their intake as not being harmful because Mrs Biggins lived until 96 but had a packet of **** or a bottle of vodka a day.
Les
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From: The Terry Crews of moderation. P P P P P P POWER!!
I did a tot-up of my average weekly intake in units terms, and got a bit of a fright. Basically I have 3 or 4 can s of 'driving lager' a night. That adds up to about 50-60 a week, about double the recommended amount.
I don't feel that I HAVE to drink, but it makes me fairly relaxed in the evening after the usual commuting and stresses and strains of work.
Does this make me an alcoholic - I mean what really constitutes alcoholism?
Thoughts?
I don't feel that I HAVE to drink, but it makes me fairly relaxed in the evening after the usual commuting and stresses and strains of work.
Does this make me an alcoholic - I mean what really constitutes alcoholism?
Thoughts?
I'd argue that the central feature of any addiction is the loss of control, whether that loss of control is induced through habituation, boredom, a perceived need for something to "medicate" or achieve another end, it doesn't matter. The litmus test is whether you can give something up and not feel like the quality of your life has completely diminished as a result.
If you're worried, suggest you ban yourself from alcohol for a month, and keep a diary of the effects you notice on your personal and working life (doesn't have to be a novel lol). Might give you some insight into why you're drinking (which is the more relevant index of a potential problem than how much per se) and also will help quantify the benefits of laying off the booze. Many people who drink relatively little, but often find out that they've ended up doing it just out of boredom, or habbit, don't need the booze and find an much better alternative.
If you're unable to do this, I'd suggest you see your GP as this likely means that alcohol has become something more than a recreational need, but a psychological need which is where you start to get problems. This can then lead to physiological consequences that someone like John is much better qualified than I to discuss.
Last edited by New_scooby_04; Oct 20, 2012 at 11:17 AM.
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Virtually identical situation to my dad and his partner for 25 years. Except she died on Christmas Eve last year at 49 after being in hospital for 6 weeks. He spent 2 or 3 nights in the cells overs the years after she'd accused him of assaulting her, so I know exactly where you're coming from. I'm sure he'd been round all the off licences with her photo as well.
I'm glad she's dead and he is finally free of the woman that screwed up not only his life, but the life of her 3 children. One of which had to suffer while she necked 3 bottles of wine a night while pregnant.
She also wrote his car off twice while drunk and eventually got banned for 3 years for drink driving.
If anyone ever even thinks of partnering up with a proper alchoholic, thinking that they will change, then don't. Run for the feckin hills because there's only one thing they really care about and it ain't you.
I'm glad she's dead and he is finally free of the woman that screwed up not only his life, but the life of her 3 children. One of which had to suffer while she necked 3 bottles of wine a night while pregnant.
She also wrote his car off twice while drunk and eventually got banned for 3 years for drink driving.
If anyone ever even thinks of partnering up with a proper alchoholic, thinking that they will change, then don't. Run for the feckin hills because there's only one thing they really care about and it ain't you.
Your father's devotion was wasted on a woman whose litle, selfish world revolved around alcohol. If she really loved her children and your father, no matter how serious and stubborn her reasons were to drink, she would have taken help and sorted herself out. What a sad life for her as well, where she saw her creations (her children) through the alcofog all her life, and caused repeated trauma for them and for your father.
I caught a pregnant woman from work smoking in the back of the office not long ago. She is literate, well-off and currently has everything in her life. Her past issues are too big for her to wipe off. This is her way of internalising her past trauma, and smoking is her way of coping. It is very selfish of the addicts to prioritise their dwelling on the past, and harming the unborn. They should seek help, and try everything to avoid destruction.
For a lot of alcoholics, they will blame the smallest trauma for their alcohol. They will even fabricate the trauma to justify their -ism. "I do what I want", "I could get run over by the push bike tomorrow", "Does it matter as long as I don't harm anyone else" etc. etc.- all lame resistance to justify their addiction. Not necessarily all alcoholics have been traumatised, nor do they internalise trauma like some do. They start alcohol for recreation, which is a way of life in the West. After a while they start liking the feeling that alcohol provides them. Then they develop the taste for it and the dependency, which can lead to serious addiction. Bad for the pocket, bad for health, and bad for the ones who are attached to them and others. It is often said that every hard core alcoholic ruins the life of at least 10 people around him/her.
Last edited by Turbohot; Oct 20, 2012 at 02:30 PM.
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It has always seemed to me that the taste for alcohol is stronger in some than in others. Some people seem to become virtually hooked on it almost after the first time that they try it. That makes things more difficult to resist becoming a slave to it of course.
I think it is always the alcohol content that causes the attraction rather than the other components of the drink itself. Must be a bit like nicotine dependency,you don't realise that you are getting hooked until all of a sudden you find that you are.
The worst bit of course is the damage being done to the liver without people realising it or to the lungs of course from smoking.
I was addicted to tobacco and I fully realise how difficult it is to overcome such an addiction.
The only real protection is to avoid getting hooked in the first place...more difficult when one is young and the dangers never seem so important at the time.
Les
I think it is always the alcohol content that causes the attraction rather than the other components of the drink itself. Must be a bit like nicotine dependency,you don't realise that you are getting hooked until all of a sudden you find that you are.
The worst bit of course is the damage being done to the liver without people realising it or to the lungs of course from smoking.
I was addicted to tobacco and I fully realise how difficult it is to overcome such an addiction.
The only real protection is to avoid getting hooked in the first place...more difficult when one is young and the dangers never seem so important at the time.
Les
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It has always seemed to me that the taste for alcohol is stronger in some than in others. Some people seem to become virtually hooked on it almost after the first time that they try it. That makes things more difficult to resist becoming a slave to it of course.
I think it is always the alcohol content that causes the attraction rather than the other components of the drink itself. Must be a bit like nicotine dependency,you don't realise that you are getting hooked until all of a sudden you find that you are.
The worst bit of course is the damage being done to the liver without people realising it or to the lungs of course from smoking.
I was addicted to tobacco and I fully realise how difficult it is to overcome such an addiction.
The only real protection is to avoid getting hooked in the first place...more difficult when one is young and the dangers never seem so important at the time.
Les
I think it is always the alcohol content that causes the attraction rather than the other components of the drink itself. Must be a bit like nicotine dependency,you don't realise that you are getting hooked until all of a sudden you find that you are.
The worst bit of course is the damage being done to the liver without people realising it or to the lungs of course from smoking.
I was addicted to tobacco and I fully realise how difficult it is to overcome such an addiction.
The only real protection is to avoid getting hooked in the first place...more difficult when one is young and the dangers never seem so important at the time.
Les
of their own disfigured destiny. You are right about the early intervention and prevention. The problem is that being young and free means being young and legless. That's where it all begins. Saying that, not all young, drunk-like-a-fish souls become the helpless slaves to alcohol. There is a percentage that does. And it is up to them if they want to sort themselves out, or die of their toxin addiction.
Last edited by Turbohot; Oct 21, 2012 at 12:33 AM.
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Genetic predisposition is often seen and talked about in the case of tendencies, Leslie. Some give up smoking and drinking after some sort of threat to their life. It works like a shock to their system, and they get back into their senses to prolong their lives, and make it of a better quality. Some don't. They remain the master of their own disfigured destiny.
You are right about the early intervention and prevention. The problem is that being young and free means being young and legless. That's where it all begins. Saying that, not all young, drunk-like-a-fish souls become the helpless slaves to alcohol. There is a percentage that does. And it is up to them if they want to sort themselves out, or die of their toxin addiction.
of their own disfigured destiny. You are right about the early intervention and prevention. The problem is that being young and free means being young and legless. That's where it all begins. Saying that, not all young, drunk-like-a-fish souls become the helpless slaves to alcohol. There is a percentage that does. And it is up to them if they want to sort themselves out, or die of their toxin addiction.
Les
you have a few influencing factors for genetic predisposition, firstly how susceptable you are to a drug or drugs addiction and then the actual degree of damage they cause you - like john says, old mrs Lucky down the road smoked 40 a day and drank like a fish and lived until 90, then some suffer the complete opposite.
as usual its the "it wont happen to me" attitude that provides a false sense of security or dismissive thoughts. and hitting rock bottom or getting a real health scare is sometimes the only thing that can make a difference. even then for some even thats not enough.
i also beleive many use it as an excuse to explain there behaviour, but at the same time for many it is actually a veery real influencing factor
as usual its the "it wont happen to me" attitude that provides a false sense of security or dismissive thoughts. and hitting rock bottom or getting a real health scare is sometimes the only thing that can make a difference. even then for some even thats not enough.
i also beleive many use it as an excuse to explain there behaviour, but at the same time for many it is actually a veery real influencing factor
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Some know that their alcoholism will push them into their grave, but they don't care. They know how isolated they have become due to their addiction, but they don't give two hoots.
Sometimes, what is available for help is also deceiving. I don't know how true it is, but someone told me about the Alcohol Anonymous in the area that they eventually tried to convert him into a God believer. He said that he was doing fine with them untl his 10th session, when the revelation with the religious commandments and what not took place. It all went Pete Tong for him from then on, and he is now back to square one. I don't know.
Some know that their alcoholism will push them into their grave, but they don't care. They know how isolated they have become due to their addiction, but they don't give two hoots.
Sometimes, what is available for help is also deceiving. I don't know how true it is, but someone told me about the Alcohol Anonymous in the area that they eventually tried to convert him into a God believer. He said that he was doing fine with them untl his 10th session, when the revelation with the religious commandments and what not took place. It all went Pete Tong for him from then on, and he is now back to square one. I don't know.
Sometimes, what is available for help is also deceiving. I don't know how true it is, but someone told me about the Alcohol Anonymous in the area that they eventually tried to convert him into a God believer. He said that he was doing fine with them untl his 10th session, when the revelation with the religious commandments and what not took place. It all went Pete Tong for him from then on, and he is now back to square one. I don't know.
, i dont know about some not caring however. maybe once p*ssed they dont, but id say at least most when sober actually do care a bit but cant or dont want to overcome it. some alky's id imagine are quite happy, they usually congregate with other alky's and may consider it enjoyable to an extent.
i suppose by nature, those that shy away , in the house and are alcoholics - we dont hear so much about or see.
