As I write, our neighbourhood alcoholic has staggered past the house, having been into the town and drinking his way through the morning. He often stops to chat and unfortunately is hard to shake off once he does. I often wonder about his history and how he got to where he is today. He can't be more than forty something but suffers from arthritis and struggles to walk, which he does a lot using a stick. He manages to get into town at least once a day and walks past the house several times, mostly with a can of lager in his hand. He wears a filthy baseball cap, even filthier army fatigues, covered in ultra left wing logos and badges and army style boots. He sounds vaguely Irish and smells vaguely scotch.
Addiction is a terrible thing and such an easy hole to fall into. I smoked for many years and frequently tried to stop. It was always so very hard and I do sympathise with anyone who has tried. It was only the incipient arrival of our first child that provided me with the incentive that I needed, and finally some 30 years ago I quit and never went back there. My mother was a true addict; she used to make me so angry when she described her cigarettes as her only friends, whilst struggling to breathe. She had suffered bronchitis and emphysema for many years and had even managed to give up smoking for 18 months and then started again. Frequent hospital trips did nothing to stop her, and she would even be smoking whilst waiting for the ambulance to take her in. She died an unpleasant death after many years of suffering at the hands of her only friend.
True there are people who seem to have addictive personalities, but I believe that we all have the potential to slide into the troughs of addiction, given the right stimulation or circumstances. I remember being given morphine in hospital, and the feelings of euphoria were truly wonderful, but I know that would be the beginnings of a slippery slope should I wander along that path.
I like to drink alcohol quite often. A glass of wine often becomes two or three and I love a pint or two of good beer, but I can go without. I am able to make that choice but I wonder if there comes a point along the road when making that choice is no longer an option.
Addiction is a terrible thing and such an easy hole to fall into. I smoked for many years and frequently tried to stop. It was always so very hard and I do sympathise with anyone who has tried. It was only the incipient arrival of our first child that provided me with the incentive that I needed, and finally some 30 years ago I quit and never went back there. My mother was a true addict; she used to make me so angry when she described her cigarettes as her only friends, whilst struggling to breathe. She had suffered bronchitis and emphysema for many years and had even managed to give up smoking for 18 months and then started again. Frequent hospital trips did nothing to stop her, and she would even be smoking whilst waiting for the ambulance to take her in. She died an unpleasant death after many years of suffering at the hands of her only friend.
True there are people who seem to have addictive personalities, but I believe that we all have the potential to slide into the troughs of addiction, given the right stimulation or circumstances. I remember being given morphine in hospital, and the feelings of euphoria were truly wonderful, but I know that would be the beginnings of a slippery slope should I wander along that path.
I like to drink alcohol quite often. A glass of wine often becomes two or three and I love a pint or two of good beer, but I can go without. I am able to make that choice but I wonder if there comes a point along the road when making that choice is no longer an option.
1 comment:
For alcohol and other substances there is a distinction between 'addition' and 'abuse'. An addicted brain has actually changed physiologically over time and the person/brain will always remain addicted to the substance and must have strategies to manage triggers to use. Some people have a biological vulnerabiliy to addicition, which is why we often say "it runs in the family". It is possbile to abuse substances without becoming addicted, but there are still obviousl health and social costs.
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