Alcoholics

[pcosmar]

Agree.

Probably best not to go back if it was a problem.

if it was a problem.

I know many who drinking is not a problem,,
Other people were the problem. Other people griping and complaining about drinking were the problem.
other people convincing them that there was a problem.

I don't know your,, or his situation. Only stating observations.

 

[Schifference]

If your dad is retired and wants to be a responsible drunk what would be the problem with that? If he never drives drunk and drinks at home why would that be a problem? I know lots of elderly people addicted to prescription pain killers, antidepressants, anti-anxiety, and sleep medications to name a few. Of course their kids and grand children don't consider them addicts.

 

[dannno]

I have an idea.

Smoke a joint with him.

 

[JK/SEA]

i'm 62...big drinker when i was young. Hard worker, hard partier. Came to a head. Started with blackouts. Came to my own conclusion that booze was slowly killing me. I quit cold turkey for 8 years. My Dad, now gone, finally said to me..;;you gonna have a beer with your old man?''...i did. I however never have gone back to my hard drinking ways of the past, but i do know when to stop now......moderation is the rule.

 

[VIDEODROME]

Alcoholics completely baffle me sometimes. Having a few drinks can be sooo much fun. When I go out and drink I try not to drink too much in order to avoid a host of issues like hangovers, getting out of control and doing something I might regret, injuring or embarassing myselft, etc.. But honestly, it's not that hard. I don't feel like going and getting another drink, usually, after 3 or 4 drinks, sometimes less. That is the major difference between me and alcoholics. However sometimes the atmosphere calls for drinking more in which case I become even more hyper vigilant to prevent getting too drunk. I start counting drinks, creating limits, all of which I do not normally do 95% of the time when I drink because I don't need to. But what I don't understand is why alcoholics cannot employ some simple rules with their drinking. 3 drink max if you are just sitting at home. 4 drink max if you go out, unless it is a really special occasion and/or the entire point of why everybody is there is to get really drunk - then you have a 6 or 7 drink max. Stick to it!! Your ability to DRINK depends on it!! If you're such an alcoholic and alcohol is SOOOOO enjoyable to you, then why not create some basic rules and stick to them so you don't have to spend the rest of your life fuckin' sober!!

/rant

A lot of the problems come from a demented drinking culture that leads to things like slams down shots. I would rather enjoyed drinks I spent a lot of money on than do shots.

I guess some excessive drinks do show up without a plan or they're unable to follow one. Other people just have the opposite plan to intentionally get hammered. They think the main point of going to a party is to get shitfaced.

 

[dannno]

A lot of the problems come from a demented drinking culture that leads to things like slams down shots. I would rather enjoyed drinks I spent a lot of money on than do shots.

I guess some excessive drinks do show up without a plan or they're unable to follow one. Other people just have the opposite plan to intentionally get hammered. They think the main point of going to a party is to get shitfaced.

Well I lived in that sort of culture for a few years and actually enjoyed it. Drinking was always a competition, drinking games were played at least 3 or 4 nights a week. But we all lived in a small community where driving was unnecessary and there were tens of thousands of other people to party with all in less than a square mile.. Everybody was getting hammered several nights a week, partying, but also driven because it was at one of the top public universities in the country. So it was class, class, study, party, sleep, class, study, party, sleep, class party party party party, sleep, party party party, study, sleep, class study party, sleep class, study party..

But none of the people I knew there were alcoholics like some of the alcoholics I've met since. Maybe it had something to do with taking classes, having something to do during the day besides go to a dead end job, having a relatively low yet steady income, knowing it was all temporary and sort of like a dream to be in that situation and eventually we'd have to sober up, move on and find a real job, I don't know.

 

[Romulus]

I have an idea.

Smoke a joint with him.

He's much too old fashioned for that. Hippie stuff is his mentality. Not me, I'd rather smoke than drink any day. He's the opposite. Both my mom and him are pretty uptight about pot. I know it would help his hip and back...but I don't think he ever would do it, unless he was drunk. Lol.

 

[youngbuck]

I know a couple of alcoholics quite well. My opinion is that even a single drink is like playing with fire.

 

[jmdrake]

My old man is one. Most of my life growing up we delt with it. Not a huge deal since he as a happy drunk and not a violent one. Fast forward to now. He's been sober for maybe 10 years which was pretty difficult running a restaurant. Now that he is just retired, and no responsibilities, is it possible for him to govern himself and have drinks once in awhile? I don't know this addiction, so if anyone has first hand experience with being one, are you able to do that?

I want the geezer to enjoy life and to me that is having a drink now and then. Not getting sloshed, but being able to enjoy himself without the urge to wake up and start downing whiskey every morning. What do you all think? My mom is not on board with the idea..says he wont be able to control himself.

It sounds like he's enjoying himself without booze just fine. Why complicate things? As a recovering sexaholic I was sorely tempted when I saw the Victoria Secret's ad on TV when visiting a friends house. Didn't give into that though.

 

[oyarde]

My old man is one. Most of my life growing up we delt with it. Not a huge deal since he as a happy drunk and not a violent one. Fast forward to now. He's been sober for maybe 10 years which was pretty difficult running a restaurant. Now that he is just retired, and no responsibilities, is it possible for him to govern himself and have drinks once in awhile? I don't know this addiction, so if anyone has first hand experience with being one, are you able to do that?

I want the geezer to enjoy life and to me that is having a drink now and then. Not getting sloshed, but being able to enjoy himself without the urge to wake up and start downing whiskey every morning. What do you all think? My mom is not on board with the idea..says he wont be able to control himself.

Maybe not the best thing if he is retired. Too much time on the hands. I was a on again , off again hard drinker when young, now I have weaned myself down to 3 or 4 Tall Boys and a shot of Bourbon on work days , nothing on my days off usually any more.I have alot of work to do though. I will probably quit mostly altogether when I permanently retire . Otherwise , I could easily see myself drinking more than I need to when I have less to do.... Everyone is different. I was never really a "drunk" by appearance or actions or ever ill tempered, but my wife and kids would still know when I tied one on because if they sat around with me I would tell stories from my youth and about my family that I would probably never mention when I was sober

 

[Schifference]

Your old man is the only one that can decide if he is going to drink or not. It is not anyone else's decision or business.

 

[libertywanter]

I think you need to realize people are different, what you can handle and what your father or anybody else can handle are different things. I seen a couple posts stating that they can't understand why an alcoholic cant limit themselves, THAT is what defines an alcoholic, they have the inability to limit their alcohol. I would expect better from a libertarian group, just because something works for you, doesnt mean it should work for everyone else.

I also think you should be a little more thoughtful and not drink in front of him, it would be like eating in front of a starving person, just because he has strong will power doesnt mean you should test it. Also you should realize that just because you see no problem if he drinks, that doesn't mean there won't be a problem for him. Even though he may like to drink, he may also like to live life with a clear viewpoint, life is much more enjoyable with clarity than being drunk all the time. Also you should realize many health complications can come along with drinking, especially in excess and especially with older age. If he fell into a heavy drinking pattern, which would be easy to do since he is retired, it could very well put him in an early grave. Let it go and stop determining what is good for your father.

Also, if he hasn't drank in 10 years, he chose to do that for a reason, he is the one that not decided to drink, no one else made the choice

 

[Romulus]

Well. My mother runs his life, it's not like he has any say anyway. And half of the time HE is the one offering me a beer, the he keeps in his own house. So no, I do not feel guilty when he is voluntarily offering me drinks. I realize the struggle alcoholics have, but they can't expect everyone to sober around them or not even drink around them. It's not like I'm bringing over a case of cold beer and saying how wonderful it tastes and getting shitfaced on his couch. The old man has made up his mind, I'm not going to persuade him at all. I will respect his property, but if he offers, I'm not going to decline. If we all go out, everyone should not be excepted to drink club soda either.