Alcoholism Support Group
Alcoholism is the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages, even when it is negatively affecting your health, work, relationships and life. If you think alcohol is causing you to lose control, it's time to seek help. Our group is a safe place to vent, check in, get back up if you fall, and reach sobriety.
I read this book by that smoking guy Allen Carr and he wrote that as alcohol is an addictive substance then everybody who drinks alcohol is an alcoholic. So is everybody an alcoholic? Is there anyone who can really give or take alcohol? Or does everybody crave it after the first one?
I do sometimes wonder in meetings whether the reasons that I can relate to people is because they are describing what it is like to be human rather than desciribing something that separates us from the main stream. Has anybody ever taken somebody to an open meeting and that person has said that they could relate to nothing that was said at all?
I do sometimes wonder in meetings whether the reasons that I can relate to people is because they are describing what it is like to be human rather than desciribing something that separates us from the main stream. Has anybody ever taken somebody to an open meeting and that person has said that they could relate to nothing that was said at all?
Like Lyn said, some folks drink heavily for years socially or culturally but can give it up without a second thought. Others find there's a serious problem when they're teens. My foster-relatives in Italy drink wine with dinner and often a glass at lunch but none are dependent. They can stop at one or two without the Greedies kicking in or the Mr. Hyde taking over.
My normie BF comes from a whole line of oddly normie people who don't smoke or use drugs. A few will have a beer or one glass of wine on special occasions. It's unusual these days to meet people who aren't taking anti-depressant AND who don't self medicate!
How does one define "alcoholic." The Docs say anyone who drinks knowing that bad things can result, is an alcoholic. The illness is also progressive, so if a person does not think they are an alcoholic at any point, they can keep drinking. If they are an alcoholic of my type, their life will get worse, never better, over any considerable period of time. Unfortunately, I was the last person to notice my life was getting worse. That also seems to be a common symptom.
I know alcohol effects me differently than most people. I have tried to buy a drink for a date and she has replied, "Oh NO, I can feel the first one." With a non- alcoholic, once they feel the effects, you cannot twist their arms hard enough to force them to drink another.
For me, when I have a drink or two and feel the effects, you cannot twist my arm hard enough to keep me from drinking more.
I knownothing about addiction. All I know is that it was 1,000 times harder for me to quit smoking than it was to quit drinking.
The big book says this about delusion:
"The delusion that we are like other people, or presently may be, has to be smashed. We alcoholics are men and women who have lost the ability to control our drinking."
I believe I lived in that state for many years until I admitted I had a problem. I was victim of the delusion that I was controlling my drinking, telling myself that I lived in a culture where it was socially acceptable to drink heavily (which is partly true). Deep down however, I had a nagging dull itch that something wasn't quite right.
Then came the terrible period of trying to give up the drinking. I had admitted I was an alcoholic and I knew it was messing up my life, however I did it anyway, repeatedly. So would this be classed as denial? Self knowledge availed me of nothing.
I always thought this to be the peculiar mental twist, the lack of perspective etc. But perhaps it can also be classed as denial? That said, a couple of my relapses did involve me believing that I was controlling my drinking again and could continue to do so, so again, I guess that was the delusion not being 100% smashed.
I think I was also the victim of the delusion that I could keep myself sober off my own volition. I believed that lie, till I finally surrendered.
I haven't taken a drink since.
For me, the entire program of AA has been about 2 things:
1) Finding a way to stay away from the first (and therefore subsequent) drinks.
2) Finding a way of living sober that doesn't end up in utter turmoil and unbearability.
I may be being a pain here but Huw your image is so anoymous and average, your avatiator is the image of average so how can you say that we are not
Denial is you know you are lying but want everyone else to think it is the truth. You will not admit the truth.
Great that you brought that up Dave. Treatment centres.... grrr.....
I think the majority of alcoholics in AA came into AA because drinking had caused them (terrible) problems. They could not longer get away with drinking with impunity. Their problems had started to pile up on them and the disease had progressed to near deadly stages.
Very few come through the doors with a smile on their faces, put it that way.
So conversely, there must be so many alcoholics out there still drinking simply because the consequences haven't started to affect their lifes too strongly. You could argue that, to an extent, they are getting away with their active alcoholism. Often referred to as highly functioning alcoholics.
Alcoholics without the power of choice, nonetheless.
So perhaps it is actually the consequences that bring us into AA, not the disease itself. Very few have the insight to come in early on, why would they if they live in a state of delusion and life isn't showing them otherwise?
Would you still be drinking if you were "getting away with it"?
I suppose that is why we are called ex-problem drinkers, us alkies.
Before a spiritual awakening - yes
After a spiritual awakening - no. I wouldn't swap the happiness and serenity I have now for the world.
Only people that look like frogs are alcoholics :-)
Oh, and HP sauce bottles, naturally.
In real life I'm much uglier than that avatar, it is actually very flattering. I think I actually look a bit like Jack Black.