Alcohol

[mamachick]

Studies in the US-they now say one glass of wine a day is good for the heart.

Since DUI is so prevelant, I have become afraid to have more than one drink and drive home. I was surprised to see the actual calculator at http://www.ou.edu/oupd/bac.htm

 

[anthony]

I have read similar studies here, being red wine is good, one standard drink daily, not one glass... is good for your health, however; they still ended with 2 alcohol free days is required for your liver.

One study can say one thing, but leave out other important bodily organs in order to make their study seem more credible. Studies for alcohol and liver though... all tend to come out with minimum 2 alcohol free days per week.

That is the scary part with driving... if you actually look at one standard drink, being wine, and the amount of wine in the glass, its extremely small compared to what is served at a restaurant, being a half or full glass, and glass size also is relevant. Its like drinking a can of beer... that is nearly 2 standard drinks, not one drink.

 

[mamachick]

Absolutely, good for heart and bad for liver. I think the 2 alcohol free days makes much more sense. I have gotten into the habit of drinking regularly in periods of my life. It can sneak up and I have felt concern as well. I am all for moderating it and self control over abstinance if at all possible. That worked well for me. Currently, I rarely have a desire.

 

[anthony]

Christmas time I enjoy drinking and partying... its one time of the year I don't care and do binge drink, enjoy myself and then I don't drink much overall again for the year after news year.

 

[KP the nut]

I find not drinking during the week and limited intake at the weekends works for me and my H. When H and I go out, it is decided in advance who will drive, often we take it in turns if it is social, he will drive if it is my works function and I drive if it is his.

We never drink and drive. I am also very aware that if a lot of alcohol is consumed, we may still be over the limit the next morning.

We are out tomorrow night and have struck gold by having a lift from a friends husband who never drinks ;)

 

[ClairBear226]

http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm

Here's the CDC's take on the question in the US. Seems more strict than the Aussies.

 

[anthony]

Nope... the US deem a standard drink as 14 grams of alcohol, Australia is 10 grams, being lesser. US driving is .08% and Australia is .05%, being the lesser again. US uses 80 proof as its standard, being stronger, Australia uses 40 proof or less, being % alcohol volume.

Basically, you can drink more in the US and drive. The US daily acceptable intake is 2 for men, 1 for women, yet the standard for proof alcohol volume is double in the US than Australia (strength) and also larger grams per standard drink.

Sorry... US rules are more relaxed than here. Australia is not known as the strictest country in the world for nothing. We are the most regulated country in the world... but then, when the world fell to shit, that saved our arse at the same time in near every industry Nationwide.

 

[Hashi]

I'm wondering about your therapist and CPN commenting. How did they know?

Did you tell them? If so, what was the reason for that, if you weren't thinking before now that it was a problem?

Did they smell it on you/your breath? Or could they tell something from your behaviour? Usually, that would mean having had more than one drink, or having it just beforehand. I don't know how near your flat is to therapy, but unless you're just down the road I wouldn't expect them to be able to tell you'd had one drink before you left home.

I'm afraid I can't agree with others that it's about how many units you're drinking. There's also the context. If you want/need a drink in order to be able to do something, and have one, to me that does sound like a potential problem. Especially to help with therapy. A lot of therapists won't see clients if they know they've been drinking. I don't think you can effectively do the therapeutic work if you're taking yourself out of it to some extent with alcohol. I think an important part of therapy is learning how to resource yourself psychologically, developing emotional and mental coping skills. It's about learning how to face things and to be present with difficult feelings. Alcohol is about the opposite, in my view.

I would talk with your therapist about why you want to drink before leaving the flat, and work on not doing it.

 

[mamachick]

I am realizing that I am an addict. I used alcohol to self medicate in the past, but never became dependent and for whatever reason, recognized it as destructive and left it alone, and then used in moderation.
However, during depression, a friend trying to cheer me up took me to a casino on a weekend. At first, I felt bad loosing $40 on slot machines, but still enjoyed. Repeated this a couple of times for entertainment.

Then when feeling bad alone during the day, went alone. Very quickly I was self medicating with this. I was numbing out. It was not about winning although that was great on many occassions. If I did win big, it was a boost. It numbs physical and emotional pain. But the pain returns when the behavior stops. It allowed me to escape negative feelings and focus on the machine. Sometimes I would be up $1000 and keep playing until I lost it all.

We with ptsd are very prone to finding an escape, of self medicating through alcohol, drugs, sex, shopping, gambling, food, etc. We will find what suits us best. Wanting to escape is a normal reaction to trauma. Yet not everyone with ptsd will become addicted to something. Many people have managed their symptoms better than me and addiction has not become an issue for them. If you are thinking that it may be a problem, try giving it up and see what happens.

 

[KP the nut]

I think I have an addictive personality. I can latch onto something easily and become in my view addicted, eg computer games, choc, alcohol. Most I can control but I can lose hours to computer games. I find it v shaming to admit.

 

[mamachick]

I find it shaming to admit to KP but once said a few times, and written, I feel some acceptance and relief. Its like I have admitted it and survived.

 

[maddog]

I too have an extremely addictive personality, the only benefit being that I am very very aware of it - possibly even overaware and obsessive. I worry deeply about alcohol intake and other obsessive activities which numb the pain or take me away - one of which is the internet of course. I seem to find myself doing things to extreme and developing odd rituals and rigid rules around them, and all of these things I know are danger signs.

For the most part I have managed to make it through without developing a serious addiction to a substance, but I know the potential is always there. It's worth fighting against though, because I desperately don't want an addiction on top of all of my other problems, as I'm sure none of us do.

Maddog