Alcoholism - Addiction or Illness?
Discussion
Following a discussion I had recently, it seems that many people who are alcoholic are now considered to be ill rather than addicted to a drug, no different to any other substance dependence such as heroin or tobacco IMHO.
Is it just a sign of the bleeding heart times where an alcoholic is told that he suffers from an illness rather than a self-inflicted addiction?
What do you think?
Is it just a sign of the bleeding heart times where an alcoholic is told that he suffers from an illness rather than a self-inflicted addiction?
What do you think?
Indeed it is an illness inasmuch as the person who has it is unable to control their craving for alcohol. It's often linked with depression, the only thing that makes them feel better is a drink.
Treatment is the same as other addictions, leave them alone, don't enable them to continue, wait til they've sunk as far as they can, with any luck they will want to get better then and either they will or they won't.
A oerson very close to me had this problem for quite a long time. Better now though, thank goodness.
Treatment is the same as other addictions, leave them alone, don't enable them to continue, wait til they've sunk as far as they can, with any luck they will want to get better then and either they will or they won't.
A oerson very close to me had this problem for quite a long time. Better now though, thank goodness.
taldo said:
in my experience its a selfish self inflicted condtition. not an illness. this is of course in my opinion.
I would suggest that very few people become addicted to something by choice - perhaps tobacco being the obvious exception. Alcohol and many other drugs can be taken without addiction, but there are other factors that can cause a person to become addicted to something. It need not be that the something in question has to have physically addictive properties, as the psychological effect can be just as strong.Where someone is addicted to something such that it is beyond their control I would say that it is very definitely in the realms of illness, and should be treated as such.
taldo said:
in my experience its a selfish self inflicted condtition. not an illness. this is of course in my opinion.
Do you have experience? I have extensive experience of it. It starts off as a selfish, self-inflicted condition and there is a period during which the proto-alcoholic could stop, but is too selfish to do so. If he doesn't stop, then it becomes an illness that cannot be cured. The only way to relieve the symptoms is never to drink again. Fortunately, the two people I have seen succumb both managed after several horrible years during which they were nasty, people I would not have ever wanted to know, to stop drinking. tank slapper said:
taldo said:
in my experience its a selfish self inflicted condtition. not an illness. this is of course in my opinion.
I would suggest that very few people become addicted to something by choice - perhaps tobacco being the obvious exception. Alcohol and many other drugs can be taken without addiction, but there are other factors that can cause a person to become addicted to something. It need not be that the something in question has to have physically addictive properties, as the psychological effect can be just as strong.Where someone is addicted to something such that it is beyond their control I would say that it is very definitely in the realms of illness, and should be treated as such.
Ok, dumb question coming. Why is Alcohol addictive, what properties in it cause this. Is it a specific chemical or is it a chemical that is released by the brain on consumption of Alcohol. Never quite understood this, with any other ingested drug, nicotine, heroin etc the effects are universal and 90+% of users will become addicted but with alcohol it is only a small number of drinkers that become addicted.
Answer on a postcard please or alternatively just rely to the post
Answer on a postcard please or alternatively just rely to the post
Zod said:
taldo said:
in my experience its a selfish self inflicted condtition. not an illness. this is of course in my opinion.
Do you have experience? I have extensive experience of it. It starts off as a selfish, self-inflicted condition and there is a period during which the proto-alcoholic could stop, but is too selfish to do so. If he doesn't stop, then it becomes an illness that cannot be cured. The only way to relieve the symptoms is never to drink again. Fortunately, the two people I have seen succumb both managed after several horrible years during which they were nasty, people I would not have ever wanted to know, to stop drinking. taldo said:
Zod said:
taldo said:
in my experience its a selfish self inflicted condtition. not an illness. this is of course in my opinion.
Do you have experience? I have extensive experience of it. It starts off as a selfish, self-inflicted condition and there is a period during which the proto-alcoholic could stop, but is too selfish to do so. If he doesn't stop, then it becomes an illness that cannot be cured. The only way to relieve the symptoms is never to drink again. Fortunately, the two people I have seen succumb both managed after several horrible years during which they were nasty, people I would not have ever wanted to know, to stop drinking. chimera40 said:
Ok, dumb question coming. Why is Alcohol addictive, what properties in it cause this. Is it a specific chemical or is it a chemical that is released by the brain on consumption of Alcohol. Never quite understood this, with any other ingested drug, nicotine, heroin etc the effects are universal and 90+% of users will become addicted but with alcohol it is only a small number of drinkers that become addicted.
Answer on a postcard please or alternatively just rely to the post
The short answer is that it alters the way your brain chemistry works. A longer answer is here (pdf).Answer on a postcard please or alternatively just rely to the post
There is a theory that alcoholics have an allergy to alcohol. They have an unusual physical reaction which is triggered by that first drink.
A craving for more develops.
A normal person reacts to alcohol as he does to broccoli. He can take it or leave it. An alcoholics' life revolves around when he is going to get his next drink. Anything and everyone else is secondary to this obsession.
A craving for more develops.
A normal person reacts to alcohol as he does to broccoli. He can take it or leave it. An alcoholics' life revolves around when he is going to get his next drink. Anything and everyone else is secondary to this obsession.
Depends on your point of view.
Having had close proximity to family who died through stromach cancer due to heavy years of prolonged drinking and another with alcohol induced alzheimers I would tend to think that alcoholism is an illness.
Yes it has a massive addictive component but what lies underneath is often deep rooted messed up psychological illness and very poor coping mechanisms trigged by a raft of different things.
And in response to the comment that you cannot stop being an alcoholic...
It is quite simply untrue and perpetuates a myth and falacy that destroys any hope of escape. People stop becoming alcoholics every single day - not in the 'I'm Dave it it's been 10,000 days since I've had a drink' way, but actually stopped thinking about and needed drink in the first place. i.e. they move away from 'managing' their illness to being rid of it once and for all.
As with many addictions, once you overcome the chemical dependence, there is no reason to be an addict - it's the psychological dependance that needs to be then addressed and once the psychological triggers are addressed and resolved the addicion stops.
Having had close proximity to family who died through stromach cancer due to heavy years of prolonged drinking and another with alcohol induced alzheimers I would tend to think that alcoholism is an illness.
Yes it has a massive addictive component but what lies underneath is often deep rooted messed up psychological illness and very poor coping mechanisms trigged by a raft of different things.
And in response to the comment that you cannot stop being an alcoholic...
It is quite simply untrue and perpetuates a myth and falacy that destroys any hope of escape. People stop becoming alcoholics every single day - not in the 'I'm Dave it it's been 10,000 days since I've had a drink' way, but actually stopped thinking about and needed drink in the first place. i.e. they move away from 'managing' their illness to being rid of it once and for all.
As with many addictions, once you overcome the chemical dependence, there is no reason to be an addict - it's the psychological dependance that needs to be then addressed and once the psychological triggers are addressed and resolved the addicion stops.
drivin_me_nuts said:
Depends on your point of view.
Having had close proximity to family who died through stromach cancer due to heavy years of prolonged drinking and another with alcohol induced alzheimers I would tend to think that alcoholism is an illness.
Yes it has a massive addictive component but what lies underneath is often deep rooted messed up psychological illness and very poor coping mechanisms trigged by a raft of different things.
And in response to the comment that you cannot stop being an alcoholic...
It is quite simply untrue and perpetuates a myth and falacy that destroys any hope of escape. People stop becoming alcoholics every single day - not in the 'I'm Dave it it's been 10,000 days since I've had a drink' way, but actually stopped thinking about and needed drink in the first place. i.e. they move away from 'managing' their illness to being rid of it once and for all.
As with many addictions, once you overcome the chemical dependence, there is no reason to be an addict - it's the psychological dependance that needs to be then addressed and once the psychological triggers are addressed and resolved the addicion stops.
Your comments are those that I can relate to the most of those posted on here.Having had close proximity to family who died through stromach cancer due to heavy years of prolonged drinking and another with alcohol induced alzheimers I would tend to think that alcoholism is an illness.
Yes it has a massive addictive component but what lies underneath is often deep rooted messed up psychological illness and very poor coping mechanisms trigged by a raft of different things.
And in response to the comment that you cannot stop being an alcoholic...
It is quite simply untrue and perpetuates a myth and falacy that destroys any hope of escape. People stop becoming alcoholics every single day - not in the 'I'm Dave it it's been 10,000 days since I've had a drink' way, but actually stopped thinking about and needed drink in the first place. i.e. they move away from 'managing' their illness to being rid of it once and for all.
As with many addictions, once you overcome the chemical dependence, there is no reason to be an addict - it's the psychological dependance that needs to be then addressed and once the psychological triggers are addressed and resolved the addicion stops.
I stopped drinking 9 years ago after a slow (20 year) decline into alcoholism.
I started as a regular drinker, developed into a heavy drinker but could still take it or leave it and eventually my life revolved around drink and the need to have one.
During the process of slowly waking up to my situation (during which I was drinking) I spoke at great length to my GP and also to a Psychiatrist and a physciatric nurse as I was also suffering from depression and this seemed to come and go and had been doing so for many of years.
Eventually it dawned on me that the booze was my way of self-medicating and I was trying to hide from the real issues. Meanwhile I was diagnosed as bi-polar. I stopped drinking and then the slow repair process started.
The good news is that my mental health is now considerably improved (pretty normal actually) and I don't drink as much as a lifestyle choice as a fear of retreating to my former dark days.
There's many a time I'd love to enjoy a drink or two but the potential price is too great and I've now got two beautiful young children who I intend will never see their Daddy drunk (and abusive). I'm also now enjoying cars, track days etc too much and could never do that when I was on the booze.
I envy those that are able to enjoy alcohol but please don't be-little those that can't.
Its not laziness, lack of moral fibre, or any suchlike. Its an awful, dark, lonely place and the sufferer is as ill as a person suffering from any 'traditional' illness you care to name. The link to physciatric/physcological illness is also common. Recovery is a slow and continuous process for most and unfortunately many take two steps forward and nearly two back.
I've been lucky and been able to get myself to a better place - if anyone else reading this is suffering then just don't give up and don't let ill-informed ignorance get you down.
TIPPER said:
Your comments are those that I can relate to the most of those posted on here.
I stopped drinking 9 years ago after a slow (20 year) decline into alcoholism.
I started as a regular drinker, developed into a heavy drinker but could still take it or leave it and eventually my life revolved around drink and the need to have one.
During the process of slowly waking up to my situation (during which I was drinking) I spoke at great length to my GP and also to a Psychiatrist and a physciatric nurse as I was also suffering from depression and this seemed to come and go and had been doing so for many of years.
Eventually it dawned on me that the booze was my way of self-medicating and I was trying to hide from the real issues. Meanwhile I was diagnosed as bi-polar. I stopped drinking and then the slow repair process started.
The good news is that my mental health is now considerably improved (pretty normal actually) and I don't drink as much as a lifestyle choice as a fear of retreating to my former dark days.
There's many a time I'd love to enjoy a drink or two but the potential price is too great and I've now got two beautiful young children who I intend will never see their Daddy drunk (and abusive). I'm also now enjoying cars, track days etc too much and could never do that when I was on the booze.
I envy those that are able to enjoy alcohol but please don't be-little those that can't.
Its not laziness, lack of moral fibre, or any suchlike. Its an awful, dark, lonely place and the sufferer is as ill as a person suffering from any 'traditional' illness you care to name. The link to physciatric/physcological illness is also common. Recovery is a slow and continuous process for most and unfortunately many take two steps forward and nearly two back.
I've been lucky and been able to get myself to a better place - if anyone else reading this is suffering then just don't give up and don't let ill-informed ignorance get you down.
A very interesting read, thank you for sharing. I stopped drinking 9 years ago after a slow (20 year) decline into alcoholism.
I started as a regular drinker, developed into a heavy drinker but could still take it or leave it and eventually my life revolved around drink and the need to have one.
During the process of slowly waking up to my situation (during which I was drinking) I spoke at great length to my GP and also to a Psychiatrist and a physciatric nurse as I was also suffering from depression and this seemed to come and go and had been doing so for many of years.
Eventually it dawned on me that the booze was my way of self-medicating and I was trying to hide from the real issues. Meanwhile I was diagnosed as bi-polar. I stopped drinking and then the slow repair process started.
The good news is that my mental health is now considerably improved (pretty normal actually) and I don't drink as much as a lifestyle choice as a fear of retreating to my former dark days.
There's many a time I'd love to enjoy a drink or two but the potential price is too great and I've now got two beautiful young children who I intend will never see their Daddy drunk (and abusive). I'm also now enjoying cars, track days etc too much and could never do that when I was on the booze.
I envy those that are able to enjoy alcohol but please don't be-little those that can't.
Its not laziness, lack of moral fibre, or any suchlike. Its an awful, dark, lonely place and the sufferer is as ill as a person suffering from any 'traditional' illness you care to name. The link to physciatric/physcological illness is also common. Recovery is a slow and continuous process for most and unfortunately many take two steps forward and nearly two back.
I've been lucky and been able to get myself to a better place - if anyone else reading this is suffering then just don't give up and don't let ill-informed ignorance get you down.
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff