AS and Alcohol

[driftingblizzard]

My name is Vodzy, and I'm an alcoholic.

I agree with all your points driftingblizzard.

I used to drink 2 or three times a week, with the intention of getting plastered.
It was the only way I knew how to fit in. I made an arse-clown of myself all the time, often waking up with regrets and a hangover.
I don't like to drink so much anymore, preferring to stay in control of my actions.
Drinking leads to trouble for me.

The reasons you have stated for drinking are also reasons I use other drugs.
They help socialise, to feel "normal", to lose inhibitions.
I find it easier to control my intake and my behaviour than when I'm drunk.
Every mood-altering substance has it's downsides though.

Welcome Vodzy.

Maybe that's why I have been afraid of drugs.  They might work too well, then I'd be sunk.

[Calandale]

Maybe that's why I have been afraid of drugs.  They might work too well, then I'd be sunk.

Yes. If they don't, why fuck with them?
And if they do, they're dangerous.

[ALLDAYGLOWRANDY]

* AllDayGlowRandy has never used alcohol in his worst times, and wonders what make a person need such things.

* AllDayGlowRandy is glad driftingbli

zzard quit the alcohol.
A small amount is healthy, but not very much.

Excess alcohol doesn't equate with maximum enjoyment with of life, its wasteful.  Any effort to quit, even if a faliure, is good effort.  Faliure makes us stronger.

[Soph]

it's not wasteful if it makes you feel better

[ALLDAYGLOWRANDY]

It doesn't, in reality, it makes you worse than what you started with.  Pay attention sometime, carefully, maybe do some reading.

Excess alcohol deprives the body of b vitamins, necessary for neurotransmitters such as serotonin.  I am not trying to offend, but saying it makes you feel better, sounds like rationalizing behavior.

If you are talking about a little alcohol, in terms of diease risk, it "does make you feel better."

Alcohol makes a great solvent,  a carrier for herbs,   can clean wounds, etc but can dry out the mouth, making bad breath.

[Soph]

i'm not bothered about being physically healthy though
it makes me less depressed when i drink it therefore it makes me feel better, whichever way i look at it

[driftingblizzard]

  I am not trying to offend, but saying it makes you feel better, sounds like rationalizing behavior.

I NEVER thought I'd be saying this, but thanks ADGR for the great comments.!

I think EVERYONE has been giving excellent comments.

I've always had a problem with seeing things in black and white, either its good or bad.  If something was bad that I wanted, I tended to rationalize away the downside.  In the end, it would just end up confusing me.  As with any mind altering substance, reality can become blurred in the long run, and when a person feels hope is fading, it makes it easy to give up trying. 

That's when a person needs to either decide to kick it once and for all, or give up to it.  Its always been hard for me to decide to finally kick-it, because I didn't understand the driving forces behind it (Especially AS reasons).  I didn't even know about AS until 3 years ago.  But now I'm starting to make sense of a lot of things in my life.

[Soph]

alcohol is a bad way of dealing with things yeah
i used to explain this to sophie last summer, and i know it's true, but at the same time: it works
it's a shit way of feeling better, but if nothing else works, i will use the shit ways
i'd rather not feel depressed by doing stupid things like drinking or cutting, than not do those things and get suicidal
it makes sense i think

[Phlexor]

Alcohol is a good way of dealing with the problem of being sober

[driftingblizzard]

I don't have issues with drinking or people who drink, it has come in quite handy for me personnaly over the years.  I just didn't know why I was using it.  Now I do.  I'm also trying to figure out what other mechanisms that I have that need to be scrutinized and understood. 

[SovaNu]

alcohol is a bad way of dealing with things yeah
i used to explain this to sophie last summer, and i know it's true, but at the same time: it works
it's a shit way of feeling better, but if nothing else works, i will use the shit ways
i'd rather not feel depressed by doing stupid things like drinking or cutting, than not do those things and get suicidal
it makes sense i think

yeah same here. i've been getting depressed from drinking though lately. it does cause depression in the long run but at the same time it is better than sobriety. i try to take days off and then i'm good to go again.

[SovaNu]

Alcohol is a good way of dealing with the problem of being sober

 

[driftingblizzard]

I started writing: 


Reality


What is real?

I see your face.
It used to exist, now gone away.

It’s in my mind.
How long to stay?

I feel pain.
It is real.

[ozymandias]

I don't have issues with drinking or people who drink, it has come in quite handy for me personnaly over the years.  I just didn't know why I was using it.  Now I do.  I'm also trying to figure out what other mechanisms that I have that need to be scrutinized and understood. 

OK, word of warning take each issue/thing, one at a time.  This is what I cautioned alcoholics to do when they came into the hospital detox program.  Sometimes we all have a rather thick layer of coping mechanisms and trying to scrutinize them all can be intimidating.  Take care of the drinking first, the rest will come in time.  This may sound like a cliche, but, it's best to "Peel them off one layer at a time."

Sometimes when people are in the first stages of trying to quit drinking they get psyched up to quit everything, smoking, swearing, etc, etc, etc.  These mechanisms have been built up over years, so it's going to take some time to examine and understand them all.

Good luck.

[driftingblizzard]

I don't have issues with drinking or people who drink, it has come in quite handy for me personnaly over the years.  I just didn't know why I was using it.  Now I do.  I'm also trying to figure out what other mechanisms that I have that need to be scrutinized and understood. 

OK, word of warning take each issue/thing, one at a time.  This is what I cautioned alcoholics to do when they came into the hospital detox program.  Sometimes we all have a rather thick layer of coping mechanisms and trying to scrutinize them all can be intimidating.  Take care of the drinking first, the rest will come in time.  This may sound like a cliche, but, it's best to "Peel them off one layer at a time."

Sometimes when people are in the first stages of trying to quit drinking they get psyched up to quit everything, smoking, swearing, etc, etc, etc.  These mechanisms have been built up over years, so it's going to take some time to examine and understand them all.

Good luck.

Actually that sounds like great advice. Thanks.  I think I was already headed down that road...   I ALWAYS bite off too much.  (I think that is one mechanism I should work on)....