Thursday, June 17, 2010

Alcoholism Is Insidious


Hi. I suspect you are reading 'here' for any one of three reasons. The first is the most obvious. Curiosity. The second reason is that you either know someone by however many degrees of separation suffering from alcoholism. The third is, obviously, that you think or know that you are on the road to or an alcoholic. To anyone in the third category, well done! I'm so pleased that you're here....and here's why....


....To those who know or at least suspect they have a problem with alcohol, there are a multitude of alcoholism management strategies. Each alcoholism management strategy is highly-tailored for the individual alcoholic as no two alcoholics are the same.


I am a recovering alcoholic. It took me 10 years to acknowledge it, a further 9 years before I addressed it and the last 3 years managing it. I say 'manage' it as alcoholism can't be beaten. It's not a fight and besides, it's a far superior opponent to those who cannot 'manage' it. It's a big, fat, bitter pill but it's a fact. As soon as you stop 'fighting' alcoholism then I guarantee a very noticeable change in your mindset.


Let's step back quite a few years. Alcohol is a socially accepted and highly promoted drug. Some people can handle it better than others. If, at an early stage of your drinking, you were one of those who could handle it better than most then this is a major alarm bell. If you are reading this and know any younger folks like this, please try to get them to read this. I am in no way trying to encourage visitors. What I am trying to do is help prevent anyone from going down my road. There is nothing glamorous about it. It's not Hollywood. This is hard-core life and death material.



I can recall, at the age of 19, reading a book on Psychiatry as I was working there as a Student Nurse. I had an interest in alcoholism and Behavioral Psychology. I still do. I was reading a generalized book when I came to the chapter on alcoholism. I merely skimmed through it but the term 'insidious.' It struck a nerve and has been with me to this day. At that young age I knew that I was 'better' at drinking than most as I was never the one falling over, becoming aggressive and all of the other humiliating things that come with drunkenness. 


As time progresses for the alcoholic, traits and behaviour follow, generally speaking, a similar path. Your work begins to suffer due to excessive days off due to a few too many drinks the night before. This  may be accompanied by arriving to work not in 100% shape and often smelling of alcohol.


Your home life begins to suffer to. You become more tense and irritable for no 'obvious' reason. The next step downwards in the spiral is denying that you have been drinking when you have. Believe me; people close to you know. It can't be masked for long.



The next two factors, statistically speaking, occur within 18 months of each other. The first is sneaking drinks. This is such a ludicrous cycle to get into as it only gives one the alcohol 'kick' for a few minutes. The rest of your time is spent being paranoid and uptight. The second factor is drinking before and/or at work. Again, an outrageous paradox when one looks at it from the 'outside.'


Added to all of this is the need to constantly lie about your drinking. Due to your intake combined with anxiety levels, lie after lie end up tripping over themselves.


Once you have disrupted your family life, your career, friendships and finances to crisis point, it is time to ask for help. Ideally you do this of your own volition but statistics state otherwise.


When you think you're down and out, there's always further down to go. Believe me.


Watch This Space....


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