At times I visit recovery forums and occasionally reply to posts. Today I replied to a post in a forum called " I drink too much". A man asked a question regarding his drinking behavior. He described being able to stop for awhile but when he started again he could not stop even after having just a couple of drinks. Below is my response.
The book "Alcoholics Anonymous" describes alcoholism as an "Allergy of the body" coupled with an "Obsession of the mind"
An allergy is an "abnormal reaction to a substance"
At the beginning of the AA book in the chapter "The Doctors Opinion"
the doctor goes on to describe how the allergy works in alcoholics. In
short it means that alcoholics can't stop drinking once they start.
Moderation is extremely difficult if not impossible for chronic or
"real" alcoholics.
There are people with drinking problems that are not necessarily
alcoholic IF they can moderate or stop altogether using their own will
power. These people are considered "hard drinkers" in the AA book. Page
20 and 21.
In the AA book they also describe the "mental obsession" or obsession of the mind. The mental
obsession makes it very difficult for an alcoholic to stay sober for as
along as they may want to. Most "real" alcoholics as described in the AA
book want to stop but cannot do it permanently on their own will power.
They cannot at CERTAIN TIMES use their own will power to keep from that
first drink.
so in short - alcoholism is a LACK OF THE ABILITY TO CONTROL ONES DRINKING. -- this is as described by Alcoholics Anonymous.
The medical community may have many definitions or "symptoms" to describe alcoholism but that hasn't been important to me. I fit the description of alcoholism that AA gives so I use AA's
solution to abstain from drinking. I cannot safely drink even one drink
because I'll just keep going once I start.
I also found that trying to keep from drinking on my own didn't usually
work for more than about 2 months... most of the time less. I tried for
3 years. Then I went to AA and asked for help, got a sponsor and
started doing the 12 steps. That was 26 years ago and I am grateful to
AA's simple 12 step program for my sobriety.
So I "identify" as an alcoholic as AA describes alcoholism and was able to see just how hopeless and dangerous a condition I have. Knowing that has motivated me to do all the 12 steps. Today I am a sponsor, have a sponsor, regularly attend meetings and practice steps 10,11 and 12 as best I can each day. Thanks to a Higher Power and the program of AA I have been sober for many years now.
