30. Many misconceptions exist about alcohol problems

By Tom O'Connell

The mood altering substance we call alcohol has been around since mankind's earliest adventures on this planet. So it's no wonder that a number of misconceptions have developed over the years on the subject of its use.

There are still people who think that if they only drink beer and wine, and "avoid the hard stuff," they won't become alcoholics. But it makes little difference how we transport the liquor to our brains and central nervous systems. A drink of alcohol is a drink of alcohol, whether it's a shot of whiskey, a glass of wine, or a bottle of beer. The "light stuff" isn't the answer to the alcohol problem. Moderation is the solution for some people, and abstinence is necessary for others.

Some women think they're not as likely to become alcoholic as men are because, historically, men have always outnumbered women when it came to alcoholism. But the gap has been narrowing for decades. In addition, women often become severely impaired more quickly than men. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that women absorb and metabolize alcohol differently, have higher blood alcohol concentrations after consuming the same amount of alcohol as men, and are more susceptible to alcoholic liver disease, heart muscle damage, and brain damage.

Many people think there's an alcoholic type. But they're generalizing. Actually, there are many types of people who are alcoholics, and if you gather ten people together the odds are that one or more of them will be alcoholic. Alcoholics come in every shape, size, economic bracket, race, and national heritage. There are lazy, productive, brilliant, mentally challenged, kind, and sadistic alcoholics. There are ALL kinds!

Alcoholism is an equal opportunity situation. Whatever qualities you can apply to other humans you can apply to alcoholics. But along with their other qualities, alcoholics have a disorder of unhealthy dependence that affects their ability to function to their full potential. They suffer from craving, compulsion, loss of control despite efforts to control, and they continue the behavior despite life-damaging consequences.

Isn't it okay to just drink on weekends? Well, there are daily drunks and periodic drunks, occasional drunks and severely impaired alcoholic drunks. It isn't how often you drink, or the quantity; it's the effect on you and other people that makes the difference. Why do you drink? What does alcohol do to you? Some people may be able to tolerate a drink a day without being alcoholic, and others may be impaired in some way by that single drink.

The key questions are these: Am I dependent on alcohol, whether daily, weekly, or otherwise? What happens to me when I drink? Is it unhealthy for me physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, or spiritually? How does alcohol affect my relationships with myself,  others, and God?  Does alcohol impair my ability to function to my full potential?

Alcohol in itself isn't evil or wicked. Moreover, the substance isn't the problem; it's how we use it that causes difficulty. For most people, a small chocolate bar is no problem, but it can lead a compulsive overeater to disaster. Likewise, one drink can be hazardous to an alcoholic's health because the alcoholic never knows where that first drink is going to take him...or her.

How about you?

- Back -