If you’ve been to an AA meeting you know the drill. Hell if you’ve ever watched telly you know the drill.
“My name is Mike, and I am an alcoholic”
“Hi Mike”
That’s how every ‘share time’ starts in every AA meeting I have attended.
And I don’t like it.
I don’t like it because I don’t believe that I am an alcoholic. I think that word is overused and doesn’t apply to the vast majority of the people who have it thrust upon them. The definition of alcoholism is this:
addiction to the consumption of alcoholic drink; alcohol dependency.
I’m not addicted to alcohol. I am sober and have been for quite some time. The alcohol is out of my body and out of my life. So why would I get up and tell people that I am addicted still?
Sure if I were to pick up a drink again I could develop an addiction. But as of right now I am just a Non-Drinker, albeit a non-drinker with a history of alcohol abuse problems.
You might think this is a bit of a nit pick and that I am reading too much into it. Which maybe I am. But I do think there is some merit in ceasing to use the label once one has successfully recovered.
After all why is it just alcohol that has this label follow us around for life? If you quit smoking you don’t have ‘smoke-aholic’ follow you around for life. If you quit using heroin you are an ex drug addict. No it’s just alcohol that labels you for life as if you have a mortal illness.
I also think it is important to not over generalize with these things as it could affect treatment or recovery options. Someone who is actually addicted to alcohol (an alcoholic by definition) is different to someone who drinks 2 bottles of wine a night but only at the weekend. And both are different to someone who has been alcohol free for 6 weeks but still has the craving. Under the common use of the word all three of these people could be labelled an alcoholic however all three have wildly different needs when it comes to next steps and treatment strategies. Labeling all 3 as the same and having them follow the same path is not ideal for long term sobriety
Holly from HipSobriety actually has an excellent post on this very subject which you can find here. Holly makes a great point in her post. Alcohol is the only drug in the world where, when you stop taking it, you are seen as having a disease. Definitely check the post out. Holly articulates her points in a manner I am currently incapable of expressing.
So you might notice on this site that I will use a number of different terms such as Ex-drinker, Non-drinker, Alcohol abuse. Whenever I mention alcoholic it will strictly be referring to people who are addicted to alcohol.
I would love to hear others thoughts on this. Please share in the comments below.
And as always…
IWNDWYT – I will not drink with you today
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