Overcoming Dry Drunk Syndrome or PAWS

Overcoming Dry Drunk Syndrome or PAWS Addiction Alcohol Use Withdrawal and Relapse Print Coping With Dry Drunk Syndrome Symptoms By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on March 02, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on August 28, 2019 Thomas Barwick / Getty Images More in Addiction Alcohol Use Withdrawal and Relapse Binge Drinking Children of Alcoholics Drunk Driving Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery If you have quit drinking but are still struggling with the negative and destructive attitudes and feelings you did during active addiction, you may be dealing with whats called dry drunk syndrome. Originally coined by the creators of Alcoholic Anonymous, dry drunk syndrome can have a negative impact on the process of giving up drinking both physically and mentally. While dry drunk syndrome is most common among people who quit alcohol without the support of addiction professionals, anyone can become a dry drunk, especially during the emotionally charged first year of sobriety. Learning the symptoms of dry drunk syndrome as well as a few strategies to better cope can help you or someone you love to move past this stumbling block toward lasting recovery. What It Looks and Feels Like Dry drunk syndrome is part of the phenomenon known as post-acute withdrawal syndrome  (PAWS). When a heavy drinker quits drinking, his brain must adjust to the chemical damage that alcohol has caused. This process can last for weeks, months, sometimes even years. Symptoms of PAWS include dizziness, slow reflexes, and problems with balance and coordination. A person dealing with side effects of PAWS actually may look like hes intoxicated even though hes been totally abstinent (which explains where the term dry drunk may come from). Emotionally, a person dealing with PAWS may have mood swings and become depressed, making him tough to be aroundâ€"maybe even as unpleasant as he might have been when he was drinking. Alcohol used to provide temporary relief from such feelings, but you cant rely on that anymore. Is Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome Real or Just an Excuse? Symptoms Dry drunk syndrome doesnt happen overnight. Instead, the following symptoms can develop slowly over time, especially during the first year of recovery. Self-centered or superior attitude (in 12-step circles, this is known as terminal uniqueness)Poor impulse controlSour, impatient, or complacent in your recoveryAnger and negativity about recoveryResentment toward loved onesIsolating yourself from your support networkIncreasing anxiety and depressionFear of relapseJealousy of sober friends or those not dealing with addictionRomanticizing of drinking daysCross-addiction or abuse of other behavioral addictions (sex, food, internet use) Coping With Dry Drunk Syndrome Recovery from an alcohol use disorder means more than quitting alcohol. Even after you no longer crave alcohol, you need to deal with the psychological and behavioral issues that contributed to your addiction in order to prevent relapse. You may still be dealing with the stages of denial, anger, bargaining, and depression before finally reaching the point of accepting the absence of alcohol in your life. Some people truly experience sobriety as a kind of death and have to accept the loss and learn and grow from the experience before they can move on. Dry drunk syndrome interferes with this process and, although challenging, with the right support, its not insurmountable. You may greatly benefit from the encouragement you can  find at a support group  meeting like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). You can also contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)  National Helpline  at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for referrals for treatment and support groups. There are also a few steps you can take on your own to start enjoying your new sober life as you work toward lasting recovery. They may seem simple and unsurprising, but they do work for many people. Find a Hobby Take up gardening, start collecting an item youre truly interested in or fascinated by, learn how to build things and focus on the creative project. The goal is to fill the time you once spent drinking with activities  that are enjoyable and engrossing. Get Healthy Theres no question years of drinking can take a toll on the body. A big part of recovery and your new sober life is making your physical health a priority. Try healthful recipes, join a gym, take up a sport, try yoga (which can have mental benefits as well as physical ones). If you love dogs and dont have one, this is a great time to adopt a stray or volunteer to walk dogs at your local shelter. How Can an Excercise Program Help Your Recovery? Try Something New Now that youre no longer drinking, you have a chance to embrace your sober life and redefine your passions. Now is the time to pursue those things youve always wanted to learn. Audit a class at a local university or college, or commit to reading every book you can get your hands on about a topic youre interested in. Lean on Your Loved Ones No one expects you to recover from an alcohol use disorder aloneâ€"nor should you. Even the people who you alienated before you quit drinking may welcome the opportunity to spend time with you. Ask your partner out for regular date nights, get more involved with your grandkids, find fun activities to do with friends that dont involve drinking. 7 Tips for Staying Clean and Sober A Word From Verywell The best way to prevent and/or cope with the physical and mental symptoms of dry drunk syndrome is to stay steadfast in your recovery. Now isnt the time to isolate yourself or become complacent in your sobriety, but to surround yourself with family, friends, and professionals who can support you as you work to build a sober and fulfilling life for yourself.

Metaphor, Metonymy and Vioce - 895 Words

Barbara Johnson’s critique focuses on the metaphoric, metonymic and voice in Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. It focuses on the major character, Janie Crawford’s inner and outer change towards her various relationships. She focuses on the strengths, both vocally and physically, gained after her first slap down by her second husband, Joe Starks. Barbara Johnson focuses on the metaphoric meaning of this transformation which was defined as the substitution based on the resemblance or analogy and then she goes on to the metonymic meaning which she defines as the basis of a relation or association other than that similarity. Paul De Man, a deconstructionist literary critic and theorist, provides a brief summary stating the†¦show more content†¦The sign of an authentic voice is this not self-identity but self-difference. Barbara Johnson speaks of how the women’s voices have attained inferiority as it relates to the situation of Janie’s acquisition of her inner and outer voice. Her opinionated statements were shut down by Joe. Johnson then mentions Auerbach’s urge to unify and simplify is an urge to re-subsume female difference under the category of the universal, which has always been obscurely male. The random, trivial and marginal will simply be added to the list of things all men have in common. Auerbach’s then calls for unification and simplification in the province of the white. If the woman’s voice must be incorporate and articulate division and self-difference, so too has Afro-American literature always had to assume its double-voicedness. Johnson concludes her critique with a brief synopsis of Zora Neale Hurston’s main imitative into writing Their Eyes Were Watching God. She explains that according to her, â€Å"there is no message, no theme, no thought; the full range of questions and experiences of Janie’s life are invisible to a mind steeped in maleness as Ellison’s Invisible Man is to minds steeped in whiteness. Barbara Johnson, Metaphor,

Similarities And Differences Between Baseball And Softball

Baseball and softball are both competitive sports that have been around for many years. Baseball was invented in 1839 and softball followed in 1887. While both sports are similar, the differences over ride the battle. People see the difference between softball and baseball when both sports comes down to mechanics and visual things, but what they do not see is the difference in the players emotions. In these sports, both runners can steal bases and are allowed to run on the dropped third strike if the ball is dropped by the catcher. Baseball and softball are both rapid, methodical sports which allows the game to be more interesting and intense. In the field, both sports play nine players; three outfielders and six infielders. Out of all†¦show more content†¦For an example, hitting is a mental game when it comes to facing the pitcher. Batting is quite simple, but it is also very difficult at the same time. When hitting, the batter has their weight 20/80 meaning twenty percent of their weight is on the front foot and eighty percent is on the back foot. Distributing the weight, allows the batter to have control over herself when swinging. These percentages go for both softball and baseball, but there is also many other ways to distribute the batters weight. Baseball is known for high speed pitching that averages between seventy-five and eighty-eight. Over the years, both sports have always been an argument on which is harder. It is scientifically proven that softball is harder. Baseball pitchers pitch at sixty feet from the batter, as to where softball pitches at fourty-three feet. Although the speed of the baseball is twenty miles per hour faster, the pitcher is also a further distance from the batter. Another reason baseball is easier: baseball bats have a diameter of 2-5/8† and they hit a ball that is nine inches in circumference. Baseball players, along with most guys, are cocky and think they are the best in everything they do. Fielding for exam ple, baseball players are worried about looking cute and do not appreciate the fundamentals of fielding a ball. Softball players on the other hand field the ball in the middle of their bodies, use both hands to catch a fly ball, and have more passion for theShow MoreRelatedSimilarities And Differences Between Softball And Baseball1259 Words   |  6 Pagesplayers call themselves softball players while others consider themselves baseball players.   Is there a difference? Both sports are very similar as they both require four bases, the shape of a diamond, a glove, a bat, a ball, innings, three outs, and nine players. Softball and baseball may sound identical in nature, but they have tremendous contrast while maintaining the same concept. Although there is no law against men or boys playing softball and women or girls playing baseball,   the two games areRead MoreA Game Of Balls And Bats911 Words   |  4 Pageswhat this game is, what would you say? Some may say baseball, and the others would say softball. The truth is†¦ Both are correct. Often I hear gender arguing about which of these sports is harder or better. But I am not here to decide that, I am only writing about the main similarities and differences among these two sports. To begin, one of the most noticeable differences today is that nine out of ten times men play baseball, and women play softball. Every once in a while there will be an exceptionRead MoreBaseball Vs Softball Essay983 Words   |  4 PagesThe battle between sexes has been a lifelong battle both sexes are often fighting. One sex often tries to one-up the other. A great example of that is Baseball and Softball. Baseball and softball are both competitive sports for males and females at any age. If you were to ask a Baseball player which sport he thinks is harder, he would generally say Baseball. However, if you ask a softball player which sport she thinks is harder, she will generally say softball. Both are skill requiring sports. TheyRead MoreBaseball Is A Man s Sport921 Words   |  4 Pagesfastpitch softball and baseball. Softball and baseball are similar sports, both use the same items to do the same job. Each individual player uses a ball, glove, helmet, bat, and cleats to accompl ish the goals to play the games of softball and baseball. The goals are to have more runs than the other team at the end of the game. However, these two sports are not exactly alike like many spectators suspect they are. The main difference in softball and baseball are the players. Generally, baseball is a man’sRead MoreVolleyball vs Softball1346 Words   |  6 PagesVolleyball Vs. Softball Home run! Spike! These are some very different words that mean very different things between softball volleyball. Not only are they different but they can be alike in smaller ways also. They both deal with balls, there both sports, they are both played in the same season. Their different in sizes, both uses different equipment, and are both played very differently. When it comes to the equipment used there are no similarities. There are many differences in the equipmentRead MoreBaseball, Baseball And Softball1112 Words   |  5 Pagesit comes to Baseball and Softball, these two sports have many similarities, but yet differ in many areas of the game. It insists, â€Å"Softball is often referred to baseball for girls, with a larger ball and aa smaller diamond† (History of Softball). Even though there may be some truth about that statement, it doesn’t mean that’s the only difference between the two. When it comes down to it, both sports have specific field requirements, equipment, rules and future occupations. Baseball has specialRead MoreDifferences Between Softball And Baseball819 Words   |  4 PagesSoftball and baseball are very similar sports. People like to say they are the exact same and nothing is different between the two. But in reality they have a key factors that make them very different from each other. Softball and baseball are both played the same way but as you get deeper into the game you start to see more differences. Softball is a sport that is played by females. When softball players play in tournaments they are either timed and those last roughly 71 to 73 minutes a game andRead MoreDifferences Between Softball And Baseball818 Words   |  4 PagesSoftball vs. Baseball Softball and baseball are very similar sports. People like to say they are the exact same and nothing is different between the two. But in reality they have a key factors that make them very different from each other. Softball and baseball are both played the same way but as you get deeper into the game you start to see bigger differences. Softball is a sport that is played by females. When softball players play in tournaments they are either timed and those last roughly 71Read MoreSoftball And Baseball Are The Same Thing, Right?1193 Words   |  5 PagesLiz Johnson 5/1/15 Big History 5th-6th Softball, The Story of It All. Softball and baseball are the same thing, right? Wrong. Softball is the same as baseball, but it has a softer ball, right? Wrong again. So if it’s not the same as baseball and it doesn’t have a softer ball then what is it? Softball is its very own sport. Yes, it has similarities to baseball, but there are many differences. To fully understand softball you have to know its history, how it is played and how it works, what it is madeRead MoreModern Day Baseball ( Lanham ) Essay1326 Words   |  6 Pagesvery first, official, game of softball. Just a little over four decades earlier, Alexander Cartwright, the â€Å"father of baseball† formalized the rules, or codes, of â€Å"townba ll†. What is â€Å"townball†? Who exactly is Alexander Cartwright? Moreover, what on earth does this have to do with fast-pitch softball? These are all valid questions you may or, may not have right now. Townball or base are both older colloquial terms used to describe, what would become American baseball. Many news sources such as the

The women in Othello are presented by Shakespeare as victims Free Essays

This question requires knowledge of how women were treated during the period ‘Othello’ was written and how they are treated during modern days. When this play was written, The Jacobean era, an overwhelming amount of evidence suggests that women were treated as inferiors to men. Women would usually be viewed as pure and divine before having sexual intercourse, but afterwards, they were often treated as low down human beings. We will write a custom essay sample on The women in Othello are presented by Shakespeare as victims or any similar topic only for you Order Now In general, they were allowed to be beaten, forced into labour and most did not have the right to an education. So the church would play an important role in everyday life for women, it was an occasion to look forward to. Every female church-goer would learn about the two biblical stereotypes for women, Mary and Eve. Mary was worshipped for being pure and flawless but Eve was castigated for her impurity and deceitfulness towards God. At the beginning of the play, Desdemona was apotheosised especially by Roderigo. She was named a white ewe in Act I, which highlighted her gentleness and purity. But similar in the way Mary and Eve are contrasted, Emilia is reified and treated as an object by Iago; this was the usual treatment for women during Jacobean times. In ‘Othello’ Desdemona is introduced as a woman that contradicts the stereotype of women during Jacobean times. She is described like a goddess by many men during the play, ‘She is indeed perfection’ is how Cassio describes her in Act I. Othello begins to think of her as his trophy and prized possession, but despite all the attention and praise she receives, she does not become arrogant or boastful and remains eloquent and lady-like, showing how she is worthy of being deified. Even when Othello is strangling her, he comments on her soft, white skin, he says it feels â€Å"as smooth as a monumental alabaster† This very surprising for the audience because at the point of nearly killing her he still treats her like a goddess. However, Emilia is treated as an object of no value by Iago. He often rejects her and He refuses to treat her with even a semblance of kindness. She is treated like a whore because Iago believes she has slept with another man without any hard evidence. She completes a mischievous deed for Iago, displaying her loyalty and desperation for any sort of love shown back to her. Desdemona seems to be praised a lot during the first act. But in fact, she is treated like an object. Iago says to Brabantio â€Å"Zounds Sir, you’ve been robbed. † This is reifying her because he is describing her like an item. Iago then mentions â€Å"The wine she drinks is made of grapes,† which is showing the audience that he has a strong belief that there is nothing special about her and she is just another possession. Desdemona is then called â€Å"A Land carrack,† which Othello has boarded. This further proves that Iago has a condescending attitude towards Desdemona and women in general. When Othello and Iago are in Venice, Iago pounces on this opportunity to tell Othello of the fallacious women of Venice. He says â€Å"In Venice they do let Heaven see the pranks they dare not show their husbands. † He says this to make Othello think of how he and Desdemona compare to this statement, preying on Othello’s ignorance. Shakespeare uses a lot of animal imagery during the play, sometimes in a complimentary fashion but most often, in a degrading manor. Audience from modern times will be shocked at the amount of sexist and racist animal imagery used. Iago calls her a â€Å"White Ewe† which many will probably view as a compliment, reflecting on her innocence and gentleness. But some might view it as an insult, saying that she is common and nothing special. Even Othello uses abusive terms towards women, he says to Desdemona â€Å"thou art false as hell† highlighting his complete lack of trust for Desdemona, both as his wife and as a woman. Yet Desdemona does not say anything of an abusive nature to Othello. In ‘Othello’ many people do not think of Cassio as the sexist type, he is portrayed to be well mannered and respectful up until he calls Emilia a ‘common thing’. This surprises many of the audience who thought of Cassio as the sole man in the play who respects women. But Shakespeare was obliged to do this if he wanted to show the audience that Cassio was a ‘normal’ Jacobean man. This suggests that he thought it was standard for men to call women such belittling phrases. Emilia is portrayed as naive and desperate when she is first introduced, she is so distant from her husband that she has no idea of what Iago has been trying to do. The most astonishing example is that after he steals the handkerchief for Iago, she still appears to have no idea of what he is trying to do, she just wants to do â€Å"nothing but please his fantasy. † Despite being made out to be the most naive woman in the play, she is the only woman to show signs of courage and feminism in her words. One of the first moments to do this is when she refers to men as ‘stomachs’. Even more significant is when she says â€Å"husbands fault if their wives do fall. † This is one of the earliest signs of feminism, or at the very least defiance in Shakespeare’s play. Bianca is the only other woman in ‘Othello’ along with Emilia and Desdemona. She is at first portrayed to be a prostitute and whore, although there isn’t any evidence that this is indeed her profession. The men in ‘Othello’ treat her like a ‘strumpet’ and a stereotype of impure women during the Jacobean times. She is able to prove her stereotype wrong by standing up to some of the abuse she takes from Iago. In a manipulative fashion, Iago tries to use the condescending view towards Bianca to his advantage. He assumes nobody will believe her or take her seriously because many of the male characters believe she is a lying and deceitful whore. So he blames the injury of Cassio and death of Roderigo on her. When talking about the incident he says â€Å"this is the fruit of whoring,† which is referring to the fact he wants people to believe it was her. This statement is about whether Shakespeare has written a misogynistic play by presenting the women as victims’. Having established how the women are treated differently and similarly in the play, we can look at a very important scene which shows how the women in the play talk about their husbands. This scene is the willow scene where they talk about events that have happened and how their husbands are behaving. Emilia says that she would do something impure and evil if it would lead to her earning money. This is because Emilia has come from a poor background where money was scarce and very precious. But in Contrast, Desdemona says she would never do such a thing because money is not so important to her due to a wealthy background, this shows She uses morals as motivation rather than money. Then, to confirm to any doubters in the audience, she says she would rather die than cheat on her husband Othello. This is a very bold action that Shakespeare uses to highlight her purity and faithfulness. Desdemona has proved many stereotypes for white, wealthy women in Jacobean times wrong; she has married a Black man and firmly stated that she believes in strong morals. This proves that she is strong enough to stand up for herself despite the abuse and criticism she receives. It would be very unusual for this to be true, not that a woman would do these things, but that she would be able to stand up to the racism and sexism of those around her. Shakespeare is very quick to use the derogatory nature of men’s views on women to add extra effect to the play. For many people, he is too quick and too eager to perceive women as victims. The definition of a victim is a ‘a person who is deceived or cheated, as by his or her own emotions or ignorance, by the dishonesty of others, or has suffered from destructive or injurious action’. But Shakespeare, during Jacobean times, may not have been seen to present women as particular victims of this play. In modern day life many people will agree that he is on the border of extremity with the amount of sexism in ‘Othello’ whether or not he wanted women to be victims of this play. Many people will agree that the women are victimised by Iago and the people Iago he has manipulated. Othello was an equal if not greater victim than Desdemona, not because he died but he was a victim of his own gullibility, ‘his or her own emotions or ignorance’. He did not once think of believing what Desdemona said or even placing all his trust in her, his wife. So he is a much greater victim in this play than Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca put together. Although there are an overwhelming amount of incidents to show that women have suffered from this play, Shakespeare may have hidden a few signs of feminism in what Emilia said and the way Bianca stood up against the Jacobean stereotypes. We will never know why Shakespeare wrote this play, whether it was to be derogatory towards black men or perhaps to explore the possibilities of defying the sexist and racist stereotypes of Jacobean times. How to cite The women in Othello are presented by Shakespeare as victims, Papers

Should Kids Wear Uniforms free essay sample

Should kids be forced to wear uniforms? Should kids be forced to wear uniforms? Will uniforms really help kids? Most schools are debating this issue. A lot of kids would instantly say â€Å"No. † Although I believe that we should not have uniforms, there are plenty of reasons why we should have uniforms. Uniforms cannot help the school out, or can they? One thing that the school would benefit from enforcing school uniforms is no violations of the school dress code. Sometimes kids are called up to the office during class time because their clothes violate the dress code. This time up in the office could have been used for education, but instead they are up in the office getting a lab coat. Kids would not be able to violate the school dress code if they were all wearing the same outfits. However, that would mean no kid would be able express themselves. We will write a custom essay sample on Should Kids Wear Uniforms? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Kids like to express themselves in different ways and that will not be possible if they are forced to wear one type of clothing. Some kids are not as lucky as others. Some kid’s parents are rich while others may be poor. If the school enforced uniforms, no one could judge each other by just the look of their clothing. Although this is a positive for the kids, there is a negative for the school. If they ever needed to identify a student for whatever reason, it would be nearly impossible to identify that student unless you had help. If a student commits vandalism in the bathroom, for example, the camera might catch them but as long as the camera does not catch their face, it would be impossible to find out who did it. You may be thinking, â€Å"Having kids wear uniforms will cause them to make better grades. † This might be true, but would you want to risk the chance of losing some of your students just because you force them to wear uniforms? My guess is that most people might simply give up because they are forced to do something unpleasant. Most people would not like to wear uniforms because they cannot be educated to the fullest when they thinking of when they get home and take off their uniform. Uniforms may be a good source because they will help students stay more focused on schoolwork. Think about it for a moment though. Most students would not like a uniform because they lose the potential to express themselves to the world. If something ever happened to a kid, it would be hard to identify the kid because he looks the exact same as all the other kids. Most kids choose how they wear their clothing but if a school uniform was issued, everyone would only change into that one uniform for school. I think I can safely say that school uniforms should not be required to run this school at its highest standards.

Siddharthas Influences Essays - Buddhism, Indian Religions, Religion

Siddhartha's Influences Siddharthas Influences In the novel Siddhartha, Herman Hesse used other characters to let Siddhartha grow both intellectually and spiritually. During the course of his journey, Siddhartha encountered many people and experienced different ways of living and thinking about life. Each person taught him something about himself and the world around him. Siddharthas childhood friend, Govinda, educated him about the importance of choosing a path in his own life. Govinda had always been a step behind Siddhartha, following every decision he made. The one time he stepped out on his own, to accept the Buddha, he was merely following the path of thousands of others. Siddhartha saw this and he learned that he had to listen to himself even if he wound up making a wrong decision. Meeting with Govinda at the end of the novel reinforced his thought that one had to have experience in order to attain Nirvana -- not someone elses knowledge. After following Gotama for years Govinda still hadnt reached peace although Siddhartha had. Siddhartha had done things many would consider wrong and immoral and yet he reached something that many others wanted so desperately because he had experience. The beautiful courtesan, Kamala, taught Siddhartha the importance of love along with the pleasures of it. While in the town of Samsara, he was introduced to a life of luxuries by her. She taught him how to please a woman and how to keep her satisfied. He also learned how to gamble and the art of running a business from her friends. Although Siddhartha felt moments of joy, nothing fulfilled the longing in his soul. Over the years, one of the more important lessons he gained from Kamala was that he could have this life of pleasurable things and yet still yearn for a deeper meaning in his heart. Vasudeva, the ferryboat captain, was the most important person in Siddharthas life. If he hadnt allowed Siddhartha to live with him and share the beauty of the river, Siddhartha may have never reached Nirvana. Sitting with his pupil by the water and forcing him to listen and look into the depths led Siddhartha to his place of peacefulness. Educating Siddhartha was no easy task for Vasudeva. He let Siddhartha make mistakes with his son but gave him the knowledge and advice he needed. With this mans guidance, Siddhartha came into his life of happiness. Siddhartha met many people throughout his journey who had considerable impact on him. The experience he gained with each of these people gave him wisdom both intellectually and spiritually and eventually led him to Nirvana. Book Reports

Analytical Essay Kiss and Tell by John Sam Jones Essays

Analytical Essay Kiss and Tell by John Sam Jones Essays Analytical Essay Kiss and Tell by John Sam Jones Essay Analytical Essay Kiss and Tell by John Sam Jones Essay Essay Topic: Analytical â€Å"Kiss and tell† is a story written by author John Sam Jones. The story is set in Wales on a school. The story revolves around a boy and his thoughts about the opposite gender. The story is the omniscient type of narrator. This analysis focuses on characterization as well as on how to fit in. The main character in the story is Seimon. He is a fourteen-year-old boy from Wales. Throughout the whole story, the focus is on Seimon and his addiction to his teacher Mr. Roberts. As from the very beginning of the story, the narrator tells about the girls and boys in Seimon’s class. Some of the girls in Seimon’s class seemed much older – and a bit scary1. Somebody acted like they had already outgrown their peers – Jane Jones who had got breasts that where the Promised Land of boy’s dirty talk, almost always had love bites on her neck, and Shan Jenkins boasted about going to the nightclub Llandudno at the weekends with her boyfriend, who was a management trainee with one of the new, cheap German supermarkets.2 It seemed like all Seimon’s classmates had grown up both physically and mentally. Seimon felt that puberty had not reached him yet. Sometimes he imagined himself smaller-than-small so that the others would not notice him.3When the boy s he hung around with, seemed not to want to see him, he considered if he was insignificant. He hated that word because it made him think of being lonely and isolated. Siemon is a fragile person who is very easy to affect. Seimon felt like he did not fit in anywhere, so he started daydreaming about his teacher Mr. Roberts, his favourite teacher that he hoped would be reading to the class – one of the poems they were studying in a literature project, or perhaps he would be explaining something about the vagaries of Welsh grammar.4 Mr. Roberts was from Cardiff and got the job in Wales. He knew that he had got the job because of his strengths in German and French, but the problem was that he