Alcohol numbs pain. But a connection is better

Image 1. Alcohol is the anesthesia (2016).

Hello Sunday Morning  (HSM) is a community dominated by transient newcomers seeking a haven from the influence of alcohol. Wood, Kaiser and Abramms noted that a place's purpose is in it's architecture (2006). It is designed to be a community space for those not equipped for the challenge of adapting a new complicated schema. The design of HSM in its simplicity and use of grey, white and blue create a soothing visual environment. In this community you will find the frenzied and erratic crowd of refugees from the bottles and glasses, and among them you will find those who like to take in the spectacle too. 

Having made the decision to break with alcohol most who arrive on HSM are in need of a new community, to new set of friends and a new identity.  The need to do this is explored by Stephen Allsop in his description of how ubiquitous alcohol is here on The Conversation. Below, Johann Hari discusses the importance of connection when battling substance abuse, reinforcing the wise use of a simple format, or architecture, to prevent new users from getting lost. These boundaries give rise to a sense of community whilst preserving anonymity to promote the building of connections and a community.

Some have been here for a long time and aren't in need of reassurance or the intimate connections now. Yet these users stay. Like the 'Cyber-Flaneurs' of Barnes', these users enjoy being voyeurs to the emotional and metaphysical struggle which the newbies are living and writing about (Barnes, 1997). As Victoria noted "Cyber-flaneurs are people who like to lurk and observe" (Kuttainen, 2016). On HSM the cyber-flaneurs will post about their past struggles, dress up their successes, and offer up some of their spectacular failures before their cessation of using, all so that they can garner praise. Having satiated their vicarious need to relive the angst the cyber-flaneurs then disappear until they need to consume again.   

Barnes, G. (1997). Passage of the Flaneur. Retrieved from http://www.raynbird.com/essays/Passage_Flaneur.html 

Hari, J. (2015, January). Johann Hari: Everything you know about addiction is wrong [Video File]. Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talk/johann_hari_everything_you_think_you_know_about_addiction_is_wrong   

Kuttainen, V. (2016). BA1002: Our Space, Networks, Narratives, and the Making of Place Lecture 4: Maps: Ways of seeing the world. 
 
Prouty, R. October 28, 2009 http://www.onewaystreet.typepad.com/one_way_street/2009/10/a-turtle-on-a-leash.html  

What's your grief [Image 1]. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.whatsyourgrief.com/grief-mindfulness-and-alcohol/

Wood, D., Kaiser, W. L., & Abramms, B. (2006). Seeing through maps: Many ways to see the world. Oxford, UK. New Internationlist.