Lots of people associate fine dining with the consumption of alcohol. Being ‘wined and dined’ is a phrase in common parlance. It is interesting that being ‘wined’ seems to take priority over being ‘dined’. Many food occasions are just about unthinkable without the presence of alcohol. However, let us consider the difference between the two substances.
Food is necessary for life. From the moment we are born, our reflex and instinctive reaction is to feel hunger and to do something about it – from the moment we cry when we are new born for milk. As we become independent our bodies naturally tell us when we are hungry and we know we need to eat regular meals throughout the day to obtain the essential nutrients and vitamins needed to sustain life. We will even tend to desire the very type of food we need – so if I have a feeling that I want something sweet, it is probably because I need some sugar in my blood because it is getting low. If we have eaten enough, we usually feel full.
Physical Pain of Wanting a Drink
People who are used to drinking alcohol will experience a similar feeling to the hungry person. It is not a physical pain but more a feeling of ‘I want a drink’ or ‘I need a drink’. However, as children we did not have this feeling even though we did have the feeling of hunger. This is because alcohol is not something the body needs – it is a poison. What we are experiencing when we have a need for a drink is learned behaviour – a habit, at the very least. We may feel the same sense of satisfaction when we have an alcoholic drink as when we have food but this is not because the body needs alcohol to live.
Craving
Food tastes good; alcohol does not (we learn to like the taste because we learn to like the effect). Food is essential to survival; alcohol destroys us if taken in sufficient quantities. Food does not alter the mind and deaden the senses; alcohol does, making some people violent, aggressive and unpleasant, sapping the energy of others. You need to eat for the rest of your life and can enjoy doing so; drinking alcohol creates an unnecessary need for more alcohol which leads to craving and many other undesirable effects and potentially full blown addiction.
Eating Disorder
This is not to deny that many people have problems with food and eating disorders. Eating disorder is an entirely different subject and has particular challenges because total abstinence is not an option. Eating disorder can often manifest itself alongside other addictions because it is the sign of unhappiness and low self-worth. The disorder can include over eating, anorexia and bulimia. It is a subject for separate discussion.
For most people, however, food is a pleasurable necessity and alcohol is absolutely not.
The Haynes Clinic offers residential treatment for dependency on alcohol, drugs and prescription medication. We can also help with other addictions such as gambling and with eating disorders.
If you have an alcohol or drug related problem, please call The Haynes Clinic on 01462 851414 for free and confidential advice and help.
