SCREW THE ALCOHOL CULTURE

[Tipplerette]

We recently had, yet, another, suicide scare on the MWO forum and it?s the 3rd or 4th one I?ve been aware of but I?m sure there are a lot more. So many here suffer terribly as a direct result of over-alcohol consumption. There is agonizing pain, self-loathing, total helplessness and yes, many cases of successful suicides and murders all because of drink. Each of us has had worries about members of our own family?s alcohol abuse besides our own struggles. This is such a loud message to me that alcohol is sheer physical, mental, emotional and spiritual POISON. It?s a poison that moves relentlessly towards a bitter end no matter how long it takes. You see, alcoholism is a progressive disease. How clever !!

After coming to the slow realization that alcohol is completely useless we come to another subject; the title being Alcohol is Everywhere! In the society where I live, Quebec, Canada, there is so much pressure to drink. It?s the deal in the restaurant: Poutine et un Biere Froid ! $ 4.98. It?s the bottle of champagne at the wedding. It?s the perfect hostess gift. It?s the outdoor patio beverage. Wine or beer are the sole beverages offered in many homes. The strong drinking culture here has always been the real stumbling block between me and the sane choice to go alcohol free.

Well SCREW the ALCOHOL CULTURE!! Why would I allow a brainwashed majority dictate what my enlightened mind is urging me to do? Why continue the madness of allowing myself to be HERDED along with the rest of society consistently doing something that harms me, has no benefit whatsoever and, actually, causes death and destruction to me and my loved ones?

That?s the question.

[Chillgirl]

SCREW THE ALCOHOL CULTURE

Tipple - I too say SCREW THE AL CULTURE!

I get very angry and sad at how our society has developed. Here in the UK binge and heavy drinking is at epidemic proportions. Its costing our police and health service millions and thats before we count the cost of human lives, the illness it causes and the injuries sustained because of it. Then there is the emotional cost and the relationships it wrecks, the families torn apart and devastated by AL. Its insane.....

I remember hearing a quote which said "if the majority are insane then we will lock up the sane". In a way thats how it is with AL, the non drinkers are the ones made to look like misfits and oddities. Personally I always liked being a member of the alternative group :nutso:

We hear people boast about how much they drank, joke about what they did when they were drunk, laugh at how hungover they were, I tell you its insanity! Its everwhere, in every eating establishment, shop, petrol station, supermarkets, you name it. And its on every TV show and movie too.

If there were an AF island I would go live there, how wonderful if we could have an AF Country to live in and do all that we do without the insanity it brings.

ok rant over......

[Supercrew]

SCREW THE ALCOHOL CULTURE

I like the sentiment, and I used to think the "alcohol culture" was evil and pressuring me to drink. I felt people expected me to drink when I went to parties and to restaurants, and if I didn't I would be looked at as an oddity. But I have since realized that that was just my perception, and really there was no reality in that perception aside from the fact that I was looking for excuses to drink.

Yes alcohol is everywhere and yes everyone drinks and yes it is on TV and in the Movies, but it doesn't affect me if I don't want to drink it. No one really ever pressured me to drink, except when I was younger. Now I'm old enough not to let suggestions or situations be perceived as pressure.

[Doggygirl]

SCREW THE ALCOHOL CULTURE

I like being an example - to myself first and foremost, and to my family and to others (especially young people!) that I can have a great life, lots of fun, lots of passion and fulfillment, all without a single drop of alcohol. That is MY culture. Alcohol may be pervasive, but I don't have to be a part of it's culture.

DG

[one2many]

SCREW THE ALCOHOL CULTURE

Chillgirl;1286977 wrote: Tipple - I too say SCREW THE AL CULTURE!

I get very angry and sad at how our society has developed. Here in the UK binge and heavy drinking is at epidemic proportions. Its costing our police and health service millions and thats before we count the cost of human lives, the illness it causes and the injuries sustained because of it. Then there is the emotional cost and the relationships it wrecks, the families torn apart and devastated by AL. Its insane.....

I remember hearing a quote which said "if the majority are insane then we will lock up the sane". In a way thats how it is with AL, the non drinkers are the ones made to look like misfits and oddities. Personally I always liked being a member of the alternative group :nutso:

We hear people boast about how much they drank, joke about what they did when they were drunk, laugh at how hungover they were, I tell you its insanity! Its everwhere, in every eating establishment, shop, petrol station, supermarkets, you name it. And its on every TV show and movie too.

If there were an AL island I would go live there, how wonderful if we could have an AF Country to live in and do all that we do without the insanity it brings.

ok rant over......

I would be coming with you!!

:goodjob::goodjob::goodjob::goodjob:

[Tipplerette]

SCREW THE ALCOHOL CULTURE

It's funny because around here I am known as an oddity. I have an off-the-wall sense of humour, am an Anglophone living happily amongst the French majority, am a little runt, dress like a gypsy and even look a bit odd in a quirky way. I pride myself on being a leftie as I enjoy being different. So going counter-culture comes a bit naturally to me. I should enjoy the eccentricity of being different in yet another way. What the heck is stopping me? That's the latest question... hey thanks for the patience ... I'm getting there ... taking a slow ride to a wonderul place.

[dixon]

SCREW THE ALCOHOL CULTURE

Tipplerette;1286956 wrote: We recently had, yet, another, suicide scare on the MWO forum and it?s the 3rd or 4th one I?ve been aware of but I?m sure there are a lot more. So many here suffer terribly as a direct result of over-alcohol consumption. There is agonizing pain, self-loathing, total helplessness and yes, many cases of successful suicides and murders all because of drink. Each of us has had worries about members of our own family?s alcohol abuse besides our own struggles. This is such a loud message to me that alcohol is sheer physical, mental, emotional and spiritual POISON. It?s a poison that moves relentlessly towards a bitter end no matter how long it takes. You see, alcoholism is a progressive disease. How clever !!

After coming to the slow realization that alcohol is completely useless we come to another subject; the title being Alcohol is Everywhere! In the society where I live, Quebec, Canada, there is so much pressure to drink. It?s the deal in the restaurant: Poutine et un Biere Froid ! $ 4.98. It?s the bottle of champagne at the wedding. It?s the perfect hostess gift. It?s the outdoor patio beverage. Wine or beer are the sole beverages offered in many homes. The strong drinking culture here has always been the real stumbling block between me and the sane choice to go alcohol free.

Well SCREW the ALCOHOL CULTURE!! Why would I allow a brainwashed majority dictate what my enlightened mind is urging me to do? Why continue the madness of allowing myself to be HERDED along with the rest of society consistently doing something that harms me, has no benefit whatsoever and, actually, causes death and destruction to me and my loved ones?

That?s the question.

My heart is broken ! .Very touching thread ..should add more sentiments by others ,Many thanks for posting !
Dixon

[scottish lass]

SCREW THE ALCOHOL CULTURE

So true, and AL seems to be popping up in more and more places - in the gas station, fill with petrol and grab a bottle to go; at the hairdresser and nail salon!, at school functions - just with a polite request not to open on the property, but as soon as you are off the grounds go for it; every magazine, newspaper, TV ad's, TV shows; on every aisle at the supermarket, and not only grocery stores but at the chemists too.
It is insiduous, creeping and totally overwhelming - it is everywhere.
Anything that I do right, someone says lets celebrate, lets grab a drink - everything that does not go right - SAME response - lets commiserate - grab a drink. Even for teh nothing moments, lets change them, and grab a drink.
Every novel....on and on and on - it is so very hard to escape thats for sure!

[Boh]

SCREW THE ALCOHOL CULTURE

Poutine and a cold beer 5$! That's crazy! In saskatchewan a beer in a bar or restaurant is usually 5$+

It's been a while since I've been to Quebec. But I think the alcohol culture for the most part, is a north american thing... I can't get away from it!!
I hate that it sponsors Everything!!!!



boh

[nancy]

SCREW THE ALCOHOL CULTURE

AL culture

I think it is true that we have an alcohol-centered culture. We have a culture that's addicted to a lot of things, whether it be alcohol, drugs, food, internet or gambling. The core causes need to be worked on.

If you are trying to cut down and everywhere you go people are offering you drinks, that's obviously hard. In a lot of settings, it's perfectly acceptable socially to ask for a soft drink or water instead, especially if you are older, you are in your 50s right? I think in your 20s-30s you are expected to drink but as you get older that expectation drops a lot. So that gets to supercrew's post that it's an excuse, that you don't really want to quit drinking.

Supercrew posted something else that I think applies to you, about whether it's easier to quit as a binge drinker or daily drinker and he says daily drinker, because the risks are not great enough for occasional binge drinkers to quit.

Tip, I suggest you look more into programs for binge eating/female oriented programs that target some of the emotional issues behind over-indulging, whether it be food or alcohol. It might be that you need some behavioral change program and will change over time. Maybe this isn't going to change overnight but you are on the right track. I suggest you look to reducing your drinking over time.

[BlondeAFAmbition]

SCREW THE ALCOHOL CULTURE

Great thread Tipp and by the way, I appreciate the french Gypsy in you !

One in 12 Americans is a heavy drinker...I read that recently in a study (been doing lots of anti AL research lately...), wow, one in 12. So, when I look around at the gym and see 12 different people, that means that one of them is a heavy drinker. When I count 12 cars that pass me by on the way to work, that means 1 in 12 drivers is a heavy drinker. I take myself out of the 1 in 12 equation by becoming a non-drinker, how about you?

Funny, I was at the bank making some deposits for my work the other morning. While I was waiting at the teller, they have a flat screen TV with blurbs of trivia scooting across the screen (supposed to enlighten the bank customers as we wait in line I guess). The most random facts speed by me on that screen and the other day, there was a "headline" that the favorite AL drink of Canadians (I am in the US mind you) is still BEER and that according to a Canadian survey, 20 billion dollars was spent on beer in 2011 (don't quote me exactly on that but it was around that figure). Wow...and that's just Canada.

F the AL culture...it is all about big business and government trying to make a buck on a highly addictive drug that is stupifiying the general public and making them sick and numb. Sad, very sad.

I am grateful, as I'm sure you all are, for seeing this trap for what it is and getting the hell out while you still can. Here's to beating the beast!:l:l

[Tipplerette]

SCREW THE ALCOHOL CULTURE

So it's all very clear and as Supercrew says, OK, now we have the facts. We now CHOOSE whether to drink or not. It's a choice. The rebel in me is prime for this major change. The herded sheep in me is dying out but she is not dead yet. Writing it all down is a powerful way to put it in it's true perspective.

As far as beer drinking goes, it is huge here. Red wine is my drink of choice and it's a growing trend everywhere I think. The advertisers have convinced us that it's actually MEDICINAL... Ha ha ha. Glad this discussion is continuing. I never meant it to be an open and shut thing as these issues are ongoing. So glad that so many of you have managed to throw off the shackles of conformity. I'm two steps behind you.