Is alcoholism a disease?

No I don’t agree. Alcoholism is an addiction.

Even after all this time, I do not and cannot be convinced that alcoholism is a disease. It is a substance abuse issue the same as drugs. Anything that you do by your own free will is your own fault.

We can discuss it until the cows come home but that is my very firm stand. Drugs or booze get you out of your reality and into some other reality. Depends on what you are hooked on and the level of strength of the drug. The point is you are performing the act and you are the one abusing yourself. Drug abuse, drug addiction and alcoholism are the same. Except alcohol is totally legal whereas some drugs are not…

Push comes to shove. Mentally wrecked.

The week away from my alcoholic wife made me realize that my life without her was and could be fine. I knew that we had to give her a chance to get better. We had to do what needed to be done and give this a fair shot.

After our week off, the slightly better mom/wife returned. In her mind, she gave rehab a chance. She claimed she went to a retreat but we all knew it was a wellness centre. However, if it helped we could call it anything we wanted.

Wellness centre. Change is hard.

After the return it seemed that there was a change for the better, but… This was a big, big but… In her mind, she knew very well that we were happier without her. This led to more arguments because the kids didn’t rush to her when she came back the way she had hoped. She felt and knew that she was an outcast and she was right.

When she asked the kids questions, the answers were not to her liking and this led her to believe that she was not missed and needed. To tell the truth, she was damn right. The wellness centre didn’t fix her. She didn’t return as a new person and all it instilled in her was bitterness that she was not missed.

Alternative thinking. Off the Deep End.

Life tests every one and what we make of these challenges defines us. It either breaks us, defines us or buries us. Such was the case for us in the coming months. Mental illness and alcoholism, depression and being bi-polar do not mix well.

We were not aware of all of these until much later but in this case, I gave you a hint of what we were unknowingly dealing with at the time. After the wellness centre, there was much resentment and lots of jealousy as well as anger and hate I am sure.

On a nice spring weekend, the kids and I wanted to go to a conservation area in Mono Cliff Park. She didn’t want to come and so the kids and I went. We had a great time and enjoyed hours outside without stress. However, when we got home we found a note saying, something along the lines of… Glad you are happy without me…

alcoholism, addiction, recovery, sobriety, sober, alcoholic, mentalhealth, soberlife, alcoholicsanonymous, alcohol, addictionrecovery, aa, onedayatatime, recoveryispossible, drugaddiction, steps, soberliving, alcoholfree, wedorecover, depression, soberaf, alanon, addictionawareness, sobermovement, mentalhealthawareness, soberissexy, rehab, bhfyp,

alcoholism, addiction, recovery, sobriety, sober, alcoholic, mentalhealth, soberlife, alcoholicsanonymous, alcohol, addictionrecovery, aa, onedayatatime, recoveryispossible, drugaddiction, steps, soberliving, alcoholfree, wedorecover, depression, soberaf, alanon, addictionawareness, sobermovement, mentalhealthawareness, soberissexy, rehab, bhfyp,

Kingston Ontario