[emwell]

I am just guessing as to where to post this newest Awareness of mine. (Yes I have a bit of OCD, deal with it)
recently I have run into a number of folk with mental health issues who have become aware of something I/We think is important.

If you are under the influence of booze, just shut the door on your Mental health. You will not get anywhere without getting rid of the beer and vodka. It sounds quite simple to most, but to me you are speaking a foreign language.... I swear the depression in me says, Go ahead, drink.... you will be fine adding a depressant to a depressant. I am not ready to get into the alcoholism ( a disease) and using a substance to cope debate ????? but maybe soon.

This post was inspired by ChaoticInsanity. Sorry Neighbor. But I must give credit when Inspired. Damn I think I owe you $ from that Worm thing. please note that I chose the georgia font over comic sans this time in order to get my point across

In all honestly you are right. I tore my life apart cause i tried to drink away the pain. Took a long inpatient stay to get my life back. At least now I'm living life and can remember what im doing day to day. Yeah it sucks, and yeah I want to drink, but really it is only hard on the psyche and does more damage than good.

[Curiosity231]

Alcohol. Best and worst.
I'm aware of how it works, how it influences our body metabolism, what harm it does on short term, long term. I can remember how I started it at 16 (yes, im a dino and used to be shy guy) drinking 2 beers would make me throw myself up (and I was grown by a mum nurse-lawyer which tough me from teenage-hood that after throwing myself I have to get tons of liquid in and intentionally throw myself up again to clear toxins that induced throwing up, so each time I used to get drunk till wommiting caused by pure alkohol, after I used to get 5 glasses of water and cleared my stomach again, get rid of stuff and stay sober for rest of night, so my alcohol experience is a little different, extended lesser intoxication on same amounts I would say due to previous facts mentioned). Alcohol is the best problem delayer people invented. None solved with alcohol, all can be postponed till tomorrow. Postponed problems get worse slightly, though sometimes if You can't deal with it today it gives great relief. Play with alcohol for too long too extensively, depending on your genes, You will be done the way that no problem besides alcohol matters anymore: matter of time and amounts, and size of liver.

[Moogieotter]

Every standard drink is 10,000mg of a CNS Depressant called Ethanol.

Drinking to help w depression is like smoking cigarettes to help w lung cancer or eating ice cream to help w obesity.

[emwell]

Originally Posted by Moogieotter

Every standard drink is 10,000mg of a CNS Depressant called Ethanol.

Drinking to help w depression is like smoking cigarettes to help w lung cancer or eating ice cream to help w obesity.

Congrats on 3 years Birthday Bud.

You are so smaht

Thank you SO MUCH for this post, em. I think everyone has to come to this conclusion at their own pace, but hearing it from others who are dealing with similar illnesses can only be helpful.

If we are struggling to make our lives functional, or to keep them that way, alcohol use makes it harder to reach that goal.

We talk about getting regular sleep, eating well, taking supplements, even how much caffeine and sugar we can use without affecting our mood negatively, so if we're that sensitive, it certainly doesn't make sense to put alcohol in our bodies.

It took me a long time to accept this. While my depression was more moderate and the only med I was taking was an SSRI, I continued to drink socially.

Now, though, I try to balance my meds, sleep, diet, socializing, exercise, etc., just to feel decent enough to get through the day, so it's easier to leave out the alcohol.

I haven't addressed addiction anywhere here and I'm not qualified to. I'm just talking about the health effects of alcohol + mental illness.

Three cheers for Em!

[emwell]

Originally Posted by jo_thorne

Thank you SO MUCH for this post, em. I think everyone has to come to this conclusion at their own pace, but hearing it from others who are dealing with similar illnesses can only be helpful.

If we are struggling to make our lives functional, or to keep them that way, alcohol use makes it harder to reach that goal.

We talk about getting regular sleep, eating well, taking supplements, even how much caffeine and sugar we can use without affecting our mood negatively, so if we're that sensitive, it certainly doesn't make sense to put alcohol in our bodies.

It took me a long time to accept this. While my depression was more moderate and the only med I was taking was an SSRI, I continued to drink socially.

Now, though, I try to balance my meds, sleep, diet, socializing, exercise, etc., just to feel decent enough to get through the day, so it's easier to leave out the alcohol.

I haven't addressed addiction anywhere here and I'm not qualified to. I'm just talking about the health effects of alcohol + mental illness.

Three cheers for Em!

Thanks Jo, I can relate to much of what you have shared.

I remember one day being so worried about how I was feeling and about my mental health. It took me a while, but I eventually realized I had drank way too much coffee. Yes i was wicked obsessing, but I could have prevented it. Writing helped me see things clearer

I think I need a nap

Naps rock!