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Post by Roselyn T on Sept 5, 2015 2:00:40 GMT -5
Maryhig, as I have said I know the effects of alcohol on family, I understand there comes a time that the only answer is to walk away for everyone's safety, but we still have to understand it is a disease & that people who have mental illness use it as an escape sometimes.
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Post by maryhig on Sept 5, 2015 2:02:10 GMT -5
Maryhig, as I have said I know the effects of alcohol on family, I understand there comes a time that the only answer is to walk away for everyone's safety, but we still have to understand it is a disease & that people who have mental illness use it as an escape. Do you believe that all alcoholism is a disease?
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Post by Roselyn T on Sept 5, 2015 2:03:13 GMT -5
Yes I do
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Post by maryhig on Sept 5, 2015 2:07:17 GMT -5
Sorry, I don't agree with that. I don't that see all alcoholics as having a disease. I understand that some people have problems that their alcoholism stems from. But alcohol, like nicotine is addictive. And if you consume too much, you become addicted. Regardless of whether you have a disease or not!
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Post by Roselyn T on Sept 5, 2015 2:11:54 GMT -5
Not everyone that drinks alcohol becomes an alcoholic. I believe it is more addictive to some people than others.
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Post by maryhig on Sept 5, 2015 2:15:55 GMT -5
Not everyone that drinks alcohol becomes an alcoholic. I believe it is more addictive to some people than others. Maybe so, but that's not always the case. You can also become hooked from consuming too much too regularly. It's an addictive substance. It's not an illness like diabetes!
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Post by Roselyn T on Sept 5, 2015 2:30:02 GMT -5
It is only an addictive substance to some people. I can have a drink every night of the week, but that doesn't mean I will become addicted to alcohol, I don't crave alcohol during the day like alcoholics do. I can have one drink and stop at that, alcoholics cannot just have one drink.
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Post by Roselyn T on Sept 5, 2015 2:57:33 GMT -5
maryhig, please understand I am not trying to make excuses for alcoholics, I understand the trauma of living with an alcoholic, the lengths they will go to for a fix, the family that comes second to alcohol, the way they will hide things to try & cover-up, how they get to the point that they become children themselves & expect their own children to be the adults. How they manipulate things to get what they want, how we can see that they are destroying themselves but they have stopped listening, and do not want to help themselves.
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Post by blacksheep on Sept 5, 2015 9:36:50 GMT -5
Alcoholism can be compared to cancer, in that two individuals can be exposed to a carcinogen on a daily basis, and one of them will develop a cancer while the other one will not. There is a genetic propensity involved, and if there is a family history, one must be aware of their own potential problems.
The problem with alcoholism is that it is looked upon by so many as a moral weakness with shame attached, and many families are reluctant to alert their offspring that they have a familial propensity (or even an ethnic tendency) for the disease, whereas with cancer, they are quick to advise their offspring to get regular screenings.
Of course, if a person never ingests alcohol, he will not develop alcoholism. This is why it is necessary for parents who are aware of alcoholism in the family line to discuss it with their children. When the attitude is passed on that the alcoholic is somehow morally deficient rather than a victim of a genetic condition, drinking becomes viewed as a challenge. "I can handle it even though uncle Willie ruined his health and family, because I'm a stronger person!"
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Post by rational on Sept 5, 2015 9:42:25 GMT -5
Some may have a alcoholic disease, I don't know about that. But the people I know got addicted by starting with drinking socially and then progressed to having a few at home, to being hammered every night and blaming everyone else. Theres no excuse for getting to a state where you are abusing your family. Can you consider the possibility that some people are genetically prone to addiction and the social drinking that eventually leads to alcoholism is partially the result of that genetic trait?
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Post by bluejay on Sept 5, 2015 9:56:24 GMT -5
So @wally, does the same idea "face what you are" stand with people who have mental illness ? I agree with Wally and Virgo regarding addiction, although also i believe some types of mental illness aren't something you can just give up as your sick. But others such as alcoholism you can, it's hard, but it can be done. I've lived with an alcoholic, and growing up I've been around another member of my family who was addicted to alcohol and its a living hell. I understand that with some people, there are underlying issues. And I feel Sorry for them. But for others there isn't and I'm afraid that just saying they can't help it is wrong, especially, when their family are suffering. I'm afraid that the person who's sits getting drunk and abusive every night, needs to do just that "grow some guts" and face their problems, firstly by admitting they have a problem! For the sake of themselves and their families! The alcoholics I've known had no underlying issues, they started with the odd glass which went to two, and ended up on bottles and cans every night. I'm afraid they were selfish. Although that's not the same for everyone. But it's true in the cases of the people I lived with and around. And for those of us, who believe in God, I believe that God gives us the strength to overcome. With faith, prayer and fasting we can overcome addiction and God can give us the help to do so. maryhig, I agree with your thought about about admitting they have a problem. My experience has shown me, though, that they first need to understand that they have a disease called addiction. That simply facing their problem alone does not give them the tools to change their behaviors. Physical addiction is a very real thing -- the body craves the substance, and people will (and do) go to ANY length to ease the discomfort of that craving. Addiction is a three-fold disease. It affects the addict on a physical, mental and spiritual level. A program such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous enables the sufferer to move from dependence on a substance to freedom, one day at a time. There is a great amount of work involved to become sober, and that's where the "pulling up the socks" comes in to play. But until they deal with their physical addiction they are simply unable to change, even if they want to. Addiction is a very insidious disease, and what starts out as recreational or occasional use of the poison of their choice can easily turn in to an addiction. However, I am fully aware of the horror and pain that goes with living with an addict. When an addict is "in the disease" they do behave in a irrational, selfish, harmful way to others. And anyone who "ended up on bottles and cans every night" is depending on that physical high. I too believe whole heartedly that God can and does give us the strength to overcome. I also believe that God uses groups such as AA & NA be His hands on earth. For anyone who has been affected by alcoholism, I strongly recommend reading the "The Big Book". The 12 steps are guides that I believe all humans can use to live a better life, and the personal stories at the end show in great detail how an addict falls under the spell of addiction. My Bible and my Big Book, for me, are my guide to living life. I am not, nor have ever been, addicted to alcohol or drugs. But once I was introduced to the Big Book by a friend fighting addiction, I immediately recognized the wisdom in it's pages. Just my thoughts this morning .......
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Post by bluejay on Sept 5, 2015 9:58:59 GMT -5
Alcoholism can be compared to cancer, in that two individuals can be exposed to a carcinogen on a daily basis, and one of them will develop a cancer while the other one will not. There is a genetic propensity involved, and if there is a family history, one must be aware of their own potential problems. The problem with alcoholism is that it is looked upon by so many as a moral weakness with shame attached, and many families are reluctant to alert their offspring that they have a familial propensity (or even an ethnic tendency) for the disease, whereas with cancer, they are quick to advise their offspring to get regular screenings. Of course, if a person never ingests alcohol, he will not develop alcoholism. This is why it is necessary for parents who are aware of alcoholism in the family line to discuss it with their children. When the attitude is passed on that the alcoholic is somehow morally deficient rather than a victim of a genetic condition, drinking becomes viewed as a challenge. " I can handle it even though uncle Willie ruined his health and family, because I'm a stronger person!" Bingo. I could not have said it better.
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hberry
Senior Member
Posts: 743
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Post by hberry on Sept 5, 2015 10:32:02 GMT -5
Some may have a alcoholic disease, I don't know about that. But the people I know got addicted by starting with drinking socially and then progressed to having a few at home, to being hammered every night and blaming everyone else. Theres no excuse for getting to a state where you are abusing your family. Can you consider the possibility that some people are genetically prone to addiction and the social drinking that eventually leads to alcoholism is partially the result of that genetic trait? In my brother's case, whose father had been an alcoholic and many relatives on his dad's side of the family tree were also, it might have been helpful to my brother to have been told that for him, drinking at all would be a very bad idea. At least he would have known that his genetic forebears had been unable to handle alcohol--not that any of us tend to learn from history, especially as teenagers.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2015 11:20:39 GMT -5
Fortunately our society now is beginning to understand that mental illness is not something that can be cured by the patient "pulling up their socks" and getting on with life. It is a medical condition that often requires medication before any self help can be initiated. And an addiction is brutally difficult to overcome. unfortunately the only way to get someone on medication is for them to "pulling up their socks" face their condition and move forward getting on medication is self help...
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Post by maryhig on Sept 5, 2015 11:27:50 GMT -5
I agree with Wally and Virgo regarding addiction, although also i believe some types of mental illness aren't something you can just give up as your sick. But others such as alcoholism you can, it's hard, but it can be done. I've lived with an alcoholic, and growing up I've been around another member of my family who was addicted to alcohol and its a living hell. I understand that with some people, there are underlying issues. And I feel Sorry for them. But for others there isn't and I'm afraid that just saying they can't help it is wrong, especially, when their family are suffering. I'm afraid that the person who's sits getting drunk and abusive every night, needs to do just that "grow some guts" and face their problems, firstly by admitting they have a problem! For the sake of themselves and their families! The alcoholics I've known had no underlying issues, they started with the odd glass which went to two, and ended up on bottles and cans every night. I'm afraid they were selfish. Although that's not the same for everyone. But it's true in the cases of the people I lived with and around. And for those of us, who believe in God, I believe that God gives us the strength to overcome. With faith, prayer and fasting we can overcome addiction and God can give us the help to do so. maryhig, I agree with your thought about about admitting they have a problem. My experience has shown me, though, that they first need to understand that they have a disease called addiction. That simply facing their problem alone does not give them the tools to change their behaviors. Physical addiction is a very real thing -- the body craves the substance, and people will (and do) go to ANY length to ease the discomfort of that craving. Addiction is a three-fold disease. It affects the addict on a physical, mental and spiritual level. A program such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous enables the sufferer to move from dependence on a substance to freedom, one day at a time. There is a great amount of work involved to become sober, and that's where the "pulling up the socks" comes in to play. But until they deal with their physical addiction they are simply unable to change, even if they want to. Addiction is a very insidious disease, and what starts out as recreational or occasional use of the poison of their choice can easily turn in to an addiction. However, I am fully aware of the horror and pain that goes with living with an addict. When an addict is "in the disease" they do behave in a irrational, selfish, harmful way to others. And anyone who "ended up on bottles and cans every night" is depending on that physical high. I too believe whole heartedly that God can and does give us the strength to overcome. I also believe that God uses groups such as AA & NA be His hands on earth. For anyone who has been affected by alcoholism, I strongly recommend reading the "The Big Book". The 12 steps are guides that I believe all humans can use to live a better life, and the personal stories at the end show in great detail how an addict falls under the spell of addiction. My Bible and my Big Book, for me, are my guide to living life. I am not, nor have ever been, addicted to alcohol or drugs. But once I was introduced to the Big Book by a friend fighting addiction, I immediately recognized the wisdom in it's pages. Just my thoughts this morning ....... Hiya bluejay I agree with most of what you have written and thank you it's a good post. I'm not saying that every person who's an alcoholic doesn't have problems, or that some people don't have it running in families. I'm sure it does. I'm trying to say that it isn't the case for all people. I'm going to try and explain myself because it's hard in writing I just don't believe that every person who's an alcoholic has an illness or a disease that causes them to be an alcoholic. I believe, (as in my ex husbands case), social drinking can also take control. It's an addictive substance and social drinking can also cause alcoholism if you go to far. My ex husband started be having a few pints with his friends most nights before we started dating, then when we got married he started having a few cans at home. I was only very young and didn't realise that it would turn into a problem. He drank because he enjoyed the taste, and he enjoyed relaxing we a few beers. It slowly started to get worse. I believe the alcohol made him mentally ill in the end, he would experience paranoia and his personality changed. He wouldn't accept he had a problem. And carried on, even though he was hurting his family. But I had known him from he was young, and I know there was no underlying problems. He just enjoyed drinking. Where I live, there isn't much for young men but to go to the pub and play pool etc. So many of them do just that. They drink night after night thinking they're having fun. And I've noticed that many end up having a problem. What I'm trying to say, is that I don't believe that all alcoholism is caused by an illness or a disease. And I don't believe this was the case for my ex husband. I don't know about other people's lives, I'm not their judge. I can only go off my own experiences. It's just a shame that he couldn't face up to his problems. I have forgiven him with the whole of my heart. And I would help him if he ever needed help. I just can't accept that every single alcoholic has started drinking because of disease or illness. Disease or illness, (most of the time) you can't help getting, and they come on you without you doing anything. But if an alcoholic had never touched alcohol (I mean a person like my ex husband) then they wouldn't have been an alcoholic!
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Post by blacksheep on Sept 5, 2015 12:15:01 GMT -5
There are an awful lot of misconceptions regarding alcoholism. Most folks have no reason to be educated in the disease, and go through life thinking they understand it.
A chronic drinker is not necessarily an alcoholic, and may never become alcoholic even though he drinks on a daily basis. A chronic drinker may exhibit traits similar to an alcoholic, such as deteriorating general health, abusive and obnoxious behavior, etc, but still not be truly addicted.
On the other hand, an alcoholic may not even be a chronic drinker, but rather an episodic, or binge drinker. A true alcoholic may only drink once a year, or even far less! It is not how much or how often a person drinks that determine if he is an alcoholic or not.
An uneducated observer can easily mistake a chronic drinker for an alcoholic, and vice-versa. But once people get used to mistakenly using these terms interchangeably, they convince themselves that there is no difference. There is. Big difference.
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Post by blacksheep on Sept 5, 2015 12:21:06 GMT -5
Luke 18:11
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this alcoholic.
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Post by rational on Sept 5, 2015 12:26:18 GMT -5
Addiction is a three-fold disease. It affects the addict on a physical, mental and spiritual level. It this were the case it would be true for everyone. I think you would be safe to strike the spiritual piece from your claim.It is time to face up to the truth. AA is not a success story. In fact few, is any, of the 12 step programs can claim success. A 5% success rate is not great. www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/03/the-surprising-failures-of-12-steps/284616/No comment on the role of a paranormal entity.
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Post by maryhig on Sept 5, 2015 12:44:14 GMT -5
There are an awful lot of misconceptions regarding alcoholism. Most folks have no reason to be educated in the disease, and go through life thinking they understand it. A chronic drinker is not necessarily an alcoholic, and may never become alcoholic even though he drinks on a daily basis. A chronic drinker may exhibit traits similar to an alcoholic, such as deteriorating general health, abusive and obnoxious behavior, etc, but still not be truly addicted. On the other hand, an alcoholic may not even be a chronic drinker, but rather an episodic, or binge drinker. A true alcoholic may only drink once a year, or even far less! It is not how much or how often a person drinks that determine if he is an alcoholic or not. An uneducated observer can easily mistake a chronic drinker for an alcoholic, and vice-versa. But once people get used to mistakenly using these terms interchangeably, they convince themselves that there is no difference. There is. Big difference. Hi blacksheep I never knew this, maybe so, maybe it was more a case of him being a chronic drinker, I don't know. I only know he couldn't stop and his personality changed drastically. It is partly my fault, I should have put my foot down, I was very young and I didn't realise he would turn out like that and do the things he did. He wouldn't let anyone help him. I would still be with him if he he had of fought his drinking and aggressiveness. My faith and beliefs are to stay with each other through thick and thin. But I couldn't bring my children up in that environment. When my mind goes back to that time, I get a fear that comes over me. I can't think too much about it. It took years before I stopped having bad dreams, and many years before I could completely trust anyone. Many people don't understand unless they've been on the receiving end. By the way, I'm far from perfect. I'm married again, so I'm the adulteress in that parable and I'm far from perfect in many other ways. But I leave that in Gods hands for him to decide what to do with me!
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Post by bitterbetty on Sept 5, 2015 13:53:49 GMT -5
Mental illness and addictions often rob people of their ability to have insight in to their own condition. A VERY insightful comment.
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Post by bitterbetty on Sept 5, 2015 13:56:55 GMT -5
Maryhig, as I have said I know the effects of alcohol on family, I understand there comes a time that the only answer is to walk away for everyone's safety, but we still have to understand it is a disease & that people who have mental illness use it as an escape sometimes. I too agree that in some cases folks use alcohol to 'self medicate' mental illness or pain.
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Post by snow on Sept 5, 2015 14:09:04 GMT -5
So you agree with @virgo's quote "some people just have to grow some guts and do it for themselves or they can just go on and blame somebody or even the world for their condition" ? I don't know about the blaming part but facing yourself(grow some guts) I agree with Having worked with mental health patients in the area of Forensic, I do agree that acknowledging there is a problem and a link between their mental illness and their incarcerations is a good first step. This goes for any addictions that rule your life. However when it comes to diseases such as bi polar it's a different matter. Schizophrenia has some medications that work pretty well to diminish the auditory and visual hallucinations the disease triggers but the side effects are pretty ugly especially for young males. This makes it harder. Once the link has been acknowledged and medications are taken even after they start to feel better, then we see some progress. However, in the case of bi-polar there is less success in the medications we currently have for the disease. It is a hard one to medicate likely because of the extremes in mood swings. It's hard to find the right one and then the right dosage to deal with extreme depression at one time and then extreme euphoria the next time. Even when the person acknowledges and accepts the diagnosis and links it to their problems it still doesn't mean they will be successfully medicated. So it's not as straight forward as virgo has made it sound. I not just having the guts to acknowledge you have a disease that causes problems for you, it's sometimes finding the right treatment. Bi Polar is by far the hardest one and a lot of people actually are bi polar. Some may only have a milder version of it making it easier to treat, but some don't get success even if they have acknowledged it and are trying to get help in the form of medications. For many years Lithium was the only option and it was a horrific drug to take due to the side effects. We now are seeing more drugs on the market, newer with less side effects, but they are still not all that great. Alcoholism is not just about getting the guts to quit either. I have spoken to people in AA groups that I have helped run through the halfway house I worked at and many of the people I worked with over the years said that they were hooked from their very first taste. They knew. So when workers don't use wine for the emblems because it could cause an alcoholic to use again, they are quite right. All it takes in some cases is one sip for an alcoholic. In the case of those who said it took one drink to know, it also appears that for some people that's all it takes to start them down that road. Compassion is needed in all cases imo.
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Post by bitterbetty on Sept 5, 2015 14:16:21 GMT -5
No two addicts alike. They DO need unconditional love and support. It is often said that they need 'tough love' too and while that may be true, some folks carry tough love too far. They cross over into condemnation. I understand it's not good to enable people and all. As a nurse, I've often thought of this: "Am I enabling this person? Am I feeding their addiction?". I've administered chemical substances to people for a lot of years now....some more potent than a shot of whiskey. The older I've gotten and the more I've seen the LESS judgmental I've become. People often start turning to chemicals to escape the realities of life that are painful. My grandfather used alcohol to deal with his chronic back pain. They also use it to cope with stress. How many folks like to go out and drink with friends at the end of a long, stressful work-week? In many cases, they do it to relieve the accumulation of stress brought on during the week. I'm not saying that's good or healthy, but I think that is much of what drives a person to drink. My dad was an drinker. (But the, so was almost everyone at that time in that culture)Luckily he was NEVER a 'mean drunk'. He was a happy drunk, so to speak. So, I never really associated his drinking with pain and abuse, except when my mom would nag him so bad about his drinking it erupted into ugly fights. Ironically, by the time she stopped nagging him he somehow decided to quit drinking himself. He said, he just didn't have a desire for it anymore and wanted to live healthier. I think he got a conviction about his health and that's what did it. He started eating more healthy and exercising. It wasn't a spiritual issue with him as much as it was a health issue. He discovered he could be just as happy a person NOT drinking and found other joys in life to replace it.
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Post by bitterbetty on Sept 5, 2015 14:29:08 GMT -5
Hi blacksheep I never knew this, maybe so, maybe it was more a case of him being a chronic drinker, I don't know. I only know he couldn't stop and his personality changed drastically. It is partly my fault, I should have put my foot down, I was very young and I didn't realise he would turn out like that and do the things he did. He wouldn't let anyone help him. I would still be with him if he he had of fought his drinking and aggressiveness. My faith and beliefs are to stay with each other through thick and thin. But I couldn't bring my children up in that environment. When my mind goes back to that time, I get a fear that comes over me. I can't think too much about it. It took years before I stopped having bad dreams, and many years before I could completely trust anyone. Many people don't understand unless they've been on the receiving end. By the way, I'm far from perfect. I'm married again, so I'm the adulteress in that parable and I'm far from perfect in many other ways. But I leave that in Gods hands for him to decide what to do with me! Thanks for sharing your experience. There is definitely an ugly side to substance abuse! I don't think anyone here is taking it lightly or shrugging it off or making excuses for the addict. Everyone's brain is different from each other, right? In your ex's case, he was an abusive drunk. And you were smart and courageous to get out of an abusive relationship! Addiction DOES hurt-it hurts the addict and hurts their family and friends. I don't think it is FULLY understood even yet today: What makes one person become addicted while another not-when both have exposed their brain to the substance? Also, how can one person just quit, while another needs professional help to do so? Also, what makes one person a 'happy drunk' and another a 'mean drunk'? I guess it's all in how it affects the BRAIN. Genetics is a big factor.
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Post by snow on Sept 5, 2015 14:33:19 GMT -5
Not everyone that drinks alcohol becomes an alcoholic. I believe it is more addictive to some people than others. Maybe so, but that's not always the case. You can also become hooked from consuming too much too regularly. It's an addictive substance. It's not an illness like diabetes! It is an illness. I know people who drank like fishes in their teens and early 20's and never became alcoholics and others that from their first drink were unable to stop. It doesn't help those who do have these illnesses when people still seem to think it's just a self control issue. Blacksheep explained it very well.
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Post by bitterbetty on Sept 5, 2015 14:42:28 GMT -5
Seems there is exception taken to that phrase: "Grow some guts". Is that just another way to say, "Be honest and have courage"? Yes, it does take honesty to admit there is a problem and the true extent of the problem. Denial is so common! And yes, it does take courage for a person to seek help. It does take courage to go without their 'fix'.
One reason an addict might deny the 'problem' is because they feel admitting it makes them a 'bad' person or having a weakness, when they are given messages all their life that they need to 'be strong and tough and perfect'. And maybe that's partly why they turned to substances in the first place: they couldn't cope with the reality that they really aren't as strong and perfect as they had hoped to be. Also, to openly seek help requires pride to be set aside. So, being honest and having courage to get help involves a degree of humility.
But, for a lot of folks, getting clean and sober is not always a matter of just being honest and courageous. Some of them have no choice in the matter, such as when they are court ordered to get into treatment or when they are given an ultimatum. Hitting rock bottom is a sad and scary place to be, but that is often what is required before a person realizes they have no choice but to get help.
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Post by bitterbetty on Sept 5, 2015 15:03:41 GMT -5
Underlying issues: Yes, there are many reasons a person uses substances.
The 'soccer moms' have increasingly turned to meth. Why? It is not fully understood, but part of the reason is to give them energy to do all the things they feel pressured to do as well as be that 'perfect person' they feel pressured to be: Thin, being a perfect mother and wife, keeping a perfect house....Meth gives them energy to complete all the tasks they seem to need to do, while helping them control their weight. The pressure to be perfect can be very destructive. And, some children are brought up in that type of atmosphere...
There are many pressures folks deal with. Some deal with performance pressure. Certain professions are rife with that. There is a high degree of alcoholism among lawyers, or so I've been told. Not just because of the pressure to win a case, but the long hours they put in. I've worked with a lot of doctors who use substances. Some have showed up to work wreaking of alcohol. Some nurses too. Some athletes turn to substances because performance pressure and pressure to excel. They are willing to enhance their performance in whatever shape or form they can. That is how desperate they became. Musicians are highly susceptible to turning to substances to "perform", to stay up, and to COPE with being on the road. Then, they need to turn to something else to come and down and sleep. A person can get very wound up when performing and something happens in the BRAIN. Insomnia is a real problem. And it becomes a vicious cycle. I'm not sharing anything new here, I guess.
So, in a way, society has created a sort of 'pressure cooker' and people feel pressured do this/that and do it a certain way. They also feel pressured to be this and be that or NOT be that. Some people will go to great lengths just to lose weight and/or have the perfect body. Why is that? Why the pressure? Again, it likely starts with the BRAIN and getting notions in their mind of what all they think they need to be happy. If that means they need to be super thin, then that is what they shoot for and they will do ANYTHING to acheive it, even starve their self and use drugs to assist them with energy and appetite. They'll do anything to help them stop eating so they will become thin. Some substances provide that.
Another area of addiction that is often written off as not as big a problem is the issue of overeating. Many folks turn to food to pacify their self. Or maybe they are just bored! It makes them "feel good" and food gives them a certain amount of pleasure. But, just like any other addict, the overeater cannot seem to stop when they should. And it is problems. Obesity can lead to many health issues and diseases, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. Diseases that could be prevented....but how many people leave their spouse because they are obese and how many obese people finally 'grow some guts' and get help for their problem? How many of them overcome their problems? What are the underlying issues. Why do they turn to food to cope?
People have the tendency to want to feel pleasure and to escape unpleasant things.
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Post by rational on Sept 5, 2015 15:40:35 GMT -5
In more recent times the term Alcohol use disorder refers to a continuum that also includes alcoholism. Probably worth looking into for anyone engaging in an in depth discussion about the use and abuse of alcohol.
The DSM–5 lists a single disorder, alcohol use disorder (AUD), with sub-classifications of mild, moderate, and severe.
This addresses the associated behavior more directly than the physical and physiological effects.
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