Last week Phil Dimitriadis wrote bravely about the demons of drink, the legacy of Tom Wills, and the importance of the band Weddings Parties Anything.
Here, in this Stereo Story, he once again opens up, this time focusing on a song called ‘Soma Mou’, by Notis Sfakianakis.
It was in a dingy hotel in Patras, in 1996, that I encountered my worst case of what are colloquially known as the Vasbert Drakes. The Shakes. I’m what some call a binge drinking alcoholic. I can go weeks, months and after hearing this song, seven years without having a drink. The potency of the video clip for the song Soma Mou scared me into sobriety when I’d just turned 27.
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Co-morbidity in Australia where a person has both a mental health issues and a substance abuse is quite prevalent. The most prevalent drug is alcohol. Alcohol is legal, it’s socially acceptable, it also causes a range of health problems.
I’ve enjoyed a drink since my youth, still do. However it’s cost on both the community and individuals can’t be understated. Violence, MVA’s, absenteeism from work, are amongst some of the health problems linked to alcohol. I don’t believe alcohol causes these problems, but it certainly can play a part.
When i was doing AOD work i ran a range of groups for people with drinking issues. One of my key, though not evidence based, messages was; Alcohol is a good servant, but a bad master.
Glen!