Quick Start Preparation Course (FREE)

Download our Quick Start Preparation course as our FREE gift to help you stop drinking alcohol and get the best start to your new life. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD.

Short Term Effects of Alcohol | What Alcohol Does to Your Body | SDA25

by | Stop Drinking Alcohol, Year One | 4 comments

On the site this week, I did an article and video about what is drinking too much where I talked about the arbitrary ‘safe’ levels of alcohol consumption, depending on who you ask. The common theme is 2 units for a man per day, or 14 in a week and 1 unit for a woman or 7 units per week. It doesn’t take into account any factors like height, weight, age, health, etc.

In the end, we all have to decide what is too much.

We all have to make the decision: is any alcohol too much?

My Dad is out of hospital. It’s great to see him up and about. He’s a bit weak still, but improving every day. It’s early days yet, but he seems to want to change the way he’s living. No more alcohol, no more massive meals. I can only hope that he sticks with it. He has so much to gain by losing the crap in his life.

Watching The Short Term Effects of Alcohol is an Education

I went out with friends at the weekend, we went to a local indian restaurant. It was great food and great company. They’re all arsenal supporters, and we normally meet up once or twice a week in a local pub for the match and on occasion a bite to eat.

One of the lads has been living here for over 10 years. He’s been a regular at this Indian restaurant since it was first opened. Because he’s a regular, he get’s a free round of spirits at the end for himself and his wife. He gets a brandy and she gets a baileys, very generous measures as well. When the order came around, I was asked if I would like either, or a shot of something else.

My first thought was ‘drat’ – I’m turning down something free! … it’s the something for nothing mentality. As I watched them drinking the brandy though, I was so glad it wasn’t me. The same guy had tried to give up drink at the same time as me and hasn’t succeeded. He’s even forgotten that I don’t drink any more. The short-term effects of alcohol are different, depending on who’s drinking. My mate’s nose was getting red, his cheeks were flushing, he was beginning to slur his speech, everything I used to do (and more!).

When I make the comparisons, I realize that I was ten times as bad. I would’ve already been half scalded before I got to the restaurant. I would have added a few more beers to the bill at the end, and carried on into the evening – either staying out or drinking at home.

As it was, everyone stuck to the drink that came with the meal, adding no extras.

Watching other people drink is a great way of topping up on your conviction that alcohol is bad for you. It’s a great education. You can see alcohol for what it is. I wouldn’t advise anyone who’s just quit to deliberately put themselves with other people who are drinking. But if you have to be there, you might as well look at it the from the best perspective.

Stop Drinking Alcohol Week 25 – The Short Term Effects of Alcohol
So, that’s Stop Drinking Alcohol Week 25.
Thanks for visiting the site.
Until next time…
Onwards and Upwards!
Kev

Previous Tallies

Stop Drinking Alcohol Week 22
Stop Drinking Alcohol Week 23
Stop Drinking Alcohol Week 24

4 Comments

  1. Pamela Williamson

    I’m almost at the 4 wks sober. I gave up before for 14 months. I started again 5 years ago, for no particular reason. I’d say loneliness. Sounds silly bit there you go. I’ve many attempts since And never got past the 3 wk stage, so this time is something of a breakthrough. I love your video where you describe playing the movie which I’ve just watched. I’ve been doing something similar, but, not to the extend of playing it backwards. I just visualize myself going into the pub and see how it progresses into something I came to hate and feel the negative effects of it for 3 days. Why? I asked myself over and over. The finale this tome was a big wake- up call where I ended up in an ambulance. Luckily I came away with bumps and bruises and a few cuts. Instead of going down the huge remorse thing, this time I decided this experience was indeed a blessing. I have no intention of drinking again and want quality of life. With drink that is just not a possibility. There ate challenges and here in Shetland it is a big drinking culture. I guess like Ireland, I have Bern twice.
    I feel on top of it this time and the mind is indeed very powerful as you say. For me Faith helps me tremendously but I know that isn’t everyones bag. I’m starting to do some yoga also to get my body in better shape. The AA meetings don’t work for me as I am what would be classed a binge drinker and could never face it the next day but when I did drink I couldn’t get enough. What is the saying ” 1 is too many and. …. Is not enough

    Anyway glad to have come on your videos today

    Pamela,

    Reply
    • Kevin O'Hara

      Hey Pamela, Thank you so much for sharing your story. You hit the nail on the head when you said “Instead of going down the huge remorse thing, this time I decided this experience was indeed a blessing.” That’s what it’s all about. You deciding on how you’re going to view it. We’ve only got one life and it’s all up to us. We Choose! What a beautiful place you come from. I know you’re much further north but I spent a couple of cold holidays on Skye when I was a kid. We know a bit about rain in Ireland but holy God, I don’t think I remember a dry day. I think yoga was one of the best things I’ve ever taken up. I’m not very religious, but I do like the spiritual aspects of yoga… it just suits where I’m at I think.
      Anyway, I’m so glad you could find something in the videos. I wish you all the best for the future.
      Kind regards
      Kev
      Onwards and upwards!

      Reply
  2. Tammy

    Hi Kevin, so glad to hear your dad is getting better. And glad to see you are still on your journey without alcohol. My comment today is really about last weeks post and this one both. I think I’ve kinda known in my mind without realizing it that you really do need to get know the enemy inside to have any real success at quitting. The drinking is just a symptom of an underlying issue that first needs to be examined. I can see that this looking inside and asking the questions has been exactly what I have avoided. I don’t want to know what I’ll find and I’m afraid of facing it head on. I know it’s necessary to get through to the other side. I feel a fear rise up inside me even as I write this. I see some of my patterns are drinking when I’m going to be around certain people because I either don’t enjoy them if I’m not drinking or I feel inferior to them somehow and drinking gives me the needed confidence to interact. That in itself is a huge insite for me.

    As for this weeks post, you mention watching others who are drinking when you are not can be very educational. I had an experience just a few hours ago through text message with a guy I have dated a couple times and he is celebrating the 4th of July holiday before noon and sending me pictures of the huge drink in front of him at the table and telling me he’s now on his second one. I’m at home sober and not at all impressed. If I had been drinking I would have responded completely different. His other text messages also seem to be completely annoying me because he’s now pretty wasted and saying rediculous things. I’m reading these and thinking how I have sounded the same way when I’m drinking. During phone conversations I can tell when he’s drinking and he seems to not like my responses in the conversation and will say, you need to have a drink and loosen up. You don’t seem too happy. This is one of the people I find it hard to be around unless I’m drinking. This should be another insite for me to make better choices in who I choose to be in relationships with. I have another “friend” who calls and I avoid quite often. Eventually I feel like I better finally call her back, but I have a couple drinks before I make the call.

    I’m starting to ask the questions and whether I like what I find out or not, the answers won’t change. I actually started this process sometime back and bullshitted myself that I got to the real issues. Obviously I have a lot more work to do.

    Thank you for all the insite.

    You are looking great as I metioned before! (funny thing… I can look pretty good and after a night of drinking I look at myself the next morning and say “who the hell is that looking back at me!”) I know it’s taking it’s toll.

    Tammy

    Reply
    • Kevin O'Hara

      Hey Tammy, Thanks about my Dad. He’s getting a bit stronger every day and he’s just looking at this like a narrow escape.
      It’s funny about those underlying issues. I’ve had the same thing, thinking I had a handle on a lot of my issues now that I’ve quit. But another one rears its ugly head. Sometimes you have to ask the questions and wait for your subconscious to give you the responses. It almost feels like my subconscious is holding back. Instead of belting me everything that I need to deal with, it’s baby feeding me one issue at a time, waiting until it thinks I’m capable of properly dealing with a problem. Fear is a natural thing to feel as well. We all fear change, it’s the way our brains are made up. Our brain likes habit, something that is repeated over and over. It doesn’t like change. So, injecting a bit of fear into the mix might stop you from changing. If you carry on regardless, it will get the message that you’re serious about changing. Then it will get on the same wavelength and help you.
      I had to stop going to the pub and mixing with my drinking buddies. I couldn’t have stopped if I didn’t. It’s probably one of the more difficult decisions that you have to make. But only you can make the decision. I wish you the best of luck Tammy, we all need a bit sometimes. Most of the hard work comes from inside you though. All these decisions can only make you into a stronger person!
      Kind regards
      Kev
      Onwards and upwards!

      Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.