Definition; Alcoholic

[Chris Lawrence]

Ding

The other factor is just give in to win. When a person stops analysing their problem, trying to solve it with their own logic; when all this stops then it is time to do something about the problem. The quicker a person with a drinking/addiction problem admits this then somthing can be done.

Why people bring in % without the source of the statement does not carry any validity, as it is only heresay and is not based on fact. But, the recovery of a person is a very hard angle to push to people that have other agenda's.

Good to hear a bit of your story.

[ding]

The idea of surrender to win is hard to grip without having felt the lashes of alcoholism.

Also, as a westerner, humility is a weakness and pride is a strength. It was an awareness building experience to realize that PRIDE leads the list of the 7 deadly sins. And that the Buddhists are right about humility.

Things are often not as they seem -for me. And just when I think I have it pretty much dialed in, it changes again. I do know I have today. And that no person, no place, and no thing can ever make me take a drink again. That simplistic pap gave me a lot of hope in the early days.

[robitusson]

Nobody tracks it anyway.

AA certainly don't.

There have been other studies done though.

[sabaijai]

Just a reminder that this thread is about the definition of alcoholic/alcohol abuser, not about treatment or success rates.

[ding]

I know I wasn't very clear at all. My intent was to start a humorous thread. One of the things I love about AA is the humor, gallows humor at times. It helped me a lot over the past years of sobriety. I never figured that was part of AA before ending up here.

Prayer is another thing that surprised this hardened agnostic. Prayer is now a near daily part of my recovery. Still non-religious and 100% clueless, I don't know what the hel_l it is, but it works for me. I don't have to know what it is. Like love, I can just tell.

If anyone anywhere is suffering this thing, I hope you've had yourself enough pain and decide you're worth saving. And if this ain't for you... I probably just made you gag. Khow thoad khup

[sandy2008]

While the ingestion of alcohol is, by definition, necessary to develop alcoholism, the use of alcohol does not predict the development of alcoholism. The quantity, frequency and regularity of alcohol consumption required to develop alcoholism varies greatly from person to person.

================================================

Sandy

<a href="http://www.alcohol-rehab.cn">Alcohol Rehabilitation</a>

[barcelonatio]

I have been sober 14 + years and an active member in AA... which totally ROCKS. I am soon moving to BKK to be go to meetings non-stop as I enjoy it, meet tons of people, and it keeps me sober. As for some of the posts.... Yes, AA doesn't seem to work for everyone. but..."rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path". That sums it up. I didn´t get sober immediately as I was looking for an "easier, softer way" but once I was humble enough to actually try the program, it totally worked. Amazing for someone who literally drank a bottle of vodka every night for many years. AA is not for people who need it ... it's for people who want it. So until someone is so miserable that they will try ANYTHING and be humble enough to take suggestions... AA is probably not going to work. But there really are AA miracles and I have seen people recover which is amazing. I hope to see it in Thailand soon!

[Samuian]

i have been "sober" for 12 years thru AA

definition of sober= i dont drink or use drugs, have god in my life and try at all times to be a gentleman

Sorry, this is a very personal statement, but it escapes my most vivid imagination how one does go with the other!

.... I can only hazzard a guess that it's because they are practising Buddhists who have a big problem not accepting that it is all down to their own will-power.

A hazard is a situation which poses a level of threat to life, health, property or environment.

What you are stipulating here is entirely based on your very own conception, sold as "they are practising Buddhists", do YOU have a problem with accepting that it is all down to your willpower?

If not, tell us how come do you know?

[Jolyn]

Hi...

an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group (-OH) is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group. The general formula for a simple acyclic alcohol is CnH2n+1OH.

The word alcohol was introduced into the English language circa 1543 from the Arabic: الغول‎, "al-ġuḥl". In layman's terms, it usually refers to ethanol, also known as grain alcohol or (older) spirits of wine, or to any alcoholic beverage. Ethanol is a colorless, volatile liquid with a mild odor which can be obtained by the fermentation of sugars. (Industrially, it is more commonly obtained by ethylene hydration—the reaction of ethylene with water in the presence of phosphoric acid.[1]) Ethanol is the most widely used depressant in the world, and has been for thousands of years. This sense underlies the term alcoholism (addiction to alcohol)......

[Neeranam]

i have been "sober" for 12 years thru AA

definition of sober= i dont drink or use drugs, have god in my life and try at all times to be a gentleman

Sorry, this is a very personal statement, but it escapes my most vivid imagination how one does go with the other!

.... I can only hazzard a guess that it's because they are practising Buddhists who have a big problem not accepting that it is all down to their own will-power.

A hazard is a situation which poses a level of threat to life, health, property or environment.

What you are stipulating here is entirely based on your very own conception, sold as "they are practising Buddhists", do YOU have a problem with accepting that it is all down to your willpower?

If not, tell us how come do you know?

hazard

Noun

1. a thing likely to cause injury, loss, etc.

2. at hazard at risk

3. risk or likelihood of injury, loss, etc.: evaluate the level of hazard in a situation

4. Golf an obstacle such as a bunker

Verb1. to risk: hazarding the health of his crew

2. hazard a guess to make a guess [Arabic az-zahr the die]

As you are not an native speaker of English, I'm a bit confused as to what you're asking here.

I tried to stop drinking for many years using my own will-power but couldn't. I tried all kinds of meditations, yogas, martial arts, Buddhist retreats etc but couldn't stay off it for more than a couple of weeks. As soon as I asked for help from other alcoholics and handed my will over to the care of a higher power, the craving to drink was immediately removed. In Robittsons case, he doesn't understand Buddhism enough to realise that Buddhists or athiests for that matter can work a 12 step program.

Edited November 6, 2008 by Neeranam

[dotcom]

[it is successful! For 5% of memebers.

Nonsense.

You opt in AA & you opt out.

If you are a "member" you have voluntarily decided to attend meetings & do other things to aid in recovery.

You are a "member" if you say so. AA don't keep records; you needn't use your real name.

It's a success for all members who attend meetings & do not consume alcohol. I have about 12 years sober, got sober in BKK & I am very glad that Ruam Rudee group exists. I am not planning on having a drink. I might if I could come up with one thing a drink could make better. ZERO!!!!!

My point is that it's working for about 100% of "members" attending meetings on a regular basis.

Edited November 6, 2008 by dotcom

[Seapok]

Definition of an alcoholic; RJT and his two brothers!

[Chris Lawrence]

Another definition I have been told: "When a case of beer is costing you more than the case of beer".

[aznyron]

"I AM CRYSTAL METH "

This was written by a young girl who was in jail for drug charges,

and was addicted to crystal meth . She wrote this while in jail.

As you will soon read, she fully grasped the horrors of the drug,

as she tells in this simple, yet profound poem. She was released

from jail, but true to her story, the drug owned her. Please keep

praying for our Children, Teens, Young adults. Understand, this

thing is worse than any of us realize...

Thanks for that. Do you think she lacked will-power for not being able to stay off the drug?

I don't understand what you are trying to understand from this poem about what happens when a person can see no other way out from the torment of their addiction?

Alcohol, herion, Ice etc the dynamics of addiction can be masked by many issues and unresolved problems, with the drug further affecting that person ability to deal with life on life's terms.

I saw a chart that was called a Bell Curve used in teaching students in drug and alcohol studies(mainly used in alcohol studies). Tried to see if I could get it on the internet; couldn't find it. It was fairly simplistic in its assumptions of how a person may progress in alcoholism/addiction and the times that they may try and pull themselves out of this process. Might be worth another look.

I suppose you are right in the end you do lack will power, but what I have seen there is a certian process involved before the will power is lost to the Alcohol, herion, pot, ice etc.

I just thought the poem had impact as to outcome and being a pesonal account.

as a friend of Bill W for 27 years I still do not know what causes people to become alcoholic but I was told in my first week in AA it not what you drink or how much you drink it what happens to you when you do drink. I have had more than my share

of black outs and I lost jobs got in to fights and it was all alcohol related. so one day after a day & night of drinking and

finding my self drunk again with out remembering what I had done I knew it was time to get help. so I made that phone call

that most of alcoholics refuse to do is ask for help. today I look back on my life as a sober alcoholic and I get on my knees

and thank GOD for carrying me to AA because I did not get there on my own it was his help and guidance that brought me

there. I also want to thank the readers for allowing me to share my story with you and I hope & pray it helps some one get sober. God Bless all of you including the non believers AMEN

[ding]

AA works 100% of the time. It's the alcoholic that doesn't work AA (or isn't getting honest).

Anyhoo... I heard a pretty good one-

Directions to an AA meeting: Go straight

towards hel_l

and make a U-turn

So not the best joke but it's recent to me.

btw- 24 years this month! yay! and thanks for the collective wisdom and compounded knowledge this movement has freely given me.