Alcohol Addiction

[Mahatma]

I was watching a show on TV called "Dr. G's How Not to Die" and one of the stories on there was a guy who actually died because he stopped drinking alcohol, and he was not just an anomaly.

 

I have always maintained that, if they really had the self control, people could quit things like alcohol on the spot.

 

This guy on the show went on a sort of vacation with an x - wife and she told him she would only go with him if he did not get drunk. He only had one drink instead of his usual many. He ended up getting serious withdraw symptoms and died. I forget what EXACTLY happened on the show, but the point is he had the motivation to just not drink for the night, but his body's dependency could not handle it and he died.

 

I just thought this was rather interesting, since I have always thought all it took was determination.

[Touche]

I saw that show a while back. But I'm not sure what your point is. That guy was severely addicted if I recall. There's different levels of addiction. Some of us abuse it here and there. Others can't function without it at all. He was on the extreme end of the scale in terms of his addiction, right?

 

As I remember they explained what took place physically in his brain. Didn't he have really bad DT's?

 

I consider myself addicted to alcohol but not to that degree. Now when I stop for more than 4 or 5 days, I start to experience some symptoms like mild irritability and headaches. But someone addicted to the degree that he was experiences symptoms that can be fatal. That's why severe alcoholics have to be monitored carefully.

 

For the rest of us, who aren't that extreme in our addictions, then yes, I believe we can stop with determination and some changes in our habits, etc.

[burning 4 revenge]

Do you still drink Touche

[Touche]

Do you still drink Touche

 

Yes, but I've cut way back since January when I started my diet.

 

Too bad you weren't around Sat. night. I sure overdid it and let loose after the last few days.

[burning 4 revenge]

Yes, but I've cut way back since January when I started my diet.

 

Too bad you weren't around Sat. night. I sure overdid it and let loose after the last few days.

I was around Sat night

[Touche]

I was around Sat night

 

You were? Oh. Well I guess I was really out of it then!

[Art_Critic]

I have always maintained that, if they really had the self control, people could quit things like alcohol on the spot.

 

I just thought this was rather interesting, since I have always thought all it took was determination.

 

Take it from a drunk that it isn't true... I have plenty of self control and I couldn't stop...

 

An Alcoholic doesn't lack will power regarding the ability to stop drinking.. it takes tons of will power to keep pounding drinks into yourself and watch your life get slowly ruined.....

 

An Alcoholic can't stop drinking because he is addicted, because the drink has become the most important thing in his life.. he protects it, becuase it is all part of his survival.

 

It also takes determination to lose everything you have and then take another drink after you have stopped..

 

They are determined to take that drink.. it is called addiction.

 

Alcoholism is a disease that tells the person drinking that it is okay to take that drink.. even though your wife is walking out the door and you are going to lose your job because of it.

 

A normal drinker who is having trouble with drinking needs determination and will power to quit... but an Alcoholic needs an act of god.. they need to reach their bottom and they need to realize that they are powerless over Alcohol and they need help..

 

Most people with Alcohol problems or Alcoholism don't quit by themselves.. they need other Alcoholics and or a treatment center to help them thru it..

 

This is all of course just my opinion...

[sb129]

Its the same with smoking- some psychiatric conditions and their resultant medications can make people more predisposed to smoking, and they shouldn't be encouraged to give up cold turkey because it can really mess up their meds and how they work.

 

I forget specific examples, but its definitely something I have come across before in my line of work.

[Art_Critic]

Some Alcoholics become physically addicted and their bodies require it to function.. those are the ones that exhibit signs of the DT's when they quit..

 

The DT's can cause some people to get physically ill and wind up in the hospital...

 

My Mom has told me stories about people that would get admitted to the hospital for xyz reason and not tell them or be honest about how much they drink and then bam !! 48 hrs in the hospital and they are in full DT's..

By then the nurses and DR's have all figured out that they lied about their Alcohol use..

 

of course Alcoholism is also is a denial based disease.. never admitting to themselves that they are an Alcoholic or they might have to quit..

[Touche]

A normal drinker who is having trouble with drinking needs determination and will power to quit

 

But a "normal" drinker doesn't have trouble with drinking. They don't need will power and determination to quit. They can just stop with little discomfort or will involved. Don't you think so?

 

The rest either need help or can do it on their own with a LOT of determination and will and a willingness to ride out the tough part of their withdrawal.

 

By the way, that story your mother told you is EXACTLY what our nurse told us. He was taking H's medical history and asking questions about his alcohol use and told us that exact same thing. He said it happens. So they have to know your alcohol/drug intake.

[burning 4 revenge]

But a "normal" drinker doesn't have trouble with drinking. They don't need will power and determination to quit. They can just stop with little discomfort or will involved. Don't you think so?

No

 

..................

[Art_Critic]

But a "normal" drinker doesn't have trouble with drinking. They don't need will power and determination to quit. They can just stop with little discomfort or will involved. Don't you think so?

 

 

A normal drinker who is having a problem with drinking can't just stop like that..

They might be going thru tough times or in a bad marriage for example.. they then drink to get up the courage to go home but they get drunk instead and keep relying on it..

They need will power.. they need determination to put it down and get thru whatever it is they are using the crutch of Alcohol for.

 

A lot of normal drinkers go thru periods of abuse ie: college drinking or young drinkers or even tough personal problems.. but abuse isn't Alcoholism.

 

Now.. a normal drinker who isn't having a problem can just put it down without a second thought and without the need for determination or will power..

 

I personally have always believed that if a person wonders if they might be an Alcoholic then the chances are high that they are an Alcoholic.. simply because a normal drinker never asks themselves that question...

[Touche]

No

 

..................

 

What do you mean, no? Are you implying that you're a normal drinker?

[burning 4 revenge]

What do you mean, no? Are you implying that you're a normal drinker?

yes

 

......................

[Touche]

A normal drinker who is having a problem with drinking can't just stop like that..

They might be going thru tough times or in a bad marriage for example.. they then drink to get up the courage to go home but they get drunk instead and keep relying on it..

They need will power.. they need determination to put it down and get thru whatever it is they are using the crutch of Alcohol for.

 

A lot of normal drinkers go thru periods of abuse ie: college drinking or young drinkers or even tough personal problems.. but abuse isn't Alcoholism.

 

I guess I agree somewhat but it's a very fine line. I just don't really think that a "normal" drinker really ever abuses alcohol in the way that you're talking about.

 

Now.. a normal drinker who isn't having a problem can just put it down without a second thought and without the need for determination or will power..

 

I personally have always believed that if a person wonders if they might be an Alcoholic then the chances are high that they are an Alcoholic.. simply because a normal drinker never asks themselves that question...

 

Totally agree with the last part. No doubt about it. I guess I'd be curious to know what you think the difference is between an alcoholic and one who abuses alcohol. How often do they have to abuse it to be considered an alcoholic?

[burning 4 revenge]

I would like to cut back on my drinking, but only if I could supplement it with oxy-contin

[Touche]

yes

 

......................

 

If you say so.

[Touche]

I would like to cut back on my drinking, but only if I could supplement it with oxy-contin

 

You have such an addictive personality. (Takes one to know one.)

[burning 4 revenge]

If you say so.

do you really think i drink more than the normal average person?

[Touche]

do you really think i drink more than the normal average person?

 

You know I do. Look, your own family has told you as much haven't they? And again, it takes someone who has issues with it themselves to really see it in others.

 

I think you're a type of functional alkie. There are different levels of addiction. I think you have to watch yours. It can escalate and it wouldn't hurt for you to eliminate it for periods of time (because I don't think you'll ever quit it entirely.) But it can get worse without you realizing it.

 

And trust me...drinking in your 30's and 40's isn't the same as drinking in your 20's. You may have already discovered that sad fact though.

[Mahatma]

Take it from a drunk that it isn't true... I have plenty of self control and I couldn't stop...

 

An Alcoholic doesn't lack will power regarding the ability to stop drinking.. it takes tons of will power to keep pounding drinks into yourself and watch your life get slowly ruined.....

 

An Alcoholic can't stop drinking because he is addicted, because the drink has become the most important thing in his life.. he protects it, becuase it is all part of his survival.

 

It also takes determination to lose everything you have and then take another drink after you have stopped..

 

They are determined to take that drink.. it is called addiction.

 

Alcoholism is a disease that tells the person drinking that it is okay to take that drink.. even though your wife is walking out the door and you are going to lose your job because of it.

 

A normal drinker who is having trouble with drinking needs determination and will power to quit... but an Alcoholic needs an act of god.. they need to reach their bottom and they need to realize that they are powerless over Alcohol and they need help..

 

Most people with Alcohol problems or Alcoholism don't quit by themselves.. they need other Alcoholics and or a treatment center to help them thru it..

 

This is all of course just my opinion...

 

But see I have always read stuff like that and decided that the person just didn't have the willpower and was weakened from alcohol.

 

I realize ADDICTION is a real thing. I am not sure you have experienced withdraw symptoms AC, but my point was that I was unaware that alcoholics actually needed professional help.

[amerikajin]

Initially, alcoholism is an addiction that is likely more psychological than physiological. The alcoholic looks at the clock, realizes it's a 5 p.m. on a Friday and gets hammered that night and the next night. Typical college kid antics.

 

A few years later, now an adult, that same guy starts drinking more regularly. Starts buying a six pack of beer now and again. He starts regularly cracking open a can or beer or two at night before going to sleep, and drinks pretty hard on the weekends as well.

 

A few more years later, he starts hitting booze earlier in the day and drinking longer at night -- and this is where the trouble begins. When someone drinks large volumes of alcohol and does so with regularity, the body chemistry begins to change. When this happens, no longer is someone merely psychologically addictive, they are physiologically addictive. The alcoholics body adjusts all organ systems to deal with the increased alcohol level in the blood stream, to the point where their bodies begin to feel out of place when the alcohol is missing from their blood stream. The body can go into shock, which can in some cases cause permanent injury or even death. That's why people who are real alcoholics are carefully evaluated at first and they are closely monitored during the first few days or so of rehabilitation. Doctors have to help their bodies cope with the loss of alcohol.

 

Psychological alcoholism can be dealt with by the individual drinker, but not physiological alcoholism.

[Okfine]

No, it doesn't "just" take determination. Determination is a good key parting component to have when dealing with an addiction but if we are speaking of substance abuse we are speaking of a body that has changed in its make-up in terms of how it functions. In order to function it learns to incorporate this foreign substance as part of its daily fuel. If you take that away it would like trying to take away food from a normal functioning human being. Fuel is fuel. The body of an addict learns to run on substances like alcohol or drugs as primary fuel, this is why it becomes so hard for addicts to stay on board with quitting. The body asks for it and it becomes a physiological dependence, much greater than the psychological alone can overcome.

[Glenn Quagmire]

I just quit smoking 3 weeks ago. it was pretty easy. I don't think i could quit drinking though.

[SilentWolf]

My husband and I are seperated right now due to his alcoholism and recently he has been somewhere that he can NOT drink. I knew that people could become physically dependant but I did not know to what degree either. About a week into his "visit" he was complaining of severe stomach pains. It turns out that his body was so dependant on the alochol he has been consuming for god only knows how long that his digestive system is actually having to rebuild itself and "remember" how to function without the enzymes in the beer (as per the gastroentrologist (sp?) he had to see). And he really thought we were all just full of beans about his drinking being a HEALTH concern upon other things.