Dear Vicco,

Stormin wrote: Dear Vicco,                I studied Psychology and was taugth never to listen to songs when you are depressed or in need of help! Although the lyrics are good to listen to, when you are in need of assistance they steer you in the wrong directions or worsen your problems! It's always best to listen to them when you are in a good mood or for relaxation. If your last posting was in fun then please accept my apologies.

Hi Stormin, 
You are  probably quite correct. I can imagine that someone who is really down could get themselves even more down by listening to doleful, depressing lyrics.  Fortunately I have never suffered from depression or even significant mood swings.  Like most people I have had my challenges and difficulties in life, but after a series of very close calls during my military service,  I learned to accept " hard times" with equaniminity.   My previous post about : We are sheep  without a shephard  etc was not a joke.  This  song written by two members of the Eagles back in 1994 is a commentary on much of modern society.   People who can not seem to make their way, and seek out all kinds of support mechanisms to give themselves comfort.  The  song even makes a reference to  the "Branch Dividian" and its leader David Koresh.  They perished in a fire at Waco Texas. They were a far out religious cult who believed that Koresh was a kind of new Messiah.  (sheep without a shepherd!)  The followers of Jimmy Jones who committed suicide by drinking poisoned "Kool Aid" were something similar.   For people like myself it's difficult to grasp what
makes people follow lunatics like this. They are no doubt desperate for "acceptance" and "community". but at what price?  Even Charles Manson was a kind of latter day Messiah to the unfortunate weak and insecure people who followed him. He even managed to persuade them to commit a series of horrific murders---to what end?...so he could rule the world basically.  Strangely enough a song influenced Manson to behave the way he did.  Helter Skelter, by the Beatles convinced him that the Beatles were "messengers" and this song was somehow telling him that he should instigate  a "race war"  in America, which the blacks would win, but because they were not really intelligent enough to run things, they would need Charlie Manson to head thing up.  I guess some people should just not listen to songs...
I think  maybe I'm off topic a bit but dependence on alcohol is just another facet of  someone losing their way and needing help. It's a good thing that AA can be a "shepherd" to guide them back....a genuine shepherd instead of the false ones mentioned above.

BTW - admin - I can't start a new topic on any of the forums and can't  contact the webmaster. I don't seem to be able to reply to any topic in the visitors section either. Can you fix this please?

Johnny wrote: There's a HUGE difference between someone who is a heavy dinker, someone who is dependent on alcohol, and an alcoholic. For example, heavy drinkers may be able to quit booze by will-power or reducing the number of drinks they take whereas an alcoholic can't as they have a disease of the body, mind and soul.