The Black Vault

Just wanted to throw out some questions and opinions of my own in order to hear what yall think.

I've discussed with various people about their views on whether alcoholism is a disease of the body or a dependence on alcohol through a lack of self control on the abuser. What do yall think? When you think about it, do people consider addiction to caffeine, or sugar, or food, or tobacco in the same light that they view a dependency to alcohol?

Now I will admit that in light of today's generation, in my opinion (many times not supported scientifically) love to put a disorder to every human behavior and choice, especially the negative ones to lighten the gravity of such abuses. Do yall see this tendency (especially those that grew up in an older generation) as comparison to other times in this society?

What do yall consider alcoholism? To what severity must a person drink to be an alcoholic? How often? Is two drinks every day just as dependent on the substance as a 12 pack a day? Does someone that drinks every day any less dependent than someone who drinks every weekend?

I just like to get yall's personal thoughts (scientific evidence is welcome too) on the one substance abuse that gets a far different approach and stigma than most any other legal substance abuse.

Its both a lack of self control from the abuser and the physical addiction your body develops. Alcoholism should be the definition once it gets to the point of it being a legitimate problem in someones life. Period.

I hate when things get overly complicated. People should not be forced to be in a worse case scenario before they are labeled with a problem serious enough to get the help/treatments they need.

As for the disease thing. I agree alcohol abuse like many other self destructive behaviors is a bad habit plain and simple. Not a disease but deserves to be taken seriously regardless.

Complex subject, and a matter of perspective. You will have a differnet perspective if you are a product of growing up in a Alcoholic enviorment, and live daily with it. There is a organization called ACA, Adult childern or Alcoholics, who carry a multitude of commone traits in their personality due to that upbringing. Alcoholism affect not only the drinker, but all those surrounding them. That perspective is on of thinking disease, and needing mental and phyisical medical care.

If your perspective is from inocent victim, having not been anywhere near alcoholism, and some drunk wiped out your familly in a car wreck, you could care less about his disease. Its all about that one person being responsible for shattering lives. No disease makes you drink and drive, you can sit in you closet, and drink until you pass out. Nobody got sent to prison because they had cancer or heart disease, but this disease has built in crimes associated with it. When you bury a loved one, you are more concerned with long prison time, and not a program to help the poor idiot.

Well I think I qualify as one, and have been so since I was a late teen. For some reason I feel more responsibility for my self destructive addiction and those it effects when I put it on myself as a lack of self control. If I give into it being a disease and make excuses for myself. Oh I can't help it, there's a bug in my body making me drink, it's just like bi-polar or ADHD, it a chemical inbalance in my brain, blah, blah, blah ...

That's just me as a I struggle to get an upper hand on my addiction. I am responsible and not drive and all, but a need for a daily intake of alcohol. But I've had a bad year before I started this thread. Just recently I have been able to do better than I have over the last year and half. My job is getting better, my wife has found gainful employment that she enjoys and it seems that after constant financial, personal and marital issues things finally seem to be looking up. It makes me wonder, about how much of it is in my brain.

I mean I enjoy drinking when I am happy and among friends, but it has a differnet outcome than drinking in bad times. Plus as greeny said, I have my children and wife to think of. And my recent low in my drinking has effected them greatly. I didn't know what to tell my son when he asked "why do you drink so much beer daddy?" Followed up by "it's bad for you I don't want you to die soon".

If you think you have a problem, you probably do. We have many ways to delude ourselves, many ways to excuse our actions. Then again, I don't know what outside sources could be having an impact on your thinking processes. Do you really think you have a problem or are you being told you have a problem? There is a difference between your inner voice and an outside voice screaming in your ear. Deep down, we all know when we are doing something wrong. An addiction is like the little devil on the other shoulder telling us it's alright and making the excuses.

You have to really soul search, do an internal evaluation of yourself. It's true that sometimes we need outside eyes to help us assess the situation. However, I believe we know the problems with our behaviors and our environments. We just need to listen to reason with ourselves. I don't mean to further contribute to your condition or make excuses for you, if you indeed do have a problem. I'm just suggesting that maybe you need to do an internal diagnosis of the situation. Make sure you aren't being guilted into believing your actions are destructive.

I say this because my first wife had us go to Catholic Social Services, yeah she was a Catholic , and told them I was an alcoholic. This lead to me being constantly told I was an alcoholic and that I could go years without having a beer and still be one, without even knowing. They used common everyday behavior as an example of alcoholism, as many dishonest people with an agenda do. It was infuriating for me because if I denied it or tried to use logic against their argument, I was an alcoholic in denial. (denial is the first sign)

There are obvious signs someone is an alcoholic, like multiple DUI's and losing jobs because of it. Drinking everyday can definitely be a sign of alcoholism, sure. Me having a couple beers from a six pack I bought per day, over a three day period, not a good example. Me buying a six-pack everyday, a strong possibility I'm an alcoholic. My son also said the same thing to me, he even told his counselors about me drinking beer. He told them it was an everyday activity, which was a lie. He used my drinking beer as an excuse for his bad behavior because he is inundated with the blame game on television.

Usually Liberal talk shows that blame parents for everything children do, because they'll do anything to prevent today's generation from accepting personal responsibility for their actions. Be mindful of that, don't be guilted into thinking you've done something wrong if you haven't. Using our own children against us isn't beyond the liberal think tank. Fortunately, my son's school has counselors equipped with critical thinking skills. Otherwise I and my wife would have been imprisoned long ago with some of the crap my son has told them.

He has been diagnosed with OCD, ODD, ADHD, ADD, Turrets. I am currently trying to have him tested for Aspergers and sleep related illnesses, since a great many of his symptoms seem to be related to these two afflictions. Treatments for the other diagnoses have yielded zero results. Anyway, I tend to agree that alcoholism isn't an excuse for driving and killing someone. Which is why most if not all employers fire you for not showing up for work when incarcerated for DUI. It's no excuse.

Like many things we know deep inside when we need to go to a doctor, face a problem, or when something is up, we go to all the wrong places for an answer. Deep down we already know the answer but hope to hear, "no its OK" if we ask enough people, and usually omit a few of the details. We usually tend to understate something, or trivialize the facts. Adam, the problem is things will always seem like its better, when in fact they are not. The ACA meeting I went to a long time ago, was a revelation walking into a room of people who all had nearly the same kinds of story, as if we all came from the same blueprint of personality traits. Try going to a AA meeting, most are in community centers, or other places, but you will hear some of the real answers to questions you are asking.

My Mother in Law was a very active AA member, where you are with peers, who know whats happening, know the things you may be going through, and also will not let you snow them, like friends and family. Can't hurt to give it a try. May be the best decision of your life. And your families life as well. I wish you good luck, and will pray for you to find the right decision.

um..yeah...
I believe addiction.(Ya'll know already, I drink too much) of any kind, a disease of the body, mind, soul...