davewilson33

i have to say reading people like me from englands stories it seems like we are a lot more primitive than our american cousins, it seems to me like in england if we have a problem with drink its brushed under the carpet with the usual words of,

"why dont you just stop"

or

"you can just drink weekends"

i know from my hard time of trying to give up there is hardly any place to turn in england, i was just interested to know what you guys think

davewilson33

also id like to point out i phoned aa the other day and got the answer " ELLO " from the other end, didnt make me want to share any feelings with this guy

suki44883

Well, I don't know, but it seems like certain countries have a culture that includes alcohol more so than do others. I know when we think of Russia, we think of people drinking vodka. France, we think of everyone drinking wine, even at a very young age, same with Italy. It's just part of the culture. The Welsh have a strong drinking history, too. Here in the US, alcohol is available pretty much everywhere, but I don't know that our so-called culture revolves around alcohol. We do have our share of alcoholics though.

davewilson33

i read another persons post the other day from england and it was the same as mine, no support and people think you can do it alone.

it seems to me that we believe it is not an illness but a choice, but when i watch the news on tv from my country i can see why, binge drink after binge drink and we are all labeled in the same bracket

just a little rant but hey it stops me from drinking lol xx

Soberpotamus

I know the Irish have the same deal going on, maybe even moreso it's good that you recognize it and are acknowledging it... May be harder for you to get outside help. Can you get individual counseling for your addiction problem?

davewilson33

i really dont know, i dont even know where i would start thats why i feel i have to do this alone, i love my country but i do feel its miles behind in sense i really do

AWOL

hi dave
an interesting observation. my shrink says Britain is a nation of alcoholics (I'm neither British nor American). having worked in England as a kid i understand what you are saying and i wonder if the lack of support is not due just to the fact that so many people in the UK drink (there is a pub on every street corner isn't there?). they would need a UN Task Force if a tenth of the alcoholics in the UK called for support. so maybe that's why no one bothers to help. as an alcoholic in the UK, the thought to call for help never entered my mind because we were all too busy quaffing beers to even think about it. from a distance, there seems to be more interactive support from the US... SR is a great example.

Squizz

Awesome post. My dad is from Italy, and he's still convinced that one day I'll be able to drink like a gentleman. Strangely enough, he hates the fact that I've done drugs. What he fails to realize, is that for somebody like me, drugs & alcohol go hand-in-hand.

In his culture, somebody who can't handle their booze is looked down upon big time. Even if they quit drinking for years. They just don't get it over there, I guess.

ulverston

im english and i know what you mean..
i live in cananda and the support is amazing/if you want it.

i know there are aa meetings back home though/google them and you will find a way.
good luck.

davewilson33

hi awol, i just wanted to say if i went for a 10 minute walk from my house there is 7 pubs so i think that says it all about our pubs and street corners lol

AWOL

Just to add. I come from a culture where there is very little support for alcoholics, so ultimately it comes down to white-knuckling it. Faith in yourself, faith in the outcome, and one day at a time.

Zencat

Drinking or not has been an individual choice for me and countless others. Although once a pattern of drinking has been established, drinking could be an serious issue. An issue that only a rare few can stop on their own.

What to do? Well knowing of and at best understanding proven addiction principles will help make a difference in your goal to live free fro the influence of alcohol.

Have a look at this, it can help.

What is CBT
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
SMART Tools AA Books
SMART Recovery® - Tool Chest and Homework
SMART Recovery® - Articles and Essays
Alcoholics Anonymous : Click on the Book You Would Like to Read
AVRT: The Rational Recovery Technique
AllBusiness.com | Business solutions from AllBusiness.com

Soberpotamus

SMART is a great program, I learned a lot from it. I recommend that one as well.

newwings

Being a Brit that now lives in California, I feel I can comment here! Yes, there are tons of pubs in the UK (there were 9 pubs in my small village, with only 1500 residents. Go figure). There is definitely a drinking culture - a hardcore drinking culture, with a 'working man's' edge. Out here in California - and I live near Napa, the wine country capital of the US, pretty much - the drinking culture is still hardcore, but with a glamorous edge...very dangerous stuff to someone with a drinking problem (me).

I think out here, people tend to think it's not a problem if you drinking wine or cocktails, or wine tasting in the sunshine. I was very surprised to find that most people here drink every day - and a huge quantity of it - but because it's expensive wine, or a lemon drop, it's not seen as a problem. It sure is!

I'll agree about the help out here to quit though. Maybe because California is linked to celebrity, money and success (and with that, high profile drugs and alcohol issues), AA meetings are packed to the brim, and most health services have specialist drugs and alcohol counselors available 24/7. Americans are also pretty direct and very good at being open with issues such as this - part of the culture I really admire.

smit83

Yeah i think Here in the UK its difficult. Drinking is just everywhere, its like every last one of my friends drink, Like you said its just pub after pub. Not only that if you ask for half of coke in a pub they look at you like you've just asked for there left arm :S

pavernt

The attitude to drink in the UK is as much as you can as quick as you can, I live in Brighton, I know no sober people (outside the people I met last week in my first meeting) - some people can just have one drink, some people can't - sadly I am one of the people that cant just have one drink and leave it at that.

There is support in the UK, you just need to find it. I guess I'm lucky, because in a party town there is always going to be a need for support for those who cant party anymore.

soberkellyxo

I hardly even knew you could get much help in England, I always thought nobody even cared about how much they drink.

Bah.

pavernt

Its definitely part of the culture here, to get drunk and when you say you dont drink anymore its seen as weird, and drunkeness is worn as a badge of pride.

If every weekend isnt like the hangover for my friends, then its a failed weekend.

but as I said there is support out there... when I searched for a meeting on the AA site I was genuinely shocked at the amount there are in my town, and luckily my company is going to send me for some counselling too.

Taking5

Isn't AA well established in England? Do others look down on you if you are known to attend AA meetings?

soberkellyxo

Yeah I did some research and there's quite a few in my town but I don't think I'd have the guts to go. I keeping doubting many people would be in there because no one around here accepts that drink could ever be a problem haha.

If I went and I told someone I know about it, I think they'd actually laugh in my face.