re: Alcoholism - learned, genetic or both?

What's funny is that I have found the exact opposite. But like I said, to each his own. I'm done knighting for it. If I took your post and altered it to make it an accurate depiction of my experience, it would look like this:

quote:

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I started my research trying to confirm the bullshite of the program so I could keep getting loaded. What I found was a lot of people who had stories just like me, and their lives and the way they carried themselves backed it up. They walked the walk. What I thought was a shite way of treating an actual problem, was debunked before my very eyes when I started paying attention and observing. And what I thought was an overly complex problem that made me so unique, it really is quite simple. After I did a little digging and got honest. My thinking is screwed up and I have a living problem. I had to change my thinking and work on an ongoing attempt at progress of life on life's terms.

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no worries, just different points of view. It usually makes for good debate on here arguing with the twelve steppers. I honestly hate the program but I've got nothing but love for those it's helped. You were in a bad place and I'm happy you're in a better one regardless of how you got there. If you're ever up for the debate again on here, I'll be waiting for you.

Both. Genetic factors can affect the way alcohol is metabolized in the body, they way we react to it and the addictive personality. Every time you drink it's a choice though.

Much harder for an alkie not to drink though. It's like holding your breath for a prolonged period of time and not gasping for air. Every part of your body wants it badly.

Lucas, I respect your opinion on alcoholism. As far as I am concerned, anything that can keep a drunk from drinking is a good thing.

I have to say that I have not been to a meeting in a long time. I feel kinda guilty about that because I'm not helping another. I know that I have helped others in the past by telling of my experience.

I also have to say that I tried a lot of stuff in the past to stay away from alcohol. None of them worked. It was only AA that got me to a place where I could stay sober enough to start thinking correctly again and see just what alcohol did to me. Perhaps there are other modalities that would have worked for me. I hope that I never have to find out. I still use the tools that I learned in AA from my first days in 1985 and then when I ended up back in in 1995 after a year and a half of drinking again.

I consider myself one of the lucky ones. I tried to do it on my own and clearly it didn't work. Many people in my situation never get another chance. I feel like the dog who had it's first bite. The next one may just put me down. Plus, I never want to go through that first year sober again. That has been enough to quell my time to time notions that I could ever drink "under control".

I urge anyone who wants to quit to do anything and everything they can to put as much distance as possible between today and that last drink/drug. Life can still suck sober, but at least I feel as though I have a fighting chance. I had no chance while actively drinking.

I am firmly of the belief that AA saved my life.

my best day drunk wasn't close to my worst days sober

I often reflect back on those days also, and try to rationalize my way into being able to drink sociably, A cold Bud would be good on a hot day,

Reality is I can't, and 33 years of sobriety ain't worth loosin, better people than me have tried and failed,abd lost their life

I know what you mean. A fleeting thought of "man a beer would be nice". But then I remember there was never "a" beer. Maybe "a" 12 pack, followed by some gin and next thing you know, I'm all sloppy drunk when everybody else is just relaxing and drinking a beer. And that was a weekday.