Alcohol

[Leather Husack]

I have been thinking a lot lately about alcohol. Not as in, considering drinking it, but just as alcohol as a thought in general. I was wondering what everyone's thoughts are on alcohol? I know a lot of people are against it for various reasons, however I know that it can be used responsibly.

My grandpa for example, is 79 years old, and he has always been a drinker, not an alcoholic however. He might have a bottle or two a day and is a very kind person. He is also on the board of trustees for my college. He is going on his 9th year as a trustee, and was appointed by the NC Governor all three times (when you are appointed, you are sworn in for four years at a time). He was also the county commissioner for a time.

So, what I'm saying is that I know it can be used responsibly. I was just wondering what everyone thinks about it. If your against, could you please state why, because I'd like to know. I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with you. I'm just curious. Thanks

[IvyW]

I don't like alcohol because, i look at it as poison to the body.

[Bonadea]

I'm not a big drinker, so I usually don't think to, but I find in moderation it helps with some stuff.

I'm also just always very high strung, so maybe it's just because it relaxes me, so I get a break from all the stress hormones for a while.

[Leather Husack]

Originally Posted by Bonadea

I'm not a big drinker, so I usually don't think to, but I find in moderation it helps with some stuff.

I'm also just always very high strung, so maybe it's just because it relaxes me, so I get a break from all the stress hormones for a while.

I was wondering if it helped relax and stuff like that. I know smokers typically smoke to relax themselves, but drinking I didn't know if it relaxed someone or not. I've never drank so I just don't know how it is lol.

[SireneB]

A bottle or two a day? whether that is a problem depends on whether you're talking about beer, wine or vodka!

Alcohol is not natural to your body, it doesn't nourish it.

I drink on very occasional social situations, but that's it.

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by Leather Husack

I was wondering if it helped relax and stuff like that.

It can. It's a depressant, actually, so it can work to slow down certain processes and if you drink enough of it, it can put you right to sleep.

Originally Posted by Leather Husack

I know smokers typically smoke to relax themselves

Actually, nicotine is a strange drug, and it can work in various ways. Smokers learn (unconsciously) how to smoke to get the effect they want. So you can smoke to wake yourself up, or to focus, or to relax, and a few other interesting effects. This is part of why nicotine is so very addictive.

Originally Posted by Leather Husack

I've never drank so I just don't know how it is lol.

I'm not much of a drinker. My grandmother was an alcoholic (a binge type drinker) and so I've always had a bit of a worry about drinking too much. I sometimes go months without having any alcohol at all, and even when I do drink, I generally drink no more than once a week (usually a bottle of cider or a glass of wine).

Personally, I think using alcohol in moderation is fine, so long as it's kept in moderation (moderation in frequency and in quantity), and so long as it's used responsibly (such as not drinking if you're going to drive). But, eh, I could live without it. It's not a big deal to me one way or the other.

[Leather Husack]

Originally Posted by SireneB

A bottle or two a day?

That was just an estimate. I'm not sure how much exactly he drinks. The point was that I've seen him drink often. It's not just a holiday thing, if you know what I mean.

[NoJobRob]

I used to be a really bad drunk. LOL But, I don't think alcohol is bad for everyone. It's fine in moderation. It's just that when people (like me, *cough cough*) start getting too drunk the next morning can be pretty embarrassing. Funny, but embarrassing. I haven't had a drink in over a year though, and honestly, I wouldn't care if I never had another. I wouldn't care if I did though... LOL I don't think I was/am an alcoholic, I didn't depend on it at all for anything, it was just what I did every weekend. That was considered normal where I grew up. Work hard all week, get hammered on the weekend and have fun. But after a decade+ of that, I decided that it just wasn't for me anymore, so I stopped. Quitting wasn't hard either, I just stopped, and that was that. So because of that, that's why I don't think I'm an alcoholic. Alcoholics have a very hard time getting sober and staying sober. It wasn't like that for me. There was no challenge to it, at all. It was like giving up garbanzo beans. Okay, big effin' deal. I won't eat garbanzo beans. LOL

[Johnny Metal]

Originally Posted by Leather Husack

I was just wondering what everyone thinks about it.

Feels sooo toxic on the body, worse than marijuana, LSD, benzos, ketamine, cocaine, 2c-x. Horrible, horrible on the body! Yet in the right situation and state of mind, the effects can be so wonderful! Suddenly, everything becomes amusing, jokes flow effortlessly, love and appreciate my friends, surge of adrenaline and courage, want to dance, want to sing, play music, write poetry, party.

And then there are the downsides (even in moderation) - the feeling of being poisoned, the gasoline breath as I call it; the inability keep a focus; delayed response - "skipping frames"; dizziness; compulsion to make decisions that I would not make sober.

[Leather Husack]

Originally Posted by NoJobRob

Alcoholics have a very hard time getting sober and staying sober.

I started to say I didn't think alcohol was addictive. But then I remembered an old neighbor we had who had a huge problem and an even bigger problem quitting. lol. I guess it just depends from person to person?

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by Leather Husack

I started to say I didn't think alcohol was addictive.

It certainly is. And withdrawal can be extremely serious.

Alcohol Withdrawal - Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms Can Make It Hard to Quit Drinking
Alcohol withdrawal syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Delirium tremens - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Granted, becoming addicted to alcohol is not as immediate as, say, cocaine or various other drugs. Usually, the first addictive state with alcohol is mental/emotional, i.e., you feel you need the alcohol in order to cope, to be properly social, to fit in, etc. It's only after prolonged and frequent use that the physical addiction really takes hold.

[Johnny Metal]

Alcohol isn't addictive, no drug is addictive, the drug is an inanimate object. Like a ball. A ball cannot be addictive. What you're trying to say is that you had a neighbour who did not know how to (or was unwilling to) stop kicking the ball.

[Agota]

I don't drink any alcohol for recreational reasons.

I'm in martial arts from age 12 (22 now) and my coaches were very strict on alcohol and nicotine consumption, so when kids in school started drinking at ages 12-14 I didn't: peer pressure in school was strong but the opposite pressure in martial arts classes was stronger. We used to party every weekend with my martial arts friends, it's just that alcohol, nicotine and drugs were never present at our parties. Not drinking alcohol when majority of people my age drank a lot gave me quite a unique perspective on it.

The scary thing is that many people are alcoholics without knowing it. I know very well how alcoholism looks like and I was shocked when I realized that many people are already alcoholics at age 17, they just don't know it yet. As my first coach used to say, at first, you only drink at special occasions, then there suddenly are more and more special occasions and then every morning is a special occasion. Everyone think they have it under control, but very few actually do.

It's important to understand that the need to use alcohol in order to relax is an artificial need. Kids don't need alcohol to relax. Most people develop this need throughout adolescence: at first, they drink because everyone does so, then after many parties drinking becomes associated with fun and then later they are unable to have fun without drinking. Most people will deny that, but it's simply a defense mechanism.

I lived and worked with "normal" (aka not from martial arts) people for a month last December and I felt like an alien. It was live in waitress work in event's company, so on days on there would be a bunch of drunk guests around and then on days off staff would drink all day. This was really interesting to me: it's not that I'm being judgmental, it's simply that I really couldn't understand where is the fun in all that.

Another thing I don't get about alcohol use is safety issues. As a martial artist I'm trained to evaluate every situation safety-wise. I'm confident in my ability to defend myself and if someone would assault me, they'd have themselves to blame for the loss of important parts of body such as eyes. Yet I wouldn't feel safe when completely drunk in an unsafe environment. Why people who couldn't defend themselves when sober feel safe getting in coma in places where anyone can rob you, rape you or kill you?That remains a mystery to me.

There are less dramatic issues as well. Actions have consequences. Many people do things they regret when they're drunk: they spend their money, they drive when drunk, they have sex with strangers. These all have serious consequences. Yet somehow most people consider thinking about consequences of your actions before engaging in those actions as lame.

There are more serious things as well. Alcohol consumption generally doesn't mesh well with personal development. Why? You're trying to increase your awareness through personal development and you're lowering it via alcohol use. A good example could be lucid dreaming: people who are trying to become lucid in their dreams and then do their best to become not lucid in their waking life puzzle me. Am I the only one who sees a gap in logic here?

..okay, have to go to the martial arts class soon, I'll finish my rant on alcohol later..

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by Leather Husack

I started to say I didn't think alcohol was addictive.

Two words - Amy Winehouse.

(Actually her last name is rather apt).

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by Leather Husack

I was wondering if it helped relax and stuff like that. I know smokers typically smoke to relax themselves, but drinking I didn't know if it relaxed someone or not. I've never drank so I just don't know how it is lol.

It can.

There are other ways to achieve relaxation in your life that won't end up with you being addicted to a substance though...like yoga, breathing exercises, meditation aromatherapy, massages etc.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by Johnny Metal

Alcohol isn't addictive, no drug is addictive, the drug is an inanimate object. Like a ball. A ball cannot be addictive. What you're trying to say is that you had a neighbour who did not know how to (or was unwilling to) stop kicking the ball.

Heroin, tobacco, alcohol, cocaine, coffee...these are all highly physically addictive drugs. It's not a question of not knowing how to stop kicking the ball, it's a matter of the ball turning into a monster that holds onto you and doesn't let go until you are dead.

That may sound a bit dramatic when it comes to coffee as there is no real long term effects other than anxiety...but with heroin and tobacco...they are two of the hardest things to quit...and I think tobacco is actually harder to kick than heroin.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by elucidate

.
That may sound a bit dramatic when it comes to coffee as there is no real long term effects other than anxiety..

It doesn't sound dramatic. It just sounds wrong.

Coffee has plenty of real long-term effects. For example, it helps to lower your risk of liver cirhosis, skin cancer, nose cancer, Parkinson's disease, liver cancer, Alzeheimer's disease, MRSA infection and Type 2 diabetes.

Google and see.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

It doesn't sound dramatic. It just sounds wrong.

Coffee has plenty of real long-term effects. For example, it helps to lower your risk of liver cirhosis, skin cancer, nose cancer, Parkinson's disease, liver cancer, Alzeheimer's disease, MRSA infection and Type 2 diabetes.

Google and see.

I was speaking of detrimental effects, but anyway...

[Bonadea]

I'm very high strung, my brain is always going. It seems to cut out all the garb.

Yes I try many other ways, but when I'm going on full stream, they don't work.

I also suffer from hives and I find that when I drink, it helps them. I often wonder if it's because it thins the blood (I can't take aspirin either).

Like everything, it's all in balance.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by Bonadea

I'm very high strung, my brain is always going. It seems to cut out all the garb.

Yes I try many other ways, but when I'm going on full stream, they don't work.

I also suffer from hives and I find that when I drink, it helps them. I often wonder if it's because it thins the blood (I can't take aspirin either).

Like everything, it's all in balance.

I drink now and then...mainly cocktails, but I'll have beer if it's really warm outside. Sake with japanese food, red wine with pasta or just in winter...occasionally tequila.

I don't really like alcohol that much though, so it's not something I think about really. If I'm out I'll have a drink, and occasionally I've been known to go on an extreme bender and get drunk with a friend...though I don't really do that very often at all. I just like to break up my routine and rythmns and do something different once in a while. If it's too often it is not so fun.

[Leather Husack]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

Two words - Amy Winehouse.

(Actually her last name is rather apt).

lol...

[NickW]

Originally Posted by Leather Husack

I have been thinking a lot lately about alcohol. Not as in, considering drinking it, but just as alcohol as a thought in general. I was wondering what everyone's thoughts are on alcohol? I know a lot of people are against it for various reasons, however I know that it can be used responsibly.

In moderation, can be beneficial; in excess, can be toxic.

[ Note the root of word intoxicated. ]

And as a lifestyle, can be fun...but only for a while.
Modern Drunkard Magazine

[Andrew Gubb]

I just don't need it, and I don't actually like the feeling which it brings on me. I don't like feeling hazy in the head. I don't really get why anyone would intentionally downgrade themselves.

I do kind of get why some people like it. It stops you thinking, takes away your burdens for a while. But there are much better, more holistic solutions to those problems - solutions that are permanent, effective and have no side effects. If life is so heavy on you that you need to medicate with alcohol, by all means use as much painkiller as you need, but also aim as much focused attention as you can muster on healing the actual problem.

I'm not a sworn teetotaller mind. I don't need to be, alcohol just doesn't attract me. (It helps that I don't need it as an excuse to spend time with friends or to get past social boundaries to releasing inhibitions). I drink a tiny sliver of red wine occasionally with meals, about 1/8 of a wine glass. I used to have an occasional beer (maybe half a cup) because I liked the taste, before I gave up gluten. But I'd rarely if ever choose to get the point where I felt the effects of the alcohol on my body.

[ZephyrusX]

If I drink, I only do it for the taste. I like the taste of some alcohol, and since I drink it rather slowly, I tend not to get drunk very often. If I do drink more than I usually do, I've noticed that it really knocks me out. I'll sleep for many hours straight though without waking up.

[Bonadea]

Speaking of which......

(it's snowing outside, perfect night for it)

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by ZephyrusX

If I drink, I only do it for the taste. I like the taste of some alcohol, and since I drink it rather slowly, I tend not to get drunk very often. If I do drink more than I usually do, I've noticed that it really knocks me out. I'll sleep for many hours straight though without waking up.

This is why I do it too...hence cocktails. Yummy coconut and pineapple and you can hardly taste the alcohol...suits me, though it can be dangerous if you forget there is alcohol in it and just keep downing them.

I had a fun new years with a friend where we sat in the bath and just drank gin and tonics out of tall glasses...very refreshing, and fun.

I love watching the process of making a cocktail as well...but in general I do feel the way Andrew said most of the time about alcohol...just once in a while I revert and want to have something yummy.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by Bonadea

Speaking of which......

(it's snowing outside, perfect night for it)

Yes, I took to drinking infused vodka shots one winter as a way of keeping warm...like the russians.

[Leather Husack]

Originally Posted by elucidate

Yes, I took to drinking infused vodka shots one winter as a way of keeping warm...like the russians.

It makes you warm?

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by Leather Husack

It makes you warm?

Sure, inside. Why do you think russians are such alcoholics?

[Leather Husack]

Originally Posted by elucidate

Sure, inside. Why do you think russians are such alcoholics?

Haha, I never really thought about it, but it definitely makes since.