I’m so glad they got their lives back together.

I agree with you both. I would never have got married if I was sober.

Well done giving it up. My mum was a chronic alcoholic and had her kids taken off her, we ended up in care and she still couldn't give the alcohol up to have us back

Stated drinking heavy 14. My family were drinkers. Loved the local pub scene. But damn did it end up self destructive. Ended up a right mess on many occasions. Threat to life and liberty many times. Only just gave it up a year 55 now. Evil old muck.

Fair play mate. Some of us haven't been so lucky with heavy boozing for years. Stage 4 Kidney disease here but trying to fight it. Been sober for years now but still having mega high blood pressure.

So over drinking ! Not going to lie have had some good times back in the day , also had some horrible and very regretful life events and experiences over time it’s a slippery slope . At 46 I’m done I don’t even enjoy that feeling anymore. The anxiety it causes is just not worth it anymore

I’m 10 years younger from America and I grew up in a culture where I was exposed to alcohol on a regular basis from day one. Mostly moderate drinkers but everyone drank and sometimes got drunk. Most of my friends started drinking around 14-16 and a few of us became alcoholics-that I know of but it was kind of obvious at a young age who was going to have a real problem with it. AA helped me but I drank too much for most of my life and it’s the worst thing that ever happened to me. I wasn’t a daily drinker and never did the hair of the dog but alcohol changed my life-and definitely not for the better. I’m grateful to be in recovery and I don’t need substances to be social anymore. I have more fun as a sober person.

Enjoyed that, Paul’s car crash story was epic. I think something we both share is a wariness towards alcohol. I can really enjoy, even look forward to a few but after 4 or 5 I have the self awareness to realize it’s heading nowhere good and probably not worth the hangover the next day, and I don’t consider myself to be a bad drunk at all. We all know some people who the more they drink the happier they feel, I’ve never been that way

These stories are helpful to keep on track. Alcohol is widely accepted but kills and injures so many.

Alcohol, booze, drink.... we're told from a young age in the UK that we absolutely need it to have a good time... but do we? Addiction is no laughing matter, especially thousands of miles from 'home' and particularly when your 'tipple' of choice is alcohol. Bangkok, Thailand can be a lonely place for some expats and many have been drawn to excess drinking or drug taking over the years, often with devastating results. Today, we have an uncut and frank discussion with Paul Wallis about his 40 plus year addiction to alcohol, why he started and why he stopped. Please help to support the channel, and I will head of for some more adventures soon: www.buymeacoffee.com/jimmybyrne Paul's books: The Essential Guide To Living In Thailand: amzn.to/3kpmkCQ A Wanderer's Words: amzn.to/3vrQTy7 Paul's media: facebook.com/paul.wallis.... twitter.com/paulinbkkxx

Completely agree, the culture in the UK is soaked in booze. From binge drinking nightlife, people drinking a bottle of wine every night at home - but even a social event at your local church is going to feature alcohol! My old man was an alcoholic and it nearly killed him, he got sober and never drank again but our childhood was ruined by his drinking. I wasn't a huge drinker, but had plenty of benders like most people - i woke up one day and I don't really know why but just decided I'm not going to drink anymore and that was 10 years ago. Life immediately got better, now i see around me and I'm positive that at least about 10 people I know and am friends with if for some reason they could not have a drink - say they ended up on a desert island they would go into withdrawal probably full on DTs. They would not think they have a problem, they have jobs and a family but they drink every single day of the week and have done for years - 2 or 3 pints or a bottle of wine. But certainly in the UK its almost impossible to not be anywhere where there is not alcohol or somebody doesn't offer you a drink. I'm pretty sure the UK is full of functioning alcoholics but they just don't know it. Re Kratom - yes i have heard about people getting off opiates via Kratom, and it does have benefits, but be careful with it and respect it. But speaking from experience it is addictive and the withdrawals are on a par with opiate withdrawals. We had a weird little scene about 5 years ago when it was legal in the UK, started buying it online as powder - and i liked it, before long using everyday throughout the day, spending more and more money. When it came to stopping it was hard, going through about 14 days of withdrawals - so be careful.

Alcohol just takes credit for fun times when actually it's the company you are with, children have the most fun when together without a drop of alcohol present it's all social conditioning & bullshit from alcohol companies

Enjoyed this a lot. It’s always interesting to hear people’s attitudes and experiences round alcohol. I like drinking, personally: I love the taste of beer, wine and whiskey especially. I also love the ‘2 pints in’ fee, but not so much the being drunk. Hangovers, however, suck big time, so I’m careful to avoid them. Booze has destroyed some friends of mine’s health and relationships and our attitude to it in the UK and Ireland can be utterly bonkers. I’d rather have 1 or 2 nice drinks than 10 average ones any day!

Great video. What vlog camera please. Great image quality.

I drink a little too often for opposite reason - it did do good things for my life. Helped me de-stress after work, I'm quite serious and it makes me non serious, i'm more chatty. I also like to go to social events if I can drink but stay in if i want to be sober. Only reason I want to cut back is because of the money and its hard to lose weight drinking 3 times a week

Paul made an interesting comment, without alcohol , you can't have fun. Alcoholism has never led anything positive in his life. That is truly a sad time to live thru. Alcoholism, it's a terrible addiction. Eating hash and 5 days of withdrawal, what a crazy story.😭. Bless you both for sharing such an interesting subject on drugs and alcohol. Kratom, would be interesting to watch you both after having a drink of it. I hope there are not adverse effects of Kratom , which he says is liver damage

Not drinking is an art, but not drinking is an art.

Agree...beer 🍺= great times was handed down as a given where i grew up in Australia and part of the surf culture!

Just came across the channel and great to see the series of chats with Khun Paul, I cold listen to him all day. Interesting its the hang overs that stopped his drinking. I was never much of a serious drinker but in the end it was the hangovers , in the hot humid Thai climate that stopped me. Maybe drink once or twice a year at most, not bothered. Agree living in the Bkk burbs helps.

I just lost a desire for it too. I have a beer or two a couple times a month maybe but it was every day for a decade or so before.

Such a real honest talk love it no booze people

brilliant! love the frank stories and brute honesty. hey you should interview scooby next time! there would be some good stories there lol

San Tip was quiet trippy, (but very subtle). I remember it well when I stayed in Thailand many years ago but 10 years later when I went back to Thailand San Tip wasn't the same. I didn't enjoy it so much and it didn't have the same affect. Now you've just explained why

I chose to drink every drink. Therefore It no longer works.

Kratom is the best drug going id say. Id recommend it for an alcoholic who wants long term abstinence

Eat flyagaric mushrooms loads of them, the next day you'll not be able to smell your drink let alone drink it

I have found Kratom to be very addictive…

Danish culture is all about drinking. Snaps and beer is a large part of the culture. In Denmark we can even drink in public places, unless you're acting disorderly.

The older guy sounds like Jonney Rotten.

In the UK at least it is much healthier than in many other places. When I was in the UK I was an alcoholic, albeit a functioning one too, but ,at least I was having FUN as opposed to drinking alone and indoors. In the UK it was always a Social thing as opposed to "Escapism " if you will. You people have it much better than in other places where the Culture is the same ,except you are having no fun at all ...this eventually leads to isolation, escapism. Also ,the only place I´ve been where fights never got personal and about humiliating/ injuring your opponent(s) as much as possible ...people are not full of hatred and bitterness ,I guess.

I'd know that lonely tooth anywhere. It's that Thai Bar girl guy.