Just pause a minute. Do you know that there are 4 types of alcoholism; but we have 12 steps to cure it as stated by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
Again, if you have not started drinking heavily, please in the name of God remain like that. Or, if you have not started drinking at all, again, in God’s name do not start.
Let me explain, as I said earlier there are:
4 types of alcoholism.
1. Social drinking.
This can lead to alcoholism; because the drinker starts to turn regularly to alcohol for relief from stress; or because his social drinking is so heavy that the beginning of dependence are noticed.
2. Early alcoholism.
This is marked by the beginning of memory blackouts. Increasing dependence is shown by surreptitious drinking and the urgency of first drinks. The drinker feels guilty, but cannot discuss the problem.
3. Basic alcoholism.
The drinker can no longer stop, unless forced to by intoxication. He bolsters himself with excuses and grandiose behaviour, but his promises and resolutions fail. He starts avoiding family and friends, and neglects food, interests, work, and money. Physical deterioration sets in. Finally tolerance for alcohol decreases.
4. Chronic alcoholism.
This is marked by further moral deterioration, irrational thoughts, vague fears, fantasies and psychotic behaviour.
Physical damage continues. The drinker has no alibis left, and can no longer take any step to recovery by himself. Reaching this point may have taken from 5 to 25 years.
Today let me discuss the acceptance of being an alcoholic, as enunciated by AA.
12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
Alcoholics Anonymous was founded by Bill Wilson and his Physician, Dr Bob Smith in 1936. It is a global, community – based programme to help those struggling with problematic drinking, to enable them get sober with the support of their peers, through daily meeting and discussions surrounding addiction. AA gives men and women a place to come together and share their experiences.
The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are;
1. We, admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. We, came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. We, made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand him.
4. We, made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. We, admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. We, were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. We, humbly asked him to remove our shortcomings.
8. We, made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. We, made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. We, continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. We, sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understand Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. We, having had spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to the alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
• In the medical parlance we say “insight and correct diagnosis of any illness is half the cure”.
• Any alcoholic that subscribes to the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is on his way to ditching the addiction.
In summary, treatment of alcohol addiction.
• Alcohol addiction is like drug, if the person is deprived of alcohol there will be sever withdrawal symptoms viz sweating, vomiting, body aches, diarrhoea, running nose and eyes, fits, convulsions, and hallucinations – sedatives relieve these, but are terminated before they themselves become addictive.
• The patient’s health is restored by good diet, and any physical problems due to the addiction is treated.
• After detoxification, the underlying psychological causes are identified, if possible, and treated.
• The patient’s motivation, self-confidence, and trust must be constantly strengthened.
Lastly.
• Treatment depends above all, on the patient’s desire to be cured.
• Treatment for alcohol addiction is long term, and it’s goal has to be lifetime abstention. Always be medically guided.
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