When confronted about my drinking problem I used to say, "I don't have a problem drinking." I had a serious problem and my denial only kept me in the alcohol prison. If you're trying to help a loved one, make sure you're doing the right things to help them by visiting Codependency-Test-Definition. I'll use my story and documented stories of others to show you there's hope. You could be the drinker or the desperate family member, struggling to stay afloat and find a safe harbor...I've been both. I guess I learned about drinking before I was aware, from my Dad. Most days He'd just have a few beers after work. Often, we never knew when or why, he'd come home drunk or follow the beers with whiskey and here it would come; blame, cussing, violence, beating, breakage, passing out, regret and self-loathing. A pattern I swore I would never duplicate, but the pattern was set. I experimented in my teens, getting as drunk as I could. As a young adult. with a regular income, I drank daily. I was hooked. Of course, as many did in the 70's, I added every other drug I could get, for that extra kick. To learn more about alcoholism, try these recent top-selling books on alcohol addiction recovery.
There are many theories about the causes of alcoholism. They're all theory! Genetic causes, sugar cravings, alcoholic parents, poor diets...none of them is fully supported by the evidence. My cause was simple; I liked to drink, a lot! For 20 years of drinking, I blamed me. I've learned, since, that everyone is born in an 'empty' condition. We crave things to try to fill that void; alcoholics crave alcohol, others crave money, food, power, etc. How we try to satisfy that craving makes all the difference. If you're like I was, booze was the ticket.
Of course, alcohol doesn't fill the void, it just dulls the emptiness for a while, and makes an even bigger mess of our lives in the process. The first recorded story of an alcoholic took place about 4,000 years ago. A guy named Lot went on a 2-day binge and impregnated both his daughters, then didn't remember it. For me, it's not what I don't remember that bothers me. I remember hurting, breaking, stealing, using and abusing everyone in my path during my twenties. Throughout history, the behavior of alcoholics is notorious. Our reputation for poor judgment, stupor, staggering, poverty, violence and mocking is recorded in ancient poetry and wisdom books dating as far back as 3,000 years ago. In the same books, alcoholic beverages are regarded as a blessing, suggesting that then, as now, many were able to drink in a disciplined manner and avoid the problems. This brings up the age-old question...
"Am I an alcoholic?" No one can answer this question for you. Visit Alcoholism Signs-Self-Test to explore this question. I'd like to suggest a simpler test: If you genuinely ask the question "Am I an alcoholic?" you already know the answer. Yes! Until we admit we have the problem, nothing can be done to solve it! There's power in that first step!
It's popular, today, to regard alcoholism as an incurable disease. That way, we can avoid our responsibility and expect others to accept our condition as a "disability", provide us treatment and clean up our messes. That kind of thinking closes the door to receiving any possible cure for our condition. None of the genetic research, experimental drugs, psychological therapy or dietary programs have produced a cure rate much higher than that of those quitting without help. What if you could be free of alcoholism, cured, no longer craving the substance, without costly medicine, hospitals or counseling?
You can! When AA began, 75 % of those participating were enabled to quit and given a new life. They didn't rely on the "12 Steps" for their cure...the 12 Steps taught them to rely on God to heal them. Yes, God! He's the only one who can fill the void that caused our craving. There's nothing you've done that makes you any less deserving of God's help than I am. The only question is...do you want it? If you do, just click on God's Help!
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