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| Boozy Glasgow; Alcohol Abuse | |
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| Topic Started: Thursday, 17. September 2009, 09:36 (442 Views) | |
| karenjane | Thursday, 17. September 2009, 09:36 Post #1 |
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It's official Glasgow tops the league tables in deaths arising from alcoholism. Deaths here in Glasgow are three times higher than the national average. Shettleston in the East end of Glasgow shows figures of alarming 574% more than the UK average. It is an area of high social deprivation and unemployment. This was the seat that the Labour Party lost not so long ago to the SNP. The people there did vote for change and no wonder. The Labour party did absolutely nothing to help these people in the past thirty years.There is a beautiful RC church St Paul's at the end of the main street which is absolutely beautiful. The PP is to be commended for his hard work and effort in helping his flock who are not so well off and many of them living with with the addiction of alcoholism and disease. On the web site of BBC Scotland there is a more in depth report. My first nursing post was in a hospital in this catchment area. Words could not describe the poverty and social deprivation there. From a health perspective it was really alarming that so many young people could be affected by alcohol abuse. It really did open my eyes. This town is only 25 minutes away from me by car. Now things are a bit better. There is a sports centre and healthy innitiatives going on to help people get healthy. Healthy eating workshops, Mot'S for men to drop in and get tested for diabetes etc. I'm sure I read last year that the average age for a man living there was 58 years compared to the West of Glasgow which is a very afflluent area. The life span was much higher by 25 years. The health divide is something I am really interested in hence why I did a BSc in Health Studies. It was a very interesting topic and I still keep my hand in by receiving the facts and figures from the Health Board. I like to know what is going on where I live and what people are dying of. It also informs me of the birth rates, diseases that are prevalent, admissions to hospital etc a very interesting read for me. Please remember in your prayers all of the people who are addicted to alcohol and persons dying from liver disease. Also the PP in Shettleston who has his work cut out for him. Thank you. karenjane |
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| DannyD | Thursday, 17. September 2009, 12:24 Post #2 |
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In the second programme of "Famous, Rich and Homeless",shown in June, there were a number of affecting moments, but the Glasgow setting was particularly poignant. The actor Bruce Jones goes and stays in a "wet" hostel for ageing homeless men, and you can see the devastating effect alcohol has had on these men's lives.The hostel has a plot of land in a nearby cemetery, and contains the graves (mainly unmarked) of 500 former homeless men, 6 bodies in each plot. I see a lot of various things when I am out on the streets doing soup runs etc, but I did find myself becoming moist around the eyes when viewing that particular scene...It seemed to be taking us back to the Victorian/Edwardian era.... |
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| OsullivanB | Thursday, 17. September 2009, 14:03 Post #3 |
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For me the greatest sadness about that wet hostel (which I think is the one that featured in an earlier programme which I saw) is that recovery from alcoholism is possible for every one of those men. But they don't choose it. |
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| karenjane | Thursday, 17. September 2009, 14:50 Post #4 |
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I once knew a person who's view on alcoholism was" its self inflicted", so is lung cancer I used to say to him by smoking but that was different in his view. He just had this negative stereotypical view about alcoholics. Some people can stop but some can't. Like all people who have addictions there are the ones who get through it but sadly the majority do not. karenjane |
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| DannyD | Thursday, 17. September 2009, 15:33 Post #5 |
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Because I have always been virtually teetotal (I do have the odd glass of champagne), I am always wary of being judgemental in regard to alcohol abuse etc,....I often think that if I had the relationship with alcohol that I do with food, I would be in very serious trouble...! I have, however, just finished an interesting book by Max Pemberton ("Where Does It Hurt?"), which recounts his experience of being a junior doctor in a homeless outreach project....As he still has to do A&E cover during that year, there is a very interesting chapter where he highlights the typical Friday/Saturday night....A&E is full of (mainly) young people, who are totally out of it, and end up hogging the available cubicles for treatment...He points out that for some of them, it's a bit of a laugh, and an experience to be trotted out on a Monday morning in the office....Numerous hours of medical time are taken up dealing with this, which could be better served for more deserving cases... |
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| karenjane | Thursday, 17. September 2009, 15:45 Post #6 |
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Danny can I get this book in the local library or do I need to buy it? karenjane |
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| Rose of York | Thursday, 17. September 2009, 16:45 Post #7 |
Administrator
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The East End of Glasgow is a deprived area. There are other deprived areas. Some have a higher incidence than others, of violent drunken behaviour. There must be factors other than low income and poor housing. Could it be the problem is worst in seriously overcrowded areas where people hardly ever see a blade of grass, a tree or a stream? Pleasant surroundings are therapeutic. People are crammed into inner cities like sardines in a tin. |
  Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards | |
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| OsullivanB | Thursday, 17. September 2009, 17:28 Post #8 |
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As a recovering alcoholic who knows many other recovering alcoholics, I disagree. It is difficult for an alcoholic to find the motivation to look for the necessary help, and even when motivated, many find recovery difficult. I do not believe that there is anyone who can't stop. Allowing alcoholics to believe they can't stop itself creates an obstacle to recovery. Edited by OsullivanB, Thursday, 17. September 2009, 17:29.
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| karenjane | Thursday, 17. September 2009, 20:10 Post #9 |
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I disagree with you on your previous post. You did it and I am happy for you but many can't even with counselling and input. regards karenjane |
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| OsullivanB | Thursday, 17. September 2009, 21:57 Post #10 |
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How do you know? Just because they haven't, doesn't mean they can't. I wouldn't advocate counselling. I don't know what you mean here by input. |
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| DannyD | Thursday, 17. September 2009, 22:17 Post #11 |
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Hi Karenjane, It has only just been published in the last month or so, but I believe that most libraries have a good ordering service for new books....Not in the same league as "Stuart: A Life Backwards", but it does combine humour and pathos, and gives a great insight into homelessness, drug addiction and mental health..... |
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| sumermamma | Thursday, 17. September 2009, 23:25 Post #12 |
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The statistics on alcoholism as reported by Father John Maritn, recovered alcoholic, is 1 in 35 recovers, 34 die of the disease. Not a good statistic at all. karenjean is right. Father Martin has a recovery house in Maryland, I believe it is called Ashley. http://fathermartinsashley.com/ Edited by sumermamma, Thursday, 17. September 2009, 23:28.
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| OsullivanB | Friday, 18. September 2009, 00:43 Post #13 |
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My last posting on this - alcoholism is never incurable.
I do not post these things in order to be argumentative. I post them because it would be gravely wrong to let anyone read this thread and not know that there is a solution - available to everyone addicted to alcohol ( and I believe to other substances, but I have no personal validating experience on that score). Recovery is hard work, sometimes very hard work. It is often painful, physically and emotionally; sometimes very painful. It is, however, always possible. I am not a superman. I take no personal credit for my recovery. I was helpless and was helped. That help is available to anyone who asks for it. Edited by OsullivanB, Friday, 18. September 2009, 01:02.
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| karenjane | Friday, 18. September 2009, 05:38 Post #14 |
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Input from Doctors and Psychiatrists. Support from loved ones and PP. The AA is not the be all and end all. For some it is for many it isn't. All humans are different as are alcoholics. Some weak some strong. This doesn't make them bad people I know that. Jesus welcomes sinners. We have to pray for the weak that they may find the inner strength to quit. Regards karenjane |
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| Richard Hannay. | Friday, 18. September 2009, 06:19 Post #15 |
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Thank you OsB. My sister is a recovering Alcoholic; to reach the happier state she now enjoys was indeed hard work. I was grateful that at a point of crisis I was there and able to get a doctor who managed to get her on a detox programme, after that it was a long haul of hard talking and gentle prodding but she has not drunk alcohol for 8 years and is finding ways to deal with some of the most deep rooted of problems that still cause her to have depressive moods. One very positive outcome is that our friendship is strong. Alcoholics can recover but it does take time, hard work and I would hope the support of a few friends who are willing to help them weather the storm. Helping my sister recognise my friendship was the hardest step for me, I was not there to tell her she was wonderful I was there to help her recognise that for herself. Persuading her to accept the help of the doctor and go on the detox programme was a big step but even after the detox it took over 6 years to reach a state where I knew she was not having the occasional relapse. Now we can sit in a restaurant and I have a glass of wine and she has a mineral water, or we both have mineral water, the point being that we are not walking on eggshells around the subject of alcohol it is a shadow in the past, we have both learnt a lot about ourselves and each other and can rely on each other to be there for each other when the tensions build. Thanks again OsB for reminding us that there is hope for an Alcoholic. |
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