“Alcoholism will not happen to me. I will not become an alcoholic because I can stop at any point in time. I can quit drinking if I want to. The fact that I can do my responsibilities as an employee, a family member and friend only prove that I do not have drinking problems.” <-- this is what YOU are probably thinking.
Perhaps, these are the reasons why YOU abused alcohol. These are what you believed so you are still abusing it and pretending you are not facing any great risk.
“If you believe Mr. Johnny Walker is your bestfriend, why are you abusing him?”
People who reason out they can quit anytime they like because they do not have drinking problems are in the denial stage. Denying there is something wrong is one of the symptoms in the list of being an alcoholic. Rejecting the real condition and the negative impacts of their drinking habit on their lives and having in mind they are doing well when it comes to their drinking pattern is probably the most difficult stage in dealing with alcohol addiction. It usually leads a person to a more susceptible condition. He will drink again and again because he thinks he is not in any danger whatsoever.
The truth when it comes to the development of alcohol addiction is that individuals who are drinking heavily because they pretend to have a good life will lead them to the path of becoming full blown alcoholics. The way that alcoholism grows can be enumerated with these three simple stages.
The Road to Alcoholism
First Stage: The Start of the Journey
We experience boredom, depression, pain. We feel anxious, insecure, tensed. In many situations, we received invitations and encouragements to drink from family members and drinking buddies. And with the struggles we encounter in our daily lives, we tend to go with the flow. We seek for ways to overcome our problems. We find ways to temporarily escape from the daily stress.
Advertising also suggests that we will feel completely relaxed if we drink. Commercials on TV, print ads and radio programs recommend that alcohol is required to have a good, relaxing life. These ads show joyful people drinking and partying in order to feel pleasure and contentment. How can we refuse to accept if they put in the picture that happiness is just around the corner?
There are also peer pressures that will push us to drink. You will feel you do not belong to the group if you do not drink. You will get the feeling you are on your own if you don’t join the activities of the group.
So it is not surprising that we, with all the “good things” in front of us, cannot reject the wave of temptation from alcohol. We will consume a glass of that relaxing wine to feel relaxed, to feel happy, and to fit in with the group. And we will get the reward - we will eventually feel relaxed, casual and “in”. We will continue to drink in pursuit of happiness, for the sake of contentment and camaraderie. We will drink to get those rewards.
In this stage, you are not thinking of quitting alcohol because you don’t yet see any problems with your drinking.
Second Stage: Psychological Dependence
In the next situation, we have faster access to alcohol. Our mind initially tells us that we should keep drinking because it will make us feel better. We should continue drinking to maintain our relationships with friends and make new ones. There is none who can refuse to give in to these rewards.
Eventually, we no longer think of addressing our problems without alcohol. We automatically turn our head to alcohol every time we feel depressed. We would think that it is very easy to get help with drinking alcohol, to feel relax, reduce our inhibitions and overcome our worries. And on the other hand, drinking allows us to forget all these problems concerning our jobs, familial issues and personal problems. We now rely to alcohol to feel better, to get better. We now depend on the substance in accomplishing our daily tasks, in thinking creatively. It already penetrated our entire system and slowly transformed our being into a different one.
In this stage, you may discover that it is very hard to stop the habit. You will find out that it is difficult to quit because your own mind is your enemy. While the other side of your mind tells you need to quit drinking alcohol, the other insists you to continue because you have to.
Third Stage: Physical Dependence
Finally, our body gets used to the substance so much. Alcohol became habitual and it eventually became a part of our life. We are now physically dependent. We cannot live a single day without alcohol. Our body considers alcohol as an endogenous substance and it cannot function normally if there is too little or none in our body. This is shown by experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as intense cravings for alcohol, nervousness, tremors, angst and sweating. We feel great only if we have a sufficient alcohol in our bloodstream.
And once these three stages gradually happened into our system one by one, we are completely transformed. We experience depression instantly. We struggle to get rid of our habit but we feel weak when we are not drinking. But we do not have the power to resist our desire to drink again. We find it very difficult to quit drinking because the addiction is presently controlling our mind and body.
In this situation, it is best to seek for professional and medical help. It is extremely dangerous to quit alcohol on your own if you are experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Seeking medical help and quitting alcohol in a safe environment such as in rehab centers are the best way in treating this kind of condition.
You have no choice. Damage has been done. And if you wait for a knight in shining armor to save you, your condition will get worst and you will find yourself in a hospital bed, suffering. Or you will face the most horrible, shaking hands with the earthworms down under.
You have to move forward. You have to do the necessary actions to combat your addiction.
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