Why I don't drink occasionally even though I think I could

[jane27]

Since quitting last January, I have never had the feeling that I could handle drinking occasionally. Not for a second. I wonder if it's something I'll feel once I accrue more time, or, if all the time I've spent with myself has been adequate evidence to quash any fantasies about drinking in a controlled or moderate manner. Thanks for putting this discussion on the table NS.:hug:

[DriftyAlison0]

I know I won't drink occasionally. I know darn well if I had a beer now, that I would want more. It may start out occasionally but it won't stay that way for long. When I first started to drink, it was going to be an occasionally thing but it quickly moved on to more often. If I couldn't stick to occasionally then, there is no way that I could do it now and I know that so I choose to not drink at all not even occasionally.

[Turnagain]

This is a great thread with some thought-provoking comments and timely insights...

One of the truths that has made a deep impact in my life is understanding the absolute danger of alcohol. It doesn't matter whether you've gotten to the point of addiction or not, each and every drink is damaging.

The alcohol industry has poured a lot of time and money into conditioning us to overlook the individual and societal damage of this legal drug. This conditioning is so pervasive that most of us think of drinking as being 'normal' - but it is not. It's just common and widely acceptable in western culture, but taking a psychoactive drug that alters the brain along with every cell of the body with each and every ingestion is a far cry from anyone's definition of 'normal.'

In fact, as NS highlighted in her excellent list - there is NO safe amount of alcohol to take in. Even light, infrequent drinking has a direct, causal relation to a number of cancers and, of course, organ damage, including the ultimate organ - the brain.

The alcohol industry is refining its tactics to counter this irrefutable science. The trade associations and the industry giants, have funded 'research facilities' at major universities and provide 'unrestricted' grants to a variety of 'influential authorities' including Stanton Peele and others who are outspoken apologists for 'moderate' drinking. The so-called studies that show alcohol lets you live a longer, healthier life? Debunked junk.

And all those campaigns about "Drinking Responsibly?" Simply, rope-a-dope distractions to avoid saddling the industry with the true costs of the incalculable damage their drugs cause - after all, it's not their toxic, addictive, carcinogenic product-for-profit that causes the problems - it's YOU. Yup...we even commonly use the phrase 'alcohol abuse.' How upside down is that? Alcohol abuses US! Did you CHOOSE to become addicted? I sure as hell didn't.

Stepping off my soapbox...I would add that in the earlier days of my forever quit, I had to come to grips to a very basic fact: What I really missed about drinking had nothing to do with the taste or even the social aspects of drinking - my altered brain wanted -- NEEDED - the buzz.

I've made a significant investment in healing now. And after nearly 4 years, there is still some biochemical damage that has yet to heal and quite possibly, may never heal. Those are consequences I'll have to deal with and move on. On the plus side, the quality of life I now have is incredible: I've found joy and peace of mind again. In fact, I am even BETTER than I have ever been. And would I give that up to have 'just one' cold beer again on a hot day? Not on my life.

[satz123]

Re: Why I don't drink occasionally even though I think I could

Bump

[Rusty]

Re: Why I don't drink occasionally even though I think I could

Thank you for bumping this, [MENTION=9094]satz123[/MENTION]!