Redmayne

Good discussion, made up of constructive comment or criticism is always healthy provided it addresses the topic under consideration, whilst at the same time destructive comment or criticism, raised through ignorance or for the individual raising it to pursue their own 'hidden agenda' or 'ulterior motive' serves no purpose for anyone.

Anyway, that aside if there's is no truth in any of those things raised in my OP, regarding alcohol and alcoholism.

What's the truth in the following, often heard by myself and others at AA meetings,

' Alcohol gave me wings to fly,

Then it took away the sky.'

It couldn't just be, as said by the first 100 people who got sober who wrote the book 'Alcoholics Anonymous' that alcohol is, as they said,'cunning, baffling and powerful' could it ?

Redmayne

Just to clarify matters, whilst I'm more than willing to accept that alcohol per se, viewed in isolation, is not 'cunning, baffling and powerful'.

It's effect both physically and mentally on the human body is more than well documented. Not least mentally, where it interferes with the ability to think cognitively (truth and reason) impairing that ability in even 'normal' social drinkers...

Worse still, for those generally referred to as alcoholics, who have become addicted to alcohol and the small percentage of those, like me, born with alcoholism. It, as a drug, remains in the body long enough, to send messages to the brain, as to not only impair their ability to think cognitively but to develop cravings.Enough to develop the whole insidious, self destructive process that we, as recovering alcoholics know so well.

So whilst I'm more than happy to accept that those symptoms, cravings, etc. are centered in the mind, it is the effect of not only thinking, for an alcoholic, that they can drink with impunity, as they see others do but it's effect on them, cravings etc., when they do...which is perhaps why the consumption alcohol, and it's effect on the alcoholics mind and thinking together with its subsequent effects are viewed as 'cunning, baffling and powerful'.

Together with the fact that the only cure for this phenomena is, again as we all know, absolute abstinence, allowing the mind to function normally without the interference of the effects of a drug (alcohol) which permeates their ability to function rationally, to the extent it bankrupts them, physically, mentally and spiritually....you need a drug (alcohol)that's 'cunning, powerful and baffling' to do that to people. Otherwise common sense and he natural human instinct to survive otherwise would easily override, those effects...

MesaMan

My POV on this is based on a lot of International Travel, and digging into arcane Topics like the Single Malt Trade in Scotland ~150 years ago. I quit my 1.75 L 'Handle' of Vodka-every-2 days as they did in 'The Good Ole Days'.-) SR was absolutely pivotal in this Process.

So, further in-depth 'Contribution' from me would run this Thread further right off the Rails.

However, I'll watch it with interest...
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Redmayne

Time for me to disengage to, thank you to all who offered constructive criticism or comment, those who didn't, there are other forums y'know...