The Cruise Texts 10 It’s never too late!
Last year I was asked to write a series of blogs for publication. As ever, they disappeared down a rabbit hole, having just uncovered them, they are I feel ripe for release so here they are. Written whilst on a cruise around the North Sea and the North Atlantic on the P&O Cruises cruise ship Aurora organised by Laura Childs of Pure Travel. Hence Cruise Texts.
We all need an opportunity to let our hair down, to celebrate, to relax and take time out from the rigours of life.
Historically many of these celebrations reflected the time of year and what that meant to the populations we were a part of. They celebrated the wheel of the year, the first signs of spring, mid-summer or the beginning and end of the harvest. Important times for the survival of the community that celebrated communal efforts and success, sometimes even shared loss.
These would have been opportunities for feasting and the drinking of alcohol communally for a purpose.
As the nature of civilisation and community has changed the opportunities for celebration, and the consumption of alcohol have changed. The ease of its purchase increased, and cost decreased, the level of consumption has also increased as the pressures that life throws at us have increased.
Thus, the rate of increased consumption and the resulting addition will increase, as pressures real, or perceived, increase; especially as the short-term perceived effects of alcohol are enjoyable. A numbing of the hurts we feel.
However, the long-term effects are expensive and lead to difficulties in making positive choices for mental or MIND health.
Excessive consumption is not age specific, nor are the effects. Unchecked, the consequences of long-term alcoholism can be and often are catastrophic. They are expensive financially and emotionally and can lead to damaged relationships, suitability for, or loss of, employment and the ability to lead a happy life with healthy self-esteem. Alcohol is a depressant and excessive consumption will lead to poor mental health.
The end result is often very self destructive, as those around an alcoholic depart to stop being drawn into the downward spiral, and the lack of income around an expensive habit can lead to homelessness.
Thus, it is incredibly difficult to make a change when alcohol dependant, but very necessary.
It doesn’t matter when you decide to make the change, it will be life changing. The important thing is to make it.
To want to.
It took me five years between knowing I needed to stop drinking; to actually wanting to…
The support needs to educate those to ‘want to’ make a positive decision. It has to be for yourself, and you have to want to. I’ve never met an alcoholic who managed to make the change for anyone or anything, other than because they wanted to. An alcoholic won’t hear it until they are ready. Most will deny they even have a problem.
It’s also important here to make the point there is a huge difference between alcohol dependant and alcoholic. Alcohol dependant people are those who manage to hold down a full-time job or at least appear to live life normally. It’s easy to do that, hangovers cease to be and it’s not too expensive, well generally. The problem is when you haven’t got to get up for work the next day and you don’t have a ‘full’ level.
Or a problem with alcohol!
Especially if you can do ‘dry January’; before you carry on as before, firm in the knowledge that you don’t have a problem.
That was me for thirty-five to forty years
Alcoholics tend to drink all day long. Alcohol is life.
I guess the age specific element comes down to how much of the rest of your life do you want to waste?
So, the earlier the better.
When you stop, life is better.
Simon Pollard July 2024
