Why Drunk People Take Risks

re: Why Drunk People Take Risks

TWS500 — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:43:34 GMT

In a rehab program, I learned that the first thing to go in drinking is judgment..... I still drink but only moderately.....

Cheers...!! But don't ask me any important questions.....

re: Why Drunk People Take Risks

Connected1 — Wed, 28 May 2008 01:52:40 GMT

Much info. here. "Social drinking" I think one of the major dangers our society faces is letting the alcohol industry decide how much drinking is okay. 1-2 drinks a day is still listed as being good for one's physical and mental health, even listed as prolonging one's life in many text, including medical text. Anyone who drinks everyday is having a problem.

Too many people drink too often and are being supported in thinking it's normal. There's been some mention of ceremonial use and ritual substance use. Alcohol is a rare and poor choice for both. Most culture's sacred medicines are currently illegal. Yet users of ceremonial medicines often find connection to their spirituality enough to abstain from alcohol and abuse of other substances. Too bad our culture is set against using humans' real traditional medicines... there'd be a lot less alcoholics.

There's been a lot of quick to attack Mercola's comments regarding AA. Calm down people. AA is great for many, many people. Statistically AA is also not great for a lot of people.

The reason people are having problems is as individual as the people themselves. Not everything works for everyone. I'm grateful for AA helping many friends I have, some of who's situation looked hopeless. Yet I have other friends and family who AA is detrimental for. (It triggers reliance on the "disease" defense, which leaves them powerless, it ingrains the idea that they will be an addict for life, very self defeating, and it glamorizes people's glory days by staying focused on, and telling stories of when everyone was still using, too many of the stories start to sound fun. There's many aspects that directly conflict with practitioners of LOA, Law of Attraction.) If AA works... use it, please. If it doesn't keep trying things until something works.

The bravest thing is to step away from society condoning and accepting destructive behavior, and taking action towards living a healthy more joy filled life.

re: Why Drunk People Take Risks

susanschneider — Sun, 25 May 2008 22:37:26 GMT

If one works the 12 steps of Alcolholics Anonymous that is what takes care of the cravings and and the 4th step is the step that gets to the root of the alcoholics problems by taking an inventory of one's faults. The fifth step is where the alcoholic will share his character defects, and the 6th and 7th are for asking our higher Power to remove the flaws. The 9th step is for making amends to all we have harmed. If there are still outside issues, that is where the professional comes. in.

Thank you

re: Why Drunk People Take Risks

xyzsch — Sat, 24 May 2008 05:50:51 GMT

Dr. Mercola claims that if red wine is not produced organically, it may contain little or no resveratrol.

Is there any evidence that can be cited on this?

re: Why Drunk People Take Risks

Jane66 — Fri, 23 May 2008 14:50:57 GMT

Many years ago a friend of mine was at a Buddhist meeting which was attended by an old senior leader from Japan. During the course of the meeting there was the passing round of saki (presumably for some ceremonial reason). One girl refused to drink it. When the senior leader asked her why she explained that she was an alcoholic and could not drink. At this he threw back his head and laughed heartily! "Then you have not changed your karma one bit!" was his response. In other words by simply avoiding the addictive substance one is simply avoiding the issues that led one to it in the first place. And by referring to it as a 'disease' abdicates responsibility for it - its not my fault, I cant do anything about it, I have a disease. The alcoholic who has truly changed their karma is the one who can enjoy a drink socially if they feel like it without fear of returning to their old damaging behaviours!

re: Why Drunk People Take Risks

VoicePrints_203 — Fri, 23 May 2008 12:29:17 GMT

Interesting that no one, even Dr. Mercola, has addressed the chemical imbalances that can lead people to self medicate with alcohol and drugs or even be the cause of starting down this destructive road. The 12 step program sounds terrific and addresses the mind, as does the EFT, BUT where are we seeing the physical body being addressed. Until the body/mind/spirit is addressed success will be less than optimal. I would give an alcoholic nutritional supplementing with a green drink smoothie each morning that would amount to 4 servings of fruit and veggies to start the day. This drink includes black strap molasses for minerals, Homemade raw milk kefir for probiotic, 1/4 cup of flax meal for essential fats, Lemon Cod Liver Oil for brain function, a handful of baby spinach leaves for vitamins and enzymes, a scoop of Ultimate Green Zone or Better than Greens, and two fruits of their choice. Their digestion and flora are most likely shot. They've recently discovered that 90 % of your serotonin is made in the intestinal tract... I'd also recommend Magnesium Calm, Relax Ease (nervine combination) every two hours if necessary on the nervine. I also have a combination to use in an emergency when suffering. It's not the only answer but an important part of the whole.

Blessings,

Cheryl Forest, M.H.

VoicePrints@comcast.net

re: Why Drunk People Take Risks

ozseppo — Fri, 23 May 2008 00:38:21 GMT

I gave up alcohol, caffeine, meat, processed foods, cigarettes et al, from 1983 to 1993. I became a preaching obsessive, lost my friends, lost mt sense of humor, put on weight, listened to new age music instead of indie, got flaky skin, and couldnt place in local runs or triathlons any more.

Went hiking in Tahoe, and a fella asked if I wanted a Sierra Nevada Pale. Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have 3 to 4 pints a night now, EVERY NIGHT, sometimes as many as 15 a few times a year, with non-violent people. I have run a 15.36 5k the day after doing this! My skin has improved, my resting pulse is 46 (I'm 47!) I ALWAYS PLACE (modesty almost stopped me from saying I win more often than not)IN TRIATHLONS (IIn San Diego!!!) my blood pressure dropped to 114 from 145, I have 6% bfat, I laugh all the time, even without beer (I never drink before 6pm, even at huge bbqs and events) and I have 10,000 indie songs on the Pod.

Life is SOOOOOOOOOOO good! The buzz is what I guess Shamen and members of other religions (I believe in the perpetual planet) are looking for. It's ALWAYS transcendant!!

Did I mention I had a beautiful wife who waited one more year than me before she succumbed? She's 57 and looks younger than me! (13 miles a day 5 days a week!)

We get up at 430am!

Moral of all this, DON'T BE PIDGEON-HOLED, the world is a beautiful gray (grey), THERE IS NO BLACK AND WHITE!

Ok, back to your moralising and judging others.

re: Why Drunk People Take Risks

Frankly — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:00:49 GMT

After becoming sober in A.A. for 3 months anyone intent on acheiving sobriety will notice that the program is about fundamental change by doing a complete and thorough moral inventory, making amends, and basing your existence while doing the aformentioned work, on God as you understand HIm.

You also continue taking an inventory and when wrong promptly admitted it.

It is not about popping meridian points to get through a craving; in fact the inventory you do is so thorough that you can start living a new life making a 180 degree turn away from the way you lived before.

I have been sober 20 years and have had one craving after a busy day in very hot weather with everything seemingly turning to s...! I was angry; very angry but instead I went to a meeting.

I have not been to one in 2 years but talk to other people in the program and continue to take inventory.

While I have used accupuncture extensively and believe it can accomplish great things-I do not see how it will liberate a person from negative emotions (all of them) without even a thought, or in this case an afterthought, but good luck.

For those that want nothing to do with a God as they understand it (God could be the group for example), there is Rational Recovery where a complete examination of ones' life can still be undertaken.

Try A.A. first and do the accupressure also if you wish; just do it now, while there is still time.

Warm Regards; espescially to those who have not taken that first step (admitting the problem and conceding an unmanageable life)

Frankly

re: Why Drunk People Take Risks

carisa — Thu, 22 May 2008 21:00:46 GMT

It is true that AA is a wonderful program with strong fellowship and all the help you need, if you will ask for it. My boyfriend is a recovering alcoholic active in AA and I have been very impressed with and surprised at the depth of healing that this organization catalyzes.

However, EFT can turbo charge and greatly enhance anyones results when working the 12 steps on the program. Many alcoholics experience great amounts of resistance to working certain steps (especially the 4th one!) and EFT can help dissolve this resistance and make the process of spiritual growth and emotional healing MUCH easier. Rather than relapsing because the step work is more than they can handle, an alcoholic can use EFT to ease the growing pains as they step into a new life.

Ultimately, it would be most effective to combine EFT and AA to conquer something as cunning, baffling and powerful as alcoholism. But at the very least.....GET TO A MEETING!

much love to you all

re: Why Drunk People Take Risks

Islander — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:08:13 GMT

I'm on the side of George Jean Nathan, who said, "I only drink to make other people seem interesting."

re: Why Drunk People Take Risks

nursejano — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:41:52 GMT

I am a Registered Nurse and I see more than my share of patients who have liver disease and many other problems related to alcohol. It causes family problems, financial problems and drinking and driving is increased as well as there are women who drink while pregnant.I am so concerned about the impact that alcohol has on our society. It is going to continue to increase our healthcare costs and I just don't understand how smart people keep drinking and think that it is okay. I am 38 years old and I drank in my younger years and I went out to a bar last year to watch my younger sister perform and saw women my age and older drinking and it made me shudder to think that it could have been me, it looked so silly and senseless! I have not had a drink now for a year and I feel in the best health.

re: Why Drunk People Take Risks

YARDBIRD — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:31:04 GMT

ANYTHING to excess is bad for you including exercize...

re: Why Drunk People Take Risks

alvarogarces — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:29:21 GMT

Excellent artcle, especially for those who believe are "superhumans" when they have alcohol in their system.

re: Why Drunk People Take Risks

NonSonoStrana — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:22:37 GMT

I agree about the juice, it's heavy, cloying and overly sweet. An important aspect of drinking wine that is usually overlooked is that for many people it simply tastes the best. They only have to remember that it contains alcohol and therefore they have to keep trace a bit of how much they're having. This is a bit more difficult in a social situation, as people are enjoying each other so much that they forget how much they're drinking and end up overdoing it - not to get drunk, but by accident.

Re the plastic that we've discovered is so damaging to the environment - at a large dinner, I used to put pitchers of water on the table so people would be sure to at least offset the water with wine. Guess what works best? Those obnoxious 1 1/2 liter water bottles - because they're so "in your face" that no one forgets.

re: Why Drunk People Take Risks

healthiswealth — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:10:13 GMT

I think there should be a significant distinction drawn between heavy drinking on a regular basis and occasionally drinking in moderation. It is certainly not as bad as smoking. But alcohol should be used with CAUTION.