We debate the alcohol thing. We go back and forth, forth and back again on what makes one the “ic” of the word. Al-co-hol-ic. Obsessed with the bottle. In love with the devil inside. Is it a drink a day without fail, failing to quit? or is it the excess? Can’t stop until can’t stand up? I wish I knew. I know both kinds.
There’s this woman. She has a drink a night. Like clockwork she opens the bottle. Tells anyone who will listen just how much she “deserves” it after a day like the one she’s had. Let her tell you. She’ll go on and on about the day she’s had. Suggest a night without a drink and she’ll accuse you of not hearing her. Didn’t she just tell you what kind of day she just had? Didn’t she just say she deserved it?
There’s this guy. He drinks once or twice a month. Unlike the steady drinker of just one a night he makes up for lost time and downs doubles until he can’t see straight. Can’t walk a fine line. Can’t remember his own name. Passes out while knocking on a stranger’s door. Six packs become thirty packs which in turn become the icebreaker for 151 and SoCo cold. Wakes up with blood bruised knuckles face down in his own vomit on an unfamiliar street. Doesn’t happen all the time. Just whenever he drinks.
I’ve been listening to Natalie quite a bit and one song that has been tearing me up is “The Living.” I don’t know how to describe it other than it’s about alcoholism – that relationship with the bottle. She took inspiration from knowing someone who had it all, someone who didn’t need anything until the drink came into his life. Then, the drink became his life. As Natalie says, “the bottle’s been to me my closest friend and my worst enemy.” She makes no secret that this person was someone great until he threw it all away for the devil inside.
We debate this thing. Back and forth. What puts the “ic” in alcoholic? When is enough enough?
~*LunaSea*~ 
when you can’t do without it-you can get blackout drunk every day, but if you’re just doing it because and you can easily stop yourself, you’re not an alcoholic-just a big drinker. it might not be healthy or appropriate, but I think the alcoholism comes from needing it.
Loaded question.
Loaded subject.
Loaded person who hurts themselves possibly more than those who love them.
So hard to say what is addictive for one and not for another. What is habit and what is abuse. What is enjoyed and what is destroyed.
Perhaps it is when they just can’t walk away from it…no matter the cost to anyone.
*spoken by someone raised by one, watched one end his life from it, married once to one, and gave birth to one*
Not that it makes me an expert by any means. Just too much experience with the Dance with the Devil in this lifetime.
Manda~ what about the person who says they can stop, but never tries? I understand that element of “need” but who says?
Time~ yes. Loaded is right. I love the line “what is enjoyed and what is destroyed.” I knew you would have insight different from most…maybe not an expert per se…just an experienced person.
ps~ BAK. This is for you.
It depends on why they don’t try. if it’s not affecting their life negatively, if they’re just having a good time but maybe doing so too often, and are still going to work/school and such…then who’s to say they should stop? I know plenty of people who could be seen as alcoholics now-hell, one day per year my college basically sanctions a drunk-all-day celebration, which many begin with tequila sunrises at sunrise and end with nightcaps. That behavior, drinking all day-alcoholic. but are they all? no, because when they graduate, most of them will never drink like that again in their lives.
College gives you a different perspective though-there’s all kinds of alcoholic behavior around that’s just the norm. they grow out of it, most of them. but more things are just acceptable to me. I see the lines less clearly.
gotcha! 😉