Alcoholism
For most, alcohol provides an excuse for friends to get together after work, to enjoy a toast on special occasions, a feeling of warmth and relaxation from time to time. Alcohol has become a part of American culture as much as hot dogs and apple pie. It has been used as a social tool that makes business deals, friends, and huge amounts of money for those who make and sell it. Somewhere along the line, though, alcohol became a crutch for many people, a means of surviving from day to day. It helped to erase the painful existence of one's life. These people, often referred to as alcoholics, have not learned how to deal with life on a day-to-day basis without the assistance of their best friend, alcohol.

The leading literature available describes alcoholics as "...subjects of King Alcohol, shivering denizens of his mad realm..." (Alcoholics Anonymous p. 151) E.M. Jellinek, an early pioneer in research of alcoholism, theorized alcoholism as a disease with specific causes, a predictable progression, and diagnosable symptoms. This progression is shown in his chart at the end of this paper. Most doctors, researchers, addiction experts and alcoholics themselves contend that alcoholism is a disease. Current research involving


alcoholism does, in fact, prove that alcoholism is a chronic disease with both genetic and biological factors.

The preamble of AA starts with, "Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope in recovery that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism..." AA is made up of voluntary members who could not quit drinking on their own. They go to meetings to recover from alcoholism and to rediscover themselves. Membership is free, and open to anyone who has a "desire to stop drinking." AA "has but one primary purpose-to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers." (Tradition Five, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions)



Another factor in alcoholism is the personality traits of people. Just as Parkinson's disease, Turret Syndrome, and Diabetes produce unique personality traits, so does the alcoholic mind. In his book, The Alcoholic Self, Norman Denzin described personality traits in alcoholics as:

Although these characteristics will generally vary from person to person, most people with these traits, coupled with excessive alcohol use, will eventually lead to alcoholism. In most cases, the environment acts as the trigger initiating the onset of the disease. These traits, which become magnified with the addition of alcohol, occur after the phenomenon of craving, even after the alcoholic is sober. What makes this disease difficult to diagnose is the fact that many people, alcoholic and normal people alike don't recognize the symptoms.