Paul Gascoigne

[gordondaviesmoustache]

As someone who has encountered a great number of alcoholics in the course of my adult life I would say that it isn't a simple subject.

On the one hand, it is a disease and one that blights many lives. It is far too simplistic to suggest that everyone can 'stop' drinking. It is a condition that compels those in its thrall mentally and physically, which distinguishes it from many other drugs. I would also add that Gascoigne appears to have the type of personalty which requires perpetual stimulation, without any discernible intellect to enable him to find alternative means of distraction, like reading or learning, for example.

On the other hand, his position and relative wealth means that he has access to more creative and luxurious means of trying to deal with his addictions than the vast majority of alcoholics. Those factors (the position and wealth) could also act as an "escape" which isn't available to others: if you work in a shit job, with shit living conditions then sometimes drinking yourself into oblivion is your only means of escape.

So I have, in pretty equal measure: pity, sympathy, disdain and a lack of respect for this deeply flawed man.

I would add one further thing in reference to my first paragraph in this post. I cannot conceive that this situation will end in anything other than a tragic denouement.

It's completely inevitable, sadly.

 

[Anonymous]

Possibly trite of me to say, so apologies in advance, however...

Another of the myriad difficulties with alcoholism is the extent of the role alcohol plays a part in the majority of people's social lives, how it is perceived as pre-requisite to a good time and the peer pressure people unwittingly apply to others when you are drinking.

For instance, was on a stag do on Saturday, got absolutely trashed, which is clearly neither big nor clever. Had a barbeque on Sunday, determined not to drink but was ill and weak willed enough to be pressured into having another drink as a "cure" which then lead to ever more booze.

I lost an uncle and a brother-in-law due to alcoholism, my grandad used to have a pub and my dad always had (and still does to this day) beer in the fridge when we were growing up. It seems I've always been around booze and I'm sure many on here have similar stories. It's an ever present in our lives, often without us realising it is there.

The more I think about booze, the more I realise just what a fine line we can all sometimes tread with it.

 

[WNRH]

The sooner the better for him,sad to say..

You utter prat.
I just hope that none of your loved ones are ever affected by addiction, you ignorant uncaring tosser.
He was a great footballer who now has problems.
I for one hope he makes a full recovery.

I agree with samcaddis, he will never recover, he is a lost cause. He will always return to drink after how ever many sober weeks because of his mental state. He drinks because he is unhappy and his drinking makes people unhappy, it's a never ending vicious circle.

 

[shackattack]

Gazza comes across to me as someone who's only choice re his misuse is total abstinence. I would imagine he has never been a social drinker and the truth is he never will. Let down by most of his friends and family he has to radically change his life and maybe that in itself is too hard for him to contemplate. He clearly uses alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism but truth is it fails him completely. Maybe with a clear head he has a chance but sadly when you see his name in the news you fear the worst.

 

[Chev Chelios]

^This

 

[malg]

I suppose one of his main problems is that alcohol plays a huge part in his profession of choice. It's probably been said already, but he'll probably go the same way as George Best. Shame really as it also blighted England's greatest natural talent in the last 40 years.

 

[Paul Lake's Left Knee]

If he had cancer would anyone say, the sooner the better? Alcoholism is an illness, he needs help and treatment like any other illness. Some real sad fuckers on this thread.

If you have read his book its clear he has deep set mental issues and battles these everyday, these started long before he ever signed for Newcastle or had a drink. He has unresolved issues of his best friends little brother running out in the road, getting knocked over and dying, when he was buying an ice cream rather than looking after him like he was supposed to.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

If he had cancer would anyone say, the sooner the better? Alcoholism is an illness, he needs help and treatment like any other illness. Some real sad fuckers on this thread.

If you have read his book its clear he has deep set mental issues and battles these everyday, these started long before he ever signed for Newcastle or had a drink. He has unresolved issues of his best friends little brother running out in the road, getting knocked over and dying, when he was buying an ice cream rather than looking after him like he was supposed to.

Do you have the same sympathy for a lung cancer riddled smoker who's had several lung cancer scares and kept smoking as a six years old child with leukemia?

Life is never as simple as you seem to be portraying it.

Shades of grey.

 

[worsleyweb]

Gazza is a decent bloke with major issues. I think he will be dead in five years. Shame but almost inevitable.

 

[Paul Lake's Left Knee]

If he had cancer would anyone say, the sooner the better? Alcoholism is an illness, he needs help and treatment like any other illness. Some real sad fuckers on this thread.

If you have read his book its clear he has deep set mental issues and battles these everyday, these started long before he ever signed for Newcastle or had a drink. He has unresolved issues of his best friends little brother running out in the road, getting knocked over and dying, when he was buying an ice cream rather than looking after him like he was supposed to.

Do you have the same sympathy for a lung cancer riddled smoker who's had several lung cancer scares and kept smoking as a six years old child with leukemia?

Life is never as simple as you seem to be portraying it.

Shades of grey.

I'd have sympathy for both and both would deserve the best treatment available. Just like Paul Gascoigne does.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

If he had cancer would anyone say, the sooner the better? Alcoholism is an illness, he needs help and treatment like any other illness. Some real sad fuckers on this thread.

If you have read his book its clear he has deep set mental issues and battles these everyday, these started long before he ever signed for Newcastle or had a drink. He has unresolved issues of his best friends little brother running out in the road, getting knocked over and dying, when he was buying an ice cream rather than looking after him like he was supposed to.

Do you have the same sympathy for a lung cancer riddled smoker who's had several lung cancer scares and kept smoking as a six years old child with leukemia?

Life is never as simple as you seem to be portraying it.

Shades of grey.

I'd have sympathy for both and both would deserve the best treatment available. Just like Paul Gascoigne does.

You have (with no little skill) avoided answering the question properly.

One can only draw conclusions as to why.

 

[andyhinch]

It's a difficult problem to empathise with and there's probably 100's of reasons for it, just drinking a lot is only part of the problem, unfortunately there's a lot of ignorance both on here and in the general community

 

[Gaylord du Bois]

Gazza is a decent bloke with major issues. I think he will be dead in five years. Shame but almost inevitable.

Unfortunately I doubt he'll see the year out. The booze seems to have taken a greater toll on him even than with Best.
I hope I'm wrong but I just don't see an epiphany his horizon.

 

[Paul Lake's Left Knee]

Do you have the same sympathy for a lung cancer riddled smoker who's had several lung cancer scares and kept smoking as a six years old child with leukemia?

Life is never as simple as you seem to be portraying it.

Shades of grey.

I'd have sympathy for both and both would deserve the best treatment available. Just like Paul Gascoigne does.

You have (without no little skill) avoided answering the question properly.

One can only draw conclusions as to why.

Obviously the little girl would be more tragic having had a shorter life, but that doesnt mean the older bloke deserves to be left to die if he can be treated does it? Cancer is a horrible illness i wouldnt wish on anyone, and i would want whoever has it to battle and survive, no matter who they are.

Its not up to me to decide who is and who isnt allowed treatment whatever your illness, what do you advocate some sort of god like figure that goes through your entire life and decides whether you are allowed treatment or not? Sort of emotional means testing of life?

What conclusions have you drawn up then?

 

[worsleyweb]

Gazza is a decent bloke with major issues. I think he will be dead in five years. Shame but almost inevitable.

Unfortunately I doubt he'll see the year out. The booze seems to have taken a greater toll on him even than with Best.
I hope I'm wrong but I just don't see an epiphany his horizon.

You may be right. In cases like this could he not be locked up or certified insane for his own protection. Maybe have 2 years drying out. He spent hardly any time in that place in America and it was obvious he wasn't cured. What's the point charging him with assault etc. he is I'll and needs help. Like you say he is staring death in the face. As a national instituation why doesn't the country help him?

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

I'd have sympathy for both and both would deserve the best treatment available. Just like Paul Gascoigne does.

You have (without no little skill) avoided answering the question properly.

One can only draw conclusions as to why.

Obviously the little girl would be more tragic having had a shorter life, but that doesnt mean the older bloke deserves to be left to die if he can be treated does it? Cancer is a horrible illness i wouldnt wish on anyone, and i would want whoever has it to battle and survive, no matter who they are.

Its not up to me to decide who is and who isnt allowed treatment whatever your illness, what do you advocate some sort of god like figure that goes through your entire life and decides whether you are allowed treatment or not? Sort of emotional means testing of life?

What conclusions have you drawn up then?

Well, firstly I appreciate you answering my question, which affords me the opportunity of responding properly.

I have never indicated or even intimated that anyone is deserving of death and of course I would want anyone to recover from a serious illness, of which alcoholism is most definitely one such affliction.

I don't advocate any omnipotent force for judgement, as I have previously posted, life isn't that simple.

I merely state that to declare that everyone deserves an equal amount of sympathy for this terrible burden does a tremendous disservice to those who beat this condition without the assistance of their celebrity friends and expensive clinics on other continents to do so.

Anyone who beats alcoholism is a hero, especially if they've done it by sheer force of will, and sheer force of will alone.

 

[worsleyweb]

You have (without no little skill) avoided answering the question properly.

One can only draw conclusions as to why.

Obviously the little girl would be more tragic having had a shorter life, but that doesnt mean the older bloke deserves to be left to die if he can be treated does it? Cancer is a horrible illness i wouldnt wish on anyone, and i would want whoever has it to battle and survive, no matter who they are.

Its not up to me to decide who is and who isnt allowed treatment whatever your illness, what do you advocate some sort of god like figure that goes through your entire life and decides whether you are allowed treatment or not? Sort of emotional means testing of life?

What conclusions have you drawn up then?

Well, firstly I appreciate you answering my question, which affords me the opportunity of responding properly.

I have never indicated or even intimated that anyone is deserving of death and of course I would want anyone to recover from a serious illness, of which alcoholism is most definitely one such affliction.

I don't advocate any omnipotent force for judgement, as I have previously posted, life isn't that simple.


And do you think gazza can beat it?

I merely state that to declare that everyone deserves an equal amount of sympathy for this terrible burden does a tremendous disservice to those who beat this condition without the assistance of their celebrity friends and expensive clinics on other continents to do so.

Anyone who beats alcoholism is a hero, especially if they've done it by sheer force of will, and sheer force of will alone.

 

[Gaylord du Bois]

Gazza is a decent bloke with major issues. I think he will be dead in five years. Shame but almost inevitable.

Unfortunately I doubt he'll see the year out. The booze seems to have taken a greater toll on him even than with Best.
I hope I'm wrong but I just don't see an epiphany his horizon.

You may be right. In cases like this could he not be locked up or certified insane for his own protection. Maybe have 2 years drying out. He spent hardly any time in that place in America and it was obvious he wasn't cured. What's the point charging him with assault etc. he is I'll and needs help. Like you say he is staring death in the face. As a national instituation why doesn't the country help him?

He's not a national institution though. He's just another chronic alcoholic who's only hope of help has to come himself right now. It's a shame but there it is.

 

[ifiwasarichfan]

I haven't written him off.

I genuinely believe that one day from somewhere deep within he will find the strength and the character to beat his illness and his demons.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Obviously the little girl would be more tragic having had a shorter life, but that doesnt mean the older bloke deserves to be left to die if he can be treated does it? Cancer is a horrible illness i wouldnt wish on anyone, and i would want whoever has it to battle and survive, no matter who they are.

Its not up to me to decide who is and who isnt allowed treatment whatever your illness, what do you advocate some sort of god like figure that goes through your entire life and decides whether you are allowed treatment or not? Sort of emotional means testing of life?

What conclusions have you drawn up then?

Well, firstly I appreciate you answering my question, which affords me the opportunity of responding properly.

I have never indicated or even intimated that anyone is deserving of death and of course I would want anyone to recover from a serious illness, of which alcoholism is most definitely one such affliction.

I don't advocate any omnipotent force for judgement, as I have previously posted, life isn't that simple.

I merely state that to declare that everyone deserves an equal amount of sympathy for this terrible burden does a tremendous disservice to those who beat this condition without the assistance of their celebrity friends and expensive clinics on other continents to do so.

Anyone who beats alcoholism is a hero, especially if they've done it by sheer force of will, and sheer force of will alone.

And do you think gazza can beat it?

I've already posted on this thread (on the previous two pages I believe) that, sadly, I think that is an unlikely prospect and I do speak with some authority on the subject.