The Facts about Alcohol

The facts about alcohol are many and complex. Alcohol is a very complex drug. Yes it is a drug.

I stopped drinking two years ago and I have never felt better. My situation was unique. I think that everyone has a unique situation.



Calories in alcohol are in the range of 150 per drink. A light beer is less and a candy drink with an umbrella in it is more. Drinks add up and so do the calories. There is ‘zero’ nutrition in alcohol. You could argue that a fruit drink has some vitamins and that the tannins in red wine do something good for you. Folks who drink love it when the paper publishes some obscure study that says so many beers before bedtime is good for you.

My own personal thought is that drinking is a waste of time and money. It does nothing for me. I can have fun without alcohol. I can act like an idiot if I want without alcohol. I save a pile of money without it. I sleep better. No one cares one way or another, that is, I am not missing anything.

I just drove my son to his girl friends house. A little girl on a bicycle swerved in front of my rather large 4x4 truck. If I had hit her she would have been going to the hospital. If I had one lousy beer in me I would have been going to jail. Enough said.

If you are concerned that maybe Alcohol is an issue in your life then ask yourself the following questions.

• do you average 3 drinks or more per day?
• Do you drink 6 or more drinks at a sitting?
• Do you say ‘I am okay to drive’ after any drink, and then drive?
• Do you argue with loved ones while or after drinking?
• Do you drink to calm your nerves?

If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of the questions then quitting alcohol may be a huge opportunity for you to feel a whole lot better about your life.

First Step

• Stop drinking. Substitute the drinking with exercise, dining, talking, going to a movie, sleeping, anything.
• If you cannot go less than a week without drinking then you may be an alcoholic
• If you go more than a week without drinking try going for three months. See how you feel. Then ask yourself “Why should I start again?”

I went three months without drinking. I decided that there was no good reason to start again. It has been over two years. Those are my facts about alcohol. It is a potential problem that offers huge opportunity. You decide.

Alcoholics Anonymous - Big Book 4th Edition