Is wine addictive?

[AlfredJPruffock]

Ah, my Beloved, fill the Cup that clears
To-day of past Regrets and future Fears --
To-morrow? -- Why, To-morrow I may be
Myself with Yesterday's Sev'n Thousand Years.

OOh - I do love a little Poetry !


The Worldly Hope men set their Hearts upon
Turns Ashes--or it prospers; and anon,
Like Snow upon the Desert's dusty Face
Lighting a little Hour or two---is gone.

[AlfredJPruffock]

Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend,
Before we too into the Dust descend;
Dust into Dust, and under Dust, to lie,
Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Morning Glory , and--sans End!


Alike for those who for TO-DAY prepare,
And those that after some TO-MORROW stare,
A Muezzin from the Tower of Darkness cries,"
Fools and Pruffocks ! your Reward is neither Here nor There!"



Why, all the Saints and Sages who discuss'd
Of the Two Worlds so learnedly, are thrust
Like foolish Prophets forth; their Words to Scorn
Are scatter'd, and their Mouths are stopt with Dust.

[Moscow Mule]

I managed to get myself into a terrible state at the age of 13 mixing a few drinks in my folks drink cupboard - the upshot being that I had alcohol poisoning the upshot being is that I cannot enjoy drinking alocohol - .

Do you have two sons and a daughter and live in The Hague?

[AlfredJPruffock]

Do you have two sons and a daughter and live in The Hague?

Im in Holland right now - but not in Den Haag - but I dont have any children - officially at least.

[Moscow Mule]

Im in Holland right now - but I dont have any children - officially at least.

My mate's dad has the same symptoms. Occasionally he has a drink, but it doesn't matter how much he has, he always has a hangover for days so he tends to binge a bit

[AlfredJPruffock]

My mate's dad has the same symptoms. Occasionally he has a drink, but it doesn't matter how much he has, he always has a hangover for days so he tends to binge a bit

With myself its a case of I can drink , lets say one glass of wine - or one glass of beer - best if Im having a meal at the time.

Then - if I consume more drink - I have this terrible feeling of utter tiredness and dread - as if Im going to pass out - its pretty scary , so much so I can go for weeks, months with no drink whatsoever - it doesnt cross my mind to consume it ever and would never buy it - so Ive not had a hangover for almost 40 years.

Thats not from any moral view - its just what I believe is called negative reinforcement - bit like bing made to eat a pack of ciggarettes when you're a nipper.

I did smoke cigs for a wee while (due to night shift working on contract-tryng to keep awake , stress etc ) but gave that up - and I advise any other smokers to chuck it - you know you can do it !

My cigarette smoking came about as I used to smoke joints with tobacco - I hardly bother with the Herb Superb these days - but its really good when you are recovering form the cold - oh and I use A BONG - no ciggies !

Well I am from the planet Gong - dont forget !



There was the Door to which I found no Key:
There was the Veil through which I might not see:
Some little talk awhile of ME and THEE
There was--and then no more of THEE and ME.


* * * * * * *

[expat]

But Im curious , please tell me the attraction of alcohol - does it make you feel more sexy ?

It is as Moscow Mule says a depressant, so the immediate effect is that it cuts you off a bit from the outside world. To most of us, that feels like being a bit more relaxed, which in itself is a terrible criticism of our lives and thoughts. If you drink with other people, then as your uptight inhibitions start to loosen, you will all/both feel better about yourself and the others. Or at least less bad.

The other attractions are more peripheral: it's easily available, it's part of the culture, it's relatively easy to know and control how much you are taking, and with a bit if care, if you overindulge then you will drink yourself unconscious rather than drinking yourself dead.

The obvious snags are: the possibility of doing something dangerous (like driving), the long-term damage to your health, the nearer-term damage to your life, and the very fact that it is part of the culture. It can be hard to stop if all your free time activities seem to have a drink in them.

[Mich the Tester]

Is wine addictive?


Happily, yes.

[Scotchpie]

According to my Dr. I use to drink 140 units a week (all beer). Since being married I hardly touch the stuff though we do enjoy a glass of wine now and then, but not often.

As wine is a higher percentage than beer I can say yes wine is addictive. Personality doesn't come into it. If you drink regularly in large enough quantities anyone can become addicted to wine/beer/spirits.

Of course we have to clarify what we mean by "addicted". Generally if you have two or three glasses of wine a night and you find it hard to sleep if you miss one night, then like it or not you're addicted. Granted your body will adjust after a day or two but that initial restlessness is the first signs of your body crying out for more alcohol, just like when you first give up smoking and find it hard to sleep.

[sasguru]

As this thread shows there is an epidemic of alcohol abuse in this country. While that is a personal choice, I think the NHS should charge for self-inflicted conditions.