What Is Alcoholism?

Not all alcoholics have the same symptoms but many show these signs:

• They find that only alcohol can make them feel self confident & at ease with other people.
• Often want “just one more” at the end of a party. Look forward to drinking occasions, and think about them a lot.
• Get drunk when they had not planned to; try to control drinking by changing types of drink, going on the wagon.
• Sneak drinks, hide bottles & lie about their drinking. Drink at work or school; drink alone.
• Experience memory loss, visit the Dr and play down the amount they are drinking hoping for a magic pill that will allow them to carry on drinking without the usual consequences.
• On these issues alone they are displaying signs of insanity, often described as ‘doing the same thing over and over whilst expecting a different result!

Is it a Serious Problem?

Alcoholism is recognised as a major health problem.

In the UK it ranks alongside heart disease and cancer – and it does not damage alcoholics alone. Others are hurt by its effects – in the home, at work and on the road. Alcoholism costs the community millions of pounds every year. So whether or not you ever become an alcoholic yourself, alcoholism still can have an impact on your life.

We have learnt a great deal about how to identify and arrest alcoholism. But so far no one has discovered a way to prevent it, because nobody knows exactly why some drinkers turn into alcoholics. Doctors and Scientists in the field have not agreed on the cause or causes of alcoholism.

For that reason AA concentrates on helping those who are already alcoholics, so that they can stop drinking and learn how to live a normal happy life without alcohol.

As AA sees it alcoholism is an illness. Alcoholics cannot control their drinking because they are ill in body mind or emotions. If they do not stop drinking their alcoholism always gets worse.

Both British & American Medical associations have also said that Alcoholism is an illness.