Irish, alcoholism, drugs and dealing with emotions.

Azure_sky

This is something I've always been acutely aware of. And the recent thread about the terminally ill teen who was highly criticical people who attempted/committed suicide.
As a nation we seem to be terrible at dealing with negative emotions. I think a lot of it is due to our parents and grand parents instilling an unfeasible stoic mentality. I often wonder is this partly responsible for our problem with alcohol abuse, and to a lesser extent, drug abuse.
To me it seems we never learn how to grieve or deal with negative emotions but burying them inside is unhealthy and we often use alcohol as a means to deal with our personal issues.

Corkbah

there are not enough services available, blame the government !!

some people do not seek help .... should the government treat them for their addictions ? regardless of their own opinion?? should the government put people at risk of suicide into care so they can be monitored ?? there is not enough places for half the country to be put into care.

hatrickpatrick

Corkbah wrote: »

there are not enough services available, blame the government !!

some people do not seek help .... should the government treat them for their addictions ? regardless of their own opinion?? should the government put people at risk of suicide into care so they can be monitored ?? there is not enough places for half the country to be put into care.

The OP literally had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with attacking the government. O_o
I think you might be happier over at the Politics forum. Board 99. Don't tell them I sent ya!

kneemos

Well known fact that "pull yourself together"will cure all personal problems.

Frank Black

I think the OP's assertion is a little unfair.

We also like to get drunk when we're happy, so you know, swings and roundabouts.

Azure_sky

Frank Black wrote: »

I think the OP's assertion is a little unfair.

We also like to get drunk when we're happy, so you know, swings and roundabouts.

I was referring to long term alcohol and drug abuse rather just the odd piss up.

RustyNut

Frank Black wrote: »

I think the OP's assertion is a little unfair.

We also like to get drunk when we're happy, so you know, swings and roundabouts.

studiorat

Azure_sky wrote: »

As a nation we seem to be terrible at dealing with negative emotions. I think a lot of it is due to our parents and grand parents instilling an unfeasible stoic mentality. I often wonder is this partly responsible for our problem with alcohol abuse, and to a lesser extent, drug abuse.

I blame the parents!

Corkbah

Azure_sky wrote: »

I was referring to long term alcohol and drug abuse rather just the odd piss up.

and I was referring to the way the government do not provide enough services due to the amount of monies the state intakes due to said abuse, the services are not there or badly funded.

How many people die from alcohol related deaths - how many die from road/traffic related deaths ... yet they throw money at road deaths and advertising campaigns to try prevent road deaths.

Napper Hawkins

Hint: it begins with a C and ends with atholicism.

listermint

Stopped reading after 'as a nation'


because sweeping generalisations are utter nonsense

kneemos

listermint wrote: »

Stopped reading after 'as a nation'


because sweeping generalisations are utter nonsense

In general.

Tazz T

Sure it'll be grand

SolarFlash

It's a myth that depressed and anxious people don't talk about their problems. They do talk about what's troubling them to friends and family often to a tedious obsessive degree that only angers and alienates those people. It would be a lot healthier for mentally ill people to stop focusing on what's getting them down and try to think about other things.

Wacker The Attacker

Napper Hawkins wrote: »

Hint: it begins with a C and ends with atholicism.

I dont think I've ever heard the irish drinking culture blamed on them before.

Dravokivich

Azure_sky wrote: »

I was referring to long term alcohol and drug abuse rather just the odd piss up.

They can be symptoms, more so than a cause. It's a rather simple view you've got over this. Similar to that kid with cancer giving out about suicide.

Wacker The Attacker

SolarFlash wrote: »

It's a myth that depressed and anxious people don't talk about their problems. They do talk about what's troubling them to friends and family often to a tedious obsessive degree that only angers and alienates those people. It would be a lot healthier for mentally ill people to stop focusing on what's getting them down and try to think about other things.

Sometimes the scale and nature of the issue at hand means that this is not always possible.

Azure_sky

listermint wrote: »

Stopped reading after 'as a nation'


because sweeping generalisations are utter nonsense

Well I obviously didn't literally mean everyone-it's a figure of speech. It's not utter nonsense to assume that people are effected by the culture they inherit; and to think that we don't have a drink culture in Ireland is naïve.

Dravokivich wrote: »

They can be symptoms, more so than a cause. It's a rather simple view you've got over this. Similar to that kid with cancer giving out about suicide.

I think you may have misinterpreted my point. I actually agree that alcoholism is a symptom of the culture of not addressing issues and negative emotions.

kneemos

SolarFlash wrote: »

It's a myth that depressed and anxious people don't talk about their problems. They do talk about what's troubling them to friends and family often to a tedious obsessive degree that only angers and alienates those people. It would be a lot healthier for mentally ill people to stop focusing on what's getting them down and try to think about other things.

You may be mistaking depressed persons with moaners.

Napper Hawkins

Wacker The Attacker wrote: »

I dont think I've ever heard the irish drinking culture blamed on them before.

Booze is a great cure for the emotionally repressed.

fishy fishy

Azure_sky wrote: »

This is something I've always been acutely aware of. And the recent thread about the terminally ill teen who was highly criticical people who attempted/committed suicide.
As a nation we seem to be terrible at dealing with negative emotions. I think a lot of it is due to our parents and grand parents instilling an unfeasible stoic mentality. I often wonder is this partly responsible for our problem with alcohol abuse, and to a lesser extent, drug abuse.
To me it seems we never learn how to grieve or deal with negative emotions but burying them inside is unhealthy and we often use alcohol as a means to deal with our personal issues.

are you speaking about the whole country or just your own family? Whats this "as a nation" thing. As a nation...what? Do you know something the rest of the country doesn't. Or are you just following the "hype" that "as a nation" we are a crowd of alcoholics. :rolleyes:

Azure_sky

SolarFlash wrote: »

It's a myth that depressed and anxious people don't talk about their problems. They do talk about what's troubling them to friends and family often to a tedious obsessive degree that only angers and alienates those people. It would be a lot healthier for mentally ill people to stop focusing on what's getting them down and try to think about other things.

To an extent I agree that wallowing in misery is counter productive than being pro-active. However my point is how many Irish people seem to ignore all grief and real issues totally with drink as a form of emotional cloak.
Also I never said anything about this being an issue regarding mentally ill people exclusively.

Azure_sky

fishy fishy wrote: »

are you speaking about the whole country or just your own family? Whats this "as a nation" thing. As a nation...what? Do you know something the rest of the country doesn't. Or are you just following the "hype" that "as a nation" we are a crowd of alcoholics. :rolleyes:

I'm referring to society. If you read my post properly you'd know that.:rolleyes:
Anyone who thinks there's not an unhealthy drink culture in Ireland...well all I can say is that denial is not just a river in Egypt.
It ain't hype, it's fact.

http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=20342

fishy fishy

Azure_sky wrote: »

I'm referring to society. If you read my post properly you'd know that.:rolleyes:
Anyone who thinks there's not an unhealthy drink culture in Ireland...well all I can say is that denial is not just a river in Egypt.

don't believe all the hype is what I'd say to you. Where exactly are you seeing these problems with people not dealing with their emotional issues - maybe you should start opening your eyes and looking around - you may be hanging around with the wrong crowd.

Sometimes I despair.

Wattle

kneemos wrote: »

Well known fact that "pull yourself together"will cure all personal problems.

And don't forget 'ah sure have a few pints it'll be grand'.

Annasopra

SolarFlash wrote: »

It's a myth that depressed and anxious people don't talk about their problems. They do talk about what's troubling them to friends and family often to a tedious obsessive degree that only angers and alienates those people. It would be a lot healthier for mentally ill people to stop focusing on what's getting them down and try to think about other things.

If they didn't talk about whats getting them down then they would bottle it up and that would be worse for their mental health

Azure_sky

fishy fishy wrote: »

don't believe all the hype is what I'd say to you. Where exactly are you seeing these problems with people not dealing with their emotional issues - maybe you should start opening your eyes and looking around - you may be hanging around with the wrong crowd.

Sometimes I despair.

It seems pretty endemic. I've seen it in pubs, on the streets. It's gotten worse since the recession.


http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=20342


Irish adults binge drink more than any other European country, with one-quarter of Irish adults reporting that they binge drink every week, the report reveals.
The Steering Group said if every adult (15+ years) restricted his/her alcohol consumption to the recommended maximum low-risk limit on every week of the year, the actual per capita consumption would be 9.2 litres of pure alcohol per adult (15+ years), or 23 per cent less than was consumed in 2010.
Over half of drinkers here have been identified as having a harmful drinking pattern. This equates to nearly 1.5 million adults in Ireland drinking in a harmful pattern.
The report says Irish children are drinking from a younger age and drinking more than ever before - over half of Irish 16 year old children have been drunk and one in five is a weekly drinker.
The average age of first alcohol use in children decreased from 15 years for children born in 1980 to 14 years for children born in 1990, according to the report.
The Steering Group identifies cheap off-licence sales as a contributory factor to alcohol misuse.
It says there was a 161 per cent increase in the number of off-licences operating between 1998 and 2010 and over the same time period the number of pub licences decreased by 19 per cent.
In 2010 the average cost of a 500ml can of lager from the off-licence was €1.77 while the average price of a pint of lager in the on-trade sector was €4.35.

kneemos

Azure_sky wrote: »

To an extent I agree that wallowing in misery is counter productive than being pro-active. However my point is how many Irish people seem to ignore all grief and real issues totally with drink as a form of emotional cloak.
Also I never said anything about this being an issue regarding mentally ill people.

What emotional issues are you talking about,I think grief is one thing we are pretty good with.

Dravokivich

Azure_sky wrote: »

I think you may have misinterpreted my point. I actually agree that alcoholism is a symptom of the culture of not addressing issues and negative emotions.

It seems I did in part, fair enough. But I think commenting on it "as trying not to address the issue," can be a bit of a miss.

Are you suggesting that those affected turn to alcoholism to not address it?

Or, turn to it as a result of frustration from a lack of support provided?

Because I'm not too sure who/what you are referring to by culture.

fishy fishy

Azure_sky wrote: »

It seems pretty endemic. I've seen it in pubs, on the streets. It's gotten worse since the recession.


http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=20342


Irish adults binge drink more than any other European country, with one-quarter of Irish adults reporting that they binge drink every week, the report reveals.
The Steering Group said if every adult (15+ years) restricted his/her alcohol consumption to the recommended maximum low-risk limit on every week of the year, the actual per capita consumption would be 9.2 litres of pure alcohol per adult (15+ years), or 23 per cent less than was consumed in 2010.
Over half of drinkers here have been identified as having a harmful drinking pattern. This equates to nearly 1.5 million adults in Ireland drinking in a harmful pattern.
The report says Irish children are drinking from a younger age and drinking more than ever before - over half of Irish 16 year old children have been drunk and one in five is a weekly drinker.
The average age of first alcohol use in children decreased from 15 years for children born in 1980 to 14 years for children born in 1990, according to the report.
The Steering Group identifies cheap off-licence sales as a contributory factor to alcohol misuse.
It says there was a 161 per cent increase in the number of off-licences operating between 1998 and 2010 and over the same time period the number of pub licences decreased by 19 per cent.
In 2010 the average cost of a 500ml can of lager from the off-licence was €1.77 while the average price of a pint of lager in the on-trade sector was €4.35.

nightclubs and teens/students/young adults go out at weekends to have a drink and to socialise - they do it everywhere - nothing wrong with it. But of course its told to us everyday that it is bad - its like something out of the bible. Kids go out and socialize - people are going to have to deal with it - it has been going on for a very long time. Have you ever enjoyed a few drinks with your friends/students/young adults or do you wish everyone was a pioneer.

Oh....wait ....it must be because they are all emotionally f**cked up that they go out to enjoy themselves. How silly of me.

SEPT 23 1989

We like to bury our heads in the sand

drink and drugs are perfect for this

Annasopra

fishy fishy wrote: »

nightclubs and teens/students/young adults go out at weekends to have a drink and to socialise - they do it everywhere - nothing wrong with it. But of course its told to us everyday that it is bad - its like something out of the bible. Kids go out and socialize - people are going to have to deal with it - it has been going on for a very long time. Have you ever enjoyed a few drinks with your friends/students/young adults or do you wish everyone was a pioneer.

Oh....wait ....it must be because they are all emotionally f**cked up that they go out to enjoy themselves. How silly of me.

I think the issue is when it becomes regular binge drinking.

Irish teens binge drink more than their European conuterparts.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/binge-drinking-takes-hold-for-irish-teens-1.1067290

Azure_sky

kneemos wrote: »

What emotional issues are you talking about,I think grief is one thing we are pretty good with.

I don't know about that. I mean part of our culture is to drink after a funeral.

Dravokivich wrote: »

It seems I did in part, fair enough. But I think commenting on it "as trying not to address the issue," can be a bit of a miss.

Are you suggesting that those affected turn to alcoholism to not address it?

Or, turn to it as a result of frustration from a lack of support provided?

Because I'm not too sure who/what you are referring to by culture.

I'd say both. It seems that anyone who complains about something is labelled a whiner and that starts from childhood. This leads to a pattern of emotional repression into adulthood: " Feeling down, boi? Sure have a few drinks and 'til be grand"!
And therein lies the problem. The respective issue is never addressed and it becomes a habit to drink to escape the respective issue.

Azure_sky

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

We like to bury our heads in the sand

drink and drugs are perfect for this

Spot on. Oh and this sums it up perfectly:

‘Sitting on the sidelines, cribbing and moaning is a lost opportunity. I don’t know how people who engage in that don’t commit suicide because frankly the only thing that motivates me is being able to actively change something.’ ~ Bertie Ahern prior to the recession.

kneemos

Azure_sky wrote: »

I don't know about that. I mean part of our culture is to drink after a funeral.



I'd say both. It seems that anyone who complains about something is labelled a whiner and that starts from childhood. This leads to a pattern of emotional repression into adulthood: " Feeling down, boi? Sure have a few drinks and 'til be grand"!
And there in lies the problem. The respective issue is never addressed and it becomes a habit to drink to escape the respective issue.

Drink may be used for self medication but not talking about our feelings is more of a cultural thing drink is not the cause.

Azure_sky

kneemos wrote: »

Drink may be used for self medication but not talking about our feelings is more of a cultural thing drink is not the cause.

I agree that it's not the cause but it's an unhealthy coping mechanism for many which not only ensures ones original issue(s) remain unaddressed, but also creates more issues.

candy-gal1

SolarFlash wrote: »

It's a myth that depressed and anxious people don't talk about their problems. They do talk about what's troubling them to friends and family often to a tedious obsessive degree that only angers and alienates those people. It would be a lot healthier for mentally ill people to stop focusing on what's getting them down and try to think about other things.

+million there for that!

Mr Benevolent

Azure_sky wrote: »

I think a lot of it is due to our parents and grand parents instilling an unfeasible stoic mentality.

Blaming others for our own actions is also something we're good at.

Azure_sky

Mr Benevolent wrote: »

Blaming others for our own actions is also something we're good at.

Identifying a root cause of an issue does not necessarily abdicate personal responsibility when addressing a respective issue. We identify the root cause of diseases but it doesn't mean we just moan about how it's so unfair and do nothing to address the illness. Identifying a root cause is part of the solution, it's doesn't necessarily lead to a pity party, or at least it shouldn't in my view.

Wattle

SolarFlash wrote: »

It's a myth that depressed and anxious people don't talk about their problems. They do talk about what's troubling them to friends and family often to a tedious obsessive degree that only angers and alienates those people. It would be a lot healthier for mentally ill people to stop focusing on what's getting them down and try to think about other things.

While it's true that depressed people can magnify their problems to an unrealistic extent a lot of people (mostly males) feel like they can't talk about their problems because of macho attitudes and the feeling that they are a burden to others. The thing is that you are often dealing with disturbed minds. Better to let them talk than lose their lives needlessly.

spot_light

Azure_sky wrote: »

I don't know about that. I mean part of our culture is to drink after a funeral.



I'd say both. It seems that anyone who complains about something is labelled a whiner and that starts from childhood. This leads to a pattern of emotional repression into adulthood: " Feeling down, boi? Sure have a few drinks and 'til be grand"!
And therein lies the problem. The respective issue is never addressed and it becomes a habit to drink to escape the respective issue.

I can think of at least two other countries which are much worse for labelling people whiners if they complain , ever been to new Zealand , under no circumstances must you complain about anything

" the heating isn't working in my house = stop whining "
" the car you lent me , the brakes don't work = stop whining "
" my supervisor is a sociopath who is effecting my health = stop whining "

doesn't matter whether you are addressing a shady landlord or the manager of a large company

Australia is not much better , " get on with it " is the advice for every grievance regardless of how serious