Were we addicted to alcohol earlier than we thought?
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Join Date: Jan 2017
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I personally started drinking at 17 (30 years ago, crumbs where does the time go) but was a very moderate and sensible drinker initially (by the standards of Irish youth in the early 1990s, lol). I can't say precisely when I slipped into alcoholism. I crossed the invisible line at some point though.
But yes Saoutchik, I agree that Britain and Ireland normalise alcohol use and abuse to an extent that would not be considered acceptable in other countries.
But yes Saoutchik, I agree that Britain and Ireland normalise alcohol use and abuse to an extent that would not be considered acceptable in other countries.
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Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 2,654
Saou, I was socially conditioned as a young child/teenager, by my parents and their friends. My father returned home every night after a 'stressful' day at work, to a glass of whiskey. My mother returned home after a 'stressful' day, to a glass of wine. They both held frequent dinner parties at home, lots of alcohol and laughter, us children awoken from bedrooms and sat at the top pf the stairs, listening to the 'happy, excited' voices.
It was conditioning, for sure. Work hard at day....drink at night. Then grew up, had a stressful job as an adult.....and lo and behold, I walked through the home door at the end of the working day, opened the bottle of wine; which escalated.
It's a drug. Same as heroin. It shouldn't be normalised in the media, as it has been for so many decades, a century?
It was conditioning, for sure. Work hard at day....drink at night. Then grew up, had a stressful job as an adult.....and lo and behold, I walked through the home door at the end of the working day, opened the bottle of wine; which escalated.
It's a drug. Same as heroin. It shouldn't be normalised in the media, as it has been for so many decades, a century?
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 3,027
Originally Posted by saoutchik 
Interesting that a good number of you on here considered yourselves alcoholic or having a drink problem from an early age. My guess would be that in a lot of instances that would be the result of psychological addiction rather than chemical addiction (just because a chemical condition usually takes time). Education would seem to be the most obvious counter but it has to be done well. My schooldays ended in the 1970s but what limited education we did have about smoking, drinking and illegal drugs I remember as being unbelievably crass and therefore easy to dismiss.
It has just occurred to me that alcohol advertising is a form of social conditioning that makes alcohol consumption seem as natural as drinking tea or coffee. There does need to be a counter narrative to it without resorting to Prohibition style crackdowns.
It has just occurred to me that alcohol advertising is a form of social conditioning that makes alcohol consumption seem as natural as drinking tea or coffee. There does need to be a counter narrative to it without resorting to Prohibition style crackdowns.
voices ca**y
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: St. Paul Minnesota
Posts: 4,359
Originally Posted by Tatsy
Saou, I was socially conditioned as a young child/teenager, by my parents and their friends. My father returned home every night after a 'stressful' day at work, to a glass of whiskey. My mother returned home after a 'stressful' day, to a glass of wine. They both held frequent dinner parties at home, lots of alcohol and laughter, us children awoken from bedrooms and sat at the top pf the stairs, listening to the 'happy, excited' voices.
It was conditioning, for sure. Work hard at day....drink at night. Then grew up, had a stressful job as an adult.....and lo and behold, I walked through the home door at the end of the working day, opened the bottle of wine; which escalated.
It's a drug. Same as heroin. It shouldn't be normalised in the media, as it has been for so many decades, a century?
It was conditioning, for sure. Work hard at day....drink at night. Then grew up, had a stressful job as an adult.....and lo and behold, I walked through the home door at the end of the working day, opened the bottle of wine; which escalated.
It's a drug. Same as heroin. It shouldn't be normalised in the media, as it has been for so many decades, a century?
She was 16 when I got out and I know she realize how dangerous this is now. Even though, it would probably feel familiar to her.
voices ca**y
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: St. Paul Minnesota
Posts: 4,359
Originally Posted by Stayingsassy
I was binging on alcohol from early on: teens and up, was also an early sugar addict: hoarding and binging on sugar from an early age. Could be dopamine deficiency or an overactive reward system in the brain, my dad had it too. But I do not believe it’s psychological. I’ve seen others like me and the difference between me + these others, and everyone else, is striking. I’m not saying everyone is a genetic alcoholic, I’m saying I am.
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 3,027
Originally Posted by silentrun
My drug of choice since my early teens was running. Now its sugar.
saoutchik
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: London
Posts: 16,202
Originally Posted by Stayingsassy
I was binging on alcohol from early on: teens and up, was also an early sugar addict: hoarding and binging on sugar from an early age. Could be dopamine deficiency or an overactive reward system in the brain, my dad had it too. But I do not believe it’s psychological. I’ve seen others like me and the difference between me + these others, and everyone else, is striking. I’m not saying everyone is a genetic alcoholic, I’m saying I am.
My point really was that a lot of consumption amongst younger people can be said to have a psychological component to it - reinforcing friendships, meeting potential mates, (short term or long term) the fear of missing out, all those kind of things.
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 3,027
For sure. And when we quit....we fight against the drinking culture again, wine moms, whiskey tasting, beer Sunday’s, happy hour, it’s everywhere and sobriety can be isolating.
It’s really a much bigger task, quitting drinking is, than we realize sometimes.
It’s really a much bigger task, quitting drinking is, than we realize sometimes.
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: Valley of the Sun, AZ
Posts: 3,458
Originally Posted by ScottFromWI
Looking back I'm pretty sure I was addicted from my first drink. I remember it vividly actually - sharing a water bottle of various booze shots stolen from someones parent's liquor cabinet mixed with OJ. I remember the warm buzz and how good it felt - I was probably 13/14 years old maybe? I chased that for decades - literally.
I really can't say if my initial warm experiences with alcohol were psychological or physical or some combination of the two. I don't think it really matters - the solution is the same
Great topic. Thanks Sao.
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