dreamr

You could very well be right, jdooner. I tend to try to see the best in people and assume they just love debate as much as I do and aren't trying to one-up anyone.

I don't have experience with AA, but from what I know about it, it's not a good fit for me. That being said, I know it's a blessing to the majority of people here and I believe that it's one of God's instruments for helping people, even if I disagree with a lot of it.

Joe Nerv

Sorry but IMO that sounds like bs in order to try and make or prove a point. If it's a disease, why bother fighting it? If you were diagnosed with another disease, you'd just lay down and die? Maybe you would, I don't know you. Also, how does the flip side of that coin suddenly grant power? Just because something is a disease doesn't mean we can't do anything about it. Either way I had power to do lots... Go to a detox, a rehab, go to AA, get into the steps, get aftercare, try new things, etc. How does anything change if someone suddenly comes to the conclusion, "Hey! This isn't a disease after all!" ?

Whether it's a disease or not is another thing that really doesn't matter to me. I know from pharmacology courses I took in college that some people processs alcohol differently than others, but I always wrestled with the disease concept. For me it has absolutely zero to do with whether or not I pick up another drink. Not sure why people put so much importance on this stuff, but if it helps them stay sober I don't really have issue with it. Only thing I've come to realize I take issue with is when someone insists there's a right and wrong way to get and stay sober. If it works and you're content with your life, it's the right way.

All my opinion, and I'd have phrased the bs thing differently if I were more awake. Not looking to incite anything here. I'm on yer side as I believe we're all in this together. And I believe you enjoy and welcome this type of response anyhow.

MIRecovery

This thread needs to be put out of it's misery. Anytime spent is time you will never get back

dreamr

Not sure I enjoy being told my statement is bs, but I get your point.

You don't have to believe me, but thinking it was a disease honestly was an obstacle to my sobriety. It made me feel that instead of having the freedom to make a moral choice, I was a helpless victim who was destined for the fate of alcoholism and forced to be deprived, unlike normal people. That made me resentful toward God, which made me say "screw it all then", which took away my desire to quit drinking.

dreamr

So stop reading it.

caboblanco

god bless us..everyone

spryte

This is not the 12 Step Forum. This is the alcoholism forum.

This is exactly what we are supposed to be talking about. We all have problems with alcohol.

What does that mean to you?

The 'disease concept' of AA is not the only concept. Whatever way of thinking about it motivates you to quit, is a good way of thinking about it.

But I think there is a large group of people who silently question that concept, not to be controversial, and not to diss anyone who believes in the allergy / disease concept, so at ease AA soldiers.

They question it because they want to get sober! And find a way of thinking about things that clicks in their mind.

mick3580

I agree with this completely. The allergy concept is part of the way aa describes alcoholism. Doctor Phil has his description, dr. Drew has has, oprah has hers, many therapists and psychiatrists have theirs. I fit best with aa's description of alcoholism. These conversations are helpful for people who are confused about why they they can't control their drinking and why they can't just not drink. I can disregard the term allergy, but I do I have to remember that something happens to me physically when I drink that does not seem comparable to ehat most other drinkers experience.

spryte

You seem to have found something that clicks with you! That is awesome

For me the part of AA that really clicks is the progressive nature of alcoholism. They really hammer that home, and that really sticks in my mind. I believe it to be true, it jives with my experience, and it is a motivator.

mick3580

Yes. It hits home with me too. Every time I stopped drinking and started again, it was worse. It didn't always start off worse, but it always ended up worse. If it didn't progress, I would never have wanted to stop.

dox

I used to have trouble with the allergy explanation outlined in the Big Book.
Now I concentrate on the solution offered in the Big Book.
The purpose of Big Book is stated clearly.
No doubts about that.

jkb

Just wanted to add that my uncle is this way also. Cant even take a sip of the stuff.

And that I too had to let go of the disease/allergy idea in order to get/maintain any type of sobriety. But it works for lots of people and I don't judge anyone else's sobriety.... or how they make it work.

Interesting topic though....

Jess

foodie1

^^^This^^^

Semantics kept me drunk for many years.

Peace.

Raufoss

Thanks to Drew for spinning this out into a new thread.

Apologies for poor grammar - I was tired when I made some earlier posts.

It sounds like one poster's brother is truly allergic to ETOH. Lucky man. The rest of us, not so much. I'm glad the analogy works for some of you (hi Mick), but it's just that -- an analogy. We aren't truly allergic to alcohol.

Markdad3

This sounds like a my dad can beat up your dad kinda of discussion. Interesting to hear the different perspectives however.

ClearMind

What's funny is that alcohol is in fact a poison.. whether it is an allergy or not, it is not a natural substance to be consuming. There's a reason our body goes into overdrive once it's consumed, attempting to rid it from our systems as quickly as possible.

jaynie04

My therapist is actually allergic to alcohol. She's 52 and got into big trouble with drugs and alcohol in college. When she was 22 she suddenly developed a very serious allergy to alcohol. She is an addiction specialist and is honest about her "past addiction". She is very keen on AA and the 12 steps, and has encouraged me A LOT to go. I have over a 30 year history in the program because of my mother so I am working through some unusual stuff.

I assumed that she was active in the program and when she mentioned meetings I asked her if it would be weird if I bumped into her at a meeting. She said "I don't go, remember I developed an allergy". I found that really confusing because she is an addiction specialist and a big proponent of AA. I would have thought that even though she could not physically drink because she had developed an allergy that she would have still integrated the bigger experience of what the 12 steps means into her life. I guess what I am caught in is if she does believe in the program it is way more than just not drinking. I guess I will ask her Thursday, I didn't want to look like I was looking for holes in her story but it did confuse me.

katiedid722

It's figuratively speaking I believe, he's talking about what happens MENTALLY after we take the first drink. Quit thinking so hard!

Carlotta

LOL I never broke out in handcuffs but every morning, looking at my empties I'd be scratching my head.

Pete55

OK, so it seems by now, the "allergy" part of the dilemma to alcohol is not agreeable by all, yet accepted by most.
To reiterate, "allergy" may also be summed up as an "abnormal reaction" ?