Thanks for this educating, illuminating and informative post, so great it's a pleasure to respond to it!
It's said that alcoholism, which comprises, as I'm sure you know , of a mental obsession and a physical allergy, as opposed to addiction, to anything, being purely a mental obsession.
Is a Disease of Perception, not least because it's the only illness/disease that'll tell you, you haven't got it whilst at the same time killing you!
The obvious symptom then, common to both alcoholism, which is a disease/illness as opposed to an addiction to alcohol, is the problem is centered in the mental obsession which exists in the mind...or if you wish, the individuals sufferer's state of mind.
Personally speaking, I've found, in keeping with the suggested 12 Step program of recovery, given I suffer from alcoholism, my burgeoning interest in Stoic philosophy ( see the Stoicism Today website), which is linked to 'The Serenity Prayer' and forms the basis of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, of great assistance in progressing my recovery. In accord with those things you've referred to in your thread...examples of which might be,
'Man is not disturbed by things but his view (perception) of things' - Epictetus, along with Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, one of the great Stoic philosophers.
'What happened to you may not be your fault but it is your responsibility to think about it,' - William Knauss, one of the pioneers of Cognitive Behaviour.
No one comes into your life without their being there for a reason. Thanks for showing up!
