I joined this group to learn about this disease as I was taking care
of a gentleman in the Long Term Care facility (nursing home) that I
work in. I had never heard of it the young man was only 47 and it
was devastating. I have learned lots here and learned where to go
for other info. It does make me a little sad though to hear some of
the things that have been said.I personally do not consider
alcoholism an illness, not a physical one anyway. Yes we all have
certain genes that predisposes us to certain things but then we are
born into that. We have inherited that from Adam and Eve. Having
said that and even though I disagree with you Trevor about the
illness stand point, Trevor by far has the more compassionate
viewpoint. I applaud you for what you are doing and your approach.
Just because I don't think alcoholism is a physical illness, does
not mean that I am right it is just my opinion. My father died an
alcoholic (did'nt want to be one, just could not stop himself), my
mother was one, (she recieved deliverance from the Lord, Thank you
God.), my sister is a practising alcoholic, and I have been married
to one. They did not get up one day and say oh gee I guess I will
start wrecking my life and the lives of everyone around me. They
don't want to be this way but they really cannot help it. I don't
want to smoke either and I try to quit and sometimes for a time I am
successful and sometimes I fall off the wagon. So yes Trevor I KNOW
about cravings and how totally inanimate things can talk to you. We
might apply the same reasoning to anyones over weight problem. I as
a nurse can tell you those extra pounds are unhealthy for you and
can kill you dead. But no one WANT'S to be fat. I don't want to
smell like a cigarette and most alcoholics (If they can even admit
it) don't WANT to drink themselves to death.We as a species are
pretty tough, but on the other hand we are so very fragile at the
same time. We need to belong, we need to feel good about ourselves,
we need to think our lives count for something. Whether we use
alcohol, food or cigarettes or some other thing to self medicate
ourselves to mask or rid ourselves of pain that we usually inflict
upon ourselves does not make us bad people. My heart goes out to you
all that have family members that drink and continue to drink and
get further and further away from you from a health viewpoint, But
they are not deliberately trying to inflict pain on you. They are
only trying to rid themselves of their own. Telling people that they
are only making excuses is not really helpful to them and not really
encouraging. They usually already know that. Trevor my hat is off to
you..............jonell