What are unrealistic expectations of recovering addicts?

[stevros13]

normal people are at ease drinking alchoholics are not they have a dis-ease

[breda83]

that accent & voice of his is so fucking annoying

[badtown88]

Wow this guy makes a ton of sense. I'm still not buying everything he says because I have a distrust of a lot of these addiction people. But he's probably the best I've heard.

[MrXSpeaks]

you can say that addiction is not a disease if you want, and I think that is technically correct, however it is not the whole truth either.

the whole truth is that addictions are not just habits, or things that we happen to like. The true addict is experiencing an exagerrated chemical effect in their brain, both positive and negative. When they stop doing the stimulating activity , they do not simply return to normal. they return to below normal.

[viper8red]

Well said, Alcoholism is NOT a disease. I have a disease, I can't will it away. I willed alcoholism away. It was tough but I quit on my own without help and thankfully i didn't get sucked up into the AA-Cult of religious rhetoric and drunk-a-logues.

Well said Dr!

[stevencp]

kudos for being about to just put it down yourself, but someone that has had there brain functions altered from chemicals for long periods of time (10 years for me) has to re-learn how to cope. not everyone is the same - must never knew how to cope with life/emotions. yes, addicts can quit, its the STAYING off for life thats the challenge.

[breda83]

@viper8red spot on

[forestskog]

Doctor, if you put these videos up yourself then please consider this as non-mean spirited constructive criticism. First, it is absolutely pointless to make videos that are 1 minute long. Second, the editing is so bad that you get cut off in mid-sentence at the end of the video. Makes the production look ridiculously amateurish. 13 y old kids on Youtube know how to make videos that look semi professional. Look at other videos on Youtube and get a feel for it. Or hire a kid 2 help you.

[stichelman]

This guy looks like he is trying to cover up with words his lack of understanding he suffers from himself.

[prschuster]

My drinking was an unwise and clueless lifestyle choice that I innocently fell into. I was only trying to feel good and to find happiness in my own confused way. You're right. It was not a disease nor was it a sign of moral weakness. It was just a cluelessly bad set of choices. Sobering up was the hardest thing I ever did, but I did it because I am capable of growing and changing. So are other addicts. Believe it!! The moral issue is taking the responsibility to quit an addiction.