queenteree

I was talking with my AH this weekend about alcoholism. He gave me his analogy of how an alcoholic feels as follows:

You get in your car and head out for a long trip. Halfway thru the trip, you realize you need to get gas. You say to yourself, I have to stop and get gas or I'll run out. You're running on empty. You see a sign saying up ahead is a gas station. After that one, there's not another gas station for 60 miles. You know in your head that you should get gas, you don't want to run out of gas, but you drive past that station anyway. Thirty miles later, you run out of gas. You get mad at yourself, you knew you should have gotten gas, you didn't, and now you have to walk 30 miles to get gas, cursing yourself for being so stupid the whole way, and vowing that the next time, you'll know better and get gas. You put the gas in the car, start driving on your way again. Next thing you know, it's time to stop and get gas, don't want that same thing to happen again. Well maybe I'll drive a little further, I won't run out of gas yet. You keep driving, you're on empty, OK, I can go a little further. Oops, ran out of gas again and have to walk 20 miles to the next gas station again. Why am I being so stupid and letting this happen again? Next time, I'll know better, Yeah, right. When will I ever learn?

What's your take?
QT

denny57

I like it - it's the definition of insanity. What in our brain is telling us we'll make it with the gas we have? What are we denying? I believe the answer to addiction lies in the brain.

Cynay

That is an easy way of understanding it.

I have no doubt that the insanity of it plays a huge part in how they feel about themselves... heck, my insane behavior, that I keep repeating, give me a defeated feeling as well.