Alcohol issues and the Chicago Bulls Challenge

[Jim Schue]

My fans might be confounded by the win streaks and losing streaks.

[mexitucky]

If you just have a desire to drink, that's one thing. If you don't want to drink, but you NEED to drink, then you have an issue. It's hard to break the habit of something we enjoy, but if it comes to the point where you're not doing it for enjoyment, you probably have more of an addiction than a simple habit.

 

The important thing to consider is whether or not your drinking is having any negative affect on you or your family. And in that consideration you have to factor in the risk of damaging your health (both current and future) by excessive use of alcohol.

 

Certainly not a habit. It is not in my every day routine

[Birdsfan]

Certainly not a habit. It is not in my every day routine

It doesn't necessarily have to be an everyday thing to be habitual. If a person is used to drinking (or doing anything else) at a certain time, or under a scertain set of circumstances, that can be a sort of habit. Not saying you have a problem at all! Just some things to think about.

[mexitucky]

It doesn't necessarily have to be an everyday thing to be habitual. If a person is used to drinking (or doing anything else) at a certain time, or under a scertain set of circumstances, that can be a sort of habit. Not saying you have a problem at all! Just some things to think about.

 

Agreed. Sort of like social drinkers who only drink at parties. Is that a dependency thing to relax in front of a crowd?

[NEERFAN]

I am quite fond of my end of the day beer after the little one goes down. I'd end up 0-82 in this challenge... :lol:

 

This pretty much sums up why there is a need for a draft lotto.

[Birdsfan]

Is that a dependency thing to relax in front of a crowd?

Not necessarily. I'm not an expert (at least not yet), but I would say that it comes down to a matter of degree. If you can't function in a social situation without booze, you may have a problem. If you just "prefer" to loosen up a bit with a few drinks, you're probably still in control. In other words, are you coming at the moment of decision from a place of weakness (as in the first example) or a place of strength (as in the latter example)?

[ColonelCrazy]

I wouldn't make the playoffs. On the bright side, I'd have a great opportunity at the #1 overall pick!

[stickymitts]

I'd have home field advantage throughout. Not that I never drink but, besides vacation, it's once a month...tops.

[Randy Parker]

Mex, do you think you can go thirty days straight without a drop of alcohol?

[PurplePride92]

^

 

I couldn't. I think two weeks would be the limit. I don't drink heavily but I do drink regularly. I also think that my drinking is more under control currently than it has been than say....5 years ago. I know how much I can drink on Fridays and Saturdays without getting a hangover and I won't drink more than 2-3 beers on a workday unless it is a special occasion. I'm too old to be dragging tail at work.

[Randy Parker]

^

 

I couldn't. I think two weeks would be the limit. I don't drink heavily but I do drink regularly. I also think that my drinking is more under control currently than it has been than say....5 years ago. I know how much I can drink on Fridays and Saturdays without getting a hangover and I won't drink more than 2-3 beers on a workday unless it is a special occasion. I'm too old to be dragging tail at work.

 

Someone I greatly respect suggested to me that this thirty day thing was a good measuring stick for determining whether something like that was an addiction or not. I certainly don't pass that off as fact, but I have found it to be a good standard in my life. Alcohol doesn't appeal to me at all. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've drank. But there are other things I really have to watch & try to keep an addiction from forming.

[Habib]

 

Someone I greatly respect suggested to me that this thirty day thing was a good measuring stick for determining whether something like that was an addiction or not. I certainly don't pass that off as fact, but I have found it to be a good standard in my life. Alcohol doesn't appeal to me at all. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've drank. But there are other things I really have to watch & try to keep an addiction from forming.

 

A friend of mine did that 30 days thing recently. We had some debates about it. I said wasn't interested in doing it and they said that it if I didn't it was because I couldn't. Outside of having to turn down a few invites to the bar or abstaining if I was out at dinner or something I didn't think it would be too difficult. They said I was underestimating it and rationalizing. I said it sounded like a pointless reason to deny myself a pleasure and inconvenience myself for a month. I don't know who is right. But, I would feel the same way if someone challenged me to not eat meat for a month, for instance (which might be harder because I would have to find new things to cook, keep track of protein, etc.). I could, but why?

 

I should also add that I'll occasionally go through periods of a couple of weeks where I don't drink, just by happenstance. Too busy, different social situations, etc. I never feel the need to drink during those times.

[Randy Parker]

A friend of mine did that 30 days thing recently. We had some debates about it. I said wasn't interested in doing it and they said that it if I didn't it was because I couldn't. Outside of having to turn down a few invites to the bar or abstaining if I was out at dinner or something I didn't think it would be too difficult. They said I was underestimating it and rationalizing. I said it sounded like a pointless reason to deny myself a pleasure and inconvenience myself for a month. I don't know who is right. But, I would feel the same way if someone challenged me to not eat meat for a month, for instance (which might be harder because I would have to find new things to cook, keep track of protein, etc.). I could, but why?

 

I should also add that I'll occasionally go through periods of a couple of weeks where I don't drink, just by happenstance. Too busy, different social situations, etc. I never feel the need to drink during those times.

 

Interesting. Thanks for sharing that. :thumb:

 

The purpose of such an experiment (for lack of a better word) IMO would be to demonstrate or prove that I control it--whatever it is--and not vice versa. I offered the suggestion to Mex because when it was posed to me, it really opened my eyes. Over the years I have presented the idea to others, most of whom responded as I had. Not all, but most.

 

Again, I'm not sure I would pass the idea off as fact. But I do think it can often be beneficial.

[00Rocket28]

The way work has been lately, I'd be battling the Cubs for last place

[PurplePride92]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing that. :thumb:

 

The purpose of such an experiment (for lack of a better word) IMO would be to demonstrate or prove that I control it--whatever it is--and not vice versa. I offered the suggestion to Mex because when it was posed to me, it really opened my eyes. Over the years I have presented the idea to others, most of whom responded as I had. Not all, but most.

 

Again, I'm not sure I would pass the idea off as fact. But I do think it can often be beneficial.

 

I think it could be beneficial also. Especially for those who may be on the verge of having a drinking problem. Abstaining or attempting to abstain for 30 days would tell a lot about one's ability to live without alcohol.

 

I'll rephrase my post. I should have said I wouldn't and not that I couldn't. Of course I was drinking last night.

 

My line of thinking is more like Habib's. I'll also add that if my wife told me to not drink for 30 days then you can believe I wouldn't. :lol: Without an issue. I'd be drinking a whole lot of Raspberry Simply Lemonade though.

Edited July 1, 2012 by PurplePride92