The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
The Courage to Change reading for today speaks about accepting alcoholism as a disease. It points out that alcoholism iss very similar to Alzheimer's disease. This is because we see our loved ones slip away and they are not even aware that it is happening.. The reading points out that although they look perfectly normal on the outside it is clear that the disease is progressing since they become more and more irrational and difficult to be around.
When the alcoholic has lucid moments we want to believe that they are well. But these moments pass and we despair. Once we accept the reality of alcoholism, it becomes easier to separate the disease from the person.
The quote is "a family member has no more right to state if you loved me. He would not drink in the right to say it. You love me, you would not have tuberculosis illness is a condition and not an act"
The more I thought about this reading, the more I realized that not only the alcoholic disappears, in the relationship, I also disappeared. I made myself invisible, my needs un- important, my dreams silly, my wants unnecessary so as to stay in the insanity and deal with the madness of the disease.
Thank God for Al-Anon and for the tools that enabled me to focus on myself, be gentle with myself, live one day at a time, working the steps and trusting HP. With these simple, powerful tools I was able to regain my self-esteem and my life.
Thank you Betty for sharing this reading. I, too, am grateful for the program but also for alcoholism because it has taught me to reach deep inside myself and know myself, all the good the bad the ugly of it all. I can now separate the person from the disease but I can also see how I no longer am invisible because of the help of this program.
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Never grow a wishbone where your backbone ought to be!
Appreciate the analogy of alcoholism to Alzheimer's disease, gives a good foundation to approach alcoholism with compassionate detachment rather than taking it personally, which is my inclination. Thanks everyone for your esh on today's reading.
