Why is Alcohol Addictive? Problems and Solutions

This is not a feel good story, but one that chronicles the alcohol addiction of my brother, the Ivy League degree holder. We all grew up in middle to upper class household, with both parents that had successful careers. Out of my five siblings (3 boys & 2 girls), I was the last born and the one expected to do as I was told.

My dad was not much of a drinker, but my mom enjoyed an occasional wine every now and then. I never saw hard alcohol in our home, until I got to college. Our parents made sure to tell us about the dangers of drugs, but alcohol addiction was rarely discussed. In a nutshell, this alcohol addiction story is about how my older brother got addicted to alcohol and the drastic steps I took to get him help.

I will call him John for the purpose of this article. He was an A student, and was accepted to all the Ivy League schools he applied to with full scholarship. He chose Stanford University, because he enjoyed computer programming. He got his master’s degree within four years and was soon pursued by many top companies seeking good younger programmers.

My parents had a rule that everyone must be present during the Christmas holiday. It was taboo to miss that celebration, and it was then I noticed my brother was an alcoholic. Since I still lived at home during my final year in college, he kept his hard liquor bottles in my room. He also walked around with very that eliminated the smell of liquor from his breathe.

Don’t get me wrong, all his faculties were still intact and he was as lucid as ever. His drinking did not affect his kindness and everyone failed to notice the tale-tell signs of addiction emerging. I tried alcohol in college once or twice but hated the stuff. I have witnessed how the stuff turns people into a different human being. I had to ditch my last girlfriend because she drank too much.

Some of you might be wandering how addictive is alcohol, and after reading this true story you’ll see, it’s one of the most deadly substance you can put into your body. During that Christmas holiday, he stayed with us for five days, and based on my counting he consumed about two bottles of one liter vodka, including half a bottle of rye whiskey. I knew him as a strong guy that I looked up to, and never thought this “demon substance” will get the best of him.

After my Bachelor’s degree, my desire not to pursue my masters made my dad mad, and I decided it was time to be on my own. My mom was supportive, but my dad counseled against my determination to find my own way. Without my parent’s knowledge, I move to California to live with my brother. If you want to know an alcoholic, try living with them for just a few days.

He had his own house in an upper class neighborhood, and he allowed me to stay in a two bedroom boys quarters. That was fine with me. I visited his part of the residence and what I saw made me sick to my stomach. He had over one hundred bottles of different types of alcohol beverages and wines.

The house was filthy as hell, and the kitchen looked like it was never used for cooking. After seeing the condition of his residence, I concluded my brother was becoming an addict in denial. Despite the strong breath mints, I could now smell the alcohol on his breathes every time we talk in close proximity. By now I was deep into my hypnosis studies and focused my attention on addiction symptoms and available cures.

It is very difficult to implement cures for alcoholism if the person with the problem is in denial. After staying at his place for many months, my suspicions became real and his behavior started to change drastically. His girlfriend broke-up with him because she told me he drank too much.

He called her a scheming gold digger with no moral values. Meanwhile the girlfriend from my sources, inherited millions from her parents estate, so his accusation was off-base. She was good for him, she could cook, clean and she was just as smart as he was.

You cannot help someone that drinks too much, especially if they could render you homeless with any slight annoyance. I was getting stronger as a hypnotist and was just waiting for the right time to try getting him a cure for his addiction.

It was a Saturday early morning, while deep into my meditation I sensed the phone was ringing. I usually turn-off my cell phone during meditation but this night I forgot. The person on the other line was my brother and he was at the county jail. My brotherly love kicked in and I rushed over to try to bail him out. The sheriff of the small town said he has to see a judge, as this was his third offence and his license was restricted.

I knew this was serious and he needed a very good lawyer. I called the last girlfriend and she decided to help with her family connections. She convinced her step brother to take the case, and she assured me the most likely judge to get the case, was a longtime family friend.

On Monday morning, bail was granted and my brother was told to surrender his license. Out of jail, I could see the disappointment in his eyes, but I knew the addiction was far from over. The prosecutor and defense lawyers both agreed my brother needs a very strict alcoholic addiction treatment program, and his arrest would be erased if he completed it. I volunteered to find him a good program, and let everyone know I am a certified hypnotist.

With my newly acquired skill, I helped him get rid of his addiction to alcohol. He got back with his old girlfriend, with marriage plans for this summer. She just gave birth to their first child, a baby boy whom they named after me. My hypnosis practice is now booming and I am booked solid for the next five months.

After this lengthy alcohol addiction story about my brother, I would be wrong not to list some of the symptoms exhibited by someone addicted to this substance. My brother confessed he did not start drinking heavily until he got his job with high salary, right after college. He drank some in college but never imagined it will try to take over his life.

Here are some of the symptoms to watch out for:

Heavy use of breath mints and deodorants. Initially most addicts will try to cover the addiction to alcohol with another stronger more pleasing smell. With time, the smell of the alcohol will prevail and become obvious for all to smell. This might take a while to materialize, especially if the person hooked on drinking lives at a different residence.

Erratic behavior – the addiction might lead to poor grades or job loss. By this time the person addicted to alcohol is heavily invested into this substance, and only a strong well thought out intervention plan would save the day.

Lack of sexual performance – Contrary to what some might think, alcohol diminishes your ability to perform in the bedroom. Yes it might make you perform like a rock star at the beginning of your addiction, but the blood flow to your penis will diminish as you drink more and more. At the height of the your alcohol addiction, your sex drive will be non-existent.

DWI incidents – addiction will eventually lead to arrest by police officers for drunk driving, which is a very serious offense if the right legal help is not initiated. This is usually when most drunkards reach bottom, and try to seek help for their addiction. I usually prefer cases were the individual have reached bottom and know they must change; otherwise the alcohol will kill them.

Hiding from loved ones or friends – Most addicts would go to extreme lengths not to reach out to people they know. If you notice a relative that used to be outgoing exhibiting social withdrawal, that might be a sign of drinking too much. If you hear less and less from a close relative or friend, they just might be in love with the substance in the bottle.

If after reading this article and you’re still asking if alcohol is a depressant or stimulant, you need to read it again. Yes, alcohol is physically and mentally addictive, and will cause you depression in due time.

For how to stop alcoholism problems, the person with the issue must be allowed to reach bottom for any intervention to be effective. Will one have depression after quitting alcohol, from my experience no, if the right treatment is instituted.

With cuts in government programs across the country, it’s getting hard to find good and free alcohol counseling programs. If you’re addicted to this stuff or know someone that is, trying to get him or her help is just the first step to an effective alcoholism cure. Remember the person with the problem must be willing to change, or all your efforts will be in vain.