ACT10Npack

I can't really understand why alcohol/drug but more with alcohol problem is look down more than food/smoking(not so much)/depression/anger/ADD and others in the public. Everyone have some type of problem in there life and people can see pass it but when it comes do alcohol then everything is different.

Any thoughts on this?

yeahgr8

Who looks down on it? Addiction is addiction, whether it be food, sex, alcohol, drugs...i think it is unfair to expect people to be able to relate to something they have no understanding of or have experienced themselves...my experience in sobriety is that if you have an understanding what is going on for you, i.e. have actually done some work on yourself and now know yourself which makes everything else clear and easy to explain, then it is very easy to explain, if you want to, to a non-addict...they won't totally understand but 9 times out of 10 won't be judgmental either:-)

billsaintjames

Often the people who are judgmental about it are the ones who have serious problems themselves. My experiences with alcohol and marijuana were very similar in this respect. My "friends" who drank and smoked the most did so because they had convinced themselves that their substances were socially acceptable and their habits/addictions completely normal. They were offended by the thought of someone identifying their addiction and wanting to quit. In their mind, the new quitter was telling the other person "I'm better than you, you are an addict, you need help, etc."

Basically, I think that people free of alcohol/drug addiction are overjoyed to see a friend quit, while the addicts and false friends have a response of either anger or loud denial of their own problem. I'm sure there are also instances of an addict being inspired by someone else quitting, but I think more common than not an addict has to find it within themselves.

least

Maybe cause alcohol addiction affects more than just the alcoholic. That is, the toll on society, such as family break ups, lives lost due to driving drunk, lost production at work due to drinking... the list is long on the negative effects to others.

jamdls

I agree with Least, alcohol and drug addictions affect so many people beyond the addict/alcoholic and many people feel ( they don't know any better) that the addict/alcoholic chooses to drink/drug and destroy their lives and others whereas obesity, depression, etc are seen more as medical issues not choices.

Mark75

Yes, a couple, but a picture is worth a thousand words...



This is the face of addiction/alcoholism/self-will run riot that most people see or think of...

Anna

I agree with Least, too.

I understand that it's hard for others to understand alcoholism and that it's often perceived as laziness, weak character, etc. For those reasons, I never talk about alcoholism with co-workers and rarely with anyone outside of SR. I am not ashamed of who I am and that addiction is part of who I am, but I refuse to set myself up to be stereotyped in my public life.

EmeraldRose

I think simply its looked down on more because people are ignorant to it. Its easier to ignore it if it isn't directly affecting you and stereotypically has a stigma already attached to it. People, in general, visualize an old man (or woman) shuffling down the street, unkempt, empty bottle in hand, a bag of belongings draped over their shoulder. People are less to assume that it is you and I...the pharmacist and dentist...the cashier at your local grocer or the fireman that rescued your cat from a tree.
Drinking (drugs) obviously affects your behavior, food addiction affects for wasteline. It is more 'pleasing' to the eye to see someone suffering with food addiction rather than witness a drunk stumbling over words and vomiting on his shoes.
When I was fired, I thought the medical facility I worked for should have had a better understanding of the disease and offered me recovery and compassion rather than termination. They are a catholic based establishment and prayers are said 'alot' at meal times and even on shift changes. I chalked it up to ignorance and got over it, let it go...I knew I'd find what I needed and I did!

sailorjohn

You really can't separate the alcoholic/addict from the alcoholism/addiction, and let's face it, active alcoholics/addicts cause a lot of damage to others, not just themselves.

Genjen

I had a talk with my teenage son about drinking last night...he perceives it as weak that I have to go to meetings...he says to just quit. Well, I've been trying and I need the support...daily...I am realizing. I can't just "quit".

bellakeller

because when we're using, we suck.

1_day@_a_time

You are very fortunate to be able to have such a discussion with your son!

CONGRATS on doing so!

There is an abundance of information available for both of you to read, perhaps together, so he can obtain a better understanding of this disease.

1_day@_a_time

My experience has been very positive, people are almost always proud I am in recovery and give me nothing but support.

Stang

Because somebody under the influence of a cheeseburger doesn't generally make an a$$ of himself.

justjo

People will perceive what they want and judge who they want in all areas of life, particularly if it is not to their standards.
I dont think alcoholic or drug users are looked down to 'more' than other problems/addictions. It depends on what is affecting 'you' and how you perceive others are judging you at the time.
Who cares what other people think, remember all, head high, shoulders up and move forward. Luvya.
JJ

FrothyJay

Cause we're constitutionally weak, of poor moral character, and have pathetic hygiene.

LexieCat

My kids (college age) think it's "weird" that I go to AA (heh, their Dad had been going, and has been sober, since before they were born!).

The way I figure it, kids just have to think their parents are weird. It makes them happy.

EmeraldRose

LOL I've been called a dork & dweeb. But I'm a sober dweeb!
So it's all good!

MsCooterBrown

Least and Bill have said what I was thinking..but I also think that people that look down on addicts simply don't get it..never will get it. They can have a drink or two unlike us that have a drink or 12. I have been watching Heavy on A&E. This chick weighed 425 lbs and was talking about how hard food addiction is because you have to have it to live!

The way it is for me..goes both ways. Some people are proud that I no longer drink..some people are upset that I no longer drink. The ones that are upset are the ones that can not fathom how anyone can go a day without drinking. BUT I FEEL GREAT! It would be nice if everyone had a live and let live attitude.

stacylove

Well I wouldn't say this is true, now I don't believe this however some people believe there are worse addictions for example: sexual, porn, gambling, cutting, kleptomaniacs, overeating and more I don't care to discuss here. So it really depends on one's own interpretation. Isn't everyone an addict of some sort?