Briar

In treatment I was taught (and I do believe) that it is a physical illness in that our brains respond to alcohol differently from other people. I learned a lot of science about it, which helped me feel like it wasn't my fault necessarily. But just because it isn't my fault doesn't mean it isn't my responsibility to control my behavior. I do believe that my brain is structurally different, and this can never be fixed, but I know that if I don't put alcohol in there, it stays in remission.

Does that constitute a disease? I choose to view it that way because it helps motivate me to manage it by focusing on taking care of myself. Ultimately, instead of debating if it's this or that, I think each individual should view it in the way that best helps them stay sober. Simple as that.

For me viewing it as a moral or spiritual condition was confusing and scary. The guilt did not motivate me to stop, it simply drove me into hiding where I drank even more. I truly believe that I need the disease model in order to view alcoholism as something I can control. But it's different for everyone.

I had great success with AVRT too. It works very well with the disease model.

dwtbd

"I had great success with AVRT too. It works very well with the disease model."

I had/have great success with AVRT also, but my take away was completely different. Alcoholism isn't something you 'have' , it's something you 'do'. And something everyone has the power to not do.

ardy

this ... is my Pop... "Alcoholism isn't something you 'have' , it's something you 'do'. And something everyone has the power to not do."

thank you for putting it up.. for this makes me sad .. but is so true.. it's something you 'do'..... love to you all so much from my heart...

Briar

I think this is really the beauty of AVRT. It's simple, easy to grasp, and works well with a variety of different belief systems.

Wholesome

Love this dwbtd! So true. I also believe that I stopped having alcoholism once I stopped drinking. What other disease is there that you can cure by not doing something?

Algorithm

So long as the disease model is not co-opted by the Beast, and does not become incorporated into your own Addictive Voice as yet another justification for further drinking or using.

ThatWasTheOldMe

Some people self-medicate legitimate mental illness. PTSD and schizophrenia for example. It's not like people wake up in the morning and say, "Ya know, I think I'm gonna be an alcoholic because that **** is ******* awesome."

BrendaChenowyth

I think I had PTSD because of childhood abuse. When I got sober last summer, things I'd suppressed for 24 years came up. I never dealt with them because alcohol helped me to avoid them.

So I have worked a lot of that out and come to terms with what happened to me. I'm not afraid of those memories anymore. So while I used to say I drank to stuff those memories down.. now that I don't need to do it for THAT reason any more, what reason can I use?

I will always find a reason and the truth is the reason I drink is because I'm an alcoholic. Alcohol is the heart of the problem. When you mix me with alcohol anyway. I can iron out all my issues and be in perfect mental and spiritual health and I'll still react to alcohol the same way I do.

Almalutz

People are not adicted to drugs, they are addicted to reality. The urge is too strong to control, even if you know the drug is causing harm.

dwtbd

I doubt there are any illegitimate mental illnesses, but self prescribing alcohol as medication would be unwise.

I describe alcoholics as people who find themselves drinking against their own better judgement , being in a state of ambivalence about their alcohol usage.
I know I didn't intentially choose to put , or find myself in a state of ambivalence or addicted to alcohol, but after continuing countless times to drink , I basically ended up there.
I got out by deciding to never again drink, a choice anyone can make.

BrendaChenowyth

Um. I'm addicted to alcohol. Hi.