Most people dream of being doctors, teachers, lawyers or veterinarians when they grow up. No one says, "I think I'll be an alcoholic when I grow up-. So why do some people give up their dreams and become hopeless alcoholics. What kind of person makes a choice to put alcohol above all other things in their life? .
Alcoholism is a chronic disease, progressive and often fatal; it is a primary disorder and not a symptom of other diseases or emotional problems. The chemical composition of alcohol allows it to affect nearly every type of cell in the body, including those in the central nervous system. In the brain, alcohol interacts with centers responsible for pleasure and other desirable sensations. However, after prolonged exposure to alcohol, the brain adapts to the changes alcohol makes and becomes dependent on it. For people with alcoholism, drinking becomes the primary medium through which they interact with people, work and life. Alcohol dominates their thinking, emotions and actions. The severity of this disease is influenced by factors such as genetics, psychology, culture, and response to physical pain (pg.223, Torr1974).
The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous discusses the alcoholics' behavior as absurd and incomprehensible when it comes to the first drink and compares it to an individual with a passion, say for jay-walking. He gets a thrill out of skipping in front of fast-moving vehicles. He enjoys himself for a few years in spite of friendly warnings. Up to this point you would label him as a foolish chap having queer ideas of fun. Luck then deserts him and he is slightly injured several times in succession. You would expect him, if he were normal, to stop the behavior. However, he continues and is hit again and this time has a fractured skull. Within a week after leaving the hospital, a fast-moving trolley car breaks his arm. He tells you he has decided to stop jay-walking for good, but in just a few weeks he breaks both legs.