What do I mean by mental obsession and the
obsessional character of alcoholism, the disease of lunacy?
(WAIT! Who asked that question, anyway? OH! Nobody?)
(WAIT! Who asked that question, anyway? OH! Nobody?)
Well, as I understand it, we are all born with freedom of choice.
The degree of this varies from person to person, and from area to area in our lives.
In the case of neurotic people, our instincts take on certain patterns and directions,
sometimes so compulsive they cannot be broken by any ordinary effort of the will.
The alcoholic's compulsion to drink is like that.
As a smoker, for example, I had a deeply ingrained habit - I was almost an addict.
But I do not think that this habit was an actual obsession.
Doubtless it was broken by an act of my own will. Badly enough hurt, I gave up tobacco. Should smoking have repeatedly landed me in Naples Community Hospital,
I doubt that I would have made the trip many times before quitting.
But with my alcoholism, well, that was something else again.
No amount of desire to stop, no amount of punishment, could enable me to quit.
What was once a habit of drinking became an obsession of drinking - genuine lunacy.
Message digested from writings of Barefoot Bob,
My Friend...deceased
As great Post Steve to remind all of us that Lunacy is alive and well anc can very well kill us...I am so thankful we do not drink in this house...blessings to you in all you do...you inspire me to always look up ....blessings...bkm
ReplyDeleteDo you believe addiction tendencies are hereditary?
ReplyDeletescary how early these things are being introduced to kids as well...poisoning our future...lunacy as well....
ReplyDeleteExactly. True insanity.
ReplyDeleteuggghhh...I just wrote this great long (perhaps too long) comment and lost it before I could post it. Perhaps it should be a post on my blog...good ol' compulsiveness. YIKES!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the reminder Steve.
Blessings,
~A
The 'on and on' habits ! To be seen, not seen-
ReplyDeleteto fit in,blend in,escape, to sleep- all beginning reasons for me.But I was a chronic doodler and note writer too ! sportsman. Was it the 'doing' ? was it the onset of hormones that flipped my switch from repetition to
compulsion ? Genes may have pre-determined the invisible line- yet I crossed it. Once a pickle always a pickle. Thanks!
Es que la bebida puede crear adicción y se convierte en una enfermedad. Uno no puede salir facilmente de la bebida sin ayuda. Y aún con ayuda se puede volver a recaer.
ReplyDeleteSomos débiles, hacemos agua por alguna parte y nos creamos adicciones. Es como aferrarse a algo para poder vivir. Yo tube la del tabaco, que es una droga, pero desués de muchos años lo pude dejar.
Un beso.
Your words inspired a bit of rhyme in me today
ReplyDeleteA deadly obsession that will not quit.
Pray, a new obsession replaces it
perfectly. God seems to be,
as far as I can see,
obsessed with loving in and through you and me.
The awareness of that act,
shared with powerful tact,
between you and me
seems to be
the Great Fact
Aww, that is very sad.
ReplyDeletePS. I think you should know, there's some impostor called 'Old Guy' running around using your name and avatar. He left a comment on my blog and I thought, whut??? This cannot be Maestro Steve. Steve is, like, 25 years old!'
BELLA!
ReplyDeleteI'll BE 25 in three years...if the Lord wills it. So far, He's not doing too good in that respect. He's making me look, feel, and act like I'm 77...78 in May (GEMINI, of course!) YOU are 'cute'--grin!
JESSIE!
I absolutely love that "you and me" business...it IS a "we" program. If we forget that we're lost, in many respects.
I put some rhyme-lines on your blog! You write SO WELL about our program of recovery, and give specific examples. I should not read your blog, because when I do, there is nothing left for ME to blog--grin!
PEACE! and J O Y !!!!!
SAKKARAH!
Un deseo físico, la escasez espiritual, la obsesión mental, junto con el alcohol hace que una persona alcohólica. (Es el tema que conozco!)
Me encanta ver sus palabras de español en mi blog. ¡Gracias!
Un beso para ti también.
IZZY!
YEP! "Once a pickle, always a pickle"..TRUE! But, even though I'm still a pickle, I do not have to be PICKLED--grin! Let's stay sober today
--and maybe be at PEACE! At least for a time..
I am so tired and then I come here and that illustration makes me feel so exhausted. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteAlcoholics think they have a problem. Hah! Ask their families and friends.
I met so many alcoholics. We had a detox room. It stunk so bad I vomited every time I came in. In fact, I stopped being embarrassed from vomiting. I did it right there on the sink. Every Friday night that same guy came in. I have never seen him sober in 5 years. The worst smell was on New Years day. A combination of blood and alcohol.
ReplyDeleteCes, I have been in those rooms. Detox means just what its name implies.
ReplyDeleteI'm 'almost' sorry I woke you up to such bitter memories...
ATIYANNA!
ReplyDeleteWhenever I remind anyone of this commonality of our affliction, I am reminding myself more. BTW, Atiyanna, you can never write too long a cooment on this blog.
I realize some people like 2 or 3 word comments. I prefer more in-depth stuff, almost like a conversation. "To Each His Own..."
It is SO good to see you back on the blogs. It takes time and patience for people to find you, then become followers, especially if you've been off a while. I know...I did that, too, for a few weeks--a few times.
PEACE!
ANDREW!
ReplyDeleteYep. Step TWO! Please keep coming back, I sure enjoy knowing you are close around!
BRIAN!
Well, I started drinking--not heavily, but regularly at age 10...and I loved to sniff the muriatic acid, as it smoked itself up out of the 5-gallon container. Ahhhh! NOW I can hardly breathe--who knew? Seems like there is no stopping it, except through education? Naw, that doesn't work either.
MAGPIE!
I answered your question in comment on your blog. Definitive answer is: Who knows?
BKM!
Hey, even 'looking up' can be dangerous. Especially on the farm, ya just GOTTA watch where you're walking--grin! Slippery places there, ya know?
PEACE!
Ahhh, well that explains it. I understand now. 25. Why, you are nothing but a wee young babe! No wonder you are looking for prizes! You still buy meals that come with toys! :D Hahahahaha You are fun, Steve. Oh, I know you are not 25. You are 21.
ReplyDeleteMake sure your new elephant has plenty of space to dance! They do that, you know.
ReplyDeletePEACE to you too!
BELLA!
ReplyDeleteIf there is enough space for ME to dance, there is room also then for an elephants. But thanks for the advice. You are so helpful! (That means full of.....
....HELP!--grin!)
BELLA (Again!)
Age is not how one feels. Age is how one thinks! And that makes me age 176...OH! I FORGOT THE DECIMAL 1.76