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Undertoad · 03-06-2005, 11:36 AM

Alcohol use is a net positive to most people. Moderate drinkers live years longer than teetotalers. As a "social lubricant" it is unmatched, to the point where you would be hard-pressed to find a party where alcohol is not offered. Most people reading this are the result of alcohol in some way.

Drug use, including alcohol, is found in every culture. Beer and wine-making is first observed 4000 B.C. Seeking different states of mind is a deep part of human curiosity, first witnessed in children spinning themselves into a state of dizziness. Such activities are so deeply a part of childhood that they are practically ritualized. In other Cellar threads you will find people seeking these different states of mind via religious inspiration, and calling these states of mind the most important finding of their life.

I have absolutely no doubt that there is a biological basis for alcoholism. I think this should be studied and understood. I think understanding the biological basis will help those who make choices. I think calling it "disease" is a step towards acknowledging the biology of the problem but changes the nature of the debate in an unfortunate way. I think alcoholics have little choice by the time their problem is apparent and that addressing the problem through biology is probably a better and easier route.

My ex's oldest sister is a deeply troubled human being. At one point in her life, she was so alcoholic that she could not be left unsupervised for five minutes with any money or she would seek out the nearest store and get as drunk as possible. Earlier in her life she was a coke addict, including during one of her pregnancies. Her two children are also deeply fucked up, the older failing out of Penn State while leaning into schizophrenia, the younger a complete and total slut banging guys in their 30s when she was 16.

Her condition is so continuous through her life, so deep running thorugh several rehabs, that it's hard to imagine her ever redeeming herself in any way. At age 46 she has lost almost all her teeth due to drinking, looks terrible and will probably die in 5-10 years without having produced anything useful whatsoever.

It's really hard to imagine that she doesn't have some underlying biological problem. I know for certain that I will never be like her, and I don't think it's just a matter of a bad choice.

All that said, I would like to have helped her if I could have. And all the people with her condition.

03-06-2005, 11:36 AM	#9
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Alcohol use is a net positive to most people. Moderate drinkers live years longer than teetotalers. As a "social lubricant" it is unmatched, to the point where you would be hard-pressed to find a party where alcohol is not offered. Most people reading this are the result of alcohol in some way. Drug use, including alcohol, is found in every culture. Beer and wine-making is first observed 4000 B.C. Seeking different states of mind is a deep part of human curiosity, first witnessed in children spinning themselves into a state of dizziness. Such activities are so deeply a part of childhood that they are practically ritualized. In other Cellar threads you will find people seeking these different states of mind via religious inspiration, and calling these states of mind the most important finding of their life. I have absolutely no doubt that there is a biological basis for alcoholism. I think this should be studied and understood. I think understanding the biological basis will help those who make choices. I think calling it "disease" is a step towards acknowledging the biology of the problem but changes the nature of the debate in an unfortunate way. I think alcoholics have little choice by the time their problem is apparent and that addressing the problem through biology is probably a better and easier route. My ex's oldest sister is a deeply troubled human being. At one point in her life, she was so alcoholic that she could not be left unsupervised for five minutes with any money or she would seek out the nearest store and get as drunk as possible. Earlier in her life she was a coke addict, including during one of her pregnancies. Her two children are also deeply fucked up, the older failing out of Penn State while leaning into schizophrenia, the younger a complete and total slut banging guys in their 30s when she was 16. Her condition is so continuous through her life, so deep running thorugh several rehabs, that it's hard to imagine her ever redeeming herself in any way. At age 46 she has lost almost all her teeth due to drinking, looks terrible and will probably die in 5-10 years without having produced anything useful whatsoever. It's really hard to imagine that she doesn't have some underlying biological problem. I know for certain that I will never be like her, and I don't think it's just a matter of a bad choice. All that said, I would like to have helped her if I could have. And all the people with her condition.