Alcoholics Anonymous

[Joe the meek]

Statistically speaking, what do you suppose the percentage is of people who drive while "buzzed" (AKA drunk) don't think they have drinking issues?

 

[Panacea]

Statistically speaking, what do you suppose the percentage is of people who drive while "buzzed" (AKA drunk) don't think they have drinking issues?

I have no way of pulling together numbers for this question...but I get the sense, just from living and observing, many-most people who have a problem with drinking don't think they have a problem with drinking.

 

[Aeval]

I love alchohol as much as the soldier to my left and right... I am 21... but I mean you just need to puke your brains out and wake up alone in the back of someone elses car or some ugly girls room to figure out i should save this for special times.. I really think if you made an alchoholic drink until he puked for a whole week, and as soon as he woke up hung over and dehydrated make him continue drinking... i bet he would stop.

Sadly....that's not the way it works.

If you're an addict, you need it like air.

 

[The Doc]

Lol the room spun when you layed down. Yeah you were drunk. I hate it when i get like that, cant even sleep. Reminds me of my 21st birthday i threw up on some waitress at the bar and got kicked out. I throw up from drinking too much sometimes, but hell thats how you know you had a good time.

 

[retro]

The Bible says not to get drunk.

 

[Joe the meek]

I have no way of pulling together numbers for this question...but I get the sense, just from living and observing, many-most people who have a problem with drinking don't think they have a problem with drinking.

I was good friends with a guy who blew a .23 one time and another time ended waking up in a Mexican jail, not remember what happened the night before. Funny enough, he didn't think he had a problem.

Point being, to some, what's the big deal with driving with a buzz? Most people can drive "not to bad" blowing a .08, and if they can keep doing it without a problem, where's the problem?

There is a term called "functioning alcoholic", and you don't have to be near rock bottom to be one.

Better or worse, some people want some kind of escape because the sober reality doesn't do it for them 24/7.

 

[Panacea]

I was good friends with a guy who blew a .23 one time and another time ended waking up in a Mexican jail, not remember what happened the night before. Funny enough, he didn't think he had a problem.

Point being, to some, what's the big deal with driving with a buzz? Most people can drive "not to bad" blowing a .08, and if they can keep doing it without a problem, where's the problem?

There is a term called "functioning alcoholic", and you don't have to be near rock bottom to be one.

Better or worse, some people want some kind of escape because the sober reality doesn't do it for them.

I firmly believe functioning alcoholic is an oxymoron.

 

[Joe the meek]

I firmly believe functioning alcoholic is an oxymoron.

Perhaps, but how about if we say "someone who has an addiction that doesn't get caught by the law or has a huge negative impact on the people in their lives due to their addiction"?

Then again, if someone HAS to take something in their body for some reason, if they don't harm anyone, why should anyone care?

Yes, there is irony in the fact that people can smoke and drink coffee at AA meetings, but I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the percentage of people who may be addicted to some kind of drug may be higher than you think. Just that people don't go around driving cars killing others that point to a potential problem.

I could be wrong, but I believe the largest problem with drugs currently is prescription drug abuse.

 

[Panacea]

Perhaps, but how about if we say "someone who has an addiction that doesn't get caught by the law or has a huge negative impact on the people in their lives due to their addiction"?

Then again, if someone HAS to take something in their body for some reason, if they don't harm anyone, why should anyone care?

Yes, there is irony in the fact that people can smoke and drink coffee at AA meetings, but I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the percentage of people who may be addicted to some kind of drug may be higher than you think. Just that people don't go around driving cars killing others that point to a potential problem.

I could be wrong, but I believe the largest problem with drugs currently is prescription drug abuse.

Certainly not higher than I think lol, this is mah job I know addiction a little tooo well, if you ask me.

Alcohol still is and always will be the number one addiction in our society, but certainly, prescription drug abuse is huge and only rising. Hell I think food addiction is coming in close too. We have no coping skills as a society. Too much pain, not enough healthy ways to direct it away, or at least we think.

The cycle of addiction can be as damaging, long term, as the criminal behavior that accompanies the hardcore users. A retail fraud charge from trying to get drug money, landing some in jail could be less damaging than my father's behaviors have been on those in his life, and he's never gotten in trouble. Whatever that drug of choice may be (food, drugs, etc), families suffer so greatly when a member is an addict.

I think that's the thing people forget. That's why Al Anon exists. People who live with addicts are thought to be in a higher risk category for suicide, mental illness, criminality and substance abuse. Whether that is to be considered a huge negative impact is subjective, I suppose.

 

[The Doc]

The Bible says not to get drunk.

You are correct, but like a human being I do make mistakes and try and monitor myself better the next time to not end up like that.

I was good friends with a guy who blew a .23 one time and another time ended waking up in a Mexican jail, not remember what happened the night before. Funny enough, he didn't think he had a problem.

Point being, to some, what's the big deal with driving with a buzz? Most people can drive "not to bad" blowing a .08, and if they can keep doing it without a problem, where's the problem?

There is a term called "functioning alcoholic", and you don't have to be near rock bottom to be one.

Better or worse, some people want some kind of escape because the sober reality doesn't do it for them 24/7.

The real shitty part is, i have had friends pulled over not for swerving but for things like tail lights out, they smell the alchohol and BAM DUI! (A DUI ruins your Army career, if your below the rank of E-6 consider yourself dishonorably discharged). Here in kentucky/tennessee if the driver gets a DUI everyone in the car gets a DUI. Also, being on a military installation it sucks because no matter how awesome you drive you have to stop at the gate and present your ID. They smell alchohol on you, everyone in the car is getting hauled off by the MP's.

Perhaps, but how about if we say "someone who has an addiction that doesn't get caught by the law or has a huge negative impact on the people in their lives due to their addiction"?

Then again, if someone HAS to take something in their body for some reason, if they don't harm anyone, why should anyone care?

Yes, there is irony in the fact that people can smoke and drink coffee at AA meetings, but I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the percentage of people who may be addicted to some kind of drug may be higher than you think. Just that people don't go around driving cars killing others that point to a potential problem.

I could be wrong, but I believe the largest problem with drugs currently is prescription drug abuse.

I agree. If they can support their habit and do not be drunk in public or drive i see no issue.