Why Do I Abuse Alcohol?

In the early days when you start your drinking careerthe beginning stages, makes us feel more powerful,
drinking in moderation, alcohol gives you that rosyand provides energy, all while chasing our internal
glow, adds extra enjoyment to an evening ordemons away.
occasion, and generally makes you feel better aboutPretty attractive for someone who lacks confidence,
yourself and the world. What could be better thanmay be guilt ridden, or has been wounded by life in
that?some way that drives them to seek some form of
There are a number of reasons we abuse alcohol andrelief, in the case of alcohol abuse, from a bottle.
or become alcoholic, usually the primary reason beingThe irony of seeking solace in alcohol for the person
to re-experience the good feeling alcohol gives you inwho is going to become a problem drinker, is while in
the beginning, then as time goes on alcohol seems tosome cases the initial payoff can range from
help to overcome depression, makes us moretemporary relief from life's problems to actually
sociable, and can numb any emotional pain we arebecoming a survival technique (as the alcoholism
experiencing.progresses) we are actually compounding the
We also drink to release our repressed emotions, todamage by using a substance that will ultimately
run away from feelings of emptiness (the void) or tomake us feel even more unworthy, humiliated, and
numb our internal world of chaos. And it works - fordepressed, as well as having the common side effect
a while.of giving us a grim outlook on life and instead of
Alcohol also relieves boredom.numbing our internal world of chaos, compounding it,
And as if that wasn't enough, alcohol also provides usand creating new problems in our real external life
with a false sense of confidence, gives us pleasure insituations.