Originally Posted by
Learn2Live 
It is amazing to me how many people report these same issues. On SR we represent just a small fraction of those affected. Even knowing this, I tend to think, "It's me; there is something WRONG with ME. Why am I like this?" When in fact there are huge numbers of people who have these problems. Whether the problems reveal themselves as alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, or some other issue, I am beginning to believe there is something larger that all these things result from. I've no idea what that would be. Maybe that is what psychiatry is all about. Sometimes I am overwhelmed by it.
That is why I really love this site... alcoholism and addiction is extremely complicated and no two people are alike. However, all of us have a similar worldview and belief system that has been developed through all we have been led to believe is truth.
From a young age we have bombarded with images of alcohol that are glamorous and attractive when in fact, it is truly a poison even for those of us who are not alcoholic. I don't know a single person who says their lives have been greatly enhanced ever since they started drinking (or smoking weed, or taking pills etc).
Many of us have seen alcohol in our own families used as a way to "have fun, escape or just part of unwinding at the end of the day". It is what going home is to us.
Additionally we grew up in age that sells "better living through pharmeceuticals"... multi, multi, multi billion dollar industry. Drug development is always done with a bottom line as its biggest factor and even borderline drugs that may end up as lawsuit material have the numbers crunched before being pulled by the big pharma giants.
Are some drugs good? Yes. Are all drugs good... definately not. Are we over prescribed? Absolutely.
It is not 1904 when your doctor was your neighbor and your friend. Does that mean all doctors are bad? No, it means as consumers we need to do our homework and be involved in our own recovery from illness and from addiction.
Even in rehabs they rely often on medication... my husband titrated himself off against medical advice and he is very glad he did! He was being overmedicated based on previous diagnoses that were mistaken. (This rehab did know not to put him on benzos although a few years ago they were part of their regimen.)
This website is so helpful because it allows people to discuss their different experiences and the different philosophies of treatment of addiction. As we have experienced every type of treatment and every single addiction treating drug on the planet we found out what didn't work for my husband. In the end it was gettting off of all mind altering meds and getting firmly plugged into AA as well as his Christ centered recovery network.
Today he is having a PAWS day... benzos are a long road of recovery along with all the other chemicals he poured down his throat... but he knows it will pass and we all know he is experiencing it. Today we are full of hope because we know the day is coming when his brain fires on all cylinders and all the neural pathways are reconnected normally.
It is a good thing he had a lot of gray matter to begin with because he murdered staggering numbers of brain cells for many years.