This is where you lose me and lose me fast. Who are you to pretend to know what I've been through or what I've endured? No one, which is exactly the same person I am to judge what you've been through. That is WHY I'm open minded about this because I understand there is NO CUT AND DRY answer to this. Some just don't want to see the other point of view because its different than their own. Which is one of the major problems I have with society as a whole. People think they know and fail to comprehend that there's a world larger than the little box we live in.

I'm wrong more than I'm right. We've all witnessed that. I push for common ground, and understanding of both or all sides. It often times proves that my original take on something was wrong.

I'm fine with that. I like everyone don't like being wrong, but I hate being unable to learn the truth far more.

I can see how some can say alcoholism is not a disease, I can also see how some can say it is a disease.






I think that's accurate assessment.


I do not think it should be used as an excuse FOR drinking. I've heard some say 'i have a disease okay thats why i drink'. I think that's bullshit. I think you drink because you didn't have the self discipline to tell yourself to stop before it got out of control.

After alcoholism sets it footprint in your head, you can't just flip a switch and erase it. Again that's something those who haven't experienced it, can't possibly understand. It's not as simple as 'dont pick up that drink then'. If it was, do you really think there would be so many alcoholics in this world?

---

Everyone has the physical ability to not drink.

Does that mean they have the mental fortitude to not drink? No, because of what alcohol does to your brain. Just like nicotine, heroin, etc... it causes a chemical imbalance.

No one wakes up and says "Im going to be an alcoholic".

:shrug:

I fought the line you are speaking for years ... that's why I went into AA meetings, Alateen, researched it, etc ... I needed to know more about it. Because I couldn't understand ... its KILLING you ... just DON'T FUCKING PICK UP THE GOD DAMN BOTTLE!

Unfortunately, as I learned and experienced, it's just not that easy. 😞

---

great. i like how you ignored the actual point of my post and latched onto a single sentence. my reason for saying that was that for years upon years i've had the debate and i am tired of it. you ask me questions and i say "watch these videos. they bring up your questions and more...whilst giving you the answers you are seeking from me and i really have nothing more to add to the discussion. and oh, by they way, you might just be a little more entertained by it than reading a few words some dude you don't know has typed into a little green box on a message board."

---

It's a slow process. You are right.. No one wakes up saying "Hey, I'm gonna be -=insert any issue here=-!"

But what does happen is they continue to do the things that create an issue (in this case is drinking that eventually leads to alcoholism) and eventually end up with a big problem. Their daily choices eventually leads to the big problem.

And I disagree with the assessment that says 'once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic'. Hate to break it to ya, but people actually change. I know more than a handful of former alcoholics that haven't touched a drop in years. I myself was on the road to alcoholism. I quit before it got serious, but still.

Just because some people don't use any will power to quit drinking, doesn't mean they don't have the will power. It just means they don't want to quit more than they do.

---

if you believe alcoholism is a disease, you are NEVER cured from it. that's what kev meant by 'once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic'. i saw it firsthand with my ex who went to rehab but did NOT do the 12 step thing. he maintained his sobriety for 12 f'in YEARS & then decided he could drink again...knowing full well what would happen.

my uncle was also an alcoholic & i watched him ruin his family one day at a time - a slow horrible death of my aunt's very being, & shoving his son aside at every turn. and now what's happened to my aunt? SHE'S an alcoholic too!! hard to imagine but she almost burned her house down because she was drunk off her ass.

you cannot TELL me that she really WANTED to become an alcoholic. you cannot TELL me that anyone WANTS to be an alcoholic. it's a slow, steady progressive disease that people succumb to for many different reasons. calling it a disease doesn't give alcoholics an excuse. i've never heard a drunk say 'well, i have a disease so it's not my fault'. have any of you? seriously?? not buyin it.