Many people believe that an alcoholic is simply someone who drinks too much and usually too often. While that does describe certain aspects of alcoholism it falls far short of the genuine picture.
Alcoholics simply put, cannot seem tocontroltheir drinking once they begin.
In the book Alcoholics Anonymous we find an interesting passage:"The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so-called willpower becomes practically nonexistent. We are unable at certain times, to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation of even a week or month ago. We are without defense against the first drink."
Again from the same book chapter 3 on page 30"We are convinced to a man alcoholics of our type are in the grips of a progressive illness. Over any considerable period we get worse, never better."
There are those of course who read this and say to themselves, "this does not describe me at all." Perhaps it does not. On the other hand perhaps a closer examination in the absence of pride will allow one to admit that this may be at least somewhat true and explore the issue a bit further.
As for myself I was one of those who was apparently alcoholic before I ever took the first drink because from the first drink I wanted more, I sought more, I got more and I got drunk. From the first drunk I wanted to feel that way all day every day.
A normal drinker may enjoy the slightly pleasant relaxation that alcohol provides when consumed in moderation. Such a person may even enjoy getting slightly tipsy on special occasions but not wishmuchof this feeling nor do they wish it very often.
The alcoholic on the other hand really likes the feeling of intoxication, wishes to feel very intoxicated, and does what ever he or she needs to do, in order to accomplish their goal of extreme intoxication.
For reasons not entirely clear some people like to drink as a so-called maintenance drinker. Someone who drinks steadily throughout the day never getting rip roaring drunk but never entirely sober either.
Then there are binge drinkers who go weeks month's possibly even years in between drunken sprees which may last weeks or months at a time.
It has been my observation as well as my personal experience that maintenance drinkers frequently start having binges and binge drinkers frequently have their binges come closer and closer together. Toward the end both kinds have periods of mild intoxication followed by periods of extreme intoxication.
I have noticed the weekend drinker who used to start on Friday night begins to start Friday noon and then Thursday night the drunken spree continues until Monday morning. Soon a drink or two is required on Monday morning to calm a hangover and steady the nerves.
Still the only highly predictable thing about any Alcoholic's drinking pattern is that it will get worse and worse and the consequences that follow will get worse and worse.
The ultimate destination of the alcoholic is either a mental institution, prison, or death.
This is a bleak outlook for alcoholics. The good new is there is help! The Lord Jesus Christ is in the life-changing business!
Whether you are delivered instantly from your obsession with alcohol and your compulsion to get drunk or progressively, as is the case with many, there is hope, it is real, I hope you avail yourself of it now.
Why was I not instantly set free from my alcoholic obsession? I do not know. I believe that the program of Alcoholics Anonymous is God's will for me, to increase my understanding, kill my pride and help me depend daily upon the mercy of God. to work in my life.
Please look through " target="_self" Alcoholic Christians.com with an open mind you may find something on these pages that speaks to you, if so I would love to hear from you, we enjoy reading your comments, we hope in some small way we have shined light in the darkness and kindled perhaps a spark of hope where there was none.
