I've Never Been Much Of A Drinker...
I never was...maybe I just was never much in the company of those who go to parties, the pub or nightclub.
Have I ever been drunk? Yes, but usually it only has one affect on me. Well, perhaps two...I become very sleepy and if it's at all possible more mellow and quiet than my usual nature.
Have I been drunk often? No. Has it always been pleasurable? Yes...except the one and only time and we're going back many, many years. Perhaps, I should've been seen by a Dr in case I had alcoholic poisoning.
I was working in the retail. It had got around to Christmas and I suppose I should've known better. The "Lads" wanted to go for a Christmas drink at a hotel around the corner before the shop closed for the Christmas holiday...I'm now wondering if it was for the New Year...anyhow, I didn't want to go but it seemed churlish and after all one drink before getting home couldn't do any harm, could it?
After all it was only around 6 O'Clock at night.Wrong...I guess I forgot that I had not eaten for 6 hours and worse...my drinks were spiked. In the back of my mind I seem to remember someone trying to put me on the wrong bus home but I managed to make it home.
I had some things I had to carry home which somehow I managed to hang onto. Getting home later than planned my Father had come out looking for me and saw me walking home in quite a state and looking forlorn. I apparently greeted him by just saying "Oh Dad" I got home and was put to bed and I was out of it for two or three days. It was that bad. That's the sorry side of booze.
Today, I probably could not drink much even I wanted to but I can risk an odd glass of wine. If you've read earlier entries you'll know why. I've taken a detour however, the reason for this entry is that the UK and seemingly more so than many countries is that the British are drinking more than they should. The media what have us believe that it is so. That more people are doing what is called binge drinking. That's where instead of drinking in a measured way, slowly...people go out and get as many drinks down their necks as possible and quickly.
We can discuss and argue whether alcohol is a good thing. We can acknowledge that some people have a problem with alcohol that is a medial matter and whether it destroys lives...maybe we will return to this at some time in the future but just as with obesity concerns as mentioned in the last entry...it is often forgotten that many times throughout our history, people have eaten and drank too much.
If we look more deeply though teenagers and those of a lower social class are often cited as being the "baddies" but in reality the evidence is probably more available to suggest that because they have money, it was the wealthy that probably ate and drank too much. Because they could afford to. The lower classes did so because there was little else to do and life was for many pretty miserable.
For years we have had guidelines as to how many units of alcohol you can drink to remain safe from harm. But, in recent months information came to light that these guidelines were not based on fact. Some Dr's had got together many years ago and felt that some kind of information should be out there to help the public make a considered choice. In simple terms this idea was a bit like sketching a figure on the back of an envelope.
Well, a new report has come out today and it's not been mentioned much but I noticed that the overall findings suggest that the professional wealthy family on average drinks 15 units of alcohol. Yet the manual worker averages 11 1/2 units per week.
Now this could be because the professional is mixing more in a social way perhaps at meetings where deals are made. Also the extra income must play it's part. Then again, maybe as the manual worker has to be ready to work daily and use machinery etc...perhaps they can only drink at certain times in the week.There are probably many more reasons but initially these thoughts have crossed my mind, I may come up with more reasons in time. And perhaps change my opinion.
Men 'drink far more than women'
Have I ever been drunk? Yes, but usually it only has one affect on me. Well, perhaps two...I become very sleepy and if it's at all possible more mellow and quiet than my usual nature.
Have I been drunk often? No. Has it always been pleasurable? Yes...except the one and only time and we're going back many, many years. Perhaps, I should've been seen by a Dr in case I had alcoholic poisoning.
I was working in the retail. It had got around to Christmas and I suppose I should've known better. The "Lads" wanted to go for a Christmas drink at a hotel around the corner before the shop closed for the Christmas holiday...I'm now wondering if it was for the New Year...anyhow, I didn't want to go but it seemed churlish and after all one drink before getting home couldn't do any harm, could it?
After all it was only around 6 O'Clock at night.Wrong...I guess I forgot that I had not eaten for 6 hours and worse...my drinks were spiked. In the back of my mind I seem to remember someone trying to put me on the wrong bus home but I managed to make it home.
I had some things I had to carry home which somehow I managed to hang onto. Getting home later than planned my Father had come out looking for me and saw me walking home in quite a state and looking forlorn. I apparently greeted him by just saying "Oh Dad" I got home and was put to bed and I was out of it for two or three days. It was that bad. That's the sorry side of booze.
Today, I probably could not drink much even I wanted to but I can risk an odd glass of wine. If you've read earlier entries you'll know why. I've taken a detour however, the reason for this entry is that the UK and seemingly more so than many countries is that the British are drinking more than they should. The media what have us believe that it is so. That more people are doing what is called binge drinking. That's where instead of drinking in a measured way, slowly...people go out and get as many drinks down their necks as possible and quickly.
We can discuss and argue whether alcohol is a good thing. We can acknowledge that some people have a problem with alcohol that is a medial matter and whether it destroys lives...maybe we will return to this at some time in the future but just as with obesity concerns as mentioned in the last entry...it is often forgotten that many times throughout our history, people have eaten and drank too much.
If we look more deeply though teenagers and those of a lower social class are often cited as being the "baddies" but in reality the evidence is probably more available to suggest that because they have money, it was the wealthy that probably ate and drank too much. Because they could afford to. The lower classes did so because there was little else to do and life was for many pretty miserable.
For years we have had guidelines as to how many units of alcohol you can drink to remain safe from harm. But, in recent months information came to light that these guidelines were not based on fact. Some Dr's had got together many years ago and felt that some kind of information should be out there to help the public make a considered choice. In simple terms this idea was a bit like sketching a figure on the back of an envelope.
Well, a new report has come out today and it's not been mentioned much but I noticed that the overall findings suggest that the professional wealthy family on average drinks 15 units of alcohol. Yet the manual worker averages 11 1/2 units per week.
Now this could be because the professional is mixing more in a social way perhaps at meetings where deals are made. Also the extra income must play it's part. Then again, maybe as the manual worker has to be ready to work daily and use machinery etc...perhaps they can only drink at certain times in the week.There are probably many more reasons but initially these thoughts have crossed my mind, I may come up with more reasons in time. And perhaps change my opinion.
Men 'drink far more than women'
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 4:22 pm
10 Comments:
As you say, maybe the professional classees are more regular (wine with meals etc) instead of a blitz on a Friday/sat night.
I know I used to be an alcoholic (not your falling over slurring all the time type but a must have a drink in the evening, must be cold beer in the fridge, rum on the patio late at night...an expat norm I guess...not so much now and even less since October last year when I woke up in hospital (first and last time!)...it really shit me up...a forthcoming post maybe!!!
Another story today going 'against what we believed' saying the Scots don't drink as much as the English etc ha...bloddy wimps ;-)
Sorry to hear that you were in hospital(I'd understand if you keep that quiet)but as you say could be an interesting post...hope you stay fit and healthy.
That sudden visit for me 10 years ago was as frightening to me. And as Mum has since told me I was on a 50/50 chance of survival, I am thankfully still here.
At my worst I had to fight for help even though the medical information was there and I only was helped once a Citizen's Advice person got involved.
I have some things going on with red tape now even though most of the departments I deal with have been fair. I would love to say so much more but for various reasons that is best left unsaid for now.
If things go belly up, maybe I will.
You picked up on the Scottish angle of the report too. I nearly added that into my entry.
But here's another point the department who has issued the information shows that alcohol consumption is on the way down...which flies in the face of the media and government campaigns of late and unless they can prove that the "plebs" are the one's that go out and cause havoc on the streets...their argument about putting up the price of alcohol to stop them buying it will not work because the report is saying it's those with money drinking more.
Like I said earlier all drink does to me is make me sleepy, I am sure there are plenty of people who are under the influence all the time but you'd never realise.
Take care Span...
I ended up in hospital nearly 24years ago after 9 years of drinking too heavily.
They dried me out and it was the scariest experience of my life.
Luckily my 2 daughters were too young to remember a lot about it.
Ever since then, I've never had more than 2 units of alcohol a day,(and that's not every day)and I get really panicky inside at the thought of ever drinking more than that.
I think more people than will ever be honest enough to agmit have had serious problems with drink.
Blimey! What a bunch we are ;-)
I think the point re not eating is a key factor - more so than spiked drinks. When I had my 'event' I had had a lot to drink, a lot, but no more than other times except that I hadn't had lunch that day and the booze was my dinner and I guess my body just said 'no more'...ah well...the demon drink!
Glad we all seem to be over it...one thing I have never done, even in teh 'worst' times was to drink in the morning except the odd early beer with a large brunch after a session...those that need/want a drink in teh morning, especially spirits, need help...no doubt about it.
I knew when I realised I was drinking vodka at 11 in the morning that I really needed help.
My 9 year old daughter found the bottle behind the settee and confronted me with it.
It was the best thing she ever did, bless her .
That's a very honest and insightful response Curmy. It also shows how many things can sneak up on us and we do not always see it coming. For some emptiness and stress(some emotional problem)it is drink, for others it can be food.
Good that you managed to get sorted when you did and that you are aware of how you'll react and can manage to monitor the situation so this stays in the past.
Gx
I haven't been drunk for years, certainly not in the past 25 years, I know that because Janis says she has never seen me drunk and that's how long we've been together.
I know the reason why I don't like alcohol, it's because of my attempted suicide when I was 14. Waking up in hospital having drunk a bottle of Johnny Walker and taken some pills made me see the light. Funnily enough on the night I did it, back in November 1974, I had the sense(?) to phone a friend and tell him what I had done before I passed out.
The worst thing was seeing my parents cross-examined by a social worker who had to decide whether or not they were suitable parents. It was horrible and something I felt ashamed about for years, it had nothing to do with Mum and Dad, I was having problems I couldn't tell anyone about and found a bottle of whisky that my Grandad had left behind after he'd been at ours on holiday. It was rather ironic really given that my Dad has been teetotal all his life.
Due to my various health issues over the last few years I'm a bit of a coward when it comes to drinking these days. I can just about manager one glass of wine a week!
More brave honesty...Probably better that way Paul! Even though we're told 'a little' can be good for you no-one ever mentions that 'none' is MORE good for you!
Thanks for telling us that Paul. I think we've all done things in our past which make us look back and cringe, but you as well have been honest enough to talk about it.
Hugs
And look at all the good things that would've been missed. It does perhaps show that we are vulnerable and influenced as we grow up. Which just sometimes as adults we can forget and wonder why children/teenagers behave as they do.
We're stronger and hopefully more understanding and forgiving and does anyone sail through life without something we should not have done. But hey, it makes us who we are.
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