What is Alcoholism and What is Drug Addiction?

Do you find yourself asking the questions - 'So what is alcoholism actually? What is drug addiction really?'

If you're trying to gain greater UNDERSTANDING of alcoholism and drug addiction ... then you've come to the right place!

Some of the things you'll Discover in this Section that will really help you get to grips with what alcoholism is and what drug addiction is and isn't: (click on the link to find out more) ...

The Definition of Alcoholism and Definition of Drug Addiction that will tell you exactly what is alcoholism and drug addiction ...

Is Alcoholism a Disease? and Is Drug Addiction a Disease? are two very controversial questions so here I'll give you the answer to those, but more importantly give you my view on the matter and tell you whether or not it's really that important.

The Causes of Drug Addiction and the Causes of Alcoholism will provide you with the knowledge and understanding as to the primary causes of addiction and lead you onto what actions you can take once you've gained that knowledge.

And there will be a whole lot more topics I want to talk to you about, which you'll see down at the bottom of the page, but before I get to those I want to give you my view on what I believe drug addiction and alcoholism boils down to ... a bigger picture outlook if you like.

What is Alcoholism and Addiction ... a Spiritual Perspective

I have a more "philosophical/spiritual" take on things based on my experiences of when it comes to answering the question of what is alcoholism and what is drug addiction - which I have gained by observing its destruction at work in countless others.

Now you don't have to agree with me - if you don't that's totally okay (I reckon debate should be encouraged, don't you?) ...

I believe that drug abuse, addiction, dependency, alcohol addictions ... call it what you like, is essentially a spiritual 'problem' (for want of a better word). Now I don't mean that in a religious sense at all. It doesn't matter whether you are religious or aren't religious in my view.

Andrew Weil, MD, sums it up perfectly in his book 'Natural Health, Natural Medicine, pg. 135

"Addiction is NOT a psychological or pharmacological problem, and CANNOT be solved by the methods of psychology or pharmacology. It is, at root, a SPIRITUAL concern, because it represents a misdirected attempt to achieve wholeness, to experience inner completeness and satisfaction."

I think he's bang on because we're all Three Dimensional Beings - Mind, Body and Spirit. And Spirit is the glue that holds these 'together.' So if we're out of sync in Spirit - it creates a void in our lives, that we look to fill with anything and everything from drugs, alcohol, food, sex etc etc ...

So what is Spirit?

However you choose to identify with it. I think of it as something larger than myself - a Presence, Force or Energy that holds and ties everything and everyone in our magnificent universe together. It fills you with a kind of confidence knowing that however bad you feel or however bad circumstances in your life are right now - that you'll ultimately be okay and that everything will work out for the best in the end.

And I think if you're struggling with drugs, alcohol or any other addiction; that connection to Spirit has been broken or lost in some way and it needs fixing or rediscovering ...

Solving the What is Alcoholism, What is Drug Addiction Dilemma ... Finding your Spiritual Self

If you're naturally religious, you may want to establish or re-establish a connection with your religious figurehead, be it God, Jesus, Buddha, Allah, Jahovah, Krishna or whomever ...

Ironically, part of my journey was establishing a new 'spiritual identity' for myself. Even though I wasn't brought up in a religious home, my upbringing and culture followed a traditional western one. And for whatever reason, that just didn't feel right for me not matter how hard I tried. (I just found I could relate better to Eastern Philosophies like Buddhism.)

And part of my journey in coming clean and building a life for myself free from drugs and alcohol, was establishing a new connection to Spirit - something I could identify with and wasn't just handed down to me by my parents and the society I lived in.

Do you HAVE to do that?

No. But will it make a profound difference to your life?

Absolutely!

Don't be afraid to question your beliefs and change them if they don't serve you anymore. Developing a new, stronger, fresh connection to Spirit (however best you identify with it) can be the foundation that ultimately helps you overcome alcoholism and drug addiction.

So spend some time thinking about what Spirit means to you. By establishing a connection to Spirit, it will provide you with an Inner Strength, Confidence and Sense of Purpose that will help you transform your life.

Okay, so now that I've shared all that with you :-), let's get back to the rest of the topics that will help you answer the question: - What is alcoholism and what is drug addiction at the end of the day? (these will be added soon)