by nicolaou 76 Replies latest social physical
People come to us because alcoholism is a disease, and requires treatment.
Hi Jeff. I will admit to ignorance here. Could you please help me to understand alcoholism as a 'disease' a little better.
My daughter has MS and I have to be honest, I get so frustrated by the amount of resources the NHS spends on treating alcohol related accidents and illnesses.
Am I wrong in believing this is self inflicted?
"A women drove me to drink and i never had a chance to thank her"....W.C.Fields.
I enjoy a nice wine or 2 i live in New Zealand and we make some excellent wines.
Karter.
My understanding is that addictions involve the dopamine system in the brain. This is the pleasure / reward chemical. Addicts have a very strong, positive dopamine response to pleasureable stimulii.
A non-addict produces an average amount of dopamine, the pleasure chemical, to a pleasureable stimulus, such as alcohol.
Under this model, the addict produces huge amounts of pleasureable dopamine to a stimulus, such as alcohol, and this fuels further pleasure-seeking. Alcohol becomes so rewarding that it can't be refused.
This is not the only model for addiction.
This is my layman's understanding.
I seldom drink. I've never been drunk.
Maybe THAT'S why I'm such a bastard.
I'm thinking of trying auto-trepanation, I've got a Bosch 1/2 hp hammer drill.
I drink more and eat more when I'm stressed. Since resigning as an elder and being mentally "out" I have drunk and eaten less.
I've probably only been drunk a couple of times in my life - and once was at home in a drunk myself to sleep kind of way. The other was on holiday when me and a mate shared a bottle of spirits till it was gone one evening. Fell asleep in a chair by a log fire. Both times it was "Southern Comfort" funnily enough!
But not in the last twenty years or so.
I'm with FMF,
A couple beers every night until in my 30, switched to much less beer, and have few wines instead.
Now it's whiskey straight up, but I limit myself to 1 or 2 small glasses on weekends only. And holidays. And events. And when I deserve it.
My only coffee habit is espresso (pref. double) after diner.
Now them cigars look promising, but my still in wife will leave me the minute I buy one....so FMF where do you live? I'll come over for the weekend ;-)
I drink below the recommended levels but I enjoy most drinks occasionally. I sometimes have a bottle of beer with an evening meal and I can appreciate a good single malt. I was given a bottle of port at christmas which will probably last me until next year.
Wine really improves a good meal but we don't buy it often.
