Another absolutely incredible article on the TERM "Alcoholism"
 

Coming from a family of hardcore AA'ers (and I love many aspects ofAA, dont get me wrong. This isnt about AA, but more about society)... This perspective was a revelation of obviousness...

Hi, my Name is Holly. And I'm NOT an Alcoholic*. (*Because there is no such thing.) ? HIP SOBRIETY

It's one way of looking at things. Not one that jibes with my experience, or with which I identify, but that doesn't make either of us wrong.

Her mode of expression is a bit strident and inflexible for me -- just like people with certain contrasting viewpoints can be.

I gotta be honest, I dont call myself a recovering alcoholic, I used too but not these days.

Her style of writing, for me, is neither here or there... But her very important points are pretty revelatory, the way she wrote it aside.

How its a poisonous addictive substance and how we view "alcoholism" in our world... How we make it about our own weakness, our flaws...

When in fact no ones body was designed to process that stuff well.

We dont expect people to get together and do lines of coke as a normal thing, do we?

I am just talking about, SURE, looking at our own flaws, okay,.. But ALSO give a fair amount of scrutiny to the fact that its a toxic substance which is dangerous to use for ANYONE, and that for those of us who fell into a major bottomless hole with it ... Shouldnt be surprising in the least because of the NATURE OF WHAT ALCOHOL IS.

I am not angry at society at all, its more about how sane this perspective is that she presents.

Its far more sane than accepting 100% of the blame for being weak and flawed for becoming addicted to, say, cocaine... when you were raised to believe doing lines of cocaine all day is normal and even neccesary for a good life! (I am trying to show the absurdity by inserting the word cocaine there instead of the word WINE, or beer).

there is a horrible stigma attached to the label ALCOHOLIC. And I dont know if it hurts or helps revocery from the addiction to it. I just dont know.

And to add... I read this and immediately posted it from a very innoent place. Today has been a very difficult day for me. I am trying to stay REALLY connected here and to my sobriety today because I am in a danger zone.

If this article turns out to be too controversial here, I will delete it.

It was interesting for me to read, is all. And I am desperately trying to remain sober today, so I am doing a lot of reading, and posting. Dont really know what else to do.

In a lot of physical pain today, and can do nothing but stay in bed.

if not labeling yourself an alcoholic helps you not drink, good on ya!
im an alcoholic that has recovered from the hopeless state of mind and body.
and through the work i put in, i dont care what anyones opinion is of me for calling myself an alcoholic.

Exactly, whatever works WORKS simples.

(please forgive me if anything i say sounds "off" ... emotions today are a seriously wild ride, and not particularly fun)

I certainly dont have a low opnion of those who call themselves Alcoholic, in fact QUITE THE OPPOSITE. Its pretty flippin brave ... It takes an insane amount of pain (usually) and self honesty to pry oneself away from the drug, and to admit one has a severe problem.

I call myself Alcoholic, in fact.

I am not talking about PEOPLE, alcoholics or not, I am talking about the psychology in our culture is all.

Anyway, I completely support the way anyone needs to do this, if the way they are doing it is helping them stay sober... I support you 100%. (unless, in doing so, its harming someone else, obviously).

Don't you guys know that the affliction is now refered to as alcohol use disorder? :)

Thanks for the post and the article, herculana.
Really, really interesting and reflective of how I view my own journey regarding alcohol.
I believe that, while there are common points, everyone's experience with alcohol is different and complicated.
Whatever works, I say.

And, as RuneStone stated, the term alcoholic is not used clinically any more. At least, I don't think it is. Perhaps others can answer that it more forcefully
Alcoholism is now desinated as alcohol use disorder, and alcoholics are either alcohol dependent or alcohol addicted.
I use either term when posting here, depending on how I feel.