Month: July 2020

Thought For The Day

Quote #1

“An alcoholic is someone you don’t like who drinks as much as you do.” (Dylan Thomas)

Quote #2

“A man who drinks too much on occasion is still the same man as he was sober. An alcoholic, a real alcoholic, is not the same man at all. You can’t predict anything about him for sure except that he will be someone you never met before.” (Raymond Chandler)

Quote #3

“First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you.” (F. Scott Fitzgerald)

Bonus Quote

“Alcohol is a very effective dissolving agent. It dissolves families, marriages, friendships, jobs, bank accounts, and neurons, but NEVER problems.” (Unknown)

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson

The Most Common Signs Of Alcoholism

It’s been a while since I wrote about this, but in light of a number of questions that people have asked me in many of my addiction presentations lately, how does one really know whether they’re an alcoholic or not?

Ok, here’s the thing, I’d love to totally say that there’s a perfect answer to this question. But there’s not, as there are so many shades of alcoholism. More importantly though, it’s truly not for anyone to say anyway whether someone is an alcoholic or not because the fact is, there are countless people who consume alcohol regularly and still live normal lives. So, in light of that, here’s how I will answer this question, by sharing a list of the most common traits that alcoholics tend to exhibit when deep into their addiction.

  • Hiding alcohol in various places / keeping hidden stashes
  • Attempting to regulate the number of drinks consumed in a single sitting
  • Attempting to regulate the number of drinking days
  • Attempting to regulate the number of hours spent drinking on any given day
  • Making resolutions to go for periods without drinking to themselves or loved ones
  • Never leaving a half-drunk beverage
  • Switching from one type of booze to another thinking it’s less of a problem for them
  • Regularly consuming “non-alcoholic” beverages like O’Douls
  • Getting buzzed or drunk every time spent drinking
  • Blacking out on a regular basis when drinking
  • Justifying their drinking because they’re still maintaining their lives, paying their bills, keeping their jobs, etc.
  • Asking another if they think they’re an alcoholic
  • Comparing their drinking to someone else’s drinking and saying it’s not as bad as the other person
  • Telling themselves they are drinking to take the edge off
  • Trying to convince others to drink with them
  • Drinking well beyond when the party/evening events are over
  • Drinking during the work day
  • Drinking in strange places like the shower
  • Drinking more and more to achieve a desired effect
  • Drinking even after health risks arise
  • Engaging in risky behaviors when drinking like driving, unprotected sex, hurting oneself, and doing other drugs/addictions

While this list is no where’s near a comprehensive list of every symptom an alcoholic may ever show, they are the most common I personally have either observed or lived in myself when I was once was active in my own disease of alcoholism. The thing to remember in all of this is simply this. If you are truly questioning whether you are an alcoholic or not, there’s a good chance you are. Just know that if you are, there is help out there for you and hope for recovery and when you’re ready, all you need to do is check out Alcoholics Anonymous. It truly saved my life and it can save yours too!

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson

Silly Joke Friday

Silly Joke #1

An old man lived alone in Idaho. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was too hard of work for him now. His only son, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament.

Dear Son:

I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my potato garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me.

Love, Dad

A few days later, he received a letter from his son.

Dear Dad:

For heaven’s sake, Dad, don’t dig up that garden. That’s where I buried the BODIES.

Love, your son.

At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local Police showed up and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left.

A few days later, the old man received another letter from his son.

Dear Dad:

Go ahead and plant the potatoes now. It’s the best I could do under the circumstances.

Love, your son.

Silly Joke #2

A nurse had to take her female patient back to her room after surgery. The woman was still feeling the effects of the anesthetic and was rather confused. After the nurse had made her comfortable, she went back to her station where she was suddenly confronted with several of her patient’s friends who asked, “How is she?” The nurse replied, “Oh, she’s quite dopey.” One of the friends said, “We know that, but how is she health-wise?”

Silly Joke #3

A rabbi, a priest and a minister have their houses of worship side by side, so they decide to carpool. On the first day, the other two are shocked to see the pastor lay hands on the hood and pray silently. “What are you doing?” the priest asks. The pastor looks up. “I’m just dedicating the car to the Lord’s service.” “Good idea! Be right back!” the priest exclaims, running into his church. He emerges with a bulb on a short stick, shaking water out of it onto the car. The rabbi stares. “What are you doing?” he says. “I’m consecrating it with holy water,” the priest replies. “Great idea!” the rabbi says, and runs into his synagogue’s toolshed. He emerges with a hacksaw and takes off an inch of the tailpipe.

Bonus Silly Joke

A man walked into a new psychologist’s office looking very depressed. “Doc, you’ve got to help me. I can’t go on like this.” “What’s the problem?” the psychologist inquired. “Well, I’m 35 years old and I still have no luck with the ladies. No matter how hard I try, I just seem to scare them away.””My friend, this is not a serious problem. You just need to work on your self-esteem. Each morning, I want you to get up and run to the bathroom mirror. Tell yourself that you are a good person, a fun person, and an attractive person. But say it with real conviction. Within a week you’ll have women buzzing all around you.” The man seemed content with this advice and walked out of the office a bit excited. Three weeks later he returned with the same downtrodden expression on his face. “Did my advice not work?” asked the doctor. “It worked alright. For the past several weeks I’ve enjoyed some of the best moments in my life with the most fabulous looking women.” “So, what’s the problem then?” “I don’t have a problem,” the man replied. “But, my wife does.”

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson