Alcoholism

[andyBeaker]

Struggling with this. Lost a dear friend to alcoholism a few days ago and also an uncle some time back. I enjoy a drink as much as the next person,,albeit very rarely these days as the thought of a hangover puts me off. I have now learned that my friend got to the stage where they were getting the local taxi firm to deliver alcohol for her, and I was appalled at the state of her very upmarket flat - a sea of bottles. This is someone from humble beginnings that I helped sell the business that she started at the age of 22 for £4.75m six years ago.

I have just watched a programme where the subjects sole aim in life was to get totally hammered -as in total oblivion - as often as they could, totally at the taxpayer’s expense, but that’s another story.

I am the first to admit that in my younger days I drank more than I should at times - fortunately I was a ‘happy drunk’ - but what is the attraction of drinking with the objective of total oblivion?

what am I missing?

 

[Malone]

30 years ago my assistant was in an abusive marriage and would occasionally come in wearing dark glasses, heavy makeup and so on, apart from those days she couldn’t get to work.
anyhow, her husband had to go to hospital as he was an alcoholic with severe liver problems. She still visited him every day until one day when being his usual abusive self ordered her to bring him in a bottle of booze. She did
He died not long after.
just desserts, I reckon

 

[T.C]

One of the reasons I became teetotal 30+ years back was because I got fed up with the amount of time I spent in the Mortuary with the remains of those who had either been killed by drink drivers or those who had dies behind the wheel because of their inability to stay off the booze and not drive.

That is before you get to all the arrests for D &D D & I, the domestic beatings, assaults and public order offences created by the presence and consumption of too much booze.

I came to the conclusion that if I had a fiver (and I am going back to the late 70's early 80's) what would I rather do? Have a few beers and piss it up against the wall, or fill the bikes tank up with fuel and have a bloody good day out? The day out was a no brainer winner.

I have seen the worst of it all, and I simply thought that if I needed booze to have a good time, then I had a serious problem, and in all honesty I can say I have never regretted that decision, and nobody could ever accuse me of being a hypocrite when I nicked someone for drink driving (and I arrested many of hundreds over the years) and then getting pissed myself, and I still stand by that today long after my retirement.

But in the same vein, I also accept that with alcoholism it is an illness and I feel for the victims and those that have to live with the consequences of those that are afflicted.

 

[johnboy]

Some people just have an addictive nature, if it wasn't booze they would find something else. Drink is so accessible and if it gets you over a problem time, you return again and again.

 

[slim63]

I have seen the results of alcohol addiction enough times to know its not a route I ever wanted to go down, I used to enjoy a drink or eight but when it got to the point that I felt that I needed a drink thankfully I recognized what was going on and had enough self control to eventually stop

I have a couple of mates who have had problems with booze, one still struggles with it every day after (i think) 10 years of being dry, the other still drinks but a good group of mates make sure he does not drink to excess anymore and he is doing well considering his previous regular intake

its a little known fact that for an alchoholic to just stop drinking can be a death sentence hence the reluctance of the medical profession in providing drugs to help with withdrawal except in the most serious cases (they can kill on their own)

 

[derek kelly]

My Mother was an alcoholic, addicted to cheap sherry, she died four days before my 19th birthday.

 

[Cougar377]

When I left the RAF I was probably on the piss for about 10 years after that. I never reached the level of being alcoholic, but I'd often get pissed in the evenings after work. Looking back I suspect that I would nowadays be diagnosed with PTSD. Getting drunk was a coping mechanism and helped me sleep... sort of.

Luckily I eventually realised that I was keeping the wrong company and if I continued then it was only heading in one direction.... but it could so easily have been different.
I've seen mates become alcoholic and it's horrible to watch because you can't help them. Only they can help themselves.

I'm still happy to drink on occasion, but I rarely drink more than 2 of anything.

 

[sr71caspar]

I wish I had enough money and time in the day to try being an alcoholic.

 

[andyBeaker]

On an ironic and very sad note I have an uncle who has very bad dementia - the only good thing to come from it is that he has forgotten he was (is?) a chronic alcoholic. Doesn’t touch the stuff now and never asks for it.

 

[Minkey]

An ex boyfriend of mine had a drink problem which lost him jobs, he was a violent drunk wanting to fight everyone, he was banned for life from every pub in the town, the last I heard was he had passed away due to getting very drunk, passing out and choking, mind you until I see his grave I will still be looking over my shoulder,

 

[Cougar377]

I wish I had enough money and time in the day to try being an alcoholic.

One of my oppos would drink a bottle of vodka first thing in the morning....a few shorts in the pub at lunchtime....and then whatever he could lay his hands on in the evening.
He did that for 2 years, while working full time and living in his car. The thing was, he was excellent at his job, almost never had time off (apart from leave), he always showed up on time, he was always clean and shaved every day and he was always happy to do overtime.... and so the bosses turned a blind eye.

One day he met a woman and she pretty much saved him.

 

[Centaur]

One of my oppos would drink a bottle of vodka first thing in the morning....a few shorts in the pub at lunchtime....and then whatever he could lay his hands on in the evening.
He did that for 2 years, while working full time and living in his car. The thing was, he was excellent at his job, almost never had time off (apart from leave), he always showed up on time, he was always clean and shaved every day and he was always happy to do overtime.... and so the bosses turned a blind eye.

One day he met a woman and she pretty muched saved him.

An "ed" too many.

 

[Cougar377]

An "ed" too many.

Where.....?

 

[Pow-Lo]

Some people just have an addictive nature, if it wasn't booze they would find something else. Drink is so accessible and if it gets you over a problem time, you return again and again.

This is quite true. I read it somewhere that we're all addicted to something, whether it be the plain nasty like alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc. or 'harmless' stuff. Mrs Plops reckons I'm addicted to bargains but that's another story.

Back on thread, I sailed with dozens of piss heads over the years. When I was a deck hand, one bosun I sailed with drank a case (24 cans) of beer every day; I sailed with a number of guys just like him. I also sailed with a chief engineer who couldn't set foot int he engine room without a quarter bottle of whisky in him and he'd be on about two or three bottles a week.

I hardly touch the stuff these days, haven't really bothered since I came ashore in 2001.

 

[Pow-Lo]

Where.....?

"...muched saved him."

 

[andyBeaker]

An ex work colleague was an alcoholic and I was glad he wasn't my problem to manage. Refused to accept he had a drink problem that as an employer makes it very difficult to manage.

He managed to turn his car over into a ditch while drunk and was jailed for three months as a result. Presumably he didn’t touch a drop while inside, when he came back to work he was drinking as heavily as he was before.

 

[Cougar377]

"...muched saved him."

So you're into pedantry too......?

 

[Pow-Lo]

So you're into pedantry too......?

No, I just answered your question, dumb ass

 

[ogr1]

This is quite true. I read it somewhere that we're all addicted to something, whether it be the plain nasty like alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc. or 'harmless' stuff. Mrs Plops reckons I'm addicted to fashion, that's why I keep badgering Ogr1 about that nice jacket...I know i'm gay, but that's another story.

Very true...You sussed me out.

 

[Cougar377]

No, I just answered your question, dumb ass

Pedantickery.