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Alcoholism
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
How long would you have to drink before you become a full blown addict?
I mean, I'm in uni and we all know it means pretty much daily drinking, but there's also a problem of alcoholism in my family, I've lost relatives due to it before, I'm just wondering how much would I need to take before I become one?
I mean, I'm in uni and we all know it means pretty much daily drinking, but there's also a problem of alcoholism in my family, I've lost relatives due to it before, I'm just wondering how much would I need to take before I become one?
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Happened again this summer because I'd no studying to do and was just drinking on all my spare time when I wasn't working.
Just try and realise when you've gotta slow down and take things easy i my advice really. And listen to people if they point it out because it'll be them who see it in you first.
get your hallmates smoking weed - best substitute for alcohol there is.
If it runs in the family it's definitely something to be concerned by - i know people who have serious drug/alcohol related problems, and the people with the worst problems seem to have it running through their family. Either that, or they go the other direction - tee-total.
smack etc you can reply ...about five quids worth a day for a month and you will develop a physical AND psycological addiction.
alcoholisn't like that.
i have known and know to this day ...physicaly hard working men who down six to ten pints a night on their way home from work.
for years and years and years and ....with no problems.
they do not fight ...neglect their families ...buy alcohol before paying the bills etc.
some people who i consider to be alcoholics are the kind of people who don't drink EVERYDAY.
three for times a week ...but get pissed every time.
always cause problems.
if the alcohol consumtion causes financial problems ...relationship problems ...legal problems ...any kinds of problems ...then you are a problem drinker.
if you have a drink problem ...should you be classed as an alcoholic?
*Puts his semi-professionsal hat on*
Addiction is when you have to. It doesn't matter what it is, if you have lost control over it, then you are an addict. Whether it's drink, drugs, or collecting my little pony dolls. It's a psychological phenomenon and doesn't have to be bad. Most people are addicted to putting their pants on in the morning (thank fuck), that is they have an undeniable compulsion to do it.
As far as alcholism goes, Mr. Roll is quite right, alcohol is the substance of choice for the put upon worker. As long as you retain control and by that I mean genuinely retain control (we have all heard the phrase I can stop any time I want) you are fine.
Most of the "everyday" drinkers I have dealt with are actually in the pub and not drinking at home, and all they really want after a hard day doing shit things for money is a friendly face and a relax. Sadly the average Uk culture means they can't find this anywhere but the pub. :yes:
when i see people with a cannabis leaf buckle ...ring ...earing ...the t shirt ...the poster ...i think ...obsession.
Cheers Rolly. :wave:
Yep. that's exactly it. Question is - is it harmful? And let's add who to?
Obsession and compulsion are perfectly natural, normal, useful human traits. Everyone has them. To think of it in playschool terms, the problem lies with what you put through the compulsion window.
Drugs? Putting your pants on? Compulsively making money? Obsessed about your kids welfare? Absolutely a slave to bettering yourself?
Quick case study for you. When I was first starting out on the whole "hypnotiem" gig i had a guy come to me because he was "alcholic". I sent him way on down and got him to imagine that his cans of ale were covered in vomit and shit. This worked. he could no longer drink cans of beer.
He drank bottles instead.
Anyway, a few more sensible and wise interventions later, he can't stop going to the gym. He's compulsive about it. Whenever he thinks about having a drink, he has to exercise. the more he thinks about getting drunk, the more he feels the need to improve his body and health.
I figured that addiiction served him better. What do you think?
you may well have saved him from himself but ...at what cost?
many heroin addicsts give the stuff up ...and become alkys etc.
valiom addicts clean up turn around and become addicted or obsessed with something else.
is it always bad?
not at all ...i would go as far as to say that some obsession ...addiction ...ritual ....is actualy beneficial.
depending on who you are ...what you are ...will depend greatly on your drug of choice ....or your obsession.
I did what he paid me to do. His choice. He knew what he wanted, but not how to do it.
About £250 all told. A lot cheaper than a lifetime on the pop, that's for sure.
Yeah I know. Digging for root causes and all that other stuff is for psychotherapists and the like. I fix things quick and get in and out fast. My preference.
Not at all. Addiction fascinates me. I am the sort of person who can smoke 20 fags in an evening and not think about them for months. I tried all sorts of drugs and experiences and just kinda shrugged them off easily. Never really got into anything. Then again, experimentation is my drug of choice.
My point exactly.
Yup. Mine is trying new stuff, thinking and getting the message out.
Quit drinking then.
turly can obviously already see a possible problem on the road in front of him ...but he's still gonna take his chances with the brew ...
Perfectly good, useless advice.
How does he get on with his friends when they are all drinkers and he isn't?
How does he change his behaviours to become a non drinker?
What does he do to replace the feelings that drinking gives him?
How does he meet new women when he doesn't go to the pub?
And so on. It's not as simple as just stopping doing something, you have to replace it with something just as good or preferably better or any change won't stick. This is why the missus still stuffs her face with chocolate despite all the agonising, why the addicts really mean what they say but never quite give up. It's why smokers fail to become non-smokers and fat people still have love handles and tits.
Secondary gain -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_gain
Does EVERYONE at university drink.
He should try having more adult perspectives and stop drinking to "look cool".
It's up to you. You can learn or I can flatten you with words. Take yer pick from this little lot of potential answers and pick which one helps you wake the fuck up most.
*puts arsehole therapists hat on*
You don't understand what I meant!
You just want me to agree.
You're only saying that because you feel threatened by my earlier correction.
That might be true for you, but it's not true for everyone...is it?
Everyone has to make sacrifices? Always? Everywhere?
The queen seems to get by doing whatever the fuck she wants to.
Your last generalisation didn't help either.
Saying things like that will piss him off and make change less likely.
That's like saying we all have to die. It's true, it's trite and it's useless.
If someone fobbed you off with that answer about that problem, would you improve your life?
Do others have to make sacrifices for you?
If we all did that there would be no problem. We don't so it's a crap answer.
How the fuck do you know, oh keeper of infinite wisdom?
And so on. Theres many. many answers to your post. Not all of them are useful, which is what we are aiming for here. Wanna try again to lend a hand?
Everwonderwhy, I cant reply to your PM, its full.
what could possivbly be better than heroin ...that i haven't used any for around 18years?
it sounds difficult doesn't it ...
but i found breing responsible once again ...gave me a hell of a bigger buzz than smack.
All you can do is make sure that he know's your about for a chat or what ever. And have the occasional quiet word about his drinking without nagging him.
Well said twinklestar. The level that an individual has a problem is very much dependent on the individual and their relationship with the substance. I know some people that are an absolute nightmare after two pints, who I would consider to have a problem, but not be alcoholic.
And in reply to Bongbudda's comment about it taking 5-10 years to be a full blown alcoholic, I would like to add that alcohol dependency doesn't take very long at all, and you start doing the damage to your body then. If you have ever had the shakes after a binge, thats your body giving you signs that it has become mildly dependent on alcohol.
You certainly don't have to be an alcoholic to have a problem.
I was just replying to the question, but as you rightly point out you can have a lot of problems before physical addiction kicks in.
As for the shakes, I thought that was just temporary withdrawl from the drug, not really that you have become dependant as such, just sort of a form of really mild DT's. But then as with many things on this board semantics comes into play a lot.
But withdrawal would imply your body has become dependent on alcohol to function normally, no matter if it is temporary or not. I just wanted to highlight how easy it really is for habitual alcohol use to affect your body in a negative way.
people say that if you answer yes to any of the following questions then you are in trouble:
Does alcohol cause problems in your work
Does alcohol cause problems in your sex life
Does alcohol cause problems between you and your friends
Some people can drink very heavily but still get up and do a days work, others can't.
I think it's a difficult thing to put a label on, and sometiems people don't benefit from having that label
YEAH - BUT DID YOU WAKE UP AND DO IT ALL AGAIN !
If you are not reaching for a drink all the time then I think you're ok!
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/alcoholism.