James, Almost everyone has his own way of handling things. Some do need the support of a group, and in that case, they should stay with that group until they can cope by themselves. Some make AA a lifetime thing, and if that works for them, more power to them.
Some alcoholics come to believe that God has deserted them, and some believe that they have lived such a life, that they deserve to suffer without help. They are the hardest to convince that there is hope, and a way out of the abyss of constant drunkeness.
Even though I have a problem with the total veracity of the bible, I know in my heart, that there is some power that exerts influence in many ways. Who, what, where, when, or why, is something that I will never know, but am thankful that the events came along to change my life. As was said at Hazelden, alcohol is an insidious intruder, and sneaks up on a person before he has a chance to recognize what is happening, and does something about it. I do consider alcoholism to be an addiction, but not a disease. I have know gamblers that were addicted, and no one seems to want to call that a disease, but it is as deadly, and dangerous, as alcoholism, except for the drunk driving thing. Their families suffer just as much. |
