Sociaholism
Now that rehab has become such a popular political ploy for copping a plea, it might be useful to contemplate just how alcohol gets into the body politic in the first place — not that any of this is news to anyone who has been there and done that to their bodies or their politics.
As we all know, drinking is a legendary social lubricant, fuel for rituals of conviviality and celebration. Cheers. Let’s drink to that. Hear, hear, a toast. It can also be mysterious, delirious, and even imperious. Oh, that subtle bouquet, so pleasing to the palate, and that buzz emboldens. Drinking too much, however, often contributes to what is called a social problem, usually for those who are not drinking too much. Too much drinking is also considered to be a social disease, and the drunk is often condemned not only as obnoxious but also weak or even fatally flawed. Since the 1950s, the American Medical Association (AMA) has classified this condition in its chronic manifestations officially as a medical disease, alcoholism, often genetically traced to parents or ancestors.
But if you examine the patterns of behavior that lead to drinking too much in the first place, you may also detect distinct social correlations. It’s nice to be socially connected, isn’t it, not to mention socially accepted. At first, drinking seems to enhance social contact. It is a rite of passage (if not a right) from youth into adulthood. Let the party begin. And then you’re even the life of the party. Imagine that. And so, why not keep this party going?
In time, with social reinforcement and sheer conviviality, drinking can easily become a part of daily life, a routine even, as the cocktail hour approaches and parties convene. Let’s go knock back a few. Let me buy you a drink. You work hard, so you’re entitled. Relax, kick back, and take a load off. Here, have another, you’ve earned it; and then one more for the road. You may not even realize, though, exactly when having that drink becomes that drink having you.
You may also see some effects of social intercourse on others who drink too much that are not so affable and may actually cause them to seek refuge in the bottle, so to speak — to drink to escape the pain, say, or any manner of other uncomfortable effects of society on them, or so they may think. This may be blamed on family, friends, colleagues, work, play, social or economic circumstances, just the challenge of daily life or society at large as perceived through insecurity, isolation, or loneliness.
You name it; the possibilities are endless. Some heavy drinkers might even think of it as a kind of allergy, how the behavior and attitudes of others affect them or infect them with “just too much to bear,” in which case a few stiff drinks can relieve the pressure. Sometimes it’s fear, and a few drinks will provide the courage, or temerity, to overcome the fear to act, or not, or to act out. Other times it may be frustration leading to anger, as alcohol rearranges your consciousness, perception, or even conscience. Now you really need a drink. Or it may just be comforting, more comfortable, helping you through the day so you don’t mind so much the mindless. Drink up; there, that’s better. You can do this.
This sweet elixir of relief, alcohol is seductive. It’s your magic potion, your secret weapon. You’re feeling good, and nothing bothers you. You feel no pain. Everything seems smooth and neat. But then, eventually, you realize you’re not really in control. You’re not really in touch. Progressively, the disease takes hold of you. You can’t get enough; you can’t put it down. It becomes treacherous — cunning, baffling, and powerful. You’re blacking out, and half the time you may not even remember where you’ve been or what you’ve done. Finally, you are powerless over the alcohol as your life becomes unmanageable. The party’s over. Now you are drinking alone, and you are antisocial.
As we all know, drinking is a legendary social lubricant, fuel for rituals of conviviality and celebration. Cheers. Let’s drink to that. Hear, hear, a toast. It can also be mysterious, delirious, and even imperious. Oh, that subtle bouquet, so pleasing to the palate, and that buzz emboldens. Drinking too much, however, often contributes to what is called a social problem, usually for those who are not drinking too much. Too much drinking is also considered to be a social disease, and the drunk is often condemned not only as obnoxious but also weak or even fatally flawed. Since the 1950s, the American Medical Association (AMA) has classified this condition in its chronic manifestations officially as a medical disease, alcoholism, often genetically traced to parents or ancestors.
But if you examine the patterns of behavior that lead to drinking too much in the first place, you may also detect distinct social correlations. It’s nice to be socially connected, isn’t it, not to mention socially accepted. At first, drinking seems to enhance social contact. It is a rite of passage (if not a right) from youth into adulthood. Let the party begin. And then you’re even the life of the party. Imagine that. And so, why not keep this party going?
In time, with social reinforcement and sheer conviviality, drinking can easily become a part of daily life, a routine even, as the cocktail hour approaches and parties convene. Let’s go knock back a few. Let me buy you a drink. You work hard, so you’re entitled. Relax, kick back, and take a load off. Here, have another, you’ve earned it; and then one more for the road. You may not even realize, though, exactly when having that drink becomes that drink having you.
You may also see some effects of social intercourse on others who drink too much that are not so affable and may actually cause them to seek refuge in the bottle, so to speak — to drink to escape the pain, say, or any manner of other uncomfortable effects of society on them, or so they may think. This may be blamed on family, friends, colleagues, work, play, social or economic circumstances, just the challenge of daily life or society at large as perceived through insecurity, isolation, or loneliness.
You name it; the possibilities are endless. Some heavy drinkers might even think of it as a kind of allergy, how the behavior and attitudes of others affect them or infect them with “just too much to bear,” in which case a few stiff drinks can relieve the pressure. Sometimes it’s fear, and a few drinks will provide the courage, or temerity, to overcome the fear to act, or not, or to act out. Other times it may be frustration leading to anger, as alcohol rearranges your consciousness, perception, or even conscience. Now you really need a drink. Or it may just be comforting, more comfortable, helping you through the day so you don’t mind so much the mindless. Drink up; there, that’s better. You can do this.
This sweet elixir of relief, alcohol is seductive. It’s your magic potion, your secret weapon. You’re feeling good, and nothing bothers you. You feel no pain. Everything seems smooth and neat. But then, eventually, you realize you’re not really in control. You’re not really in touch. Progressively, the disease takes hold of you. You can’t get enough; you can’t put it down. It becomes treacherous — cunning, baffling, and powerful. You’re blacking out, and half the time you may not even remember where you’ve been or what you’ve done. Finally, you are powerless over the alcohol as your life becomes unmanageable. The party’s over. Now you are drinking alone, and you are antisocial.
posted by Pneumaticus at 9:19 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home