30 years sober today.

[Jason Roehl]

Is alcohol a common problem in the United Sates? I'm not being facetious, it's an honest enquiry.

cheers

Dave

Common? Hard to say. There are plenty at all points on the spectrum. There are hard-core, sloppy drunks who can't do a thing, there are those who are "functional drunks"--they get drunk all the time, but manage to hold a job and family, there are casual drinkers, there are binge drinkers, there are recovering alcoholics, and there are teetotalers. I like to have a beer here and there, and sometimes several, and I hate getting drunk. But, it seems more and more that the people around me are largely either recovering (and I don't want to tempt them) or teetotalers who would be offended if I had one in their presence, so I don't.

Congrats, Paul, on taming your demon for 30 years.

[paul cottingham]

But, it seems more and more that the people around me are largely either recovering (and I don't want to tempt them) or teetotalers who would be offended if I had one in their presence, so I don't.

Congrats, Paul, on taming your demon for 30 years.

You are a fine friend to those good folks. But for the record, if they are tempted cause you are having a beer around them, they should not be there, not the other way around. The only person I have ever asked not to drink around me is my wife, and only in very stressful times.

[Paul McGaha]

I don't drink in the shop but quitting smoking has been hard in relation to the shop. That's when I would "break" and smoke. I would rest, figure out the next step, puzzle out a problem, etc. I didn't smoke in the house so I would go to the shop to smoke and many times just sit, smoke and look at the project and figure things out. I still miss that.

I know exactly what you mean Jim. I'm trying to quit smoking myself and I'm finding the hardest places to not smoke are at work and in the shop.

Congratulation Paul, You're doing great.

PHM

[Dave Sheldrake]

Thanks Jason, it's a difficult thing to visualise for me as of all the people I know personally outside of the internet I think I've only ever known 1 who has had a battle with the bottled deamon. Over here an alcohol problem tends to be viewed as *needing* a drink rather than *wanting* one.

cheers

Dave

[Jim Sevey]

Dave- Alcohol causes a lot of problems. Can't put a % on it- over 10,000 annually dead in drunk car crashes and probably 10 times that in non-fatality injuries. My problem- my Dad was an alcoholic and never came to a baseball or football game I played in. Died too young to enjoy his grandkids. Can't put a price on the missed time, family fights, etc. Hats off to those of you having a birthday. I was very fortunate to have learned from my Dad to avoid it. Congartulations to all!

[Dave Sheldrake]

It does here as well Jim, antisocial behaviour and DUI's but there don't seem to be too many fall over drinkers in the area I'm in.
My parents never drank so I never really had any desire to or interest in it, the usual stuff when I was 18 to 20 but since then I just don't get anything from it. I'm not in any way anti alcohol, I just don't particularly like the taste of the stuff.

Coffee and the occasional cigarette but past that I have a pretty boring life I guess.

I admire anybody that can fight and beat an addiction, drugs were the issue in my younger years and lost a few mates to them but never got involved with it myself.

cheers

Dave

[Rod Sheridan]

Excellent news Paul, keep up the hard work............Regards, Rod.

[Brent Ring]

Congrats to everyone who has put down one addiction or another. They come in all forms. I've been clean & sober for 26 yrs & don't miss it.....

It is true - congrats to everyone who has broken any form of addictive behaviors!