Hypodrinkisy 

1.

Bad again out-weighing the good. Stop drinking?

I've said for several years that, as an insomniac, I do not need anything to assist with not sleeping - Here's the thing:

Alcohol pretty much guarantees that I will not get a good sleep.

So why bother? Drunken sleep doesn't count anyway.

I love Guinness. I love an IPA. I love wine. Love Port. Really enjoy gin. Get the picture/s?

What I, as a man now in his mid-forties, get hangovers that really, really, really suck.

For the 1st time this morning, while awake in bed at daft-o-clock, I gave heavier thought to stopping drinking. Something I have mentioned umpteen times to myself and others; obviously without a successful follow through.

I am far from an alcoholic of any sort, and for example I had 4 pints of Guinness last night (at time of writing), 1st drink of the week, yet boy did I know it in bed.

Then there's #MS. Being a canny member of the "MS Community" I know of others who have stopped drinking to help with their disease progression without regret.

Those I quote with MS and now without alcohol, seem to not miss it. All fair do's to them. It is not a comparison game.

Socially it can and does make certain occasions better. That's the 'drug effect' of alcohol. "Ooh but it's not a drug." I can practically hear. Depends on the meaning of the word drug.

Something that affects how the brain functions is surely a drug of sorts?

Anyway, it is a fun/enjoyable drink/toxin when consumed moderately, even though it is a natural depressant - a fact that gets ignored. Starting to think of red wine now lol (as I add to this blog on my phone having a decaf mocha), for consumption at a later time and date IF I choose to hypocritically NOT stop. Hmmm. Or mmmm.

And then there is the adage that it's all going up in cost; I am not going up in income of any type. Different wish!

Don't get me wrong, I like a drink. Who doesn't! (Ok, Ok, many actually don’t.) But. The scales of health benefits are swinging heavily in favour of just calling cease fire.

Social costs Vs Health? Hmmm and Carpe Diem!

2.

Since writing the above chapter, the thought of stopping drinking has not left me; especially now as typing ‘chapter 2’ October is close. Practically hours away. And?

‘Stoptober’ I think it’s called. Yes, stopping drinking for the month of October! Funny that!

So, why has there been a delay? Ignorance? Blatant hypocrisy on my behalf? All of the above or another?

I put it in ‘another’. Honestly. A personal thing, that has been sorted. Yet! That is making an excuse I know. Shit. Details aside it has good outcomes!

Maintaining the honesty card I speak of a lot, the thing was a relationship blip, details of which ARE personal! Sorry!

Here’s the positive in a nutshell. Catherine and I have since had great times together, some including alcohol! Ashamed? Simply no and not afraid either.

I’ll refresh the use of last chapter’s closing words. Carpe Diem. Seize the day.

If having an infrequent social drink affects my sleeps that can have knock-on negative effects, fuck it. We only live once!