Alcholism......

[Joe]

I've been thinking about doing a book/story on the most depressing fishing places in the winter and downward spirals of alcoholic fishermen.... Good stuff there..

[FishermanTim]

Then there are the "innocent bystanders" affected by the addicts habit.
I have a family member that was an Oxycontin addict, and she recently gave birth, and now the baby has to go through Oxycontin withdrawal.
I want to scream. It's bad enough that she wanted to trash her body, ruin any and all relations with the family, but she didn't give a damn about the baby.
The topping on this cake from hell is that she has 2 other daughters that had to live with her habit, her lies and her abuse.
She will obviously loose them to her ex, who wants to move to Florida, so this is shaping up to be one heck of a Christmas.
All I can do is keep thinking positive.

[OLD GOAT]

You can drink and that's OK but i can't

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by Joe

I've been thinking about doing a book/story on the most depressing fishing places in the winter and downward spirals of alcoholic fishermen.... Good stuff there..

You know Joe, most of the big name local and regional heroes, the real hard core guys, all seem to have that demon to fight. This passion of ours can easily get in the way of things like home, family and work. Once the obsession controls your life and the aformentioned parts of your life have been lost to your need to fish more and more regardless of the consequence you find that the bottle or chemicals is your only way to console yourself and forget what you gave up to be the "best". On the rocks or the beach in season one can have many friends but in the cold of winter there can be some lonely days for those who cannot manage both homelife and the call of the bass from April to October.

It's really an eye opener when you find out the real story behind some of them. Very sad indeed.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

This passion of ours can easily get in the way of things like home, family and work. Once the obsession controls your life and the aformentioned parts of your life have been lost to your need to fish more and more regardless of the consequence

Funny you mention that....one thing I've noticed is that most of the really good fisherman when you are talking to them always have at least one sentence that starts with the words "My Ex-wife..."

[Joe]

If a person really latches on to fishing as a source of personal fulfillment, they are often (at least in my experience) very dissatisfied and alienated people with respect to other areas of their lives. Fishing does it for them in a way that their professional lives, their personal relationships, faith in God, whatever the things that "normal" people find rewarding, does not.

[justplugit]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

It's really an eye opener when you find out the real story behind some of them. Very sad indeed.

It sure is, almost always some deep seated pain behind it.

I read that 8 out of 10 alcoholic women were sexually molested as children.

When it comes to addictive fishing it can be pretty lonely with the only thing to keep you company,
is a stuffed fish on the wall and a bottle in your hand.

[striperman36]

There is medication now that if you try to have a drink you puke.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by striperman36

There is medication now that if you try to have a drink you puke.

antabuse...or disulfiram

[piemma]

Demon Rum is a killer. As a salesman on the road for 30+ years I became a highly functioning alcoholic. Not much to do in the hotel after meeting with customers all day so you drink. pretty soon, it translates to home and it starts as 1 martini before dinner and escalates to 2 then 3 and finally you are passing out before you can eat.
I had my last drink on November 3rd, 1999. 8 years and I still miss the buzz but not the aftermath.

[Clammer]

A M E N >>.keep on fightin it >> it won,t quit on tying to kill you ::::

[stripersnipr]

Originally Posted by Joe

I've been thinking about doing a book/story on the most depressing fishing places in the winter and downward spirals of alcoholic fishermen.... Good stuff there..

Aint it the truth.
<Insert seaside fishing town name here> "A Quaint Little Drinking Village with a Fishing Problem". I can give you a long list of interviewees to help in your research.