Orangehomers' post is an example of how addiction and alcoholism is still greatly misunderstood. Modern science has shown us that although in some cases personal choice can promote the onset of addiction or alcoholism, the disease concept is generally regarded as being primarily responsible for how one person can take a drink and dabble with recreational drug use and be OK and not relinquish their ability to choose to put it down, while another begins a painful decent into alcoholism and addiction.
If someone were to relate how a loved one had recovered from cancer or another killer disease, they are generally encouraged and the person suffering from the condition is the recipient of empathy and sympathy. People all to often confuse the behavior with the person. The addict or alcoholic has lost the ability to "not drink and drug". It is a physical compulsion coupled with a mental obsession which is seldom, but mostly never, overcome by the unaided will. Twelve step programs recognize the best treatment for the condition is a complete cessation of using, the acceptance of the addict/ alcoholic that they are such, the development of a believe in a "power greater than oneself", and the precipitation in in a support group comprised of similarly suffering addicts/ alcoholics.
Often, the support group itself serves as the "power greater than oneself". But in most instances, people who recover often are those who have experienced a spiritual awakening of sorts and most often those people choose to call that experience "God".
The effects of Addiction and Alcoholism reach out far beyond the suffering addict/ alcoholic and often the suffering and anguish experienced by the immediate family is as acute as the addict/ alcoholic themselves and the sense of hopelessness and powerlessness can be so intense that people have to distance themselves from the sick person as a matter of personal preservation.
So, the joy experienced by family members when an addict/ alcoholic has found their way back through recovery is a wonderful and rare thing and is an outcome which deserves recognition and support. Just as active addiction and alcoholism creates suffering and hardship on loved ones, recovery fosters a chain of events whereby positive effects are enjoyed by most all those who are closely related to the person who is recovering.
If anyone should think that a person recovering from addiction or alcoholism is not reason for celebration and recognition, all anyone need do is ask any of my 5 children if their lives have been impacted by the fact that by the grace of God, I have not picked up a drink or a drug since August 9th 1990.
