I hear this often and back in the day I seem to remember something like this.:))

The key for myself was getting educated on the illness finding out why I did the things I did.

What if you know why you do the things you do?

Education on the illness helped me some. Took some of the guilt away to realize it wasn't a moral issue but an actual disease. A symptom of the real disease.

Because I found out it was my thinking that got me trouble instead of the mind altering substances and my character defects was way out of whack.

Sounds very familiar Gim Sounds like an unenlightened rehab or maybe Mr Rodman as the saying go's. had cotten wool in his ears Know doubt He's different to all the other folks he met Hope the penny drops

Dennis Rodman is, and always has been, disillusioned. I feel sorry for him. Don't judge people, just imagine if your life was covered by the media. Pretty sure you wouldn't want everything you do or say to be published for others to criticize.

Good now he can get back to saving north Korea !!!

It seems a few of the comments have missed the point of the thread.
These are typical responses from anyone that's in denial and or not educated about the illness of alcoholism.

I agree with gjm but also understand that someone out in front of others may need to cover up what is really going on! You really never know with those in the spotlight. Let's just hope for him he is getting help! T

Totally understand I needed to cover up things I did for years as most of us did or still do. As for the vast majority in the "spotlight" doesn't act like people with a drinking problem.

I knew I was an alcoholic. That, in itself, did nothing to keep me from drinking.

What if you don't know why you do the things you do? Where do you go to find why?

54, To answer your question I had to get educated on alcoholism which lead me finding out the why.

Re reply #11, hi layla54 - hope the following may be helpful.

For a long time the evidence was all around me that my drinking was out of control and I knew deep down I was an alcoholic. Other members of the family had alcoholism too.

I could not understand why I did the things I did either until I reached out for help to other alcoholics who had recovered and started to understand how this illness affects me physically, mentally and spiritually.

Drinking in excess certainly makes no sense in the cold light of reason, does it? So the antidote for me was massive change after stopping drinking, with a lot of help.

That came for me through Alcoholics Anonymous but there are alternative routes to sobriety as well SMART recovery, Women For Sobriety, treatment centres etc. - whatever route you choose it will demand a strong commitment from you and a deep desire to be done with alcohol.

Oh yes, that was me for years too and I honestly did not think I was an alcoholic - I thought you had to be drinking in the morning and throughout the day to be classed as one. Talk about denial! Although I did grow up in England and have been in New Zealand for a few years and they both have a big drinking culture where it has been perfectly acceptable to be intoxicated on a night out.