Let's Go The Opposite Way.

[bkk6060]

The people I have met that don't drink seem to have some type of mental problems.

Hey, a perfect example is non drinker Donald Trump.

[Shadychris]

Interesting,

I had been a very heavy drinker all my life, from the age of 17, when we owned an hotel with a public bar. It was just normal to drink with the customers. I am now 70 yrs. old and very healthy. Have regular health checks. Liver, Kidneys etc. are perfect !I was drinking five large Chiang Export and 3/4 very large whiskies every night. Five months ago, I quit, because I felt it would be better for me !! I just can not sleep. I have been prescribed strong sleeping pills, but when I stop taking them I still can not sleep. I will try one more month and if I still can not sleep, I will start drinking again and sleep like a baby again !!!

Please do not take this the wrong way, but you are already setting yourself up to fail by finding reasons to start drinking again. When I quit drinking I too struggled to get off to sleep for quite a while - I think it was 2 -3 months. Taking sleeping pills is not the answer - you're simply replacing one drug with another. Your body needs to learn how to fall asleep again by itself naturally instead of by means of a drug induced stupor. Do you really believe that your body is uniquely genetically different to the rest of us that you can only get off to sleep with the aid of a drug? I presume before you became addicted to drink you were able to go to sleep ok? Give it time - you can't stay awake forever!

Remember too that you have reached the age of 70 in seemingly good health in spite of being a heavy drinker - not because of it! You are lucky indeed that your liver and kidneys are in good order - although health checks in the way of specific blood tests will only show when serious damage is present. Stopping drinking will unquestionably be better for your health. Persevere at it, and stop thinking about reasons to start drinking again, instead of going to bed worrying that you aren't going to go to sleep ( which itself is likely to keep you awake) just lie there thinking about the positive achievement you have made by not giving in and getting smashed - maybe instead of counting sheep count the money you will be saving over the next 20 - 30 years ;-)

Good luck!

Thank you. I am not looking for reasons to drink, I am happy not to drink, It was easy to stop, I like my squash mixture. I went to Psychiatrist, he explained that the brain needs reprogramming without alcohol, and gave me the necessary pills, said it would take 6 months. Guess I a being impatient trying to stop the pills sooner, don't want to get addicted.

"It was easy to stop"

Always easy to stop - the hard part is not starting again!!

and Yes he is correct - your brain does need to reprogramme itself. However by taking sleeping pills you are not allowing it to do that - you are simply replacing one crutch with another. As soon as you stop taking the sleeping pills your brain needs to learn again how to go to sleep without that medication in your system. You are right to be concerned about getting addicted to sleeping pills - if you really , really must take them maybe try reducing the dosage slightly over time? If you take 2 pills at night cut it down to 1.75., then the following week 1.5 and so on. I went through several months of what you are now experiencing without resorting to pills and it was not pleasant but, slowly but surely normal sleep patterns returned. Remember, no pain - no gain! Maybe try a few different things as sleep aids too - I found music to be helpful or leaving the TV on, and for sure cut out tea or coffee in the evenings, and if you have a mid afternoon nap then maybe forego that too. You will get there in the end, and the less you see it as a problem in your mind the quicker and easier it will happen.

Edited February 17, 2016 by Shadychris

[bkk6060]

I never drink much in Thailand because quite simply I am a beer snob only drink craft beers or good German if it can be found. ALL of the Asian beers make me sick I hate Lager so I would rather have just one or two and eat the lovely food and girls! (Well not eat them, you know.. well maybe a bit..and you know where..)

You joking?? If you venture out more there are German and craft beer places everywhere. Edited February 17, 2016 by bkk6060

[pizzachang]

In general, one can just observe the damage alcohol does worldwide and make a decision not to participate. Personally, I don't like the effects on my body and finished with drinking at age 14 (now 67) Haven't missed it at all, saved thousands of dollars and have met many awesome people who also don't imbibe (for various reasons) Regardless of what people think about alcohol, it is a poison and can addict in way that many refuse to recognize.

If a person claims 'they like the taste', then they 'should' be able to go through their entire life, drinking only enough to 'taste'. Those will be rare individuals who can take it or leave it on any given day. Every other person likely has an addiction, even if they only drink small amounts every day. From a clinical standpoint, if you drink for the 'effect', then you will develop a tolerance and require the same or larger amounts to get the 'effect'. Because of the way alcohol affects the brain, the 'balance' is either drink seldom to get the same 'effect' from the same volume or increase the dosage because of frequency. I have nothing against people who want to drink and believe that limitations on them should continue to be linked to their behavior while intoxicated. Having lived a full life, with lots of hunting, fishing, hiking and other somewhat risky outdoor activities, I can say I'd rather have a companion that had not been drinking, than one who was impaired. Just my opinion.

[Pink7]

I dont have many good reasons for NOT drinking..its just not a part of my life.. I do not drink or smoke and i enjoy healthy lifestyle. I also not judge those who drink, i think its up to each person how they want to live their life. I think its important for all to have the freedom to choose for them self.

Pink

That is very true. We should all have freedom of choice of how to live our lives.

The problem arises though when those 'freedom of choices' impact in a negative way upon others.

Sadly in the case of those who choose to lead a life where alcohol is part of their staple diet the impact on others is invariably negative, ranging from the mildly annoying at the least offensive end through pain and misery and right up to people whose lives are ended\wrecked by drunk drivers at the very worst extreme.

yes your so right..

Pink

[yardrunner]

I never drank much when I was in the UK, just a shandy when I went out for a meal and sherry at Christmas, had a bad experience when I was 16 and first time in a pub ordered a pint and a mate slipped a scotch in it and I was really sick and it put me off drinking much for life.

so now I am in Thailand I don't drink as I cant get either a decent bitter or lemonade to make a good shandy but I have no problems with any one who wants to enjoy a drink

[off road pat]

I used to be a bar tender in the biggest discotheque in my town, when I was young. (a crucial age)

Saw to many examples of what I never wanted to be....too many people I knew made bad decisions under influence that costed them dearly for the rest of there lives.. in various ways....some died, some got the wrong girl while under influence and waisted a great deal of there lives...

I preferred chasing the girls and was quiet successful at it. Can't remember the times I pulled a girl when her boyfriend was drunk....?!?!?

In bars I saw the problems coming before everybody ells... and left the place well in time.

I travelled alone extensively all over Europe, everywhere between the North-cape to the Sahara. East Europe before and after the wall....SE Asia...Cuba...I I I speak several languages fluently....

If I got in trouble somewhere ? my brain was not fuzzy and I could think clearly how to get out of this...just not drinking probably saved my life a couple of times..

Here in Thailand, I never paid a bar-fine....got loads of girls for free mainly because I didn't drink nor smoked and was always happy and funny....

Best regards

Edited February 17, 2016 by off road pat

[pgrahmm]

Interesting,

I had been a very heavy drinker all my life, from the age of 17, when we owned an hotel with a public bar. It was just normal to drink with the customers. I am now 70 yrs. old and very healthy. Have regular health checks. Liver, Kidneys etc. are perfect !I was drinking five large Chiang Export and 3/4 very large whiskies every night. Five months ago, I quit, because I felt it would be better for me !! I just can not sleep. I have been prescribed strong sleeping pills, but when I stop taking them I still can not sleep. I will try one more month and if I still can not sleep, I will start drinking again and sleep like a baby again !!!

Sleep deprivation is a symptom of long term alcoholism.....I use to know 2 corporate vice presidents that were brilliant - huge company - Chevron......These guys didn't miss a thing in their field = drove everybody crazy because they'd work during the after midnight to wee hours of the morning scrutinizing every detail......People that thought they were caught up or ahead in their work when they left the previous day found a whole new set of problems waiting for them in the morning.....And these guys were waiting for the answers - and not the type you wanted to make wait....

and your point is??

Long term alcoholism commonly deprives people of a full nights sleep......Insomnia is not uncommon....

[Coyoti]

I enjoy an occasional bottle of beer or glass of wine with food, but haven’t been drunk in decades. I don’t like the way more than a minimal amount of alcohol makes me feel. The other thing is I’ve seen the social, financial and health impacts heavy drinking has had on some of my friends. I used to have a good friend who struggled with alcoholism for years. He’d go through predictable stages the drunker he got. It always started with being very “huggy”; then banging on stuff; then yelling; then getting very “pushy”; culminating in outright violence. He ended up killing a mutual friend in a drunken rage. Now I’ve lost two friends. I’m not saying all those who choose to drink a lot are bad people. As an adult it’s your choice to drink or not. I prefer not to indulge or be around obviously drunk people.

[Tracyb]

I quit drinking about 15 years ago after waking up in a hotel in a city 65 miles from where I lived and having no recollection of how I got there. My car was parked outside and showed no damage so I guessed that I didn't run into anything or...thank God...any BODY! I went to AA for about three months and then slowly drifted away from the regular meetings having conquered my addiction. I consider myself lucky to have been able to do so. When I see other drinking to the point of intoxication I speak softy to myself and remind myself that "there, but for the grace of God, go I."

[Acharn]

Sounds like a topic of discussion at an AA meeting that caters to beginners. I might say, I don't drink because I've already had enough. I'm an alcoholic, and drank to unconsciousness nearly every day for twenty years until, at the end, my filter broke. I was lucky, I hit bottom before suffering permanent brain or liver damage. The thing I found strangest, once I got used to it being sober was much more fun than getting drunk. Of course in my case I was incredibly lucky, because I reached a point where I simply did not want to drink any more and found several AA groups in Northern Virginia and met people who had overcome problems similar to mine and were able to tell me how they did it, so I learned how to do it, too. I never did get the God thing, and I never worked the program the way the book tells you to, but I was sincere about it and ready to learn, so it worked.

[lookforzeros]

Great topic. I wasn't aware there were so many non-drinkers in Pattaya.

[Acharn]

<snip>

Thank you. I am not looking for reasons to drink, I am happy not to drink, It was easy to stop, I like my squash mixture. I went to Psychiatrist, he explained that the brain needs reprogramming without alcohol, and gave me the necessary pills, said it would take 6 months. Guess I a being impatient trying to stop the pills sooner, don't want to get addicted.

For some reason I never had a problem sleeping after I quit, but many of my new friends did. Maybe most. On the contrary, I felt exhausted the entire first year, and used to feel resentful when, after a couple of months, they started talking about how great they felt physically. I started feeling "normal" after the first year.

Do you exercise? If you never have, it's hard to get started, but you can find advice on the internet. I like a site called Hasfit dot com. Free. Walking is good. Start out with ten minutes a day, try to build up to thirty. I don't recommend jogging at your age. Hard on the knees.

I think your choice to stop taking the pills was wise. Psychiatrists are much too fond of pills for everything. As my AA friends with longer sobriety told me, "When you get tired enough, you'll sleep."

[BuaBS]

I nearly never drink alcohol. We are not compatible and is a downer after the buzz . Sure I like a cool beer , but there is no real beer in Thailand and it is too expensive. Alcohol is over taxed here as well in many other countries and I hate taxes.

I can't stand drunks , the secret drunks as well as the loud , puking , aggressive ones.

' 'I never nearly drink' is the same as being nearly pregnant?????

If I write : never drink , it means NEVER. I drink maybe 1 or 2 beers a year. When I go back home for a few months every 2 years ,I may drink maybe 4 or 5 beers ( it's cheaper and better there). No wine no liquor ). So that is nearly never. Pregnant is a yes or no , nothing in between.

[wowfactor10]

Drinking will not make u smarter..

[Sandy Freckle]

I'm not a big drinker..., a couple of cold beers is usually enough..., occasionally I like to 'let the dog out'(in my own way), this is usually 3 or 4 spirit drinks or a bottle of red or white with appropriate meal..., just enough to get a little chatty etc.
While enjoying the company of 'animated' drinkers, there is never any excuse for bad manners so I find it difficult to tolerate drunk people who are belligerent, impolite, arrogant etc etc..., in such cases I simply remove myself because sometimes s### splatters.

[williet98248]

I nearly never drink alcohol. We are not compatible and is a downer after the buzz . Sure I like a cool beer , but there is no real beer in Thailand and it is too expensive. Alcohol is over taxed here as well in many other countries and I hate taxes.

I can't stand drunks , the secret drunks as well as the loud , puking , aggressive ones.

I consider myself a light drinker. Three or four beers a week, usually with a meal. I can't stand the drunks either and I remember the horrific hangovers I had as a younger drinker. No thanks. I don't like going to the bars and listening to the dreary stories and Thai bashing of the Bar Stool Brigade. If I do go to a bar I head for the pool table, find a pretty girl to handle the other stick, buy a Nam Soda for me and a Lady Drink for her and enjoy an hour or so of social action. I agree that the only decent beers in Thailand are imported and too expensive and the regular stuff is swill. Why I have to have something to eat with a beer. I quit drinking hard liquor back in the 80s when single malt scotch got up to around $12.00 a shot. As well, I don't think it is a good idea to get drunk in a foreign country. Ya never know when you might inadvertently insult some Thai guy and he has to kill you to save his face.

[rasg]

Interesting thread.

I am the only one in my family who enjoys a drink and due to weight issues I moved to red wine two years ago and that is all I drink now. I drink a few glasses one night a week. That's about it. I dropped 40 pounds.

Two of the members of my family died of liver problems due to alcohol and their kids don't drink at all in one case and very moderately in the other. Moderation is the key for me.

What is worrying me nowadays, and I work in the entertainment industry is that the so many youngsters don't have an off switch when it comes to booze. They will drink and drink and drink until they fall over. Sizes of wine glasses are getting bigger and shots and the other stuff like alcopops are killing their livers

[stander]

I was on a four-on/four-off rotation when I came here 83 and it was party time for the four weeks off and then dry-out/detox for the four weeks on. Then when I was moved permanently onshore, the drinking really started to get out of hand, so in 1997 I knocked it on the head and now I have maybe 2 or 3 beers and a couple of single malts a year.

[kingdratsab]

A long time ago I used to have a few pints with my mates every weekend, but over the years I've been drinking less and less. A few years back I was down to like 2 beers a year, a small glass of single malt 2-3 times a year, and a shot of schnapps at christmas. Today I haven't been drinking any alcohol in two 2.5 years since I'm on a strict non-carb diet.

I really like both beer, whiskey and of course a nice frosty cold mojito , but I rather stay clear-headed than indulging in alcohol.... Life is too short to go about having a buzz in the evenings and headaches in the mornings.

I would have regarded myself as being a social drinker ( 3 / 4 pts of ale maybe 5 nights a week)

till i came here. Nothing but lager. Now the nearest i can get to a decent beer is Beer Lao Dum.

Problem is price, unless on a border run. I really enjoy when i do, but never get a bad morning after.

I drink a large glass of water before bed. Then my bladder becomes my only problem ...lol.

Therefore i now regard myself as a reluctant light drinker, with dreams of a pint of Pride.

Cheers All.....

[sir charles IV]

I've tried very hard to like it. Peer pressure, social acceptance etc. I failed. The advantage has been designated driver( got invited to many outings), not making an ass of myself, and in control. Alcohol is a depressant. Why ruin a good night feeling depressed and a chance to underperform if one gets lucky.

[Mudcrab]

Quite an ironic thread to be in "Farang pub etc"

[pgrahmm]

Quite an ironic thread to be in "Farang pub etc"

Let me help you.....Quite an iconic thread to be in "farang pub, etc".....

[Ghostnigel]

I don't drink at all when i'm sleeping, does that count?

[NoshowJones]

Drinking will not make u smarter..

No, but it will help to make you think you are.