Alcoholism

Your probably wondering why alcoholism decided to mess up your life. 

I don’t know why.

There are, however, a couple of theories out there.  

One school of thought says it is  learned behaviour .

For instance, if drinking helps you sleep, if it relieves pain or anxiety, you learn to use it as tool to help you feel better . The better it works, the more you use it.  The behaviour is reinforced. 

Some think you should be able to stop if you want.  That if you had any will power you would be able to.

Virtually every abuse that becomes an addiction starts out as being helpful to us. 

The second school of thought says it is a disease.

The disease model by-passes moral responsibility and says your sick.

It isn’t your fault.

It says if your predisposed to the disease and you trigger that disease (start drinking) than it is only a matter of time until you quit or die. If this is true then you are not weak or of low moral character. You are not to blame. 

Bad Habit or Dreaded Disease.

It doesn’t really matter. A problem is a problem no matter how you dress it up.

What does matter is that if it is learned, can it be unlearned. If it is a disease, can it be cured.

Right now most, but not all, treatment is based on the disease model.  

Which says you must quit. The last thing a drunk wants to hear.

Lets look at the disease model  and learned behaviour .

Alcoholism to Raging Alcoholic Home