[Rojola]

Just a general question I like to get people's responses on.. Personally I don't drink alcohol or use drugs. Never have and never will. But I've worked with people who have shown signs of alcohol abuse.

Once I had a coworker who had the "shakes" and at first I thought he just had a neurological problem. Come to find out he had a drinking problem and may have been an alcoholic. His personality was always a bit gruff, short fused.

I've worked with others in my life who exhibited the same personality, and come to find out they all have been heavy drinkers.

Just the other day when putting the trash out I noticed my neighbors glass recycling bin was stuffed full of empty beer bottles.

This got me wondering and perhaps you all can give insight .. How prevalent is non-alcoholism heavy drinking? Do you think heavy occasional drinking can cause sober personality disorters.

I tend to think heavy drinking permanently messes up the brain, but I'm not a doctor.

Thanks.

[Rojola]

... I just wanted to add ... the reason I am asking this is I'm trying to perhaps get some sort of understanding as to why people can be so down right mean. I seem to get more than my fair share of mean people in my life. If I can figure out some of the signs and symptoms of a substance abuse problem (casual or chronic), it might help me to understand these people better and interact with them in a more productive way.

Perhaps some of you who are going through a substance abuse problem can tell me what you've notice about yourself that has changed from your former sober self. What have you notice in your friends and family that have a substance abuse problem? How have they changed?

Your insight will be helpful to me.

Thank you

[MtnTime2896]

Believe it or not, I was more short fused before my drinking problem than after.
My drinking problem didn't begin from alcohol in itself. It began from an increasingly unstable home life and relationships.
I'm one of them "functioning alcoholics". You know, the ones that go to work completely messed up but no one notices because my attitude doesn't change. However, I've seen at least 99% of my drinking buddies go from well mannered individuals to complete ***** in a matter of a few drinks. It depends on what kind of drunk you are and how long you've had the problem. Those who've dealt with this problem for a long time tend to get more ill mannered than those who've had an alcohol problem for only a few months to years. It really depends on the person's psyche, too. Someone who's pissed and has more than two beers, for instance, is going to react badly to the affects of alcohol. Like many mind-altering substances, it really depends on the person.
I personally have PTSD and have gotten really good about only drinking enough to be comfortably numb (not that this is a good thing) rather than drinking until I have severe flashbacks and hallucinations.
I guess, from my experience, it depends on the person. At the same time, through enough exposure, it can still go bad (regardless of how well-mannered and mentally healthy you are sober). Time mixed with alcohol is never a solution to anything but something that many go through.

[Finniky]

I would think a personal disorder would be more so the cause, or atleast notable factor in alcoholism, rather than simply being the result.

However alcoholism can exacerbate someones condition and draw out symptoms.

[Prism Bunny]

No. The personality disorder may cause one to become addicted to substances and thus bringing out overwhelming negatives in the disorder, but it does not cause the disorder. Though, everybody's brains are wired differently.

Borderline Personality Disorder and Addiction | Dual Diagnosis

Those who suffer from BPD are seen as highly manipulative, dependent and dramatic, but mental health professionals understand that this behavior arises as a dysfunctional way to cope with overwhelming fear and emotional pain. The pain, emotional instability and impulsive behavior of borderline personality disorder place these individuals at risk of drug or alcohol abuse.

The relationship between BPD and addiction is a volatile one. The use of drugs and alcohol aggravate some of the more dangerous symptoms of BPD, most notably, rage and depression. Those who have BPD are more likely to engage in drug or alcohol consumption as an attempt to numb the pain of their fear of abandonment.

[Turlough]

I have never been able to answer this question.Most professionals would say long term alcohol use has a depressive effect.I have used alcohol to cope with depression for years,maybe cos I never felt much benefit from medication on its own.My depression came first but my alcohol abuse has made things a lot worse.The financial implications of alcohol and drug abuse alone have been devastating.

[DutchCount]

One thing that comes to my mind is a delirium, caused by cold turkeying heavy drinking. I've seen it once in the psych ward and it appears to cause a lot of disorientation and even hallicunations.

[Sabrina]

I have seen the detrimental effects that long term heavy drinking have caused my mother. She is deeply depressed, due to other factors but made worse by her drinking. She has many physical issues such as trembles, red eyes, terrible tummy troubles that have included a bleeding ulcer. She is deep denial that these things have been caused by her alcohol abuse. But the worst thing is that she has become childlike and very forgetful. She doesn't know what she has done half the time. She sends me repetitive texts and posts utter nonsense on facebook (like jumbled letters). She was trying to tell me someone rang her doorbell the other day. And all she could come up with was "that thing people do when they come to your door". I have seen horrible changes in her "mind" and personality. Fortunately she is not aggressive or confrontational. But it hurts to watch all the same.