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Non-alcoholics often ask – what’s the big deal, why can’t an alcoholic just stop drinking after a few drinks?

When a non alcoholic consumes too much alcohol, there is a little “switch” that flips in the body and mind at some point that says “ok, that’s enough; it’s time to stop drinking now.” Perhaps it feels something like realizing that you are full when eating.

For the alcoholic, this switch never goes off. Just as a cow will eat grain until it literally kills itself from overeating; an alcoholic will do the same if they don’t learn to implement processes to stop themselves from drinking.

Not only do alcoholics lack this “switch” that tells them to stop drinking, but doctors believe that with more alcohol comes a craving for even more alcohol. Imagine that when you began to eat, instead of becoming more full, you actually became more hungry, craving more and more food with every bite. This is the turmoil of an alcoholic.

Instead of realizing we need to stop drinking, our brains tell us to keep on going. Don’t think we don’t regret doing things we’ve done while drunk the next day – we do. But if we take another drink again the next day, we’re headed right down the same path again. Same stuff, different day.

For many people, it takes years to finally come to terms with the fact that they have no control over this cycle of insanity. It often takes even longer to make the choice to do something about it. Living this way just tends to become a habit for many people, and we all know how difficult habits are to break.

If you have a loved on that is an alcoholic, the best thing you can do is not enable them. If they are stubborn and refuse to listen to reason or change, you may just have to let them hit rock bottom before they realize they need to change. If they are ready to change, help them find a treatment center or addiction recovery center – it can be scary and overly challenging for someone to try to do this themselves, even when they are motivated to regain control of their life.

Tags: Alcoholism //