Anyone else fed up with our Alcohol culture
Member
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 58
Originally Posted by NoelleR 
In regards to my water and salt comment.....there's an old adage that says it the dosage that makes the poison; water, alcohol, and salt. What I stated was NOT my belief or opinion; it's fact. I see that some of you didn't take my suggestion to do some research.
To give you a jump start, try checking out hydrocephalus and hypernatremia...........
(o:
To give you a jump start, try checking out hydrocephalus and hypernatremia...........
(o:
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,416
Let's take a chill pill guys and get back to the topic at hand.
On going intense discussions about whether alcohol is literally, or metaphorically, a poison are probably best done by PM.
The ignore function is also good if your blood pressure is rising.
Dee
Moderator
SR
On going intense discussions about whether alcohol is literally, or metaphorically, a poison are probably best done by PM.
The ignore function is also good if your blood pressure is rising.
Ignore bothersome members. If there is someone on the forum that bothers you, select the Ignore option on the drop down menu under their name on the post. You won't see any posts from this member again.
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SR
Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,183
People do die of salt and water over-ingestion, it's rare but it happens.
Folks in early recovery need to be aware of symptoms of PAWS, that often include irritability and striking out at people in response to internal distress. Those symptoms, unrecognized and unchecked, very often lead to relapse.
Folks in early recovery need to be aware of symptoms of PAWS, that often include irritability and striking out at people in response to internal distress. Those symptoms, unrecognized and unchecked, very often lead to relapse.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 8,704
Originally Posted by Andante
Whoa… you mean to tell me that both the Church and the Greek Philosophers are in on this evil plot hatched just overnight by the greedy alcohol merchants and the soulless advertising hacks of Madison Avenue in a conspiracy to keep the poor downtrodden innocent masses intoxicated and thus defenseless to the nefarious plans of their evil power-mad multinational corporate masters? What’s the world coming to?
Guest
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 928
You have to remember, only about 10% of the population is alcoholic (I think that's right), so most people can go to a restaurant or wherever, have a few drinks, go home and forget about it(what??). It is too bad we alcoholics are stuck dealing with the endless fascination of people with alcohol.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 216
Originally Posted by bluedog97
You have to remember, only about 10% of the population is alcoholic (I think that's right), so most people can go to a restaurant or wherever, have a few drinks, go home and forget about it(what??). It is too bad we alcoholics are stuck dealing with the endless fascination of people with alcohol.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: TN
Posts: 365
Originally Posted by thenewguy
Social drinking is binge drinking, and even the "normies" drink a lot more on the usual occasion than is recommended.
Some of my relatives are like this. They drink their wine under the guise that it's more sophisticated and in smaller glasses. But almost invariably the glasses are filled more often, the conversations get louder and more pointless and annoying. I've been avoiding these occasions for this very reason.
Let's not kid ourselves; even moderate is binge drinking/heavy drinking. That's the real culture.
Some of my relatives are like this. They drink their wine under the guise that it's more sophisticated and in smaller glasses. But almost invariably the glasses are filled more often, the conversations get louder and more pointless and annoying. I've been avoiding these occasions for this very reason.
Let's not kid ourselves; even moderate is binge drinking/heavy drinking. That's the real culture.
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 928
Originally Posted by alcoholics wife
And most likely those 10% of alcoholics have loved ones in the form of a spouse, parents, children, friends that are affected by their disease too.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Northeast USA
Posts: 1,021
Originally Posted by frankster
Yeah well that's absolutely stupid logic. Anyone ever wake up with a hangover from drinking too much water? Nope. Any amount of alcohol is a poison. People feel even one drink the next day. Can't say the same about water. I can't believe I'm having to explain this. Are you even an alcoholic? Have you ever had a hangover? Who cares about nitpicking dosages. Comparing alcohol to water? Absolutely ridiculous. My friend just died from alcohol poisoning. That's what they called it (doctors). Drank himself to death. I have two other friends that are almost there and several on their way. Never heard of salt or water poisoning, unless they were lost at sea in a little raft for months on end. When you put alcohol on your tongue it burns. Oddly enough water doesn't. When you put a flame to alcohol it burns, oddly enough again water doesn't. Frogs live in water, fish live in water. In alcohol they are dead meat. But yeah alcohol isn't a poison, it's just the amount. Oh ok.
EndGame
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 4,677
Not to diminish the OP, but there are many more things than the commoditization and positive advertisement of alcohol that disturb me about Western culture.
This issue cycles through the forums fairly regularly. Becoming hyperaware of or hypersensitive to alcohol while attempting to get sober is another manifestation of the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon. (You can look up the origin and the psychological processes of the BMP.) It's similar to buying or looking to buy a new Lexus. You suddenly become so aware of the make and model that you seem to notice it everywhere once you have it in your mind to buy one, or after you've bought it.
The fact that we've done so much damage by drinking only makes our awareness of it (and sensitivity to it) that much more acute. My experience is that when people become more comfortable and more confident in their sobriety -- and move on with their lives -- this preoccupation losses its power, just as do many other things that used to haunt us before we got sober.
This issue cycles through the forums fairly regularly. Becoming hyperaware of or hypersensitive to alcohol while attempting to get sober is another manifestation of the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon. (You can look up the origin and the psychological processes of the BMP.) It's similar to buying or looking to buy a new Lexus. You suddenly become so aware of the make and model that you seem to notice it everywhere once you have it in your mind to buy one, or after you've bought it.
The fact that we've done so much damage by drinking only makes our awareness of it (and sensitivity to it) that much more acute. My experience is that when people become more comfortable and more confident in their sobriety -- and move on with their lives -- this preoccupation losses its power, just as do many other things that used to haunt us before we got sober.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Michigan
Posts: 205
I just want to point out, positively, that our popular culture has also been inclusive of sobriety, at least in little ways. Songs like "Not Afraid" by Eminem, and a recent release from the Goo Goo Dolls "So Alive" about John Rzeznick deciding to be sober, are heartening to see from time to time. Although, I understand what the OP is saying, that so much of culture and socializing feels centered around alcohol drinking. I agree with many others, though, in that when your life is very focused on something, like sobriety/alcohol abuse, it's hard not to think of it constantly and see it all around. It all goes back to the choice of sobriety, I think...you can't worry about the actions of those around you, but you can control your own, and that's what will ultimately make you happy. 
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: UK
Posts: 6,902
Originally Posted by Time2Rise
As I don't see that changing anytime soon, I personally don't concern myself with alcohol's prevalence and social acceptability. It's wasted energy, and I can use that energy to work on my recovery. Honestly, the prevalence of alcohol really doesn't bother me because I know I cannot do anything about it except to control my reactions and behavior.
And every day I ask for the serenity to accept the things I can't change (others for example) and the courage to change the things I can (me, and my attitudes) and the wisdom to know the difference.
In early sobriety I wasted so much precious energy in wishful thinking, raging and festering resentments. The I decided to use that energy for my recovery and personal growth instead.
I do agree that alcohol is a toxin. But so are resentments.
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