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HOP WTR
- Thread starter 92122
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I grew up with alcoholics, though none of them ever identified themselves that way.
My mom doesn't think she has a drinking problem, yet her behavior changes when she drinks, even in small amounts.
My dad drank and battled a combination of the affects of a Traumatic Brain Injury and alcoholism. He had a drinking problem, depression and anxiety long before his accident, but he never pursued treatment for any of them. These things tend to overlap. After his accident and subsequent settlement, he did what alcoholics do. He charmed people, spent lavishly, acted recklessly, earned 3 DUIs, got in multiple alcohol related car accidents (luckily he never hurt anyone else and ironically he never got caught for DUI in the accidents) , lived in sober houses and shelters, lost friends, strained relationships with family, let his health decline, and blamed everyone for everything. Ultimately, while living in a moldy motorhome, he had the first of many strokes that we found out were resulting from advanced colon/prostate cancer. It was undiagnosed until his second stroke. He was 62 and never believed he had a drinking problem when a 4th stroke took his sight, speech, and mental capacity to the point that he was placed in hospice care.
I go to Al-Anon meetings to hear how others have found ways to heal from their childhood and adult traumas brought on from alcoholism. I don't do it perfectly, or even well, but it helps. So does therapy. Through it, I've started to live less in the story of how I got here and live in the present where I can chose to make better decisions.
I drink. Sometime more than other times. I've made bad decisions while drunk, but never though of myself as a drunk. I'm cutting back because I feel fat and unmotivated (and it's an easy thing to NOT spend money on). I've definitely mad poor decisions to feel reckless, or in control, or destructive. I'm working on that too. Lots of it is just unprocessed grief.
That got dark..
My mom doesn't think she has a drinking problem, yet her behavior changes when she drinks, even in small amounts.
My dad drank and battled a combination of the affects of a Traumatic Brain Injury and alcoholism. He had a drinking problem, depression and anxiety long before his accident, but he never pursued treatment for any of them. These things tend to overlap. After his accident and subsequent settlement, he did what alcoholics do. He charmed people, spent lavishly, acted recklessly, earned 3 DUIs, got in multiple alcohol related car accidents (luckily he never hurt anyone else and ironically he never got caught for DUI in the accidents) , lived in sober houses and shelters, lost friends, strained relationships with family, let his health decline, and blamed everyone for everything. Ultimately, while living in a moldy motorhome, he had the first of many strokes that we found out were resulting from advanced colon/prostate cancer. It was undiagnosed until his second stroke. He was 62 and never believed he had a drinking problem when a 4th stroke took his sight, speech, and mental capacity to the point that he was placed in hospice care.
I go to Al-Anon meetings to hear how others have found ways to heal from their childhood and adult traumas brought on from alcoholism. I don't do it perfectly, or even well, but it helps. So does therapy. Through it, I've started to live less in the story of how I got here and live in the present where I can chose to make better decisions.
I drink. Sometime more than other times. I've made bad decisions while drunk, but never though of myself as a drunk. I'm cutting back because I feel fat and unmotivated (and it's an easy thing to NOT spend money on). I've definitely mad poor decisions to feel reckless, or in control, or destructive. I'm working on that too. Lots of it is just unprocessed grief.
That got dark..
"The five colors can blind one’s eyes.
The five tones can deafen one’s ears.
The five flavors can dull one’s taste buds.
The pursuit of pleasures can derange one’s mind. The hard-to-get valuables can distort one’s behavior.
Therefore, a saint cultivates himself with virtues and does not indulge himself in sensory pleasures.
He rejects those outer temptations and chooses this True Nature."
Not quite literal translation of the Tao.
Me? I recognize that I am no saint.
Many act the part and can master it, yet many more even do the same only to explode unholy after a brief stint.
You offer me a Viña Tondonia from a good year over a thick T-Bone, and that bottle will not leave the table with a drop if I can help it.
The five tones can deafen one’s ears.
The five flavors can dull one’s taste buds.
The pursuit of pleasures can derange one’s mind. The hard-to-get valuables can distort one’s behavior.
Therefore, a saint cultivates himself with virtues and does not indulge himself in sensory pleasures.
He rejects those outer temptations and chooses this True Nature."
Not quite literal translation of the Tao.
Me? I recognize that I am no saint.
Many act the part and can master it, yet many more even do the same only to explode unholy after a brief stint.
You offer me a Viña Tondonia from a good year over a thick T-Bone, and that bottle will not leave the table with a drop if I can help it.
Drinking causes problems
Smoking causes problems
Peoples spending habits, lifestyle, and debt causes problems (Id argue way more then alcohol).
Eating fast food causes problems.
Surfing all day and not being around for your family causes problems.
Like i said before- everything in moderation. Also serious about how debt and lifestyles and lack of money can cause way more problems then alcohol.
Smoking causes problems
Peoples spending habits, lifestyle, and debt causes problems (Id argue way more then alcohol).
Eating fast food causes problems.
Surfing all day and not being around for your family causes problems.
Like i said before- everything in moderation. Also serious about how debt and lifestyles and lack of money can cause way more problems then alcohol.
I love beer. I love 12 even more. I havent had a drink since august. Probably won’t ever again. The hangovers suck. Fucks up my sleeping too. i guess you should never say never...
This thread shows how people often don't know what moderation is.
RE: your list of examples - the difference is an inordinate number of lifechanging very poor decisions resulting at worst death of another human tend to be made under the influence of alcohol.
That's why alcohol is special.
Having cared for hundreds of patients in need of liver transplants due to alcoholism - it is thee worst way to die.
They are all blood, diarrhea, laxatives, bloody diarrhea, bloody vomit, encephalopathic confusion, and massive emergency blood transfusions. Usually in and out of the hospital on the regular.
The ascites comes along with it but is often the least of their problems, except when it comes to breathing:
Esophageal varices FTW. Minnesota tube insertion is no fun for staff or patient:
Whatevs. I'm not anti-booze or anti-drug. Just posting my firsthand experiences.
It's impossible to convince an alcoholic they have a problem - they always get defensive or rationalize.
Unfortunately they have to figure it out for themselves, often by hurting themselves but worse by hurting someone else.
Of course its hard to convince them. Because they think they don't have a problem.
What i am saying though is alot of people are perfectly fine drinking alcohol.
What i am saying though is alot of people are perfectly fine drinking alcohol.
I was headed down a really dark path up until a few months ago. Father died last September, then my uncle and grandfather all within 3 months. Let's just say burning through a bottle of whiskey a day is not the solution. My brother finally pulled me the fck out and pretty much said what I knew, that I was ruining my life, relationships, and future.
Looking back I don't know what I was thinking. Alcohol is not for me, I'm retiring from drinking - at 31.
Looking back I don't know what I was thinking. Alcohol is not for me, I'm retiring from drinking - at 31.
This thread shows how people often don't know what moderation is.
RE: your list of examples - the difference is an inordinate number of lifechanging very poor decisions resulting at worst death of another human tend to be made under the influence of alcohol.
That's why alcohol is special.
Having cared for hundreds of patients in need of liver transplants due to alcoholism - it is thee worst way to die.
They are all blood, diarrhea, laxatives, bloody diarrhea, bloody vomit, encephalopathic confusion, and massive emergency blood transfusions. Usually in and out of the hospital on the regular.
The ascites comes along with it but is often the least of their problems, except when it comes to breathing:
Esophageal varices FTW. Minnesota tube insertion is no fun for staff or patient:
Whatevs. I'm not anti-booze or anti-drug. Just posting my firsthand experiences.
It's impossible to convince an alcoholic they have a problem - they always get defensive or rationalize.
Unfortunately they have to figure it out for themselves, often by hurting themselves but worse by hurting someone else.
You do realize that the beverage in discussion is hopped seltzer with zero sugar, zero sweeteners and zero alcohol. Unless you're talking about people with a hop sensitivity.
I haven't had a drink for about 19 months now and I think it kind of sucks. I would still be drinking and smoking if my genetics allowed it. But the knees and shoulders are starting to fade and I'm just too addicted to outdoor sports like surfing, backpacking, skiing and cycling to risk letting alcohol and the associated weight gain keep me from what fires my soul. But when I'm hanging out with my younger friends who can still have it all I'm jealous as fuck!
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It does kinda suck at first but it gets better.
I don't know how old you are but I would not want to be the people I know who are in their mid-late 30s who kept up that lifestyle.
Sobriety or some version of it is just part of getting older.
People who drink heavy despite growing older tend to be alcoholics.
I'm in my 50's. I guess I was one of those people you know.
It's a grey area. I think the term used is actually "almost alcoholic" which basically means you have problems with alcohol but aren't quite a full blown alcoholic (alcohol dependent).
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It's funny to me how in threads like this it always ends up in a dichotomy between being an absolute teetotaler and a full blown alcoholic.
Most people who drink have a few drinks a week. It's not going to make you fat on its own.
Most people who drink have a few drinks a week. It's not going to make you fat on its own.
I think it's because the people who drink too much rationalize their drinking and most of the people who are sober used to drink too much... and neither really understand the concept of having a few drinks a week.
If that makes any sense.
Right, instead it's the mix of social situations in a person's early 20s/30s.
A couple of beers most nights of the week, then the equivalent of 6 to 12 pack at the weekend barbecue(s) or while out on the boat. At 150 cals/beer it adds up fast. Then the sort of food that goes well with beer (pizza, mex, etc).
A couple of beers most nights of the week + weekend drinking like that is definitely well on the way to problematic.
