Beyond Today Program - "Overcoming Alcoholism: There is Hope!"

Recovery from the bondage of chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism is possible. Discover the real solution.

Watch the Beyond Today program - http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today-program/christian-living/overcoming-alcoholism-there-hope

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[Steve] It's an elephant in the world's living room. Over 2.5 million die from it each year. More than 6 million Americans are directly affected by it or experiencing it right now.

Despite the fact that help is available - lives are destroyed - families ruined. It doesn't care whether you're rich, famous or not, young or old.

Chances are it already touches your life, your family, your career in some form.

If you have it and ignore what you need to do, most likely it will either kill you or devastate your life and your family.

What is this destructive force? Alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

If you woke up today with fallout from an unrelenting habit, the good news is: You can overcome and recover from the nightmare.

Stay tuned to Beyond Today as we find hope and learn how to recover from the challenge of chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism. There is hope!

[Announcer] Join Steve Myers and his guests, as they help you understand your future, on Beyond Today!

[Steve] You may not want to hear about today's topic. Alcohol can be an uncomfortable subject. It's easy to be in denial. Heavy drinkers have a remarkable ability to deceive themselves and justify their excess, even though they're on a path to destruction.

It's tragic when a person, a family, even a company is faced with chronic alcohol abuse or outright alcoholism.

Now if this describes you, it will take a bit of courage, but I invite you to stay with me. Set denial aside for a moment - and you'll see, there is real hope.

Now if you have a drinking problem and are still watching, that's a good sign. Have you reached the point where you are sick and tired of being sick and tired? Hangovers, job loss, upset spouses, disappointed and resentful children, empty bank accounts, court appearances - all take their toll.

Now if you're at that point, drinking has long ceased to be fun. You don't need a moral lecture. You need a way out, and you need it now.

If you can honestly admit to yourself that alcohol has become a problem in your life - then the door to recovery is starting to open.

So let's open that door all the way! Then you can have real relief. Then you can start rebuilding and restoring your life with power.

Now if it's not you, but if it's your spouse, your family member, your friend or coworker that has a drinking problem that affects you - you too can find help and support today.

First, let's be clear about what chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism are and what they are not. Now, too many people wrongly assume that alcoholism can be "cured" somehow by exercising "willpower" or simply putting down the bottle.

People who can drink normally often shake their heads at a life torn apart by continued heavy drinking. They wonder: "Why don't they just stop?" But in reality, overcoming alcoholism is a complex thing. It represents a tough battle for most.

To get some perspective, I interviewed Dr. Roy Fouch. Dr. Fouch has worked in the addictions field for over 20 years. He's been a clinical director for three drug and alcohol programs. And has worked for over 30 years in the mental health field as a program director and as a private practice therapist.

[Dr. Fouch] Well, there are four primary characteristics of alcoholism. One is craving where an individual has to have a drink. It's what they think about, as soon as they get up and it's on their mind all the time. Then you have loss of control. This is where an individual, you know, can't stop drinking. Now, he may on occasion but typically there'll be situations where one drink leads to another, and they just keep drinking and drinking.

The next stage would be physical dependency. This is where the individual cannot physically get by without a drink, without having some pretty uncomfortable symptoms. And then the fourth stage would be tolerance, and tolerance basically means that the person needs to keep drinking more and more in order to get the same effect.

[Steve] Some may be surprised that the Bible doesn't forbid or condemn moderate drinking. After all, Jesus' first miracle was turning water to wine at a big wedding celebration. Not just a little, but about 150 gallons! He didn't expect them to over drink but to drink in a moderate manner.

In fact, there are many biblical accounts that show that occasional and moderate consumption of wine, beer and even strong drink is not an evil thing. It can even enhance a special gathering.

[Dr. Fouch] The general feeling about it - in the professional sense - is one to two drinks for men is considered moderate drinking. For women it's a little bit less, but there are actually people who can't even drink a half a drink or a fourth of a drink.

You have individuals who use alcohol to cope with emotional states, that some people drink because they're depressed, which is interesting because alcohol's a depressant, but sometimes when you drink the alcohol, at least while you're drinking it, you may feel better. People drink because they're anxious, have social anxiety, feel like they can talk more if they're drinking.

And while they may feel better while they're drinking, after they drink they feel much worse. So, it creates a dependency in that sense.

[Steve] Done often and in excess, a person becomes vulnerable to make serious, life-destructive mistakes - mistakes that in a sober state wouldn't even be considered.

[Dr. Fouch] Alcohol begins to affect certain areas of your life. For some people it could be they're driving while they're drinking and they get some legal ramifications. You know, you could develop some health problems: high blood pressure, different characteristics that way. Often times it affects peoples' relationships. It can affect marriages. It can affect how one relates to one's children. And so, a lot of times people that you're closest to will start commenting upon, "Hey, I think you're drinking too much," or "You were yelling at the kids," or "I don't like it when you drink. You don't seem to have the same kind of judgment about things. You don't treat me as well," and so people start getting feedback. But it starts affecting some area of one's life.

[Steve] It's not too difficult to see that drinking too much impairs the mind and blurs the line between what's biblically right and wrong. This kind of drinking is condemned by the Bible. Making that wrong choice or even passively permitting others to over drink, is what the Bible describes as "sin."

[Dr. Fouch] Being drunk is not a good thing. The Bible tells us that it's not. Being a drunkard is someone who has a pattern of getting drunk over and over again, not necessarily every day, but just could be once a week, could be once a month, something like that.

[Steve] So God doesn't hedge on this. He says being a drunkard, getting drunk is a sin.

[Dr. Fouch] Right, whether you do it one time or you do it multiple times.

[Steve] The Bible in a way equates being a drunkard with being an alcoholic in one sense, but then there's also the topic of getting drunk. So if I only do this once in a while, I think some think, "Well, what's the big deal?"

[Dr. Fouch] Well, what's the big deal if I lie once in a while? It's still a sin. So God would expect us to develop a pattern of not getting drunk.

[Steve] So even in that case, that's a sin as well?

[Dr. Fouch] That's the way, I think the Bible is pretty clear about that.

[Steve] Alcohol consumption and production is a big business. The alcohol industry generates more than $400 billion in the United States alone.

Entertainment and advertising promote consuming alcohol to excess. You ever watch a football or baseball game on television that didn't have a beer commercial? What about our movie heroes?

A person who can "hold their liquor" - someone who can drink excessively without showing the effects - is often wrongly thought of as a strong, "cool" person.

Does that description bring anyone to mind?

> The name is Bond. James Bond.

[Steve] Recently three British medical scientists conducted a study on the fictional spy character, James Bond. In a recent issue of the British Medical Journal these scientists stated:

"In the entertainment world… excess alcohol consumption is often portrayed in a positive, even glamorous, light. Of particular note are the drinking habits of James Bond, the quintessential British spy."

But, as the scientists pointed out, if James Bond was a real person and drank in the way he's depicted, it would make him "a category 3 drinker (drinking over 60 grams of alcohol per day) and therefore in the highest risk group for malignancies, depression, hypertension, and cirrhosis."

How do television, books, movies characterize this type of over-drinking? Well, it's good, they say. Desirable, the behavior of choice! But in reality, it represents a choice that is condemned by the Bible.

"Drunkards" - those who regularly indulge in overdrinking - are labeled as "unrighteous" and "will not inherit the Kingdom of God." It says that in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Now that's a very serious eternal consequence for bad choices.

So as the Bible warns us, we must be on guard from the negative influences of society.

Satan's influence is very hard to overcome and he wants to see you fail. But God wants to see you succeed. We've prepared a study aid to help you move closer to God and overcome an alcohol addiction.

This special BT Digest - Overcoming Alcoholism - will take you on an in-depth study, providing you with the critical information you need to succeed.

You can receive your free copy of Overcoming Alcoholism: There is Hope, by calling: 1-888-886-8632. That's 1-888-886-8632. If you request it right now, you can have this limited-edition, full-color booklet in print at no cost at all.

If you live outside of North America, please write us at the address shown on your screen throughout the program for your free copy of Overcoming Alcoholism: There is Hope [Beyond Today, PO Box 541027, Cincinnati, OH 45254].

Now if you, or someone you care about has a problem, go online at BeyondToday.tv where you can read or download: Overcoming Alcoholism. Or call us free: 1-888-886-8632 to receive our free study aid to help begin the recovery process.

Binge drinking is another major problem. Students who are bored or others who have to party are seen as "fun loving" and often binge drink. I spoke with Dr. Roy Fouch about this trend:

[Dr. Fouch] Binge drinking is another aspect of alcohol abuse. Binge drinking is usually defined as someone who drinks a lot in a short period of time, like five drinks in two hours if they do that on a regular basis. Drinking to get drunk, those kinds of things.

[Steve] And It might be one of those things that's just a party once a month or once a week or something like that where it doesn't necessarily have to be an everyday kind of thing.

[Dr. Fouch] Right.

[Steve] Would that fit into that idea of what abusing alcohol is all about?

[Dr. Fouch] Yes.

[Steve] No doubt binging is a major problem - but no less, is the clinical alcoholic - the person who has truly lost control of his or her drinking and developed a measurable chemical dependency on alcohol.

Research has shown that complex genetic factors can produce a condition where it's impossible for many millions of people to ever drink safely. They're literally on their way to becoming an alcoholic with their very first drink. If you have a drinking problem today, it's possible that you fall into this category.

Did you know that an alcoholic is incapable of drinking normally? They're beyond that. Key factors of an alcoholic's brain are literally "hijacked" when they start to consume alcohol. This loss of control can come from genetic or even environmental factors.

[Dr. Fouch] We have found that people have a predisposition for alcoholism or addictions, that if there's alcoholism in one's family that one is more prone to it. It doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be an alcoholic, but if you were an individual who abused alcohol it would be more likely that you would develop alcohol dependency later in life.

The Mayo Clinic's definition expresses this as well:

"Alcoholism is a chronic and often progressive disease that includes problems controlling your drinking, being preoccupied with alcohol, continuing to use alcohol even when it causes problems, having to drink more to get the same effect (physical dependence), or having withdrawal symptoms when you rapidly decrease or stop drinking. If you have alcoholism, you can't consistently predict how much you'll drink, how long you'll drink, or what consequences will occur from your drinking."

The fact that alcoholism is defined as a disease doesn't give the alcoholic an excuse to keep drinking. In fact, it's just the opposite. The Bible, the revealed Word of God, condemns drunkenness.

Listen to this: "Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? It is the one who spends long hours [at] the taverns, trying out new drinks. Don't gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down. For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake; it stings like a viper. You will see hallucinations and you will say crazy things. You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast. And you will say, 'They hit me, but I didn't feel it. I didn't even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can look for another drink?'" (Proverbs 23:29-35, NLT).

At the same time, the Bible doesn't condemn a person who has hit bottom and is now actively trying to find a way out and recover.

The critical issue is starting toward recovery and new life. It sounds simple but its often profoundly difficult. 

First: An alcoholic must admit that he or she has a major problem with drinking. Abusers will readily lie, cheat, steal to make sure there's plenty of alcohol available, even if it hurts themselves, their families and their careers.

To recover, they have to break the deadly practice of denial.

[Dr. Fouch] Denial is probably the biggest hurdle to overcome. Sometimes people will say, "Well you know, I'm so stressed. I just need something to kind of relax me." And so I would say, "Well, why don't you work on some stress management kinds of things?" Sometimes it is a matter of an emotional state that that person has like a form of depression or anxiety. In that case you want to get at the root of that problem. So what you try to do is try to deal with the source of the problem. Why does the person have the need to continue drinking? And then you look at some ways of addressing those issues. So counseling or medication, you know, might help with some of those things that we mentioned.

[Steve] Sometimes an intervention can be arranged through professionals to show the seriousness of the alcoholic's condition.

[Dr. Fouch] You confront them on a one-to-one basis, and the other thing that you can do, you can bring other family members and friends in, commonly called an intervention where you have a group of people come together and everybody sits down and they kind of say, "Look, we're concerned. It's affecting my trust. It's affecting our relationship." And, "It's affecting my ability to connect with you intimately on an emotional level," if it's a spouse. And so, it's harder to deny something when you have so many people that are saying the same thing.

Typically, you need a medical intervention. So people have to go, typically into a hospital in order to be detoxed off the alcohol, which takes about three to four days. Without that detox a person can go into convulsions and really, die from it.

[Steve] Many treatment choices exist for the recovering alcoholic to consider. But there is one option that has a high success rate and opens a crucial door to the real power that can truly produce lasting change: That is Alcoholics Anonymous. Often referred to as simply AA.

AA meetings are regularly attended and supported by recovering alcoholics from all walks of life - because alcohol doesn't care who you are: engineers, students, accountants, priests, housewives, lawyers, teenagers, surgeons, ministers, retirees and so many more.

Now here's a critical point: Alcoholics Anonymous recognizes that alcoholism has its roots in a defective spiritual condition. AA recognizes that God - often called a member's "Higher Power" - is the only force with enough power to restore an alcoholic to sanity.

So does God provide help for alcoholics?

[Dr. Fouch] Well, God can help us with any sin that we have, and so, you know, over-drinking, alcoholism, you know, these - although alcoholism as I said before after a while becomes a psychological dependency. But it's going to take God's help, His intervention and Jesus Christ's intervention to help us overcome what has gotten out of control in our life. And so, that's the first step. And actually in Alcoholics Anonymous and related groups, the idea is, you admit you have a problem, and then you go to God and you ask Him to help you with the problem.

[Steve] An AA member is directed toward the well-known 12 step program .

They acknowledge their "Higher Power" - as they understand God - recognizing that God alone possesses the power to truly change them and free them from the addiction. They place themselves in His care and then embark on what is called a "fearless moral inventory."

The remainder of the steps is directed at rebuilding relationships and making amends, and then committing to spiritual growth and lifelong service.

While AA is not perfect, nor does it claim to be, its 12 steps are biblically sound. Once a new and powerful relationship with Almighty God is established, God can literally begin to work miracles. What seems to be unfixable now, can be repaired. Even many family members are shocked at the transformation of the former active alcoholic.

[Dr. Fouch] I really think the 12-step process particularly from a Christian standpoint can be very, very beneficial because it addresses a lot of different aspects of recovery. Admitting that you have a problem, going to God with the problem, identifying some of the factors that have contributed to it, and taking a look at the people that you've hurt, and begin to make amends for those things. And then as you go through the process of doing your personal inventory and making amends for people that you've hurt, then you can begin to be the person who can be of help to other people.

This spiritual process focuses on relying on God to take away the character defects that contribute to the need for alcohol - and a willingness to believe. Alcoholics Anonymous quotes James 2:26, that "faith without works is dead."

Overcoming alcoholism will not only take God's intervention, but also your spiritual commitment. We'd like to offer help with our study aid, Overcoming Alcoholism.

It provides details about physical addiction to alcohol, and useful information about how to use spiritual tools to harness the power of God to overcome.

Now when you request Overcoming Alcoholism, we'll also send you your free subscription to our magazine, The Good News. Itwill help you sort through the misleading influences of our culture, and provide you with understanding, hope and encouragement.

So, be sure to call us now - toll free at: 1-888-886-8632. You can also read Overcoming Alcoholism and The Good News online at BeyondToday.tv.

Many millions of people can take alcohol or they can leave it - they can drink normally, enjoying an occasional glass of wine, or a drink with a meal or on a special occasion. That type of drinking is certainly permitted by the Bible.

But others drink to party. They drink with the intention of getting drunk. That type of over-drinking can have serious consequences. Make no mistake; drinking in excess is sin. "How horrible it will be for those who are heroes at drinking wine, who are champions at mixing drinks" (Isaiah 5:22, GW).

Those who specifically get drunk for pleasure, "those who practice such things," the Bible says, "will not inherit the Kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:21).

There are also those who are suffering from chemical dependency. They've fallen prey to a real medically defined disease.

However they began, they're addicts now - drinking vast amounts of alcohol daily just to somehow feel normal. Their thinking has been muted and deluded, and they're in serious trouble. If the story plays out, a gruesome death likely awaits the untreated.

It's possible, perhaps even likely, that these people have stood before a mirror - burdened with guilt, and they have cried out to God. But God didn't seem to answer. You may relate to this.

But there is an answer - as many people now safely and happily in recovery well know. It's found in the book of James: "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives… instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will do this or that'" (James 4:3, 15, NIV).

Surrendering your will to God - and yielding to a spiritual solution, will lift you up, break the bonds of addiction, and open the door to a new life!

The only solution to alcoholism is a spiritual solution.

Isn't it time to take advantage of the incredible spiritual power that is available to you?

I hope you'll learn more about this critical subject by ordering your free Bible study guide Overcoming Alcoholism and your free subscription to The Good News.

Call us toll free: 1-888 -886-8632. Or, you can read both online at BeyondToday.tv.

Go to BeyondToday.tv. Click on the "Contact" tab to find a congregation near you. Call one of our pastors - share your story with them. Help is not far away. We're looking forward to hearing from you.

Isn't it time to get rid of the pain and sorrow that comes from drinking too much alcohol? God's Word is plain - He wants the best for you. He loves you. He wants you to experience the incredible blessings of life - a life free from the bondage of alcohol.

Now recovery won't happen overnight. It's going to take some work. It will take humility. And it takes surrendering yourself to the will of God. But it can be done.

Why not choose to be the next miracle that God performs? I hope you'll deeply think about it. If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol abuse, get help now. God is ready, day or night. There is hope!

Don't forget our free offers today. Thanks for joining us, and be sure to tell your family and friends about Beyond Today. Tune in again next week and join us in praying, "Thy Kingdom come." For Beyond Today, I'm Steve Myers. Thanks for watching.

[Announcer] For the free literature offered on today's program, go online to BeyondToday.tv. Please join us again next week on Beyond Today!

Introduction

Alcohol can be an uncomfortable subject. If you have an alcohol problem it's not easy to admit it and seek help. If you know someone with a problem, confronting them with the issue or knowing how to help can be very difficult.

If this describes you, it will take a bit of courage, but please keep reading. Set denial aside for a moment—and you'll see, there is real hope.

If you have a drinking problem and are still reading, that's a good sign. Maybe you're to the point where you're fed up with your addiction and the crippling consequences like health problems, job loss, jail time, and broken family and friendships.

If you're at this point, you can finally begin breaking free.

If you can honestly admit to yourself that alcohol has become a problem in your life, then the door to recovery is starting to open.

It's time to have real relief. It's time to start rebuilding and restoring your life with the power only God can provide.

If it's not you, but if it's your spouse, family member, friend or coworker that has a drinking problem that affects you—you too can find real help and support today.

What does an alcoholic look like?

Many would likely be surprised to find that functioning alcoholics and people who regularly abuse alcohol are today in all walks of life. People who regularly abuse alcohol as a coping mechanism for life, and those who are afflicted with the American Medical Association-defined disease of alcoholism, go to great lengths to hide their abuse or addiction. Far too often, spouses, friends and family members become unfortunate enablers, allowing the alcoholic the capacity to continue abusing.

Only an estimated 2 to 3 percent of alcoholics match the stereotyped image of a "skid row drunk," stumbling around in an alley or under a bridge. Most alcoholics and alcohol abusers go to great length to hide the dangerous level of drinking they indulge in.

Alcohol abuse creates much broader problems than are typically formally attributed. Almost any law enforcement official or probation officer will confirm that roughly 75 percent of all crimes resulting in a prison or jail term involve alcohol in some form.

And it for certain doesn't stop there. Alarmingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, a University of Washington study released in 2012 showed that up to 15 percent of U.S. surgeons had experienced problems with alcohol abuse. That's higher than the 9 percent general rate of reported alcohol abuse in the American population.

One of the organizers said that it's possible that the percent of surgeons with alcoholism is underestimated in this study. Why? Just like other abusers of alcohol, the people who were less likely to respond might have shame and fear associated with their alcohol abuse and dependence. Nobody wants that stigma.

The Talbott Recovery Center in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of the most successful rehab centers for treating physicians, nurses and other professionals struggling with alcohol and substance addictions. Their medical director stated:

"There is this issue of personality traits in our patients. Obsessive compulsive, avoidant and passive-aggressive personality are over-represented in our patient population. Our patients have a dense blind spot to the manner in which their fixed ways of thinking, behaving and dealing with real life situations interacts with their addiction and impacts their lives in many different ways" (https://www.talbottcampus.com/index.php/about-us/medical-directors-message).

And if alcohol is "no respecter of persons" when it comes to surgeons, physicians, nurses, radiologists and other medical professionals, what does that mean for you?

As noted elsewhere in this study aid, occasional and moderate use of alcohol is permissible from a biblical perspective.

But alcohol used to mask chronic symptoms of anxiety, depression, interpersonal issues, family or work problems and other issues can quickly and decisively lead to a progressive emotional, physical and spiritual condition where things will go badly in a hurry.  Let's face facts: If you're hiding how much you're drinking from others (who probably at least already suspect that something's up), then you're already in trouble.

The good news is that being in trouble with alcohol doesn't mean that you're dead. But it does mean that you need to get out of denial, get honest and get help. Stop trying to fix things, to manage things, to control things. Humility, self-honesty, and surrender are on your list. The sooner you take action to start on a road to recovery, the faster things will turn around for you.

There is hope!

Are you just an occasional heavy drinker, or on the way to serious health issues?

Take this short questionnaire to help find out:

Do you lose time from work due to drinking?

Is drinking making your home life unhappy?

Do you drink because you are shy with other people?

Is drinking affecting your reputation?

Have you ever felt remorse after drinking?

Have you had financial difficulties as a result of drinking?

Do you turn to inferior companions and environments when drinking?

Does your drinking make you careless of your family's welfare?

Has your ambition decreased since drinking?

Do you crave a drink at a definite time daily?

Do you want a drink the next morning?

Does drinking cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?

Has your efficiency decreased since drinking?

Is drinking jeopardizing your job or business?

Do you drink to escape from worries or troubles?

Do you drink alone?

Have you ever had a loss of memory from drinking?

Has a physician ever treated you for drinking?

Do you drink to build up your self-confidence?

Have you ever been to a hospital or institution on account of drinking?

Answering yes to just three of these questions represents a sign of concern that your drinking behavior may be leading to serious issues, according to the Office of Health Care Programs, Johns Hopkins University Hospital, who are the developers of this well-known screening quiz. The more "yes" answers beyond three, the more likely you may be developing increasingly harmful behaviors associated with alcohol and alcohol dependency. From ministers to physicians to professionals to everyday housewives, alcohol is no respecter of persons.

Remember, admitting you have a problem is a not a weakness—it is a strength and a good sign of starting to recover from potentially lethal or highly harmful problems.

Alcohol abuse: What can you do?

Whether or not you are personally facing issues surrounding alcohol abuse or earnestly want to help someone in the midst of alcohol-related issues, what can you do?

The problems associated with alcoholism, alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse thrive in an atmosphere lacking actionable knowledge, real awareness and sensitive understanding. Many misconceptions, misunderstandings and prejudices about alcohol abuse, alcohol dependency and the disease of alcoholism often perpetuate the problem and prolong the suffering of all concerned. Denial of the problem itself often represents a major challenge, as many people with serious alcohol issues evade detection by semi-controlled or "hidden" drinking (e.g., ensuring that one drinks alone without companionship in order to conceal the quantity of alcohol being consumed).

Taking the time to secure a real understanding of the nature of alcohol abuse, its causes, how it advances into a disease state and what can be done in treatment (especially during the potentially dangerous period when an alcoholic suffering from clinical disease symptoms faces withdrawal and potential seizures) are all critically important.

Doing this right can save a life! One of the fastest ways to literally kill an alcoholic consumed with near-insane raging thoughts of self-hatred and suicide is take away any and all hope. Intelligently planning an intervention with a professional, finding ways to connect a suffering alcoholic with recovering alcoholics and educating family members about the positive, but sometimes tough, roles they can play in recovery—all of these can be very helpful.

Here are some specific ways you can become enlightened and helpful in the battle against alcohol abuse and alcoholism:

Prevention

This is the most important step of all. As advances in genetic science have demonstrated, there are thousands of people for whom drinking is never an option. As university studies have shown, people with certain genetic traits are at risk even with their very first drink! If you have a family history of alcohol abuse or alcoholism, evidence shows that you should be very careful with alcohol. Genetic factors that involve individual production of the dopamine neurotransmitter can produce high risk factors. The same is true of those with dopamine deficiencies who unknowingly drink to artificially stimulate dopamine production to overcome shyness or chronic anxiety. Other environmental factors can play a role in subsequently overdrinking or harmful alcohol abuse.

The Internet offers helpful advice and information from many qualified medical schools and treatment centers. Qualified and tested support organizations such as Alcoholics Anonymous publish much of their literature and treatment information online. And, of course, brick-and-mortar libraries across the planet hold much useful information about this critical subject.

Recognition

How would you recognize a problem with alcohol in your life or someone else's? When is alcohol abuse a direct sin? When does it advance to the point where it is a medically recognized disease and "willpower" has become irrelevant? Alcoholics and abusers of alcohol often go to great lengths to conceal the increasingly higher levels of alcohol they consume. At some point, they begin to drink to feel normal. At that time, having ready access to alcohol displaces rational concern for family, friends and well-being. What are the symptoms of this stage? When you recognize it, what do you do?

Referral

If you or someone you know has a problem with alcohol, what should be done about it? If you're in a church congregation, is your pastor competent to help? How should you seek professional counsel?

How much do you know about treatment programs? How much do you know about the possibilities of developing and conducting an intervention (supported by professionals)? What happens at AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), which is supported by professionals? Why is AA considered a spiritual program with its 12 Steps?

Understanding and Support

Chronic abusers of alcohol, those dependent on alcohol, and those afflicted with the recognized disease of alcoholism, often live under a heavy burden of guilt and shame. Heavy abusers of alcohol suffer cognitive and emotional impairment that often takes months to recover from and correct after a person completely abstains from drinking. Recovery itself generally produces a whole new set of circumstances that some families find very difficult.

In short, recovering alcoholics and their families usually need much love and support. Early recovery can be confusing and troublesome, but it's worth it! Family members often find they have to both protect themselves and also come to an understanding as to what part they have contributed to the formerly dysfunctional family.

Jesus came to heal and "to set at liberty" those captive by afflictions like alcoholism (Luke 4:18). He is today able to reach out to suffering people and offer them healing help and hope!

Clinical alcoholism represents a progressive disease that left unchecked will spiral to the bottom of the barrel—medically, financially, emotionally and spiritually. If not stopped, it is 100 percent fatal. Too often those who finally seek help only do so after "hitting bottom"—running completely out of options.

With proper understanding, you can relieve suffering, plant a seed of hope for yourself and embark on a new life of spiritual recovery. God offers real power to those who surrender themselves (Ephesians 1:16-21).

Please use this opportunity to learn how to be of help. You can be a lifeline, providing direction, support and encouragement as God grants you the opportunity!

Drunkenness is a sin

While the Bible is clear that the proper use of alcoholic beverages is not wrong, the act of drinking too much alcohol (drunkenness) is continually condemned in God's Word.

The wrong use of alcoholic substances that results in drunkenness is a sin against God. It has caused untold misery and countless premature deaths. The apostle Paul wrote: "Do not give way to drunkenness and the ruin that goes with it" (Ephesians 5:18, Revised English Bible).

Abuse of alcohol causes untold harm to the abuser, his or her family and society. And drunkenness can keep a person out of the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21).

Christ instructed Christians to take wine as part of the Passover service (1 Corinthians 11:25-26). Paul was also careful to teach responsible, moderate alcohol consumption. In the context of this instruction, Paul corrected some of the Corinthian church for getting drunk at the Passover (1 Corinthians 11:21).

People with an inherent proclivity toward alcoholism should not use alcohol, even in moderation. Those under the legal drinking age should obey the law, and no one should feel that they have to drink on social occasions. But most people can learn to avoid the abuses so prevalent in society today and can properly use alcoholic beverages in moderation if they desire.

What does recovery look like?

When an addict or abuser of alcohol enters into a post-drinking and/or abusing stage, they are said to be entering a new stage of recovery.

What does recovery mean? Is there a "start and stop" period? What can one expect from "recovery"?

Recovery means many things to different people, but what it does mean in all forms is that a chronic alcoholic or abuser of alcohol has made a commitment to completely abstain from drinking alcohol. That person in recovery is now trying to fashion a new life without the influence of alcohol.

"Recovery" means exactly what it says. Just like a person who is overtired or worn-out from a major trial or physical test, a recovery period is required to get back to normal.

A person suffering from clinical alcoholism initially enters an acute withdrawal period where the body has to chemically adjust many processes and start to repair physical damage. This same period includes the time when the brain's cognitive functions undergo change and many behavioral patterns—from sleep habits to eating healthy meals—have to undergo change.

It takes time

Simply put, it generally took quite a bit of time to become addicted to alcohol, and recovery from active major overdrinking takes its own time.

Whether the person taps the aid available from Alcoholics Anonymous (www.aa.org) or other recovery groups, the initial time of recovery is usually marked by a period of major adjustments across the board. Depending on how far their condition had progressed, many recovering alcoholics are stunned that they are in non-drinking recovery at all. Many are initially absorbed in trauma and guilt for what they did to others while drinking. Many face financial difficulties and other challenges, which over time will likely get better, but in the short term are energy- and time-consuming.

The families of recovering alcoholics also often find themselves in an entirely new form of stress. An alcoholic family is a dysfunctional family, with non-drinking family members often contributing their own problems or challenges to the dysfunctionality. Take the alcohol out of a dysfunctional family, and they often don't know how to react.

Accordingly, if the entire family can embrace recovery techniques, the odds of lasting recovery and the development of a sane, loving and truly happy family life increase dramatically. For many, this development in recovery may represent the first time ever of being in a truly loving and happy family!

If a former alcoholic manages to withdraw from alcoholic behavior without help and then tries to stay sober without help, they often become "restless, irritable and discontent." Their emotional dsyfunctionality remains, even though they are no longer drinking, leading some to state that they are in a condition of a "dry drunk."

Recovery takes place on many levels

Going into true recovery is a multi-level undertaking. If one begins to attend AA, they find that there is true spiritual power available that helps cancel out cravings for a drink, as well as a group of recovered (or recovering) former alcoholics who can offer direct advice and encouragement for staying with recovery and avoiding a relapse.

AA also offers the opportunity for an alcoholic to discover the true behavioral underpinnings of ego, fear, selfishness and other character defects that laid the foundation for their subsequent physical and chemical abuse. Further, and most importantly, AA members can learn the spiritual solution to these problems and learn how to develop a practical relationship—called "conscious contact with God"—with their designated "Higher Power." AA is most definitely not a religion, but its defined 12 Steps help each individual develop a specific relationship with Jesus Christ or God the Father (as they may understand their Higher Power). While it is not the only treatment option, AA's spiritual approach also encourages recovering addicts to adopt a life of service to others.

Quoting the book of James, the "Big Book" of Alcoholics Anonymous rightly states that "faith without deeds is dead" (James 2:26, New International Version). Members often speak of "working the Steps" to advance their recovery and improve their quality of life.

Non-drinking family members can also receive help from or attend Alanon, the AA-related help group (www.al-anon.alateen.org) for those who suffer from family and environmental behavioral issues related to alcohol abuse.

Whether it is through AA or another recovery group, one thing is clear: The power of the Almighty God can rescue and restore an alcoholic to sanity and a joyful life. To a newly sober person who suffers from terrible "jitters," chronic anxiety, financial problems, suspicious family members and the like, such a claim may seem far-fetched.

But the reality is that just counting AA members alone, more than two million people have found the power of God through a spiritual solution. They have found the "incomparably great power for us who believe" (Ephesians 1:19, NIV) and the "peace that passes all understanding" (Philippians 4:7).  As the saying goes, a newly recovering alcoholic sees a recovered, sober and happy AA member and time and time again says: "I want what you got."

How about you? Are you ready to give up the twisted life of "fix, manage and control"? Are you ready to surrender your life to care of a mighty spiritual Being who alone has the power to set you aright, fully on a new road to recovery?

The choice is yours

Thousands of years ago, God Himself offered a group of people a simple choice. They had to choose one of two ways of life.

Today, if you've read this far, God is probably making the same offer to you. The powerful words read like this. Are you ready?

"I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live!" (Deuteronomy 30:19, NIV). May God Himself help you directly to find that answer! A new life in recovery is but one decision away—now choose life!

It's time get rid of the pain and sorrow that comes from drinking too much alcohol and alcohol addiction. God's Word is plain—He wants the best for you. He loves you, and He wants you to experience the incredible blessings of life—a life free from the bondage of alcohol.

Recovery won't happen overnight. It's going to take work. It will take humility, and it takes surrendering yourself to the will of God. But it can be done. God is ready to help you, day or night. There is hope!

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