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Yesterday 's knights march They marched up Penetanguishene's Main St. last week with solid steps and somber determina- tion. They came to remember and few looked back at the ghosts which followed behind. These are our heroes and this was our day to remember them. Descent into alcoholism is slow You won't find all the alcoholics littered across a filthy alley-way. They won't necessarily be star- ing at you from grape- stained eyes and clutching a bottle so tenanciously that it seems to squeeze. You may find them in wealthy homes, working at white-collar jobs and eating in the _ best restaurants. They might sneer at the worthless piece of trash that used to be a man, but they're on the same path. Eventually uncontrolled alcoholism will kill. At the Mental Health Centre in Penetang- uishene, there is help available. It's called the Problem Drinker's Pro- gram and it's located at the Brebeauf Building. Mind you, they might not have room for you in the pro- gram and you might not even qualify for the five- week course, but at least there is information available - honest no- nonsense information that doesn't avoid difficult statements. How do you know if you are potentially alcoholic, are alcoholic or just allow- ing your drinking to get out of control? The following informa- tion has been gratefully supplied by the PDP and is provided here as a public information service. There are three stages to alcoholism: the _pre- alcoholic stage, the early alcoholic stage and the late alcoholic stage. A lot of people ex- perience components of the first level of drunkeness. Anyone who has gone to university and enjoyed the socialising a bit too much knows what this is all about. It doesn't mean that you're going to become an alcoholic - but if you haven't it does mean that you've recognised a problem and_ done something about it. Gross drinking behaviour is part of this. At this point the alcoholic starts to drink more than most of his friends. He prides himself on being able to knock a few more back that most. When he drinks, he usually gets drunk. It's never two or three drinks anymore: it's as many as it takes to reach the plateau. He may also suffer from blackouts. 'I did what last night?"' he'll ask. He'll wake up with a nagging feeling that perhaps he did something last night which he shouldn't have. But what? Maybe he'll drink more to try to remember. In this case, he'll sneak. a few drinks when no one is look- ing and start to gulp them down fast enough so no one will notice. But of course he doesn't remember and he doesn't really feel better because he always gets hangovers. The chronic hangover haunts you every morning. If he's come this far and fails to recognise that something has gone awry in his life, he will probably fall over the precipice into the early alcoholic stage. Now he begins to lose control. If he starts drink- ing he won't be able to stop. The alcoholic has to finish the bottle and after that culmination he will search for another one to finish. To reinforce his shaky position, the alcoholic lies to himself. He has to drink; he needs it for creative energy, as an antidote to boredom, or because he is special. He begins to need the "eye openers"' because life never seems quite as pleas- ing sober as it does drunk. Now he may realise that his life is leading to an ear- 'ly oblivion. He will try to change its course. It's time to go on the wagon, to abs- tain from boozing for fren- zied but short periods. But it doesn't last. He prefers to drink alone or with people who share his problem. He is only secure when he is a drunk alone or a drunk among drunks: There is no one else around to criticise the im- mensity of his idiocy. He may lose his job and he will certainly lose his friends. The medical problems will mount as his kidneys are forced to filter an endless stream of alcohol and his liver becomes bloated from over-use. But he won't ever admit the real cause of his problems; he wants to be a healthy alcoholic but he can't be one forever. But the worst is yet to come. The alcoholic enters the last stage of his disease - he must either stop or die at this point. The '"'benders" begin. He drinks for days where he once drank for hours. When not drinking, his hands shake and he ex- periences the delerium tremours or DTs. He protects his supply from unfriendly hands. Nothing is more important to him than having enough liquor to drink. He resents anyone who even vaguely questions his , drinking. He fears things he can- not describe. Finally his self-deception collapses and he is forced to admit the utter depravi- ty of his condition. From here, he must either surrender to alcohol and drink himself to death, surrender to life and com- mit suicide or he must sur- render to treatment. The Director of the PDP says it is surprising how many people have to reach the final stage before seek- ing help. Bert Mason says everything in life can be lost and people will con- tinue to drink. Only when life itself is threatened - when the body can simply not stand the strain anymore - do people admit the power of booze. SUPPLIES Gift boxes Wrapping paper by the yard ° Garlands & Glasses Streamers Low Coordinating e Balloons Plates * Decorations q Napkins * Advent Calendars | For a Complete ak Covers « Piniatas ne Theme and Colour Coordinated * = i a Party Look! THE 18 Cundles E. PAPER 721-1748 «x» -- FACTORY | Cundies Ontario Hon. Chaviva Hosek THE RENT REVIEW GUIDELINE FOR 1988 IS 4.7 PER CENT The rent review guideline for next year has been calculated at 4.7 per cent. This is the amount by which a landlord can increase the maximum rent for a unit during 1988 without approval from the Ministry of Housing. The rent for a unit can be increased only once in a 12-month period. The 4.7 per cent guideline applies to all private rental units in the province for rent increases that take effect from January 1, 1988 to December 31, 1988. ' The 1987 guideline of 5.2 per cent continues to apply to rent increases which take effect on or before December 31, 1987. It is illegal for a landlord to increase the maximum rent above the guideline without applying to the Ministry of Housing for rent review to justify the increase. In cases where a landlord does apply for an increase above the guideline, tenants can examine the application and make their own submissions before a decision is reached. For more information about the 1988 guideline, please contact your local rent review office listed in the Government of Ontario blue pages of your phone book under the Ministry of Housing. If long distance, ask the operator for Zenith 96000. Ministry of Housing a ake TI cS IEE 2 ak