Thanks for that post. I think it's very true. I have never thought of my drinking as a "disease" and I don't really believe that it is in the true sense of the word and you're right, if you feel it is a disease and beyond your control, I think you are more apt to feel hopeless about it and that it is just your destiny, instead of being able to be in control of it. Thanks for sharing that with us and for always wanting to help whomever wants it. :)

Our disease is the only disease that tells us we don't have it. Drs Opinion and pg. 417.

I'm not fighting, just giving my opinion. I really like a lot of what you said. =)

"Our liquor was but a symptom. So we had to get down to causes and conditions." P. 64 BB

Great post. I was brought up in an alcholic home where we pretended we were ok. Upper middle class, student council,sports etc. But we were hiding our family secret which ended in the suicide of my father. We learned not to cry or show our feelings. Recovering from all this will be the key to my recovery. Its so hard to truly show feelings, you have to look like you have everything under control. Thanks for posting!!

what a great post.I always like to hear what I don't want to hear.For me and me only, I choose to believe alcoholism is a disease. This is what helped to to seek help, and I have in AA. once "I" realized there was a solution, I have been able to work towards being happy, joyous, and free.One day at a time.Thats what works for me. thanks all.

Thanks for the kick in the pants. Kim =)

I drank because i LOVED drinking.. Did that make me an alcoholic? No..
For me, the "absence" of a sense of responsibility for the consequences of getting loaded might have bothered e at some point in my drinking. But i would just drink and drug right on through that too. Did i feel hopeless over the effects of alcohol on me... hell no.

Did i ever have control of my drinking.. I think so..for about 5 minutes once !
Many people that come to AA are not alcoholics and thus do not need the kind of help and support of such an organization.
I am that way when it comes to drugs.
I put it down and Nancy Reaghans program worked for me. Just say no!
And i haven't had a desire nor a mental obsession about it since.
Booze on the other hand was a different cat..
When i would drink, I had no idea how long I was gonna drink for. I didn't know when the blackouts would happen (2 drinks , eight drinks whatever)..
I just knew that I loved the effects of alcohol on my spirit.
It was not until I was told by an aunt of mine at the age of 13 that I was even aware that a lot of the men in our family struggle with booze. My aunt told me to go to AA if booze ever became a problem for me, just like my twin cousins did before me.
Those twins woudl have celebrated 30 years sober together this Sunday except one of them passed away a few weeks ago.
Those guys showed me how to reconcile my life thru the 12 steps of AA. They never told me I was an alkie because of my alkie father or grnadfather..
They just showed me by their example what AA did for them..
These two guys sobered up in two differnt jails on the same night and felt they were done drinking after 40 years of it.. They experienced jails/ institutions / hospitals. near death experiences..
The twins got sober in AA when AA did NOT care about your FEELINGS..
They cared if you recovered from the effects of this disease.
They showed countless other skid row drunks how they too could get some hope and dignity back in their lives..
They were taught how to clean up the wreckage of their past.. And believe me you, if you are a REAL alcoholic of my tyrp, there is plenty of wreckage that needed to be cleaned up and there was a lot of support and guidance needed by me to be able to do that.

Not every one needs AA nor do i think the 12 steps are for everyone..
They just happened to have been presented to me by my Aunt ( non AA and non alanon at that) because she cared enough to tell me the truth.

I am forever grateful for that day..

I amforever grateful to AA and those that taught me how to reconcile my life and become a useful member of society.
I amforever grateful that I was given an popportunity to grow into a relationship with the God of my understanding at such a young age.
Fir without the 12 steps,and specifically step NINE,, I would never have been given the opportunity to help my mother in law, when she was dieing from Lou Gehrigs disease, make the amends in her life that were filling her with resentment and shame for so many years.
i was able to do this before she lost her voice and she was able to tell my wife how sorry she was for blaming her (9 yrs old at the time) for her fathers affairs..

I owe that to AA and the process of the steps.
I am grateful for the friends I have made in AA that have walked with me in times of joy and carried me in the tough times..

There are giants in AA and I am blessed to be related to two of them.

Many on this board are well respected members of AA I suspect. They carry a message of hope for some sick puke like me when i need a mental uplift.
So I say to them, please stay here and help a sick puke like me to not go back to a state of "dis"ease.

God bless
botbotcoco
www.londonppbbs.com

To share or not to share...somewhere we did not have a choice. I believe I drink because it is the only way I can understand myself. I suppose this is not a good way to start a new community...but it;s my first.

welcome Glenlarri.

I buy into the "disease model" but let me qualify that. I think lots of people (including non-alcoholics) drink to alter their moods. It just so happens that some people (alcoholics) react differently and become quickly addicted. For them it is most important to understand *why* they were drinking so they can stop. I'm working on that now and learning a lot about myself.