Alcohol

[Ed!]

This has been alluded to in many a thread, but with the holiday season coming up, and drinking being such a huge part of the festivities for work, family, and friends, I just kinda felt like talking about booze and me. Feel free to comment or tell your own stories, or not, I just felt like unburdening myself a bit.
I probably shouldn't drink anymore, but I do. I don't feel the impulse to start drinking too often these days, but it's all around me, and always at center stage of whatever is going on. When I do drink, which is still semi regularly, I often drink to excess. I'm not quite sure why that happens, but I never feel like I'm getting anywhere with it and my solution is always to have another one. I've really gotten to the point where I don't like the stuff, but I'm not willing to stop drinking permanently for social reasons. With my company's Christmas party happening tomorrow (I work at a creative agency, so that party is ALL about drinking) I just feel exhausted knowing how it's going to go.
I don't really like the effect anymore, it makes me almost bipolar going from energized and happy to depressed or angry. I don't like the aftermath, feeling like crap later that evening and/or the next day. I generally think that nothing good comes from it. Even with moderation fights tend to happen most with my wife when we've both had a drink or two.
Kava has been a very positive influence in this regard. I used to buy beer, wine, and spirits pretty regularly for at-home use. Now I almost never do that, it's all at parties and bowling night and get-togethers now. Kava is what I wanted alcohol to be, but it wasn't. I just hate managing that relationship. It doesn't help that as I'm turning away from alcohol at home, my wife is becoming a regular wine drinker. Lately she's been saying "I feel like going to get a bottle of wine" a lot, and I'm always like "we have plenty of kava!" but she hasn't taken to it like I have. 
Kava is relaxing without the stupefication, doesn't make me gain a bunch of weight, doesn't turn me into a raging bipolar crybaby, and doesn't suck the life out of me the next day. I just wish we didn't live in such a booze culture. Makes me want to start a kava bar in town.

 

[uuku pi]

Hey! This is how it helps(kava) your thinking is changing! I always wanted to change my thinking but I did not know it...so I changed how I felt by adding things that would postpone the changes in thinking that wanted to occur. Drinking ,scripts,smoking (all smokes) all make me feel better (or did). I feel socially alone at this point BUT I no longer mind. None of these other people are happy. I am an artist,not a great famous one,but at least my mind is back!!! I can see how much better things are without these other things. When I did drink I would think I had great ideas but they usually were not. Sometimes I would luck out and do something great while intoxicated, and then think whatever I had ingested helped me. I found Kava because I became injured. My back will never be the way it was,but I no longer am full of fear and pain. I no longer teach yoga,but I can do it for myself again. The best thing after the pain went away was that I remembered who I had been before I began my chemical journey to be like others and fit in. Some days are better than others,some times I feel stupid for all the bad things I did to my body. This Thanksgiving I went to a new group to please my son. EVERYONE was drinking,there were at least 20 people there. I did not want a drink! I could SEE them. I drank a small amount of Kava early in the day. and maybe it helped me. This is a process..Do not give up ..you are already there. I love everything you have said,you have courage,you helped me say here for everyone to read how I felt too

 

[Buddhacide]

I love alcohol of all sorts, but I tell you of all the stuff I put into my body, nothing makes me feel closer to death than a booze hangover. The key is moderation, not easy but attainable. I usually have a few drinks, but dont often get very drunk. When I do I pay for it, and the older I get the more I pay. I find that I generally nurse my drinks, unlike my friends that will out pace me 2-1 or more. I think thats the key. You can have a drink in your hand all night, but if you dont drink to fast you can have a nice time and get away with it.

 

[Prince Philip]

Kava is what I wanted alcohol to be, but it wasn't.

I must agree with everything you say, especially the above.

 

[krunkedout]

I do love alcohol. But to me there is something about kava tht alcohol lacks.. I think it's the culture and tradition of kava. I mean you can go squeeze yourself a bowl of rum. I also think that kava is much better for an everyday thing unlike alcohol. If you have a nice glass of rum every night people like to tag on the term "alcoholic". I don't think I've ver heard someone say "kavaholic" before. However, my mother has said things like "you're making more!?" and "so why do you like to drink kava so much?" (trying to imply that I have an addiction.) oh mothers, when will they learn?

 

[Vekta]

I like not being an alcohol drinker anymore. I don't feel I really miss out on anything even during events with family and friends where everyone else is drinking. I get more people wondering what I'm doing. It make it easy for me to say no and then they wonder where I found kava. I think I'm pretty close to about 20-ish people that I have introduced and given them their first taste of kava. Some have even converted from whatever it was they were doing to Kava.

 

[kl.Jerome]

The health benefits of alcohol, in moderation of course, are what I wouldn't want to lose.  A couple drinks a day goes a long way in keeping my cholesterol in check.

 

[The Kap'n]

I think I'm pretty close to about 20-ish people that I have introduced and given them a there first taste of kava. Some have even converted from whatever it was they were doing to Kava.

And that's awesome. I don't drink either, and the holidays are just fine.

 

[kl.el187joker]

so i guess first ill introduce myself first i am 25, married, have 4 kids now (my baby was born dec. 17) i had already quit drinking and using drugs 2 yeas ago do to over indulgence (chiefin mj occasionally when the old lady aint around) and i must say i still felt like i was missing out a little bit when all my homies are drinkin having fun. and really almost began drinking on a number of occasions until i was introduced to KAVA. this magical root has probably saved my marriage. i now just bring some kava with me whenever i think there may be some drinking. and i dont want to drink at all nor do i feel like im missing out. i actually feel like ill be getting the better deal (not having to deal with hangovers exc...)

 

[uuku pi]

I think I will take with to the next thing . I have been sort of fearful about gatherings. This is because I am just worn out about people. When they drink it is even harder for me to figure out their agenda(if they even have one). Maybe if I take some(kava) with me I can be happy with the intoxicated (on booze) new family members. I am half Russian,all family get togethers needed a bottle per person per day,and they actually need more to seem drunk. The new ones are not Russian but they love their wine. Funny how kava takes ALL craving away. I think it is majick too

 

[krunkedout]

I think I will take with to the next thing . I have been sort of fearful about gatherings. This is because I am just worn out about people. When they drink it is even harder for me to figure out their agenda(if they even have one). Maybe if I take some(kava) with me I can be happy with the intoxicated (on booze) new family members. I am half Russian,all family get togethers needed a bottle per person per day,and they actually need more to seem drunk. The new ones are not Russian but they love their wine. Funny how kava takes ALL craving away. I think it is majick too

estrasvidya! (sorry I don't have a Russian keyboard)

 

[Paradise Kava]

Its come down to beer from micro breweries and a good bottle of wine on occasion.

However, nothing comes close to my kava consumption, as one might imagine.



Have a great and safe holiday season fellas!

 

[Ed!]

Its come down to beer from micro breweries and a good bottle of wine on occasion.

I think this is my goal too. That's respectful drinking when you're savoring the taste of a good microbrew or a nice wine.

 

[kl.pep4848]

I find it interesting how Kava has done this for me and so many others on this board. Alchohol for me makes me:

1.depressed
2.stupid (in the sense that it takes a good 3-4 days to get the cloud lifted from my thoughts)
3. Look for other drugs (like mush, extacy, or blo or whatever comes my way)
4.  an ass to my wife (according to her-she's probably right)
5. Feel like shit the next few days

Kava doesn't do the above. The only thing i've noticed with my kava consumption over the last 3 months is that it kinda makes me lazy.

But i'll take that over the above 5 detractors anyday!

 

[uuku pi]

Me, I can not handle the depression from Alcohol ,but worse is the anxiety (for me) when the other stuff wears off. Also I agree alcohol is the gateway drug for me....it makes other things and other humans seem more acceptable than they are.

 

[kl.Swingline]

Thanks for posting this Ed.  I fight with alcohol constantly.  I love it and I hate it. I always wake up sorry for drinking the next day. I am never unhappy after a night of kava. In fact I am always proud of myself.  I am hoping that someday soon Kava becomes my near total replacement.  Please keep posting on this folks.  It really helps to read others experiences.   I could use a little (lot) pep talking.

 

[Ed!]

Thanks for posting this Ed.  I fight with alcohol constantly.  I love it and I hate it. I always wake up sorry for drinking the next day. I am never unhappy after a night of kava. In fact I am always proud of myself.  I am hoping that someday soon Kava becomes my near total replacement.  Please keep posting on this folks.  It really helps to read others experiences.   I could use a little (lot) pep talking. 

I feel the same way.
I have a buddy who is way worse off than me--almost lost his family because of alcohol abuse. He gave it up for them but was having a hard time. He decided to try kava after I talked about it and it seems to be doing the trick for him. He's also learning that it works as an organic replacement for some of the pills the docs have been having him popping. Double score.
That makes me extra proud.

 

[Prince Philip]

Usually, but not always, I'm a joy to be around on kava. I can't really say that for alcohol.

 

[kl.Swingline]

Reasons to drink Kava instead of alcohol:



You will not be unreasonable with your spouse - in fact you will probably be much more understanding/forgiving/calm.

You will actually want to clean up the kitchen after dinner instead of leaving until the next morning..

You will not call friends and relatives and rattle on in a repulsive drunken stupor.

You will save yourself 700 calories per bottle of wine - plus you will probably, actually eat less food while drinking kava.

You will be 'present' for your children and make sure they do little things like go to bed with their jammies on and teeth brushed.

You will want to brush your teeth and put your jammies on.

You will wake up - happy with yourself and ready to start the day with no hangover and sometimes even still feeling super relaxed.