Drug and alcohol addiction and abuse. Recognition. Prevention. Treatment
20/20 Parenting. Recognizing and mitigating early vulnerabilities and risk factors.
Alcohol
Stigma and shame of alcoholism remain (continued)
By Paula Carlson, newspaper reporter
Reprinted courtesy of The Surrey Leader, a Black Press newspaper, to introduce you to a greater understanding of the perils of alcohol addiction.
Despite knowledge of the physiology of addiction - the complex relationship between body, mind and spirit, the genetic component, the changes in brain chemistry that occur with prolonged exposure to substances - alcohol consumption was still included in a recent Leger Marketing poll asking Canadians what behaviour they consider to be immoral.
Apparently, 65 per cent of those surveyed believe alcohol abuse fits that description, second only to pedophilia, extra-marital affairs and prostitution.
According to my Oxford thesaurus, this means the majority of the largely well-educated, tolerant population of Canada deems those with drinking problems bad, wrongful, wicked, evil, unprincipled, unscrupulous, dishonourable, dishonest, unconscionable, iniquitous, disreputable, corrupt, depraved, vile, villainous, nefarious, base, miscreant, sinful, impure, unchaste, shameless, degenerate, debauched, lewd, wanton, shady, low-down and crooked.
Strange. The "drunks" I've known have been to a fault sensitive, intelligent people who struggle their entire lives with an affliction called alcoholism - that if not wrestled under control robs them of their potential and tears loved ones apart.
Like mental illness, alcoholism remains the black sheep of health issues, with those suffering from it usually reluctant to seek help because of the stigma. They think they will be seen as weak in character, or worse, less worthy of assistance in the face of more noble maladies such as breast cancer.
The poll suggests they are right.
How including alcoholism [and while excluding other addictions] on such a survey helps alcoholics and their families overcome their formidable challenge is unclear. At best, it underscores the fact that more public education is needed, along with better outreach to alcoholics and their parents, spouses and children.
At worst, it reinforces the shame. It reminds me what it felt like to sit alone on the curb at suppertime, opposite The Block, while the other kids were called in for dinner.
Immoral, I suppose. Though I didn't have a word for it then.
© 2006 The Surrey Leader
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