surviving in an alcohol soaked environment - self examination

[treacheroustexan]

The definition of an alcoholic has changed with the dui situation in our country. If you answer, I think 3 questions out of like 12, they consider you an alcoholic. Like...have you ever used a drug like asprin after a night of drinking, or have you ever drank to change the way you feel after a night of drinking, have you drank before noon, ect. They try to label or categorize people into being an alcoholic. I had a dui 25 years ago and this is what they were teaching then. In reality addiction is defined by having withdrawls if the use stops.
They also taught that if you try to control your habit it is a sign of a problem. So...I decided right then I will no longer try to control it. if I want to drink anytime I do. It has been liberating. When on a cruise I brush my teeth with a nice Cab or Merlot.
Also don't care if someone says I am an alcoholic because whenever I don't drink, I don't have delirious tremors or any other withdrawal symptoms. Hope this helps others with the judgements. Relax have a homebrew, unless you can't go without.

Good post!!! Couldn't agree more.

 

[Ingo]

I like level one, and find it very useful. I dislike level 2, and avoid it to the extent of spacing drinks out, and if away from home never having more than two. If I can feel it, I've gone too far. I dislike level 3 intensely, and it's been about 25 years since I've been there.

This tells me you shouldn't have to worry.

But craving beer doesn't always mean people crave the alcohol. It can mean your microbiome flora of your gut craves beer for other ingredients.
Some people are totally controlled by their gut flora. These microbiomes can produce chemicals that interfere with your brain chemistry and neurotransmitters and make you crave what they need. Often sugar.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230120-how-gut-bacteria-are-controlling-your-brain

 

[fluketamer]

"Some people are totally controlled by their gut flora."

this is a very bold statement .

likely untrue

nobody is totally controlled by anything or anyone. - swmbo told me to say that .

 

[beersk]

"Some people are totally controlled by their gut flora."

this is a very bold statement .

likely untrue

nobody is totally controlled by anything or anyone. - swmbo told me to say that .

It might be truer than you realize.

Lately, I've been seriously looking at my alcohol consumption closely. I've had an issue with heart palpitations on occasion. A friend thinks it may be "holiday heart syndrome" happening after a weekend of heavy consumption. This might be true, but it's very uncomfortable when it happens. Thankfully there's no chest pain or breathing issues involved. But I went to the doctor the other day for an EKG, everything came back normal, but we have a follow-up appointment next week to talk about it. I'm hoping he doesn't tell me I have to quit drinking. I love beer and although I haven't brewed in almost 2 months because I haven't felt up to it, I do love brewing.

This heart palpitation thing started back about this time in 2022, not long after I got covid for the first time. So I've been wondering for a while if that has been what set it off. But I don't know. I might just be drinking too much, though when I take a closer look at my consumption, it's really not any higher than in any years leading up to that point; probably less even, but not by much.

Sometimes my heart will beat rapidly and hard after only 1 or 2 beers, not necessarily palpitate. Usually any kind of palpitations will happen the following day and might only be a random palpitation or, like the other day, it'll be a constant irregular heart beat for hours if not most of the day. It doesn't tend to do that when I abstain. I just wonder if I have a certain intolerance for alcohol sometimes.

Anyway, it's definitely good to examine one's habits on a regular basis.