There is currently a great deal of addiction education and research on alcoholism and addiction. There has been an attempt to look too closely at the differences and totally miss the big picture. This video is my attempt to summarize what has been found over the last 30 years of research and put it into a simple context. This way anyone can understand the concept of the “disease process” regardless of the substance or process
I spoke to a researcher at a convention who sadly concluded that the research field in addiction especially alcoholism has been sadly not impartial. Many details truly saddened both of us. He had dedicated his life to this research and had been excluded from publication to some of the journals that would be considered “professional proof” in the US. These years of research overseas which proved that 12 step based programs absolutely helped alcoholics and addicts. This information had been excluded when attempting to bring it to the US attention in research circle.
Addiction Education 2020 and Understanding the big picture
When training new professionals in the field, much has been lost when passing on information for addiction education. It used to be that people who were considered “recovering” or “recovered” would mentor new professionals. Unfortunately, this old way has given way to several people who do not have this vision and viewpoint. It becomes a new type of “medical model” where people become “objects” to study and divorced from their spiritual being.
In fact, some schools actually teach that people can “choose” to stop using as though will power was all that was needed. In my opinion, much has been lost over the years.
This was taught to me as I was attempting to understand this disease. It still has been the best summary and so I pass it on to you.
The body is truly affected, as is the mind and soul
Why else would people who before their drinking careers or drug use, be a “different person”? It’s because all these parts are affected. The most blatant one is that they violate the very values that they hold when “clean” or “sober” or before their first drink or drug.
Everyone is affected by this disease as we see in Addiction Education
There is not one person who has not been affected by this disease. The problem is that most people do not correlate the disease attributing their problems with other things.  Early, middle or late stage is present at various times in someone’s life and therefore their loved ones are affected. Dr. Claudia Black explains this concept very well. Dr. Kevin Mc Caulley is leading the discussion on the “disease” concept.
Years of proof is already here
Luckily, I was taught by the “old school” people, who whether they had a credential or degree in certain things, had the wisdom of this knowledge that plain old “will power” did not work. It never worked. In fact, prior to 1935, no one had recovered for more than 2 years of continuous sobriety. These are the stories in the first “Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous”. A great example of this is Father Martin and his explanation. This experiment involving “non-spiritual” ways has been tried over the many years I have worked in the field. They applied “psychology” and they have been dismal failures. Medicine, religion and psychology are no use when working on this “disease”. However, the way of life that AA and other 12 step programs have adapted, most certainly has been a success and continues for over 80 years.
There is hope
Once understood, there has been years of a program called “Alanon Family Groups”. This group focuses on changing oneself and thus influencing others. We can’t control, cure or even cause this disease but we can change our own lives.
This change is where the hope lies. Whether the alcoholic/addict finds recovery, we can change and this change influences those around is.