This is from a previous poster:

"My other issue is that I have problems with alcohol and cigarettes (self-medicating) and though I desperately want to cut down on the former and quit the latter, feeling sooooo wretched makes it near impossible."

How would people say that alchol relates to depression.  Does the depression make one turn to alcohol?  Are all alcoholics depressives (since alcoholism cannot be something I guess that happy people engage in)?

Yoshi wrote:

> This is from a previous poster:
> 
> "My other issue is that I have problems with alcohol and cigarettes 
> (self-medicating) and though I desperately want to cut down on the 
> former and quit the latter, feeling sooooo wretched makes it near 
> impossible."
> 
> How would people say that alchol relates to depression.  Does the 
> depression make one turn to alcohol?  Are all alcoholics depressives 
> (since alcoholism cannot be something I guess that happy people engage in)?


Alcohol is a depressive. It will deaden the fear and anxiety but worsen 
the black mood. Also if taken to extreme it will make you an alcoholic.

-- 
John Cheever
http://workplacebullying.com
http://upsd.co.uk
http://spaces.msn.com/members/enigmapark/
http://blue.50webs.com

"Yoshi"  wrote in message 
news:QgGLe.7107$QU4.438@newsfe5-win.ntli.net...

> This is from a previous poster:
>
> "My other issue is that I have problems with alcohol and cigarettes 
> (self-medicating) and though I desperately want to cut down on the former 
> and quit the latter, feeling sooooo wretched makes it near impossible."
>
> How would people say that alchol relates to depression.  Does the 
> depression make one turn to alcohol?  Are all alcoholics depressives 
> (since alcoholism cannot be something I guess that happy people engage 
> in)?



Me and drink have a strange relationship.  Most of my family either are or 
have been alcoholics at some point.  I don't drink very often myself, but 
when I do, I tend to go overboard a bit.  For some reason, about 5 days 
after I go out drinking (probably medication related) I start geting really 
down and anxious.  That lasts a week max then I am back to normal.  I have 
to admit tho, I love getting drunk, it makes me really happy and I tell 
everyone I love them.  Normally tho, when I am feeling really depressed, 
alcohol is the last thing on my mind, cos I know if I am like that it will 
make me worse.

John Cheever wrote:


> Yoshi wrote:
>
>> This is from a previous poster:
>>
>> "My other issue is that I have problems with alcohol and cigarettes 
>> (self-medicating) and though I desperately want to cut down on the 
>> former and quit the latter, feeling sooooo wretched makes it near 
>> impossible."
>>
>> How would people say that alchol relates to depression.  Does the 
>> depression make one turn to alcohol?  Are all alcoholics depressives 
>> (since alcoholism cannot be something I guess that happy people 
>> engage in)?
>
>
> Alcohol is a depressive. It will deaden the fear and anxiety but 
> worsen the black mood. Also if taken to extreme it will make you an 
> alcoholic.
>

So therefore, to play Devil's Advocate, is the solution to smoke dope 
(since I am told - though I have never tried it - that it makes you 
happy - i.e. it is not a depressive?

Lachlan - Grand Exalted Most High King and Emperor of All the Universe 
wrote:


>"Yoshi"  wrote in message 
>news:QgGLe.7107$QU4.438@newsfe5-win.ntli.net...
>  
>
>>This is from a previous poster:
>>
>>"My other issue is that I have problems with alcohol and cigarettes 
>>(self-medicating) and though I desperately want to cut down on the former 
>>and quit the latter, feeling sooooo wretched makes it near impossible."
>>
>>How would people say that alchol relates to depression.  Does the 
>>depression make one turn to alcohol?  Are all alcoholics depressives 
>>(since alcoholism cannot be something I guess that happy people engage 
>>in)?
>>    
>>
>
>
>Me and drink have a strange relationship.  Most of my family either are or 
>have been alcoholics at some point.  I don't drink very often myself, but 
>when I do, I tend to go overboard a bit.  For some reason, about 5 days 
>after I go out drinking (probably medication related) I start geting really 
>down and anxious.  That lasts a week max then I am back to normal.  I have 
>to admit tho, I love getting drunk, it makes me really happy and I tell 
>everyone I love them.  Normally tho, when I am feeling really depressed, 
>alcohol is the last thing on my mind, cos I know if I am like that it will 
>make me worse. 
>
>
>  
>

But could it not be argued that alcohol makes you happy immediately?  
And, I am not being silly here, but if you are depressed, does one not 
do what is immediately best for you i.e. drink/ get drunk?

What I am saying is that you seem to have control if you are depressed 
but you know alcohol makes it better in the short term, but nevertheless 
you control yourself because you feel worse in the future.

Does this make sense?

Yoshi wrote:


>>
> So therefore, to play Devil's Advocate, is the solution to smoke dope 
> (since I am told - though I have never tried it - that it makes you 
> happy - i.e. it is not a depressive?



http://tinyurl.com/7mm7o

-- 
Time flies like an arrow.Fruit flies like a banana.
(Groucho Marx)

Yoshi wrote:

> John Cheever wrote:
> 
>> Yoshi wrote:
>>
>>> This is from a previous poster:
>>>
>>> "My other issue is that I have problems with alcohol and cigarettes 
>>> (self-medicating) and though I desperately want to cut down on the 
>>> former and quit the latter, feeling sooooo wretched makes it near 
>>> impossible."
>>>
>>> How would people say that alchol relates to depression.  Does the 
>>> depression make one turn to alcohol?  Are all alcoholics depressives 
>>> (since alcoholism cannot be something I guess that happy people 
>>> engage in)?
>>
>>
>>
>> Alcohol is a depressive. It will deaden the fear and anxiety but 
>> worsen the black mood. Also if taken to extreme it will make you an 
>> alcoholic.
>>
> So therefore, to play Devil's Advocate, is the solution to smoke dope 
> (since I am told - though I have never tried it - that it makes you 
> happy - i.e. it is not a depressive?



My brother drank heavily and took cannabis/cocaine to cope with self 
esteem issues and the effects of a dysfunctional childhood  it lead to a 
pattern of casual non committed sex and being hiv+.He's now increasingly 
physically frail and mentally adversely affected by the hiv or the 
stress of living with the hiv.He still does drugs though has curbed the 
drinking.
My mother has spend most of her adult life using booze as a coping 
mechanism and yet denying she has a problem playing a significant though 
not solitary part in screwing all of her children up to some 
extent(family disposition to mh problems/personality problems is also a 
factor) with her  drink fuelled verbal and less frequent  but still 
psychologically damaging physical attacks.


Alchol/substance abuse and depression/other mental 
illnesses/psychological problems are more the stuff of nightmares than 
of pleasant dreams.





-- 
These are my principles and if you don't like them ... well i have others.
    (Groucho Marx)

John Cheever wrote:

> Alcohol is a depressive. It will deaden the fear and anxiety but worsen 
> the black mood. Also if taken to extreme it will make you an alcoholic.
> 

It depends on the individual personality and the degree of alcohol 
consumed. With a lot of people alcohol does depress them or make them 
angry or aggressive. With others it makes them happy and feel good, with 
no aggressive tendencies. Wine is good example where in most cases it 
complements many foods well, and causes a feeling of slight euphoria 
when drunk in moderation.

"Yoshi"  wrote in message 
news:jkMLe.10044$JB4.3427@newsfe6-win.ntli.net...

> Lachlan - Grand Exalted Most High King and Emperor of All the Universe 
> wrote:
>
>>"Yoshi"  wrote in message 
>>news:QgGLe.7107$QU4.438@newsfe5-win.ntli.net...
>>
>>>This is from a previous poster:
>>>
>>>"My other issue is that I have problems with alcohol and cigarettes 
>>>(self-medicating) and though I desperately want to cut down on the former 
>>>and quit the latter, feeling sooooo wretched makes it near impossible."
>>>
>>>How would people say that alchol relates to depression.  Does the 
>>>depression make one turn to alcohol?  Are all alcoholics depressives 
>>>(since alcoholism cannot be something I guess that happy people engage 
>>>in)?
>>>
>>
>>
>>Me and drink have a strange relationship.  Most of my family either are or 
>>have been alcoholics at some point.  I don't drink very often myself, but 
>>when I do, I tend to go overboard a bit.  For some reason, about 5 days 
>>after I go out drinking (probably medication related) I start geting 
>>really down and anxious.  That lasts a week max then I am back to normal. 
>>I have to admit tho, I love getting drunk, it makes me really happy and I 
>>tell everyone I love them.  Normally tho, when I am feeling really 
>>depressed, alcohol is the last thing on my mind, cos I know if I am like 
>>that it will make me worse.
>>
>>
> But could it not be argued that alcohol makes you happy immediately?  And, 
> I am not being silly here, but if you are depressed, does one not do what 
> is immediately best for you i.e. drink/ get drunk?
>
> What I am saying is that you seem to have control if you are depressed but 
> you know alcohol makes it better in the short term, but nevertheless you 
> control yourself because you feel worse in the future.
>
> Does this make sense?



Not really, if I am really properly ill with depression, I know drink will 
make me feel worse right away.  If I am just in my normal everyday pissed 
off with the world sort of mood, then drink almost invariably puts me in a 
transcendent state of unalloyed euphoria with boundless love for everyone 
and all of creation, and with a mischevious, yet harmless sense of humour. 
Then I keep drinking til I fall over.  Next day I just feel hungover.  4 
days later the depression hits me very hard and for about another week or 
more.  So if I drink, I have one great night, 1 written off day, 3 days of 
normality, then 1-2 weeks of bleak despair, thus normally it is wise for me 
just to abstain.

"tj"  wrote in message 
news:42ffda6e$0$38041$bed64819@news.gradwell.net...

> Yoshi wrote:
>
>>>
>> So therefore, to play Devil's Advocate, is the solution to smoke dope 
>> (since I am told - though I have never tried it - that it makes you 
>> happy - i.e. it is not a depressive?
>
>
> http://tinyurl.com/7mm7o
>
> -- 
> Time flies like an arrow.Fruit flies like a banana.
> (Groucho Marx)



Tradition in India maintains that the gods sent man the Hemp plant so that 
he might attain delight, courage, and have heightened sexual desires. When 
nectar or Amrita dropped down from heaven, Cannabis sprouted from it.

I wonder if whoever originated the tradition was stoned at the 
time............
Maybe it was the chuckle brothers.