Picture yourself listening to the profound stories of a bartender, an observer on the frontline of alcoholism every day. Hear about those struggling, but determined to overcome their addiction. You'll discover that alcoholism isn't merely a genetic issue, it can affect anyone. Tune in to learn the critical role support groups like AA play in recovery. Our bartender's tales reveal how hope can sprout in even the darkest corners of a bar, shedding light on the reality of alcoholism and the strength of the human spirit.
Travel back in time with us as we delve into the gripping history of alcoholism. From the strategic measures of ancient Greeks to combat excessive drinking, through the moral condemnation during the Middle Ages, to the controversial therapies of the early 20th Century. Engage with us in an exploration of how understanding and treatment of alcoholism have dramatically evolved, culminating in our present understanding of it as a disease. We conclude this intimate journey by asking for your help to spread the word about our podcast. We aim to reach out and assist more people wrestling with alcoholism, so join us every Sunday at 7 pm for these enlightening discussions.
Picture yourself listening to the profound stories of a bartender, an observer on the frontline of alcoholism every day. Hear about those struggling, but determined to overcome their addiction. You'll discover that alcoholism isn't merely a genetic issue, it can affect anyone. Tune in to learn the critical role support groups like AA play in recovery. Our bartender's tales reveal how hope can sprout in even the darkest corners of a bar, shedding light on the reality of alcoholism and the strength of the human spirit.
Travel back in time with us as we delve into the gripping history of alcoholism. From the strategic measures of ancient Greeks to combat excessive drinking, through the moral condemnation during the Middle Ages, to the controversial therapies of the early 20th Century. Engage with us in an exploration of how understanding and treatment of alcoholism have dramatically evolved, culminating in our present understanding of it as a disease. We conclude this intimate journey by asking for your help to spread the word about our podcast. We aim to reach out and assist more people wrestling with alcoholism, so join us every Sunday at 7 pm for these enlightening discussions.
Hey, welcome to the bartender's perspective. I'm so happy to have you here. Work is done for the day. Pull up a chair, have a seat. I'll pour you a club soda with lime. Let's get started. There's a reason I pour a club soda tonight.
Speaker 1:
You know tonight's podcast. You know we're going to talk about alcoholism. I'm going to cover some broad topics around alcoholism. You know some various treatments Over time prior to the formation of AA, like some controversial what were they thinking stuff, you know, and then some simple yet valuable FYI about how alcoholism affected other societies and what some societies did about it. I'll mention some scriptures from the Bible, you know, and we'll begin with some stories of people I encountered. So, of all the things I see when people come into the bar, alcoholism is the one I see the most. I have people who come in and have one or two drinks and then let me know, you know, they don't want any more. They have to drive. I recall the Myantics you know in the service industry episode about the mother with a glass of wine at the bar whose children, which I didn't know about, came running from the game room complaining and very upset that their mother was drinking as if it was a common thing Still breaks my heart to this day.
Speaker 1:
I had a young lady one time come through the bar for exactly one week. I've not seen her before, but she came in and had a beer and a shot every day. Oh, what was it? It was Jim Beam and, yeah, laguanitas. That was her combination, her poison. But the end of the week came around, she was in the middle of her beer when she burst into tears for no reason, like I'm just like what. I asked her what was wrong. You know, she informed me that she was an alcoholic and I'd be coming to see me after her meetings every day. You know, she sobbed and sobbed and begged me not to judge her, which I informed her. You know she would get no judgments from me. Part of my job, you know, is that you can come to see me, you know, and let's talk about whatever you want and I won't judge you for it. You know, I haven't seen her, sadly, yeah, since that time. I will say this the one time I might, I do.
Speaker 1:
Big man came in with his wife. He was six, four, six, five and you know he had a small petite wife and a six ounce glass of Moscato was ordered and a very large beer, like 32 mug, was ordered and I came to the table, you know, and I stopped assuming over the years and you know, and I put the drink stone and this small petite woman with a beer glass about half the size of her head, and then her very, very, very large husband, who I mean he had gargantuan hands, picks up this little tiny six ounce wine glass of Moscato and y'all it's funny. Yeah, I didn't even have to say anything and the wife is like. We know I used to have a regular who came in to get a burger and a mixed drink with vodka. You know he would have me put a double into a small glass with some ice, you know sour, and a single strawberry. He would have to use both his hands as they would shake until his second drink, which I typically waited until after he had his food.
Speaker 1:
So you know, some of my regulars assume guilty by association or, in this case, nature and nurture. They assume, because they had a family member in their family that struggled with alcohol, that they automatically have a problem as well. But that just isn't always the case. I have a regular. She comes in, she likes her Patron and her martinis and she was finishing a drink one night and she had this look on her face that I don't normally see she's such a bright, bubbly young lady and asked her what was wrong and she's like I'm just concerned. I'm like why? I mean, she was like because I noticed this week, you know, I thought about not having a drink and yet I drank every day.
Speaker 1:
You know, my mom is an alcoholic, you know, and I'm afraid I'm an alcoholic and I'm like. So Let me ask you this you know, do you think about alcohol when you wake up? She's like yeah, I'm just like you want to have a drink as soon as you Get your day started. She's like, Well, I mean no, and I'm like when do you typically have a drink? She said when I get off from work, and you know I, she generally has like, oh, two shots and maybe a drink, and then she always stops herself because she has to drive, you know. So I assured her basically that I See her shit out. You're an alcoholic, you know, just because your mother is an alcoholic doesn't mean that you are too. So yeah, I get things like that often. I'll be honest, I myself I'm an alcoholic, you know, I struggled with it for a while. But reaching out for support, you know AA groups are the way to go. You know, being in isolation is just not good, you know, because you just get into your own head and then you get into your own head and sometimes you get stuck there. So that's another one of the reasons I started this podcast, and it was to help people who struggle with this addiction, you know, and let them know there's hope.
Speaker 1:
I I recently had a guest who came into the bar. He spent a regular for a long time. He liked his double Well, tequila and pineapple. Oh, he'd have About three drinks, you know, but he would always eat, you know, in the middle and he lives nearby, you know, the bar. So he walked and I never really had to worry about him. But he came in one day and he just looked more, you know, haggard and just unhappy and look like he hadn't rested. I asked him what happened. Yeah, when I tell you this, I was in a state of shock. He had gone home One night and he was mad about something having to do with his job. You know, there were family issues and it was just not happy with his life at that moment in time and the struggle was so real. From drinking tequila he was in his office working and I guess his emotions got the better of him and he trashed his office, you know. He destroyed computer monitors, apparently, ripped his desk apart, but holes in the wall. I Was just in the state of shock, you know, to hear this because you know this Gentleman. I just he's never seemed like the type to me, but since that time he does still come in, but he only drinks club soda online. So you know this episode is partially, you know, dedicated to him and his struggles, and everybody else as well.
Speaker 1:
So the Bible is riddled with scripture pertaining to alcoholism and addiction. You know proverbs, chapter 20, verse 1 Wine is a mocker, strong drinks raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. Deep stuff, y'all, deep stuff. Know the risk of addiction, the lack of control and other dangers, or why those who overuse alcohol are unwise. The phrasing here might also be translated to imply, you know, that such a person will not become wise Thanks to a life derailed by drinking. You know, by not becoming wise, just not recognizing what's going on around you because you're so out of it. You know families and you know friends suffer a job suffer. You know, whatever the case may be, I'll from the book of Ephesians, chapter 5, verse 18. You know, be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the spirit. This verse, you know. It tells the, the believer, to live an authentic, empowered life, you know. And do not get drunk with wine, you know, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the spirit. It begins with a negative command, you know, don't get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation. Which dissipation? It means excess existing hopelessly out of control. Yeah, that's, that's deep stuff.
Speaker 1:
I had fun finding these scriptures. First Corinthians, you know, chapter 6, verse 12. This is a pretty common one. All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient. All things are unlawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. You know, again, this is a common Bible verse. You know, it's about drug addiction, alcoholism and Essentially anything else that enslaves us. You know, this verse is very clear, straightforward, I mean. It's straight up, explicitly saying Well, we can do certain things, it doesn't mean they're good for us, man. That could apply to so many things in this life, but we're not gonna talk about those. I'll just go off in a tangent We'll be here all day.
Speaker 1:
I'm from the book of Proverbs, chapter 23, verses 20 and 21. This would be the last Bible scripture. You know, be not among wine Bibblers among I. I said that word. Be not among wine Bibbers, among riotous eaters of flesh, you know, for the drugger and the glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness shall clothe the man with rags. I Thought about this one. I mean this verse. It literally mentions drunkenness and gluttony, but the meeting is broader and the concept applies to those who are often drunk or who overeat. Yet it also refers to those, you know, dominated by urges and appetites. You know, the modern party-hard attitude which celebrates out-of-control indulgence, you know, is part of that mistake. But ask yourself how can you relate these scripture examples in your own life? Are you struggling with alcoholism today, or know someone who is? You know, take a moment to think about it. All right, anyways, let us move on.
Speaker 1:
Alcoholism it goes back as a come-along way. You know, I did a podcast episode a while ago where I had to do my own independent study when I went to work in a sports bar and had to learn about beer and everything there was. Whenever I tend to research things. I tend to look at other stuff too, just because I feel like they might be pertinent and I did take a deeper dive into the history of alcoholism because, of course, I thought it might help me do my job better. But yeah, I found some pretty interesting stuff about alcoholism and history. So let's talk about in ancient times, you know, alcohol was often an integral part of rituals and daily life. You know this is going to be some broad examples, I don't want to bore you with too much history.
Speaker 1:
Sumerian beer, you know, to Egyptian wines. These libations played a significant role, you know, in society. But with excess came consequences and the Greeks, for instance, they recognized the detrimental effects of alcohol on both individuals and communities. While specific historical record of alcoholism and ancient Sumeria they were limited, what's important to note here is the insights that could be drawn from available historical and, you know, archaeological evidence. In ancient Sumeria, which is, of course, is modern day Iraq today, you know beer was common in the significant part of their culture and they're often credited with the invention of beer. But excessive alcohol consumption it was likely prevalent. You know there were uniform text to mention concerns about overindulgence in alcohol. But keep in mind the concept of alcoholism as we understand it today, with medical and psychological frameworks. They didn't exist in ancient times. I tell you what the ancient Greeks? They were prepared. They recognized the detrimental effects of alcohol on both individuals and communities.
Speaker 1:
For example, in the works of philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, excessive drinking was condemned for its potential to lead to irrational behavior, moral decay and social disruption. I mean, we all, I think we can all relate there. They emphasized moderation in all aspects of life, including alcohol consumption. The Greeks address this issue with various strategies in place. The organized social gatherings called symposia, where drinking was moderated and often accompanied by intellectual discussions. Can you imagine that you know you're drinking and drinking at one point what is the meaning of life? And before you know it, you've sobered up from having to think so deeply? But they also introduced laws to regulate the sale of consumption of alcohol, such as prohibiting alcohol in certain public spaces and imposing penalties for drunkenness. Man, I tell you what? Here we are today. The rules still apply. Additionally, they encouraged physical fitness and athletics as a way to divert energy away from excessive drinking. But overall, the ancient Greeks, they acknowledged the negative impact of alcohol and sought to address it through moderation, regulation, cultural practices that promoted a balanced lifestyle.
Speaker 1:
Let's go out of the Middle Ages. There is definitely a significant shift, thank you. Alcohol was definitely consumed, but it began to be associated with social problems. It was often termed the disease of drunkenness. You know was seen as a moral failing leading to public humiliation, you know, confinement and even, in some cases, witch hunts. In the Middle Ages, a significant social problem associated with alcoholism was the detrimental impact it had on families and communities due to excessive drinking. Sounds the same like it is today, but in this era access to clean water was often limited, making alcoholic beverages like ale and me, you know, more common. You know another reason the water was limited because the water it was increasingly hard to find clean water at that time, excessive alcohol consumption could lead to family breakdowns, you know, neglect, responsibilities I mean often, like it is today, heighten rates of domestic violence. So we couldn't actually call 911 back then. So anyways, end of the 19th century, you know, the birth of the temperance movement, concerned over alcohol. The societal impacts led to the rise of organizations like the Women's Christian Temperance Union, who they were like abstinence, straight abstinence. This era, which I thought was pretty cool, you know, it laid the groundwork for the future approaches to alcoholism and treatment as we know it today.
Speaker 1:
Sigmund Freud. I tell you what, other than being the father of psychoanalysis, you know Freud. He recommended using cocaine to treat alcoholism and morphine addiction. Really, sigmund Freud began using cocaine, himself calling it the magical drug. Freud and other American physicians used cocaine to treat alcoholism and morphine addiction. But in the last of Freud's writings he backed off his former defense of using cocaine to treat, you know, morphine addiction.
Speaker 1:
Than, whatever the case may be, they had these inebriant homes and straight up asylums that were close. The alcoholism alcoholics were sent to drunk tanks wards and dirty, foul, rundown wards of, you know hospitals. The clinical therapies were poorly evaluated. There was ethical abuse, economic depression, I mean it. Just it was bad y'all you know. And after a neighbor at Holmes and asylums closed, alcohol is Alcoholics are sent to city drunk tanks, you know, in public hospitals and finally on to full-fledged insane asylums because you know they didn't have anywhere else to send them at that time.
Speaker 1:
But thankfully the early 20th century brought significant advancements in the understanding of alcoholism as a disease. Dr Benjamin Rush, you know, consider the father of American psychiatry, you know he recognized it as a medical condition. There was the Amino Clinic in Boston. They began to lay therapy for the treatment of alcoholism. It was a church-based form of psychotherapy to heal addictions with. It was a combination of spirituality and Supercool psychological interventions. But I won't worry about the details, I just thought I was super cool, this one. I tell you what everybody. I'm so glad it was not the early 1900s like right now.
Speaker 1:
Anyways, there was a passage of state laws that call for the sterilization of the mentally ill, developmentally disabled and alcohols and addicts Legislation. It granted the medical supervisors of asylums and prisons the authority to a sexualized a patient, really or inmate, if such, you know, action would improve his or her physical, mental, moral condition. Great, the guys got a drinking problem, let's sterilize. But yeah, among those most affected were alcoholics and addicts who were considered degenerate and feeble-minded but under stage left. Bill W, dr Bob, they founded alcoholics anonymous in the 1930s, introducing the concept of group support and the famous 12-step program as we know it today. It's all downhill from here. As we approach the latter half of the 20th century, medical science contributed significantly to alcoholism treatment.
Speaker 1:
Your innovations, like medications to curb crazy cravings and a recognition of co-occurring mental health issues change the landscape of rehabilitation. I have a psychiatrist. You know that I talked to about this briefly To confirm a lot of what I read it in my research and I think it's a great thing to do To confirm a lot of what I read it in my research and you know, before I prepared this episode. So, yeah, that's just super cool. Alcoholism you know the treatment has come a long way. We've moved beyond stigmatization of the past and let me get holistic approaches physical, mental, social aspects of addition, excuse me, addiction, like we're talking about math, evidence based therapies, no cognitive behavioral therapy, exeteria, et cetera. But I Don't want to bore you anymore with with facts. I just I don't know. I thought that'd be cool to share these things with y'all.
Speaker 1:
But the story of alcoholism treatment, you know it's far from over. Challenges like access to care, you know stigma and the evolving nature of addiction continue to Shape the landscape and our society. As we look to the future, you know there's hope in emerging technologies and a growing understanding of the genetic factors that contribute to addiction. But in conclusion, they are. Our exploration of alcoholism has shed light on the complex challenges individuals face today by fostering understanding and empathy, you know. I hope, to encourage open conversation, you know, and support networks. Remember y'all sicken, help is a sign of strength. You know. Together we can break the stigma surrounding alcoholism and work towards a healthier, more compassionate future.
Speaker 1:
But in closing, if you like my podcast, please feel free to tell at least three people about my podcast if you think they'll get something out of it. This will help me continue to get my message out there to more people. If you love my show, want to show your support, you go to my website and leave me a tip on the tip, john, but unless you want to know the drink, thank you for stopping in. Here's your check. My regular podcast hours are, as always, every Sunday night at 7 pm, so you can come back and see me then. Have a great night, you.