Alcoholism-The Very Worst of All
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Alcoholism-The Very Worst of All
Of all the possible ills I submit that alcoholism or drug addiction is the very worst. Worse than cancer, worse than other mental illnesses, worse than anything else. Cancer can kill you and it can be painful (even though they can help with that) but how many cancer patients have folks standing around and saying, "That fellow's worthless. Always been a loser. He did it to himself!" How many illnesses go on and on until the person ends up in a sort of slavery, his or her whole life consisting of making sure somehow that there will always be that one next drink or fix? How many illnesses result in the gradual death of the spirit, or the soul? Of loneliness, isolation, shame, self hatred? How many illnesses can result in jail, the break up of homes and families, the loss of everything except that bottle standing on the shelf, the needle in the drawer, the pill bottles stashed away?
Despite all this, there is one thing to be thankful for. There is a road back. A long, long road. The illness cannot be "cured" in the usual sense but there can be recovery. It takes guts and usually help from others but it's there- for everyone. :ghug3
W.
Despite all this, there is one thing to be thankful for. There is a road back. A long, long road. The illness cannot be "cured" in the usual sense but there can be recovery. It takes guts and usually help from others but it's there- for everyone. :ghug3
W.
Last edited by wpainterw; 03-07-2011 at 05:58 PM. Reason: Change type size
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You may think alcoholism is "The Very Worst of All" - perhaps because alcoholism is what you know inside out?
Perhaps cancer, and many of the the other illnesses, are not so much easier at times?
I'm just thinking here... maybe I know your condition a little (why I'm here), but truly, can we say we have any idea about the others?
Perhaps just a similar mood: you feel yours most intensely.
Have a peaceful night if possible.
Perhaps cancer, and many of the the other illnesses, are not so much easier at times?
I'm just thinking here... maybe I know your condition a little (why I'm here), but truly, can we say we have any idea about the others?
Perhaps just a similar mood: you feel yours most intensely.
Have a peaceful night if possible.
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You make some interesting points wpainterw. I don't know about "better" or "worse" though.
I think an interesting parallel is with people who lose a limb. People who lose limbs often feel pain in their absent limbs, and it is only with a lot of work and thought that they finally come to terms with it. A subconscious "absent limb voice" like our "alcoholic voice" that causes great pain. We will never get our "limb" back either - if we try it is a fasttrack to the keeper and causes great pain to ourselves and others... Anyway, I'm just starting out but quite like this analogy!
I think an interesting parallel is with people who lose a limb. People who lose limbs often feel pain in their absent limbs, and it is only with a lot of work and thought that they finally come to terms with it. A subconscious "absent limb voice" like our "alcoholic voice" that causes great pain. We will never get our "limb" back either - if we try it is a fasttrack to the keeper and causes great pain to ourselves and others... Anyway, I'm just starting out but quite like this analogy!
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Originally Posted by wpainterw 
Of all the possible ills I submit that alcoholism or drug addiction is the very worst. Worse than cancer, worse than other mental illnesses, worse than anything else. Cancer can kill you and it can be painful (even though they can help with that) but how many cancer patients have folks standing around and saying, "That fellow's worthless. Always been a loser. He did it to himself!" How many illnesses go on and on until the person ends up in a sort of slavery, his or her whole life consisting of making sure somehow that there will always be that one next drink or fix? How many illnesses result in the gradual death of the spirit, or the soul? Of loneliness, isolation, shame, self hatred? How many illnesses can result in jail, the break up of homes and families, the loss of everything except that bottle standing on the shelf, the needle in the drawer, the pill bottles stashed away?
Despite all this, there is one thing to be thankful for. There is a road back. A long, long road. The illness cannot be "cured" in the usual sense but there can be recovery. It takes guts and usually help from others but it's there- for everyone. :ghug3
W.
Despite all this, there is one thing to be thankful for. There is a road back. A long, long road. The illness cannot be "cured" in the usual sense but there can be recovery. It takes guts and usually help from others but it's there- for everyone. :ghug3
W.
Dont get me wrong, I realize that this disease is frustrating to the medical field and at times some whom work in this field my feel they are enableing the alcoholic--which I admit would be a challenging situation for all parties involved.
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haennie:
Of course it is always hard and perhaps a little presumptuous to opine about which illnesses may be the "worst" when one has not had all those possible illnesses. Yet I submit that there is one thing about alcoholism which may differ from all the rest or nearly all the rest. Lingering social stigma leading to shame and guilt on the part of the sufferer, denial and loneliness. Although social attitudes are gradually changing, there is still on the part of some folks a tendency to impose a stigma on alcoholics similar to the way lepers were viewed in Biblical times. With this difference, however- unlike lepers alcoholics are sometimes viewed as responsible for their own condition ("He did it to himself!"). And this is in fact true to an certain extent. Someone had to do the drinking or drugging. Guess who? Can this be said of cancer? (Well maybe lung cancer and yet even that differs inasmuch as smoking never caused a car accident and killed another person although it sure can kill the smoker). Mental illness leading to suicide? Here the Middle Ages demonzed this one too but, again, like lung cancer, suicide by definition kills only the sufferer.
So at the end of the day it may well be that alcoholism and drug addiction are the only illnesses which carry with them overwhelming shame, guilt, denial, loneliness, isolation, and often social disapproval, disapproval which, due to some voluntary components, may in part be justified. Finally, cancer can in many cases be cured or arrested by submitting to medical treatment. It remains doubtful that alcoholism or drug addiction can be arrested or guided into recovery without the determination on the part of the patient to engage vigorously in a program of recovery. If he or she justs sits back and expects others to do it all it just won't work.
W.
Of course it is always hard and perhaps a little presumptuous to opine about which illnesses may be the "worst" when one has not had all those possible illnesses. Yet I submit that there is one thing about alcoholism which may differ from all the rest or nearly all the rest. Lingering social stigma leading to shame and guilt on the part of the sufferer, denial and loneliness. Although social attitudes are gradually changing, there is still on the part of some folks a tendency to impose a stigma on alcoholics similar to the way lepers were viewed in Biblical times. With this difference, however- unlike lepers alcoholics are sometimes viewed as responsible for their own condition ("He did it to himself!"). And this is in fact true to an certain extent. Someone had to do the drinking or drugging. Guess who? Can this be said of cancer? (Well maybe lung cancer and yet even that differs inasmuch as smoking never caused a car accident and killed another person although it sure can kill the smoker). Mental illness leading to suicide? Here the Middle Ages demonzed this one too but, again, like lung cancer, suicide by definition kills only the sufferer.
So at the end of the day it may well be that alcoholism and drug addiction are the only illnesses which carry with them overwhelming shame, guilt, denial, loneliness, isolation, and often social disapproval, disapproval which, due to some voluntary components, may in part be justified. Finally, cancer can in many cases be cured or arrested by submitting to medical treatment. It remains doubtful that alcoholism or drug addiction can be arrested or guided into recovery without the determination on the part of the patient to engage vigorously in a program of recovery. If he or she justs sits back and expects others to do it all it just won't work.
W.
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In many ways I agree, but I also believe that alcholics and drug addicts have the chance to greatly affect their survival. They can choose to live a drug and alcohol free life, while a cancer patient cannot make that choice.
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I certainly don't think it's the worst disease--it's one of the few that can be successfully managed. AND it's the only one I can think of where you can actually be "better" and healthier after treatment than you were before the disease manifested itself.
It DOES probably inflict more harm on innocent third parties than other diseases.
It isn't good when ANYONE suffers.
It DOES probably inflict more harm on innocent third parties than other diseases.
It isn't good when ANYONE suffers.
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Lexiecat: I guess by the "worst" I was speaking from the patient's perspective. But even from that perspective, as you say, a patient may expect a good chance of recovery by following a program of treatment and recovery. This is not true at the present time for some kinds of cancer or other illnesses like multiple sclerosis, Down's Syndrome, autism, and various genetically caused illnesses. So I agree with you, the grim aspects of alcoholism and drug addiction are offset by the prospect of recovery, if the patient takes an appropriate approach to achieving that. Also I have omitted disabilities such as those resulting from combat related injuries, which may be remedied only in part by artificial means.
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Last edited by wpainterw; 03-08-2011 at 10:35 AM. Reason: typo
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I think the severity of ANY disease is solely based on the person's mental ability and energy to fight said disease. Where one person may be struggling and dealing with sobriety -another may not need the same after care and have the same mental anguish.
Where one cancer patient is down and losing hope and the will to live -another will not give up and will fight with every knowledgable power they own.
I don't think any one disease is worse than the other -I think it is a mental state of 'dealing' with the disease...knowing what outcome you want and doing whatever it is to get there.
All diseases have the possibility of taking your life. But one good thing about alcoholism (if there is one) is that the alcohol WILL leave our bodies after detoxing and cancer can go into remission -but they both share psychological healing for the rest of the person's life.
I've had one Aunt pass on due to complications brought on by her drinking. But both of my Grandmothers, 2 Aunts, a cousin (recently) and a dear friend -have passed from cancer.
I'm not really sure if the pain I'm going through is comparible to the pain and loss of these family members. But I do understand your thought process on this.
Just saying.
Where one cancer patient is down and losing hope and the will to live -another will not give up and will fight with every knowledgable power they own.
I don't think any one disease is worse than the other -I think it is a mental state of 'dealing' with the disease...knowing what outcome you want and doing whatever it is to get there.
All diseases have the possibility of taking your life. But one good thing about alcoholism (if there is one) is that the alcohol WILL leave our bodies after detoxing and cancer can go into remission -but they both share psychological healing for the rest of the person's life.
I've had one Aunt pass on due to complications brought on by her drinking. But both of my Grandmothers, 2 Aunts, a cousin (recently) and a dear friend -have passed from cancer.
I'm not really sure if the pain I'm going through is comparible to the pain and loss of these family members. But I do understand your thought process on this.
Just saying.
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I have a friend who has been diagnosed with rectal cancer and is undergoing many treatments and has lost a lot at a young age. He is defintitely going through recovery, similiar to yours and mine. I hope everybody goes through recovery some point in their lives, it's the best thing for your soul.
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Emerald Rose: What you say is true but I'd like to add that the distinguishing feature of alcohol or drug addiction is not only the mental and physical anguish but the way society has always tended to stigmatize the addict. This heightens the burden, increases the guilt, the shame, the loneliness, compounds the difficulty of staging a recovery. If a person has cancer, does society make that person ashamed for being that way? Even, as I say, lung cancer ostensibly caused by smoking. Is the shame and social isolation the same with the smoker as with the person who drinks and drugs? Alcoholism has been called "the lonely disease". And with good reason. Given enough time, it will eat your very soul and leave you in slavery alone with a bottle or a needle. As the poet said, "The nightmare- life in death was she...."
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