Published on 12, July, 2020
hi all. On my way to assessment (16 months and counting). One thing I’ve realised as I’ve reflected and made sense of the last 30/40 years (47yo) is my relationship with beer. I’ve always drank beer and often too much (no off switch) but I’ve now made sense of it. I promise I’m not making excuses for the beer drinking - but made sense to why I think I’ve always gone to it to help me.
as soon as I have the first drink I feel everything inside change. In essence it’s all about the noise/senses that start to calm down. And I’ve always drank in social occasions - and this takes the anxiety away that’s been building up all day.
I think what I wanted to ask is… is this familiar to anyone? And is there another option that a drink currently provides?
I used to drink a lot when I was younger, in fact I’d drink before I went out at 17 onwards. I wouldn’t have been able to go out with my ‘friends’ if I didn’t. But then I had children (and I only got pregnant because I drank) but then stopped drinking due to the pregnancy and children. I actually stopped drinking completely around 20 years ago, very nearly 20 years anyway. But I didn’t need it anymore because I didn’t go out anymore. I never actually liked the taste or how it made me feel, it was purely because it gave me confidence to interact with people. But what I did do was start smoking weed in the evening, it did the same in blocking everything out, it calmed my mind and I could actually relax at last and be at peace with myself. But that got harder and harder to get hold of so I had to stop doing that a few years ago too, though not out of choice. I miss that break I could have from the day every evening. I think it made me a better person too.
I think alcohol use can be quite common to help people, Sarah Hendrickx (who I found useful to watch on YouTube when I was first diagnosed) was an alcoholic herself.
I’m 20 years teetotal too. I never knew how to get hold of weed (I’ve had a sheltered life!) otherwise I’d have joined you there… er, hypothetically speaking for legal reasons.
I do agree, since I returned to my traditional Catholic Faith 15 years ago, I’m always aware of the fact that it’s not morally right to be going around drunk with so much going on in our world, drink simply adds to our problems and blocks the all-important spiritual connection with God - while historically, we Irish had the stereotypical reputation of being a nation of being drunk all the time, I see this changing away from drink for the better and personally, I don’t like the feeling of being even slightly tipsy as I feel less in control, not even at weekends away from work, even at home - many of my extended family and friends back home in Ireland, have really started to think very carefully about thier drinking habits since Covid and simply stopped drinking altogether after Covid - I’ve heard from the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association that they are receiving an increased number of applications from adults who are re-taking the Pledge that they first took at Confirmation as children, having broke it in thier teenage years and are now as adults getting thier Pioneer Pins
I do think teetotal should be the way forward. Need to learn how to manage without it.