Originally posted by FetchmyjunkI would suggest to you to go and "sit in" on an AA meeting.
[b]You said, "If one has an addiction, one cannot just choose not to have the condition."
So if alcoholism is the condition of 'continued excessive or compulsive use of alcoholic drinks', then surely what you said (in bold) is not true if a person can choose not to drink again.[/b]
Listen to what those people have to say about their condition.
Originally posted by avalanchethecatWhat I am trying to say is that the will of man is more powerful than any addiction. Everyone has the willpower to say no regardless of how strong the temptation may be. If that were not true then no addict would ever be able to stop with their addiction.
Alcoholism is not simply the 'continued or compulsive use of alcoholic drinks'. An alcoholic has formed an addiction to alcohol. The formation of this addiction involves permanent and irreversible changes in the brain. An addict may never again in their life partake of the substance to which he or she is addicted, but the changes in the brain - the a ...[text shortened]... vely short period of time and then spend the rest of their life struggling with said dependence.
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Originally posted by FMFI personally know an alcoholic that had 'a meeting with God', and she claims that God 'removed her addiction'. She still has a glass of wine every now and then, but she has no desire to get wasted anymore.
In my experience, once a person suffers from alcoholism, then they will still be alcoholics [or, if you want, 'recovering alcoholic'] 20 years after they had their last drink.
You claimed you know about this: you said "I know quite a few alcoholics and heroin addicts (and chain smokers) that no longer have an addiction, because they stopped using". So you su ...[text shortened]... l-free life they put between the sobriety of the present day and the bad old days of the bottle.
Originally posted by FetchmyjunkYour claims here appear to be based on the premises that everyone has exactly the same willpower, and that the physical and mental difficulties experienced by different people suffering addiction are exactly the same. And yet you haven't provided a lovely little anecdote to prove what you are claiming is true
What I am trying to say is that the will of man is more powerful than any addiction. Everyone has the willpower to say no regardless of how strong the temptation may be. If that were not true then no addict would ever be able to stop with their addiction.
Originally posted by FMFI suppose you could test my 'gun to the head' theory.
Your claims here appear to be based on the premises that everyone has exactly the same willpower, and that the physical and mental difficulties experienced by different people suffering addiction are exactly the same. And yet you haven't provided a lovely little anecdote to prove what you are claiming is true
Originally posted by FMFI did. I was referring to this post that I had made earlier.
Have you nothing to say about the post you were responding to?
"If someone claimed to be addicted to drinking and you held a gun to their head and told them either stop drinking or a take a bullet to the head, do you think they won't be able to choose not to drink and take the bullet?"
Originally posted by FetchmyjunkI don't care if you were referring to something you yourself said at some point. You have nothing to say about the post of mine you were responding to, which so often happens. Perhaps there is a ripcord question coming?
I did. I was referring to this post that I had made earlier.
Originally posted by FMFYour claims here appear to be based on the premises that everyone has exactly the same willpower,
Your claims here appear to be based on the premises that everyone has exactly the same willpower, and that the physical and mental difficulties experienced by different people suffering addiction are exactly the same. And yet you haven't provided a lovely little anecdote to prove what you are claiming is true
No they are not. People don't have to have the same willpower to overcome temptation.
and that the physical and mental difficulties experienced by different people suffering addiction are exactly the same.
No I never claimed that. You just made that up.
And yet you haven't provided a lovely little anecdote to prove what you are claiming is true
"If someone (sane) claimed to be addicted to drinking and you held a gun to their head and told them either stop drinking or a take a bullet to the head, do you think they won't be able to choose not to drink and take the bullet?" (Regardless of their physical or mental difficulties)
Originally posted by FetchmyjunkIf you are proposing some sort of real life-real world-real people programme of treatment for alcoholism based on your theories, just go ahead and explain what it is.
"If someone (sane) claimed to be addicted to drinking and you held a gun to their head and told them either stop drinking or a take a bullet to the head, do you think they won't be able to choose not to drink and take the bullet?" (Regardless of their physical or mental difficulties)
FMF: And yet you haven't provided a lovely little anecdote to prove what you are claiming is true.So you are claiming this thing about holding a gun against an alcoholic's head is an anecdote? Have you got a link to the story?
Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
"If someone (sane) claimed to be addicted to drinking and you held a gun to their head and told them either stop drinking or a take a bullet to the head, do you think they won't be able to choose not to drink and take the bullet?" (Regardless of their physical or mental difficulties)