Alcoholism
Many people suffering from stress or excess worry will turn to an alcoholic drink to help calm their nerves and provide some feelings of relaxation. There is no doubt that alcohol does have a relaxing effect when taken in moderate amounts. Some people will have what they call a 'relaxer' at the end of their working day. This might be a glass or two of wine, a shot of whisky, rum etc or maybe a beer. In moderate amounts alcohol is supposed to be good for us. However it is when alcohol is used in excess, maybe to escape from dealing with a life problem that alcohol consumption can become an issue and a serious one too. If you are drinking early in the morning, if you can't face the day without a drink, if you always need 'dutch courage' before attending a meeting whether social or professional, if you try to conceal how much you drink or are in denial about your drinking then you do have a problem. What is not realised is that excess alcohol consumption can bring with it a feeling of depression. The person who drinks to excess and who then feels depressed will drink again to try and suppress or numb the feelings of depression and so a vicious cycle begins. The cycle continues with the possibility of a relationship or marriage breakdown, loss of a job then leading to finanical worries. All of these contribute to the depression which in turn leads to more drinking. The only person that can stop someone when drinking excessively permanently is the drinker themselves. No amount of cajoling or persuading or threatening from love ones seems to make any difference. As with anything in life that is worth having or obtaining, it all begins with a decision. The decision comes first and then the action follows. Many people who have had a drink problem and overcome it have used the AA's 12-step programme. As with anything, it will not be the right vehicle for everyone. IF you have attended an AA session and found them not to you liking, it is not an excuse to give up. It means that either you need to find an AA group that does feel better for you or another form of help may be what you need.
Drew Voight
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