What is addiction? - 'Addicted intoxication'

Jim Maclaine discusses 'What is Addiction' - video 5 of 7

Summary

In addicted intoxication there is a permanent change to the personality.
The personality does not go back to normal.
There can be an immediate permanent change with the first intoxication, or it develops over a period of time.
"So I took it and then another one ; and lo, the miracle ..the strange barrier that had existed between me and men and women seemed to instantly go down; I felt that I belonged where I was .. Belonged to life ..... I belonged to the universe I was part of things at last .. Oh the magic of those first 3 or 4 drinks." Bill Wilson.
The personality is changed: a new, but artificial sense of identity at a deep level: the 'real me' is the intoxication self and 'I don't need anyone else'.
The addicted one is in love with his or her own (chemically created) self.
Addicted people don't realise their drug has changed their personality.
(From Chapter 2, p. 36)

"From the outside, the alcoholic is just a drunk. He isn't solving his problems, being a great athlete or being Superman. He is staggering round, probably at least a bit out of control. But inside, something very different is going on. Inside, everything that seems wrong, everything that seems at odds with the world, just dissolves and melts away. Nothing can hurt him, nothing can get him. He is what he wants to be and nothing matters.
For the alcoholic, fantasies and imaginings come alive and real in intoxication. Even knowing they aren't real doesn't matter one bit, because they seem as good as real. Intoxicated, alcoholics are separated from reality; above it, parallel to it, insulated from it but never in it. Deep within them is a sense that they are whole, at one. It's an exhilarating feeling of being set free at last."

Intoxication Experiences:

Female 30's "solved my problems ...felt really good in myself ....felt great ...happy go lucky .. Make a lot of friends ..talk ..they all like me ..wonderful.. very uninhibited...much energy and enthusiasm ..."

Male 30's "...relaxed with it ....withdrawing from problems ...not worried about anything going on around me ....comes on very strong .... ...solve the problem ...then it disappears ...felt really good about things being so terrific until fronted ...then, aggressive abusive"
Male 40's "...people mean a lot to me .. Write a letter.. The feeling for the person in the letter is very very very strong... You are feeling that you really care for people, that you really care..."

Female 20's "when crying drunk ...feeling is that everyone else is sorry for you too.. Crying the emotion is emphasised ... felt good... if crying straight... really unhappy... but when drunk... the actual emotion of crying was really expressed .. .but not unhappy like crying when straight.."

But remember: even though their personality is changed, they can choose to recognise they have a problem, they can choose to get help, and they can choose to do what is necessary to recover.

http://www.jimmaclaine.com

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