Dog walk diaries: rock and a hard place
Lately while walking the dog in the mid-moenings I have seen a guy sitting on this bench with a beer can beside him. The weather has been warm so there is nothing unusual except, he is relatively well dressed and has a briefcase beside him. He looks like he is on his way to work in middle-management at a factory office, just as he had done the last thirty years. Perhaps that is where his wife thinks he is.
Historically in Finland, alcohol and subsequent alcoholism has had a major impact on the culture and can still be seen in the domestic violence statistics. It has also affected areas of employment and HR with around 10-15 percent of working age men having some form of alcohol abuse on going. Almost 10 percent of the entire population are registered as problem drinkers.
This guy, slumped over looking depressed and dejected may have recently lost his job and is perhaps too ashamed to tell his family. They will find out soon enough. Does the 9am beer help? Was it an influencing factor or reason for losing his job?
Of course, maybe he just likes to drink well dressed in the park, who knows.
I just find the pattern common here and also in general where rather than facing our troubles, we instead turn to our demons. It is a self-defeating but all too common process.
Avoidance.
When it comes to improving our position or climbing out of a poor one, turning away from what needs to be done into the arms of what is comfortable rarely helps. In the short-term it may offer relief but the long-term just keeps getting more difficult and the more insurmountable and hopeless it looks, the greater the drive to avoid starting the climb.
The challenges of life don't go away when we close our eyes, they grow in the darkness.
Taraz
[ a Steem original ]
(posted from phone)
Alcohol is great and I really enjoy my nights out but as my father always told me, "everything in moderation". You can have too much of anything even what we believe to be good for us.
In ireland we have major issues with alcoholism, substance abuse and suicide especially amongst males 20 - 30.
It doesn't take much to go from your Friday night out, to a few after work to being that man in the park. I saw your post and can understand it straight away. Often we find it hard to face the problems in front of us especially younger people who don't understand the world as well. But there are always options and usually help for people if you reach out to the right people.
Hopefully more people can understand this as there is a huge push here at the moment to get people talking and inform them of what can be done rather than trying to bury the problem.
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Baby steps into heaven or hell perhaps.
I think that the problem is going to get worse. Not necessarily substance abuse but the luck of world experience in general is going to present in many different ways. The rise of depression is just one of the symptoms.
Whatever problems the man had, hoping he can work it out. Sometimes people overwhelm with their problems, they would turn to alcohol and drug. Hope things will get better for him.
I prefer the version where he just likes to drink well dressed in the park. Maybe we should all consider dressing a little nicer when drinking, in parks. Avoidance, could it be a self protection thing. You’re right though, nothing really goes away with avoidance.
On a nice day it would be quite a sight around here, top and tails perhaps ;)
Nothing goes away with avoidance and generally just gets worse.
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STOPTo support your work, I also upvoted your post!
Indeed well said. Alcohol or any other form of escapism is not the answer. But there are those who grow very weary of the daily struggle and only find hopelessness. Thanks for sharing my friend.
I try to find permanent solution but it have so much problems in between that sometime I lose hope I again prepare my self and take another chance but after giving my all and having this hard phase breaks me down .
But if he has lost his job, with what money would he buy the beers? It may be that he is addicted, and he is an alcoholic, because that is the pattern ... they drink very early.
very important post! its all too easy to get unbalanced in life and start to rely on alcohol etc. it can happen to anyone given the right circumstances so we must be aware. thanks!