The journey from social drinker to addict doesn’t always follow a straight line, I’m living proof of that — Years ago, I naively believed that the development of an alcohol addiction always followed a linear progression. That’s to say, a person starts off by boozing socially in a moderate way, but then gradually becomes increasingly obsessive, consuming larger amounts of alcohol with each month or year that passes until…

There’s splendid grandeur, for sure, but much more — For as far back as I can remember, I’ve had a yearning to visit French-speaking Canada. With its historical architecture and European influences, Quebec has always carried romantic connotations for me. It also offered the prospect of some relaxation and fresh mental stimulation. I was in bad need of a…

My dominant emotion is relief — Drinking for me was like smashing my head against a brick wall. It was certainly a relief when I desisted. But I wouldn’t say that I felt any pride. Thank goodness that’s over! was my main thought. I was doing a stupid, self-destructive thing and now I’m not! The bottom…

Fun, fitness, and an active social life: tennis has it all — I’ve been playing tennis for over 40 years and I love it. There are so many positives that have come out of this sport for me. Some of them are obvious, but others have surprised me. Tennis is a sport that’s suitable for all ages and skill levels; almost anybody…

I’ve tried all four of them and only one worked out — Looking back at my drinking career, it’s clear to me now that at a certain point I crossed an invisible line, and from then on my options regarding my relationship with alcohol became limited. I didn’t realize that the shift had happened until much later. For a long time, I…

After an extended break from alcohol, it can be tempting to think that you’re safe from its addictive effects — Here are a couple of facts about the addictive effects of alcohol: Firstly, if you drink enough alcohol and you do it repeatedly over a sustained period of time, most people will show signs of addiction. Secondly, the vast majority of drinkers who’ve reached the addiction stage can never become…

Can we ever truly understand reality, and if so, what’s the best approach? — Writing about his collaborator and fellow scientist Roger Penrose following their work on black holes and gravity, the physicist Stephen Hawking said of Penrose: “He’s a Platonist and I’m a positivist.” Hawking’s observation highlighted the fact that scientists can not only disagree on the nuts and bolts of how the…

The negatives can take years to develop — I used to love alcohol. It seemed to enhance my life in so many ways and acted as a general cure for a multitude of ills. The hit that I got from those first few glasses of wine each evening were magical. I could literally feel the stress and agitation…

This one’s a dead giveaway — In the world of drinking, there is often confusion and debate as to who has alcohol issues and who doesn’t. Part of the problem is that there’s a stigma attached to addiction generally, and the term: “alcoholic” in particular. This contributes to what the psychologists call “denial,” where a person…