Alcohol is evil really.
It is technically a poison and if it was to be classified now as a new drug it would be a Class A.
It is technically a poison and if it was to be classified now as a new drug it would be a Class A.
There are way more negatives than
positives to alcohol.
Negatives
- Liver disease
- Increases blood pressure
- Increases cholesterol
- Increases risk of diabetes
- Increases your risk of liver disease
- Increases your risk of cancer
- Increases your risk of having a stroke
- Beer goggle mistakes
- Blackouts
- Hangovers
- Making bad decisions
- Regrets
- Waking up not knowing what you did the night before
- Women are more likely to be sexually assaulted when intoxicated
- Expensive
- Most people are arseholes when they are drunk
- Alcohol related brain damage
- Alcohol amnesia
- Addiction
- Reacts badly with many medications
- It's a depressant
- People with mental health problems shouldn't drink alcohol
- It reacts with some psychiatric medication
- People attempt suicide more often when they are intoxicated
- A million more bullet points
- If you drink it in really small amounts every day, it probably reduces your risk of dying prematurely of heart disease
- Loosens inhibitions
- People think you are normal and 'one of the lads'/or you can attend your best friend's wine and cheese party without being shunned for not drinking.
- Some people can drink it and have a good night
So, finally, after only three years of drinking (I first got drunk age 17, well technically 16 by myself but I don't count that, I was 17 when I first got drunk socially, which is pretty late really!) and now age 20 with a few fond memories of drunken nights, such as my 18th birthday and my first year of university when I was an annoying drunk, a hyper drunk, an immature drunk, but mostly a million regrets, countless tales of suicide attempts, overdoses, self harm, ruining parties, ruining my brother's 18th birthday party, being angry, crying, self destructing, embarrassing myself and waking up the next day with physical and emotional injuries and scars, I have decided FOR MYSELF I am going to stop drinking. I am becoming Teetotal, age 20.
This year I turn 21, and I was worrying about all the events in the future that would have meant I was drinking alcohol. Summer Ball, Leavers Beach Party, Graduation Ball, My 21st Birthday. But now I realise this - other people can drink, but I don't have to. I don't need to get slaughtered for my 21st birthday, I can go out for a meal, stay in, have a party and drink soft drinks or non-alcoholic wine. This way I will not be the one embarrassing myself, I will remember the entire evening, I will save money, I will be hangover free, I won't lose the next day, I won't ruin my clothing or break my finger or smash my phone (I hope!)
I have realised now that I HAVE to stop drinking for ME. And no-one else, and everyone else, but predominantly me. Because before, each time I drank and something stupid happened, each time people told me to stop drinking and I said I would, I always did drink again and I tried to pretend that it would be fine this time. I said I was in a good mood so nothing bad would happen (it still did), I said I would only have one glass (famous last words), I said I would have a soft drink and then temptation became too much and I bought myself a glass of wine. Looking at it now, the warning signs were there and it may be too late to repair some of the damage I have caused to both my liver and my life/self/ones who care about me, but equally it may not be.
I know now I need to be confident and happy in the fact that I don't drink. I need to say it with pride, not mumble it with embarrassment. It is hard at the moment, but one day I will be able to be in a room full of people drinking alcohol, sipping my Coke or alcohol-free wine and be completely at peace with it. I want to be able to say "I haven't drunk alcohol in two years" or three or four or ten. I want to be able to say "The last time I had a drink was Thursday 7th January 2016." It was cheap Co-op Rose' wine and it was gross and it wasn't a happy occasion, I overdosed on paracetamol with it.
Every time I want to drink, every time I get that horrible stupid urge to drink, the demon in my head that gets upset and angry that I'm not drinking, the genetic predisposition of alcohol addiction, the infant alcoholic, the night ruiner and liver bully...I will tell it NO. I will remember the last drink I had was a disgusting Rose' wine that twinned with paracetamol, could have killed me, nearly killed me.
So here's to becoming Teetotal. I am sure I will save money, for both myself and the NHS. My liver will thank me, my mind will thank me and everyone who has suffered at the hands of my drunken self will thank me.
Cheers to life with less drama.
(Below are a few articles that I found interesting/useful/inspiring.)
