ArtFriend

Thank you Serenidad for posting that. I am not sure that I agree that things can never change. In the future, who knows, maybe there will be a way for people who today would become alcoholics to be able to safely drink. Genetic therapy? I dunno. What seems impossible today may be fixed in the future. We are only treating the symptoms of alcoholism today. Maybe in the future we can find the root cause (yet to be defined) and irradicate it.

And drinking does not cause alcoholism. If that were the case everyone would be an alcoholic

PurpleKnight

Yeah I like to know the black/white of everything, my mind likes everything nicely organised, and it can frustrate me when there are no definite answers to things.

Addiction is one of those categories, the solution can be black/white, but the causes are not just as straightforward!!

saoutchik

I think the reason that there is no comprehensive, effective treament is sort of contained within your initial post ArtFriend. It is a really complicated mixture of biological, physiological and social reasons.I guess that is why it makes no distincttions of social class, ethnicity or gender.

All that is beyond a simple pill or injection, for the forseeable future anyway

It's good to get mad sometimes as long you can channel the anger into something positive

freshstart57

What constitutes a cure for alcoholism? Beyond the trivial answer of being able to drink while not craving alcohol, what would a cure for alcoholism look like if it is not abstinence? Then again, drinking when you don't have a strong desire to do so seems like a silly proposition.

I get confused at this. We know that addiction is a physical dependency on a substance that is harmful, and consumption of this substance continues at the risk of valued qualities. What if the dependency disappears? Why does continued consumption of the substance at no cost form part of the cure definition?

ArtFriend

The "cure" I envision for alcoholism is to be able to drink in moderation if one so chooses. If you want to abstain, fine.

ArtFriend

And that would be??

Guys... I am really getting tired of people telling me what to be angry with or how to be angry. Let's all move on.

Fly N Buy

I listen to friends in rooms speak of wanting to have a couple drinks........Why can't I be normal and have 1-2 or dare say 3 drinks!?!?

I just simply don't understand this.........I wanted to get d-r-u-n-k!! You had to catch me pretty quickly to get me to blow a .08! What's the point?!?

I had to get beyond the obsession of alcohol controlling my life - Today, it does not. Tomorrow, maybe.......but I doubt it. I am in a state of neutrality when it comes to alcohol at this point.

freshstart57

I think this burning need for this type of cure makes it impossible by definition to achieve. It's a contradiction in terms, an oxymoron. The joke goes, 'If I could drink in moderation, I'd do it all the time.' And *whoopsie* there goes the moderation. It's that desire for moderation in the form of continued consumption that is formed from the addiction.

I have a feeling that this type of cure is only desired by those who are still dependent on it. Once no longer dependent, that cure looks much different. Alcohol, even before my addiction took hold, never did a good thing for me at all, and looking back, I would have to say my whole life would have been better with zero alcohol in it. From this point of view, I'd suggest, for me anyway, that the only cure that makes sense is effortless unconditional abstinence.

ArtFriend

You thinking in terms of alcoholism as it is defined today.

No...if I could drink in moderation without the need to continue I would enjoy that. I would like to have a couple dirnks and be done. Not stinking drunk. Again, this is a future possibilty. If I could eat a gallon of ice cream and not gain weight, why wouldn't I do that? Same thing.

ReadyAtLast

I agree with freshstart. When I was still drinking and in early sobriety I used to wish I could drink in moderation. I'm 2 plus years sober now and I don't want to drink at all - moderately or otherwise. My life is so much better without alcohol in it. It's not easy, it's been a long road, and still is at times, but it is so so much better without alcohol in it.

If a pill was invented today that enabled me to drink moderately would I take it? Absolutely not. There is nothing that drinking can give me or add to my life so it's easier to just not drink. So I totally agree that those who wish to seek to be cured and drink in moderation do still have a problem with it. But that's just my opinion

PurpleKnight

The fascinating thing for me is the concept of going beyond the point of no return, the fact my brain at one point was fine with 2 pints of beer at the weekend, and somehow that progressed and I now can't go back!!

It's like one of those zip tie thingys that only goes the one way and then can't be pushed back the ways!!

JoeCree

I respect that, and i'm not opposed to anyone who uses this as their salvation. I am a Christian and do worship Jesus (mainly on holidays), say my prayers before dinner and when i tuck my kids into bed. Maybe because i have already accepted Jesus as my saviour that I'm not just chucking another issue onto his lap. I feel alcoholism is self governed with self control - pure abstinence. Maybe God has given me enough strength to have will power? Afterall whatever i research whatever i choose is God's will anyways (in a roundabout way)..

Dee74

It's ok to vent and it's ok to be angry. I was angry for many many years about my cerebral palsy.

In the end I exhausted myself by smacking my head against walls, and I still had cerebral palsy.

I've gotten along a lot better once I learned to live with it...but I do understand your anger...it took me maybe 40 years to stop being angry

One thing you really can't do is let this anger make you drink. That would be a devastating decision AF.

It reminds me too that even if they had a cure for alcoholism, I'd still drink alcoholically. I know it.

There's more to alcoholism, as I see it than the physical. We need to address the mental aspect too.

So yeah - vent away.

But don't drink - you're worth more than that.

D

JoeCree

Artfriend: not cool! And no youre not allowed to go. I think you would be best served to understand why you have gotten so upset with responses to your post. Although not all answers might allign with yours i believe everyone in here is 100% caring.

MelindaFlowers

All of the above. I had a wonderful childhood, never abused, physically healthy, secure, honest, and caring person yet I ended up a severe alcoholic. I'll never know why. But I do know that alcohol and I don't mix. I know life is better without drinking.

Totally agree about the fact that alcoholism is cured with abstinence. Maybe cured is the wrong word but if I'm abstinent from alcohol the rest of my life alcohol will never reek havoc on my life again. What a relief! It won't damage my health either.

ArtFriend

The original intent of my OP is now lost.

ScottFromWI

Even so, there is a lot of good conversation and knowledge contained within. More often than not that happens in any forum of public discussion...and it is a good thing in my book.

ArtFriend

Agreed

Nonsensical

Yup, me too. I'd also like to throw a football like Peyton Manning, wake up next to Angelina like Brad Pitt, and sing like Justin Timberlake.

None of it's going to happen, so I try not to spend too much time dwelling on it. Lots of good things are happening if I open my eyes and look for them.

Soberwolf

D posted great advice