The American Medical Association recognizes alcoholism as a disease that can be stopped, but that does not heal. One of the symptoms is an uncontrollable urge to drink. Alcoholism is a progressive disease. While alcoholics continue to drink, the urge to drink greater. If the disease is not stopped, they may end in madness or death. The only way to stop alcoholism is abstinence.
Alcoholic one for life. Most experts agree that alcoholics, even after years of sobriety, never can control their drinking when they start drinking again. Currently, there are many treatments for alcoholics with probability of success. The “Alcoholics Anonymous” are by far the best known and most effective. Alcoholism is no longer a hopeless condition, provided that those recognized and treated.
Alcoholics found in all walks of life … Only three to five percent of alcoholics are vagrants or troublemakers. The others have family, friends and work and lead a fairly normal life. However, their drinking affects a part of their lives. Their family life, their social lives or their work may suffer, perhaps all three. An alcoholic is someone who is drinking a constant and growing problem in every aspect of his / her life.
Alcoholics drink because they think they should drink. They use alcohol as an aid and as a means of escape.
They suffer emotionally and use alcohol to suppress that pain. It is even possible to be so dependent on alcohol that they convince themselves not to be without. That is obsession.
Once some alcoholics trying to make it without alcohol, withdrawal symptoms are sometimes so overwhelming that they begin drinking again. This seems to them the only way to be rid of the torment. This is addiction
Most would prefer social drinkers are alcoholics. They spend much time and effort in trying to keep their drinking under control, as for others to drink. They try eg only on weekends to drink or to take a drink to keep. They never have the certainty to make it here, even if they want it. Eventually they are drunk, despite the intention is not to be. This is compulsion.
One of the characteristics of this disease is that patients do not believe that they are ill.
There is hope of recovery when they are able to accept that they need help, they want to stop drinking and that they are willing to acknowledge the problem alone.
Tags: abstinence, alcoholism, American Medical Association, drink, sobriety, Treatments
