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So I decided to read the book Under the Influence. While it is a very technical book, I am in awe of the science behind alcoholism. All I can say is WOW. It makes me feel so bad for my ABF because I KNOW hereditarily speaking, he was set up for this dang disease. His mom, I suspect is an alcoholic, but deems herself as just 'liking' to drink. Her dad was an alcoholic. My ABF's dad's dad was an alcoholic as well as several of his uncles. They are all from the mid-west where beer is seemingly drinken by ALOT of the inhabitants. One thing that struck me while reading is the following passage:

Like acetaldehyde, the isoquinolines suppress the enzyme which is responsible for deactivating many of the brain amines. The isoquinolines also release stored brain amines In mice, they can aggravate alcohol withdrawal symptoms For alcoholics, the isoquinolines have one characteristic which makes their other properties pale in significance. They are astonishingly like the opiates, and researchers suggest that they may act on the opiate receptors in the brain, thus contributing to the addiction of alcohol.

Especially the last line about alcohol acting on opiate receptors in the brain. My ABF isn't currently taking any opiates, but he has been addicted to opiates in the past. I keep trying to explain to his mom that he has just replaced his addiction to opiates with alcohol. Here, in this book, seemingly is MY answer that YES, my ABF needs some serious help to get COMPLETELY sober. Sigh. His mom, I feel, is relieved that he won't possibly die in the *immediate* sense like when he was on the opiates, but she and ABF don't realize that alcohol may kill him in the long run.

Just thought I would share that passage with anyone who can relate.