Alcoholism is a 4-fold Progressive Disease

Robin Foote takes a look at the progression of alcoholism through the realms of mind, body, feelings, and spirit.

Alcoholism is a disease of the body, thinking, emotions and spirit. Progressive damage to these four aspects interact in various ways such that a person is increasingly compelled to drink. Also, once drinking starts, a person cannot 'always' guarantee when they will stop, or how much they will drink.

The Body

A genetic predisposition. Fifty percent of alcoholics have an inherited genetic makeup that almost guaranteed they would become alcoholic when they began to drink heavily. For example, the brain chemistry of some children or grandchildren of alcoholics actually encourages heavier drinking.

Alcohol metabolism. Alcohol is metabolized differently by some people. As a result, the body and brain requires more alcohol to produce the same effect in normal drinkers.

Cell alteration. All heavy drinkers undergo changes at the cellular level of the brain. Where the brain cells meet, extra receptor positions grow to receive the heavy dose of alcohol related chemical messengers. When not drinking these extra receptor positions demand to be filled, thus creating a craving for alcohol.

Brain damage. Alcohol, in any quantity, is poisonous to brain cells and kills off cells in their millions. The most critically affected parts of the brain are those that deal with short term memory, decision making and rational thinking. Female heavy drinkers develop brain damage with less drinking than males.

Liver damage. The most common liver disease of alcoholics is cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver. This disease results in reduced and corrupted chemicals being sent to the body which can result in damage to other organs. Women suffer liver damage with less alcohol consumption than men.

Alcoholic hepatitis (AH). AH is caused by other liver diseases, most notably cirrhosis of the liver. More than 60% of people who develop both AH and cirrhosis will die within four years. AH can cause changes in sleep patterns, mood, and personality; psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depression; shortened attention span; and problems with coordination may occur.

Brain chemicals. The body and especially the brain relies on the liver to filter important body fluids and excrete wastes. As a result of contaminated chemistry from a damaged liver the brain does not function properly. Typically a person will have cloudy and slowed thinking.

Heart damage. Heavy drinking causes damage to the heart muscles. The heart pumps less blood and an abnormal heartbeat may develop. Women need to consume less alcohol than men to suffer from heart damage.

Skeletal muscles. Heavy drinking causes muscles in the arms and legs to shrink. For example, an alcoholic may have legs that are out of proportion, which are skinnier than the rest of their body. Sufferers may become embarrassed about their body shape.

Cancer. The risk of cancer increases with greater alcohol consumption - more so in women. Cancer can develop in the upper airways, the liver, breasts and the bowels.

Sexual organs and sexuality. Heavy alcohol use shrinks the testicles. In men and women the breasts grow larger. Men produce more female hormones and women produce more male hormones. Men become less virile and women become less feminine. As a result a person's sexuality and libido is altered.

They may sense change in their sexuality and overcompensate by becoming more sexually active. Indiscriminate or intoxicated sexual activity raises the risk of getting sexually transmitted diseases.

Thinking

As detailed above, various damaged body organs and altered chemistry affect how the brain thinks.

This buildup of changes to thinking processes occurs over an extended time period, and these small changes are usually unseen by the sufferer. The person reacts by adjusting their reasoning and behaviour to accommodate their new ways of thinking. Alcoholics always adjust their thinking in ways that are harmful to themselves. Furthermore, they cannot see the impact of their new coping style.

Typically they begin to adopt a siege mentality. Feedback from themselves and from other people, indicates they are not quite at one with their inner-self or the person they once were. Their experiences seem to paint a picture that people around them are against them, or are better than them, or are just different from themselves. They become insecure, angry, ashamed, depressed and anxious about their altered attitudes and actions.

This siege mentality generates a self-centered perspective to protect their self concept. They become takers and non-givers, regardless of the needs of others. For example, they might say "I want what I want and I want it now", or "I need a drink, now", and, when they do not get it, they assert themselves even more, becoming more demanding as the disease progresses.

Alcoholics will increasingly try to cope by drinking more alcohol to take away the pain of their perception of being isolated in thinking and behaviour. They slowly adopt an attitude of denial to their real condition, which they eventually believe is reality for them.

The alcoholic drinks more alcohol due to a different brain chemistry and metabolism, has cravings for more alcohol due to cell alteration and organ damage, and drinks more to cope with the effects of their changed thinking and behavior. They are drinking to feel normal.

The Emotions

From the above discussion, it can easily be seen that their emotions become strained and twisted. Alcoholics become emotionally dependent on achieving and maintaining a state of denial of their true situation. They deny it to themselves and others. If their alcoholism is threatened with being exposed or their alcohol supply is threatened, they may protect themselves with anger, bluff, self-pity, manipulation, depression, running away, and so on.

They feel as if they must continue their current emotional and thinking stance at all costs. Alcohol has become their best friend and they are loyal to it.

The Spirit

The spirit of a person is the centre of their personality. If, as seen above, the person is not thinking, feeling or acting as their true self would (not aligned with their spiritual self) they are spiritually ill at ease; or dis-eased.

An Holistic Solution

The progression of the disease must be arrested by stopping drinking, and health must be restored in all 4 areas - body, thinking, emotions and spirit.

It is the diseased spiritual state that is targeted by the most successful treatment service world wide - Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Through the 12 steps of recovery each person finds their inner, spiritual self by stripping away the effects of alcoholism and fixing up the wreckage of past thinking and actions. They begin to live a life of freedom from alcohol that has had them enslaved.