I had a bit of a drinking problem for a very short period, but it was long enough to seriously impede my healthy lifestyle. In my darkest hour, I was still working out 6X a week, but I was also partying excessively and drinking too much. The drinking made me stop eating and without the nutrients my body just crashed.
I remember how lousy I felt all the time and how much I was turning into the opposite of what I wanted to be: a healthy person! I'm a firm believer that alcohol is a gateway to unhealthy living. It almost always leads to excessive partying, philandering, lack of sleep, heavier drugs, the list goes on!
I know there are some who will accuse me of overreacting, but I stopped before I could hit the bottom so while I regret that I can't speak from personal experience about how bad it can get, I'm really very happy I can't.
Let's just say I've observed others before me. I've also known bodybuilders who tried to drink and excel at their sport: NEVER HAPPENS. Alcohol and bodybuilding simply do not mix.
I handle alcohol by having three rules: I only allow myself to drink LIGHTLY at parties and I don't allow myself to party that much. In between, if I have a drink, I remember to do it in moderation. I know that alcoholics never stop being alcoholics, but they have to become alcoholics first and I believe only excessive HEAVY drinking can cause that.
If I feel like I want to slip, I think about what a mean drunk I am and how I lost one of my best friends, kindell, because I got drunk and chased him around a car (I'm told a total of thirteen revolutions). He told me the next morning that I was a discrace and not to talk to him again.
I also think about the bodies of every drunk I know, not a built body in the bunch.
Lastly, I think about one of my personal goals, perfection, and how being a sloppy drunk doesn't help one achieve it!