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What happened on this day in History? NEW - Shop Online in our Gift Shop, items being updated weekly! |
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A SUMMARY OF ALCOHOLS USE AND ABUSE IN OUR SOCIETY It is difficult to overcome alcoholism, and recovery requires a whole new approach to life. Some go beyond the point of return, and others are in the process toward self-destruction. It is not impossible for them to turn their lives around and become a proud mother, father, husband, wife, child or friend. The requirement for such action is insight, desire, and to become involved in a program which addresses the problem. Despite this, there are those who fail because of their inability to respond to the advice and counsel of others. They are destined to destroy themselves because of their lack of insight or motivation to recover. This self-destruction is caused in part by a person’s constant search for alternatives to the pain and anxiety created by ineffective method& of coping. Along the way to self-destruction, they are introduced to alcoholic beverages which will provide temporary reprieve from anxiety. Continual reliance upon this psychoactive substance voids the initial satisfaction and it fails to deliver it early promise. The drinker begins to get the opposite of what they originally experienced. More alcohol is required to obtain the desired results. Control is now required to stay within the bounds of acceptable behavior but the ability to control consumption dissipates and the problem becomes progressively more acute. Despite the pain and suffering associated with the increased intake, the drinking continues. Why do people become addicted, when the end results are predictable? As the problem becomes more apparent to others, the victim projects their feelings and blames others for their shortcomings. These feelings are based on their own world of defective attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs. Others are unable to influence the thoughts and actions of those heading for complete self-destruction. Many of the recovering clients seen over the years have disclosed some of the humor and tragedy of their alcoholism. Time has a way of changing the negative effects of alcoholism to a more positive assessment. Recovering alcoholics become more vocal and are able to deal with their hang-ups without a sense of guilt. Indirectly our social attitude toward the use of alcoholic beverages makes an early identification of the problem more difficult. There are over one hundred million people who drink alcohol in the United States. An estimated fifteen percent of these are alcoholics or problem drinkers. We cajole those who are social drinkers and condemn people who lose their ability to control their intake. It is human nature to reject people who have a negative influence on our lives or social well being. Active alcoholics generally have the skill to cause this reaction. Some alcoholics are inhibited in discussing their involvement in the problem for fear of social isolation and disgrace. The initial use of alcohol is for social intercourse. Americans indorse the use of alcohol, and it is much easier to respond to the invitation of having a cocktail than defend abstinence. The irony of this social phenomenon is that we set an age restriction on its initial use. Most children are forbidden to use alcohol or other drugs yet they are used and abused regularly by those issuing the orders. This strengthens the old saying, "Don’t do as I do; do as I say." This appeal often creates an adventurous atmosphere among children who then drink or use drugs is secrecy and defiance. Because alcohol permeates our whole social structure, it has significant ties with maturity; consequently it is little wonder that children try to mimic adults in this and other areas which connote adulthood. We strive to reach maturity and when it is achieved, we try to stay young. It is difficult to define alcoholism, and although there are strong indicators that alcoholism is hereditary in most cases, it is impossible to use psychological, social, or emotional indicators to determine who will or will not become alcoholics. The rich, poor, employed, unemployed, men of the cloth, and those who are non-believers, can all fall prey to this disease. It is unfortunate the people cannot respond to the initial signs of addiction as they do to an elevated temperature, pains due to injury, or other emotional or physical disease. Until a person surrenders and seeks help for their own condition, alcoholism is a disease of other people. The dual tragedy of this disease is the effects it has on many innocent people, particularly those in the family. Children often become the sorrowful victims of this insidious disease as alcoholics seek self-satisfaction at their expense. The simplified definition of alcoholism is, "A person who drinks to feel better but progressively feels worse." This definition denies or at least minimizes the possibility of constantly making alibi’s for one’s drinking and puts the responsibility on the drinker’s shoulders. However, most alcoholics will not respond to their problem until such time as they become unacceptable to themselves and are willing to accept the advice and counsel of others who advocate alternatives to the use of alcohol. Early confrontation and the refusal to be the supporter of one’s disease can bring about an early entry into a treatment program. In many cases Alcoholics Anonymous can be the miracle approach to alter a person’s lifestyle and permit them to lead a happy, normal life without alcohol. And so it is that alcohol means many things to many people. To some it is a means to socialize, to others it is used for relaxation, and to others it can be fatal. The choice of using alcoholic beverages is a personal one but if one begins to worry about their intake or uses various means to avoid the consequences of intoxication, they have a problem. Advice and counsel is usually as close as your telephone directory. THE END
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