Is there such a Thing as an Alcoholism Cure?

The definition of a given term can mean the difference between accurate information and poor statistics, especially when it comes to alcoholism. A good example would be what are alcoholism symptoms. Some groups have suggested having a single nightly drink or a couple of beers on the weekend while watching sports constitutes alcoholism. By that definition, I would imagine most people reading this are alcoholics.

See, alcoholism facts and statistics are based on the definition of what it means to be an alcoholic. Many of the "help" groups, although doing a good job are focused also on continuing the supply of money and donations to their cause.

They materially benefit from the "crisis mentality" and using statistics to increase the magnitude of the problem. Unfortunately, alcoholism is not something that needs any type of math sight of hand to show there is a serious problem.

The signs of alcoholism are everywhere. In our insurance rates, in the number of under age drinkers, in the treatment centers and sadly in the morgue. There is not cure for alcoholism regardless what anyone would like to believe. The only "cure" is a complete control of the situation, that is abstinence. Alcoholics anonymous is one such group that helps alcoholics regain control of their lives.

Alcoholics Anonymous is the first and the largest of the 12 step programs. Designed for the treatment of alcoholism, it has helped millions of people around the world to find and maintain sobriety from alcohol. It is now present in dozens of countries around the world, and has many millions of members.

It is hard to accurately gauge exactly how big Alcoholics Anonymous is, probably because of the word ‘anonymous’ in the organizations name, but if you are living in an even moderately industrialized nation that uses alcohol in a large scale, chances are there are some AA meetings near you.

The now worldwide and extremely popular Alcoholics Annonymous program had a humble beginning, starting with just two guys. These men, hailed today as the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous and therefore the 12 step program, were Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith. The two men came from extremely different backgrounds, and just about the only thing they had in common was that they were both alcoholics. When they met in New York City in 1935, they complimented each others quirks and weakness, and soon came up with a method of finding sobriety that would literally change the world forever.

The actual 12 step method in Alcoholics Anonymous that eventually developed from these founders is heavily based on the methods used by a Christian fellowship called the Oxford Group. The Oxford Group was an early 20th Century Christian organization committed to helping people with behavioral illnesses or assorted social deviancies find ‘recovery’ through Christ.

The method they used encouraged the same kinds of self-reflection, surrender to God, acknowledgment of character defects, restitution for wrongs committed, and working with others that would make up the 12 step program used in Alcoholics Anonymous, and now many other support group style meetings.

The heavily religious and Christian foundation often scares some people away from Alcoholics Anonymous, but today the meetings are almost always absent of religious discussion that specifies a particular denomination. Any spiritual references made in meetings are usually applicable to any religion or system of beliefs. There are some Alcoholics Anonymous meetings specifically designed for a specific religion, such as Judaism, and of course in these meetings you can expect specific religions to be discussed.

The group of people that has the most difficulty with the Alcoholics Anonymous program has always been atheists. Alcoholics Anonymous works on the principle that you give yourself over to some kind of ‘higher power’, and this is sometimes a roadblock for some atheists. There are however even meetings designed for atheists, and plenty of ways for getting around the dreaded ‘spirituality clause’. The struggle with any addiction can cause serious anxiety and emotional distress.

With meetings designed for all different types of people, all over the world, there is really no excuse not to give Alcoholics Anonymous a try if you are having problems with your drinking. And lets face it, if you've read this far, you probably have problems with your drinking. If you just can't stand the thought of an AA meeting, maybe a more formal chemical dependency treatment program is for you.

No matter what your definition of alcoholism is, if booze is affecting your life or the lives of others in any negative way, there is a problem. Call it alcoholism, or anything you want, just get the help and treatment you need for this disease before it destroys your life.

You should really plan to check back often for more anaxiety, depression and addiction information from people who are living with the same problems as you. Bookmark this site