WantsOut

I know, I know - it's the cornerstone of the 12-step system. Maybe I'm just really POed at exAH today, but I really have my doubts that alcoholism is a disease.

You don't need to take medicine or get an operation to cure it. The way to "arrest the illness" is to devote yourself fully to stopping. You can't do that with any other disease I know. You can't "arrest" malaria by attending meetings and deciding to stop sticking yourself with mosquitos.

Today I feel like it's all a bunch of malarky and my exAH and all those like him should just stop being such freakin irresponsible, selfish adult infants and grow the hell up already.

This is my angry, unfair, bitter rant for the day.

embraced2000

i love these threads.....it brings so much discussion and i always learn more everytime we throw this out there.

i'm grabbin a cuppa joe and gonna read......you will get lots of responses on this one....i never tire of this discussion.

Nuudawn

You go girl...you do seem to be on one today. Let 'er out and have a tear.

I am an alcoholic and truth be told I am very uncomfortable with labelling it a "disease"..."dis-ease" yes. It is definitely some sort of affliction as it's characterists afflict masses of people in same way. It is a spiritual sickness...this I believe. It is a disease of thinking...and the only way to get your thinking right is to remove the booze from the equation. It is a sickness of the soul...no doubt about that for me. Recovery is all about returning to the "natural state" ....and that's hard work after years of sick habitual thinking. It is a fear inspired ego run rampant...it is many, many things.

But go ahead and hate the word disease as its answer. It don't much matter what you call it...left to progress it kills...I suppose that defines disease.

Crumbs

I hear you. Although for whatever reason it is easier for me If I tell myself that this is a disease. I am not really sure what it is except that I know it has become a problem for me. Get angry, sad, whatever you need to do to get through your day.... I am here.

mallowcup

I acutally prefer it to be considered a disease. If it isn't a disease, they have alot of explaining to do. If it is a disease, I feel at peace with my participation in it.

Dolorosa

I agree, I don't like the word disease. Addiction sums it up. And both can be life-threatening. But putting alcoholism and drug use in the same category as, say, cancer...I don't like it.

parentrecovers

i think it's a disease, controllable by the alcoholic - if they chose to control it.

k

laurie6781

Wants:

Go ahead and vent. I understand totally. I have been in recovery a long time now, both from alcoholism, and as a codie.

When I got sober, I didn't know if it was a disease or not. I read up on it at the library (there was not internet way back then, roflmao).

Today, many years later I cannot say whether it is a disease or not, althought the AMA does say it is. All I know is I GOT IT, lol and I found a way to ARREST IT for almost 26 years now.

I do know that while I was in the THROES OF ALCOHOLISM my primary goal was MORE ALCOHOL and God help those that got in my way. I was a complete AZZHOLE with all who were still in my life. Alcohol became my MASTER and all else was erased from my mind.

It was not until I was dying and actually died that I personally realized that I did WANT to live. It was only then that I became WILLING to do whatever it was going to take to TRY to abstain from alcohol.

You go ahead and vent. At 3 years sober, even though I was an admitted alcoholic, I was right where you are now. And boy was I pi**ed!!!! It was then that my AA sponsor STRONGLY SUGGESTED that I get my butt to Alanon. Boy was she 'right on' with that call.

With time and more HARD WORK on me I was able to come to grips with my anger at the "ISM" of the alcoholism. The I, Self, Me of the affliction.

So vent away, and get to some meetings, lol.

I do understand totally where you are at! It will pass in time.

Love and hugs,

denny57

It doesn't matter what I think.

There are some great threads on this if you wanted to do a search. I believe one is a sticky.

I do know that an upside of staying in this argument is I would get to remain angry at the addict for not being able to kick it on his own, and that way I don't have to work on myself. How cozy is that? LOL

WantsOut

denny, this isn't about me absorbing information, this is about me ranting like a child that the world has been unfAaaaaIIiiir to meeeeeeeeeeee! Whaaaaaa! lol

embraced2000

i used to get really ticked when someone would compare alcoholism to a disease such as diabetes....well, i have diabetes. and i don't get arrested for public high glucose levels, or driving under the influence of glucose, or domestic violence because my sugar is too high and i'm p!ssed, or yada, yada, yada.

lol....ooooohhhhh i'd get so bent out of shape about it. i have hundreds of choices to make daily about my diabetes....ones that can help me stay healthy, or ones that can hurt me. i take very good care of myself. it's a choice.

and i would think.....yup alcoholism is a disease. and it should be the most easily curable disease......JUST STOP DRINKING.......bingo....it's gone. no more alcoholism.

and by logic, that should be true.

but......i too think it is an emotional sickness. why else would anyone choose to stay in active alcoholism??????

i can't believe that alcoholics would actually want to be the way they are.

denny57

note to WO: see cynay's thread today on needing to be a victim.

LOL!!!

mallowcup

I don't think it's a good idea to come here and admit that you are running around with an illegal blood glucose. Can you imagine being pulled over for a manditory one touch? "I'm sorry mam, we're going to have to take you in, you're reading a 160".

embraced2000

awwww but mallow, my dear.....i never have a glucose that high....i make sure of it!!!! lololo

and a big bonus......i've lost muchly fat!!!

now.....the matter of getting p!ssed and confused when my bs is too low....that may be another story......sorry officer, my bs is low and that driver ahead of me was driving too slow so i just rammed them in there arse! so what's the problem???? they needed a nudge, for crying out loud. quit picking on me.....i have a disease.

laurie6781

R O F L M A O

Thanks Mallow, as a diabetic, in addition to being a sober alkie and codie, lol I sure needed that this morning.

That was priceless. Just sent it to my 1/2 sister who is also a diabetic and sober alkie, lol.

I swear the longer I am sober the more warped my humor becomes.

Again thanks I needed that one. lmao

love and hugs,

p.s. my sister loved it also!!!!!

Astro

You can call it a disease, an illness, sickness, addiction, whatever you're comfortable with. Personally I don't believe I can arrest it just by stopping. It's a progressive disease, the insanity continues even when we stop drinking, and it takes much work and effort to "subdue" the illness.


I agree, and there are some who really are trying to do just that. Being an infant is tiring to me.


Only one for today? I myself might need more;-) Thanks for starting my day off with a dose of reality, WantsOut!

came2believe

Being an alcoholic, I personally am fine with the label of disease.

In meetings I sometimes hear it compared to being an insulin-dependent diabetic. They depend on insulin shots every day to survive. We alcoholics depend on our meetings, our higher power, and our stepwork to survive. Both diseases are eventually fatal if not treated.

EDIT--Someone mentioned this! LOLOL Well, I do make choices each day to manage the disease of alcoholism. I go to meetings, call my sponsor, read the BB. HOWEVER--I cannot explain the instant of surrender that got me into AA. I wish I could. It was a moment of clarity--an epiphany. If I could give that away to people, I would. I wouldn't even sell it. I'm sorry, I wish I had the answer....

I think alcoholism is a physical allergy/tendency combined with a mental obsession, an emotional disorder where one is compelled to numb out all feeling, and a spiritual bankruptcy. All 4 aspects of a person are involved. And that's why I think it is such a tough and frustrating disease!

And I can only speak for myself, but in many ways, I AM an adult child. I am a case of arrested development. The more I work my AA program the more I grow up. They say we are emotionally at the point where we first got hooked on the drunkenness. For me that's age 10-1/2. Adding my 14 months of sobriety still doesn't even quite get me to age 12. Slow, slow, slow. But it's better than staying 10-1/2.

I'm sorry things are getting stressful, I'll keep you in my prayers. xoxo

TimTim

Wow theres some really good stuff said in here. I find it easier to just think of it as a disease. I've been 21 for a few mnths now and I have gone out to bars like maybe 6 times. All I have to say is that once I started drinking I honestly couldnt stop. Now, how do you explain that? I never had one drink until my 21st Birthday and even that night there was no stopping me no matter what my friends said.

Its like it is preprogramed. I guess thats why they call it a disease.

Zoey

Have you all read "Under the Influence" ? That might help to understand how it sneaks up on many.

TimTim, some are instant alcoholics, don't mess with it. Claim to be somebodys designated driver and drink coffee or Canada dry with lime.
Truthfully you are someones driver (yourself)

LiLL

I believe my AH has no control over his drinking once he starts. My AH admits that too. I also believe he has only limited control over the “first drink”. Apparently he doesn’t believe that. After each binge, he’s so confident that “this time” he has learned the lesson, and that he can definitely refuse the impulse to drink when it comes. So there’s no need to work a program.

He has attempted quitting drinking for two years, and can go on days or weeks without drinking, then always ends up taking another “first drink”. When I asked him why he took that stupid first drink again, he would reply “I don’t know”. I used to think “yeah right!”. Now I do believe he’s telling the truth!