I am probably, or more likely definitely, not being politically correct because my long term love affair with alcohol has not diminished, although it is changing, it is evolving, and maturing as I get older. My overall consumption may have reduced, but my enjoyment has increased as I become more discerning about what I consume and the occasions when I choose to drink. The important word here is 'choose' because for some people it ceases to be a choice and becomes a necessity.
I know what you are thinking; why do you need to read another article about the addicitive nature of alcohol and the damage it inflicts on individuals and families when it is already common knowledge. Well, my enduring relationship with alcohol is not entirely typical due to my previous almost nomadic lifestyle, but I am sure that there are many aspects of my inebriated journey that others will recognise. If you are expecting this story to follow the well trodden path of one day announcing 'I am Mr Jones and I am an alcoholic' whilst sitting on an uncomfortable chair in a draughty village hall and pledging eternal abstinence, then you will be disappointed. I have an intense dislike of labels whether it be the new trend of everybody having ADHD or the far more established and socially stigmatising label of being an 'alcoholic'. Maybe I am wrong but if I picture an alcoholic, it looks something like the grim image below and not the now more typical middle aged lady (or gentleman) regularly enjoying wine o'clock or falling off a chair after gulping one too many at a dinner party.
I am not in any way underestimating or trying to undermine the reality of the destruction that true alcoholism brings but I am trying to argue that using the same label for a person in the depths of despair and only living for the next drink with a person who simply enjoys above the suggested limit social drinking on a daily basis, is wrong. The people enjoying themselves in the photograph below, could, if they meet the broad criteria regarding regular consumption be branded with the same label as a person whose life has spiralled out of control towards an inevitable alcohol induced demise.
The reason that I am writing on this subject is the fact that recently, newspapers have bombarded us with stories of seemingly normal people with families and professions suddenly describing themselves as alcoholics, becoming abstemious overnight and frequently reminding us how long it has been since alcohol last passed their lips. Many people in these self flaggelating life stories dont really seem to be actual alcoholics and are more like weekend binge drinkers that occasionally make fools of themselves. What better way to absolve yourself of guilt than to say, the reason I made a pass at your husband/wife, danced on a table, fell asleep with my head in the toilet or vomited on the dog is not because I am a bad person it's because 'I am an alcoholic' but I am now dry and haven't touched a drop for X number of days. History of bad behaviour is now explained and erased. Inevitably the now 'ex alcoholic' feels so much healthier, more vibrant, more productive, wished they had given it up earlier and look down on those that still enjoy a drink. Even using the term wine o'clock is now severely frowned upon.
Realising that in comparison with the majority of the people in these articles, my alcohol consumption has been far more consistent and for a far longer period, I decided to check myself against the relevant criteria to see if I am able to claim the label of being an alcoholic and be absolved from my past sins.
So what is the consensus within medical science for the definition of an alcoholic.
'A chronic disease in which a person craves drinks that contain alcohol and is unable to control his or her drinking. A person with this disease also needs to drink greater amounts to get the same effect and has withdrawal symptoms after stopping alcohol use'
Based on the above, the majority of my friends and acquaintances have been or still are alcoholics, but the strange thing is that they are fully functioning normal human beings with families, hobbies and responsible jobs. They would also be deeply offended if I were to use the 'A' word to describe them and certainly would not admit to in any way being dependent on alcohol. They will not be attending an evening meeting, sitting in a wooden chaired semi circle with well intentioned alcohol afflicted strangers. They will be in the Kings head having a couple on the way home and picking up some Prosecco at Sainsbury's.
Ok time to check myself
Chronic Disease
I always find the term 'chronic disease' quite frightening because I thnk of diseases such as leprosy, but as I am in rude health for my age and full of energy, I don't think the term applies to me. It cannot however be so simply dismissed because if I meet the criteria for being an alcoholic, I by default have a chronic disease.
Craves Drinks that Contain Alcohol
During my working day, whether sweating over a broken engine in the bowels of a hot smelly ship or travelling around the globe trapped in economy middle seat hell, I do without doubt dream, even fantasise about the moment I can escape, shower, and sit at the hotel bar to have a relaxing drink. Unfortunately that is the first box ticked towards the label being applied. The definition of craving is 'a strong feeling of wanting something' and I think that accurately describes how I feel about an ice cold beer at the end of a long hard day.
Unable to Control my Drinking
To tick the next box I would have to admit to being 'unable to control my drinking' so the fact that I have on many occasions had one for the road, one for the ditch, finished that bottle of wine, opened another bottle of wine etc with the resultant bad head and feelings of guilt the next morning, indicates that I am not totally in control of my drinking. Another box ticked!
Drink More to Achieve the Same Effect
This is not looking good because it is a given that if a person drinks alcohol their tolerance increases so guilty of that one and another box ticked.
Alcohol related Withdrawal Symptoms
Everything now hinges on the definition of alcohol related 'withdrawal symptoms' and reading down the list of tremors, headaches, nausea, vomiting, sweating, I seem to be on safe ground until the last one on the list i.e. insomnia. Last year I travelled and worked in Kuwait for ten days so of course there was no alcohol available and I do remember having serious trouble sleeping for the first five days.
Unfortunately, I seem to have a tick in each box and therefore can claim to be suffering from the 'chronic disease' of alcoholism and I am sure that a doctor would agree. On the positive side, I no longer need to feel guilty about past transgressions because it was not my fault. I had a chronic disease at the time.
There is no doubt that genetically some people can drink to excess and live to a ripe old age without suffering any liver damage, whilst other moderate drinkers can suffer from sclerosis that has potentially been exacerbated by alcohol. This I am afraid is the way of the world and can equally apply to heart damage from cholesterol. Some people can have a high fat diet and their cholesterol levels are good whilst others such as a friend of mine, had a perfect diet due to family heart issues but still had high cholesterol produced by his own liver.
Thankfully I have survived decades of alcoholic excess in the merchant navy where drinking was almost compulsory and later in my life when travelling the world, building and repairing ships. I use the word excess and mean it, because there would hardly be a day without copious alcohol and yes it was a means of reducing the stress of long working hours and being away from home. Despite seemingly doing the utmost to damage myself from age sixteen, I find myself in great health and with pefectly normal liver function at age sixty seven. There does however seem to be an element of the body self regulating because there is no way I could tolerate drinking eight pints of beer and and a couple of gin and tonics at night and get up for work in the morning at my age. Until recently I would usually drink a bottle of wine every evening, never getting drunk but definitely feeling relaxed and mellow, but the barrage of bad alcohol publicity and dire warnings has now caused me to cut down to only having wine on Fridays and Saturdays. Chronic disease cured at a stroke!
The number of safe units of alcohol has been constantly decreasing to a couple of thimbles of wine a week and indeed most medical guidance says there is no safe level. This seems ridiculous because it puts it on a par with chewing on a piece of highly toxic lead pipe.
I have stuck to the weekends only alcohol and found that I no longer need to drink the whole bottle because a couple of glasses of a full bodied red and I am mellow and ready for sleep. Was I similar to the 'high functioning alcoholics' that now endlessly post how long they have been dry. I believe I was, but after approximately fifty years of drinking it only took a week for the cravings and sleepless nights to disappear. I now look forward to savouring far more expensive wines just twice a week.
Do I feel better for reducing my alcohol intake? Well it takes me longer to fall asleep on nights of abstinence but I wake earlier and do feel fresher so I am guessing that the sleep is of higher quality. I do however look forward to Friday and Saturday nights with a home cooked meal, Mrs Jones for company and a bottle of wine worthy of a cork. Do I regret my past excesses? No I do not because it was part and parcel of my rather unusual way of life and on some occasions a survival mechanism when the stress of work became too much to bear.
The image below now sums up my new approach to alcohol. Something for special occasions and weekends, chosen carefully and savoured with food. No glugging allowed.
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