Insight # 2
Alcohol takes energy away, both mental and physical.
The chemical compounds in alcohol begins with a euphoric tone and it gives a short -lived energy burst. If I remember chemistry correctly, ethanol (drinking alcohol) is a carbohydrate. Therefore it can potentially release energy as other types of fuels. When I have a drink, for the next 2 hours, I would stay awake and alert. Maybe even feel socially outgoing. After that effect came down, it was usually an accentuated drop in energy. Then for the next 18 hours, my body would need to recover. Also know as a hangover.
I know this is not some huge discovery of course. For me as an outsider looking in, it was more of a realization that I was paying (for alcohol) to have my life energy taken away. It really had no positive energy effect. This was important for me to realize. Not only was I wasting time by having drinks, I was at the same time paying for future time to be stolen away from my disposal.
Additionally, alcohol for me had long term mental effect. This had gone unnoticed at first. Apart from a hangover, everything was “fine.” Little did I know that my mind was suffering along the way. By the time I started to realize drinking might be a problem, I began to notice memory gaps and dullness of mind. This was now crossing the line of being “functional” if I was forgetting things.
In my sobering up process, there came days 2 and 3. I felt something different mentally. On day 2, I had a huge amount of energy and motivation. Day 3 was terrible with a blistering headache, but I felt as though my body was flushing. As time went one, I felt more flushed and less toxins. Surprise surprise, my mental fortitude also came back. I wanted to work and plan again.
Before I was ignoring my dreams in a way. I was now remembering them and giving them priority. It turns out that the booze was not only draining my physical energy, but also my mental capacities. What surprised me of all was how subtle the changes were. It starts with harmlessly having a drink. If it becomes a habit, it is just too easy to see the changes.
I a more philosophical sense, I use the word energy to mean general power. In a big way, I think alcohol just takes away more than it gives. There are things that give you back you investment. Something like work, give you back "more" than you put it. This can be described a positive reaction.
Then there are things that have a neutral effect. For example, resting for a day. It's not a bad thing, in the sense that you don't lose anything. At the same time you make get anything back.
Then there are negative. Things that take away more than they ever give. Alcohol is one of those things. Never have I seen someone be better off with alcohol. I understand that it can help in times to disconnect or socialize. Ultimately though, there are positive ways of doing that without booze.
Insight # 2
Alcohol takes energy away, both mental and physical.
I would like to end with this quote from Terence McKenna. Because culture is not only an emergent phenomena, it is also a deliberate inculcation to keep us all dumnbed down to deep truths of the universe.
“Culture, is not your friend.”
-Terence McKenna
If you have considered alcohol to be a negative influence in your life, how did you come to that realization?
I would love to hear some your experiences.
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