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Hello everyone. Can someone help with understanding what type of personalities become addicted. My boyfriend is addicted to alcohol, I have a sister addicted to the same, and 2 brothers who are addicted to crack. Looking on the surface they all seem to have different personalities but there must be a similar link. Thanks for your help in understanding this disease.
My opinion based on my own research is that those that become addicted are in fact very sensitive (deep down), insecure people. I think the main problem is that they have been born with a lower capability for adapting to situations (something hot wired in their personalities) so that life situations effect them more deeply. In many instances they have an actual mental disorder that they are self medicating or have suffered either physical, mental or sexual abuse as a child. They are emotionally stunted in that they have not learned healthy coping skills so turn to substances to help them cope and then over time become physically dependent on the substances.
Again just my opinion. Take what you like and leave the rest.
In the open AA meetings that I have been to, the alcoholics/addicts I have met, this disease knows no boundaries.
There are people from all races, religions, social status, rich & poor, those who have had the best of a childhood and the worst of childhoods. Those who had no prior history of mental issues & those who had struggled all of their lives.
It is my understanding of this disease that there is no set mold for who will be an alcoholic or an addict. Who knows at what point that obsession takes over a persons life.
Just my understanding that I have gotten through attending Al-Anon & open AA meetings.
Rita
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No matter what me and my God are going to be ok, even better than OK -
I think the bottom line is a faulty brain chemistry, usually inherited, complicated with our life circumstances. My dad was an alcoholic. There are 5 of us children. Each one of us has addictions in one form or another. Everyone has the food addiction...3 have alcohol and drug addiction along with the food addiction. Also...mom was not alcoholic but was depressed all the time. So, throw that into the mix and I can truly understand how I got this way. I use food the same way my A son uses alcohol to deal with my feelings. I believe addiction is addiction, an immediate gratification to help you to feel better in that moment. When A son is not drinking he is eating the sugary things that he doesn't fool with much while drinking. It is sad but at least it is not cancer, in that it can be arrested with hard work.
Rita has the right idea. There's an old AA saying that says "From the halls of Yale to the halls in a jail, this disease touches EVERYBODY." Now what I think you might be alluding to is why do alcholics seem to have darker personalities? Well, that's the "isms" and we, my dear, have them too. Usually when an alcholic seeks treatment for their drinking their evaluated for mental illness and, often times, what is found is some level of depression. *shrugs* Now, if we were to get honest and go to EVERY bar in america, and ALL the bases ALL over the world, How many of the people in those bars would qualify for medical help for depression? I honestly don't know, but the mental health community calls it "The common cold of psychiatry" because it's just SO common. Now, what alot of new al anons are confused about is "Did the depression precede the drinking or did the drinking preced the depression?" That's a chicken-egg thing; but what IS agreed by recovering alcholics, mental health experts, people in drug alchol treatment is that alcholism DOES make depression SO MUCH worse. But, like the old joke "How many therapists does it take to screw in a lightbulb? 1, but the lightbulb has to want to change." No amount of help will help the alcholic who doesn't want it. As for the "isms:" They're also called character defects. When we do our 4th and 5th step we get to know ourselves at a much deeper level than we previously had, and what we often find is that what is standing in the way of us having meaningful relationships with human beings, ourselves, god, whatever is that these character defects are really assesets that would get you promoted to CEO of a Fortune 500 company, but they're so twisted and skewed that they're barriers now in relationships. They're keeping us from enjoying the full benefits of life and love. I think when comparing AAs to Al Anons you're really comparing a granny smith apple to a red delichous apple: different type, same fruit. The same "isms" are there; just manifest in different ways.
Based on my family... anybody is fair game. I only have to look at the 2 A's closest to me to give you the extremes. My ASober Father is as independant and selfassured a person as you will ever meet. He can do anything... just ask him. LOL
My poor AW has never lived alone, and has a long list of things she is not proud of. Her ability to be independant has yet to be realized. She will be the first to tell you that she needs others to do everything, because "a woman needs that to be happy".
I have friends and family everywhere in between. I truly believe the only way to know is to have someone drink on a regular basis and see what happens... not that I recommend that, but I don't think there is another way to find out.
Take what you like and leave the rest.... these are just my observations.
Take care of you!
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"Good judgement comes from experience... experience comes from bad judgement" - unknown
This is a question that the best minds in the world have been studying for untold YEARS!
Why do some people turn to drugs when they know and see the horrible outcome? Why are some smart enough to not even start down that road? Why do some try it a couple of times, have recreational use while others get hooked?
This is especially difficult for me to understand as in my ENTIRE extended family of quite possibly 200 people or more there is absolutely no addiction whatsoever to either drugs or alcohol. But that is in another country. Why is alcohol and drug addiction as common as pretzals here in this country?
I really don't know the whole complete and total answer...
Scientists continue to avidly study alcholism and I recently read a great book on the subject by Dr. Paul Pearsall called "The Last Self Help Book You Will Ever Need" where he talks about the latest cutting edge research into alcoholism, it is fascinating reading, I think you will enjoy it a lot. I got it at the library so even if your library does not have it you can get it through an interlibrary loan from MY library, LOL.
I don't think there is a type of personality that gts this disease. I have heard many times , this is an equal oportunity disease every one is suseptbable if they drink enough and long enough/ Some reseach says it is inherited for ex if father was or mom u have a pretty good chance of aquiring it too. others have said it can be aquired . What matters here is how it is affecting yourlife. That we can help with Louise
I think we all go through times of depression, sorrow etc. We all have our "solutions".....for some it's alcohol, some drugs, some overeating, gosh, the list could go on forever.
Whatever works at the time is basically a "solution".
Thank God for Al-Anon and AA and other 12 step programs that help us focus on ourselves!
I honestly don't know, but the mental health community calls it "The common cold of psychiatry" because it's just SO common. Now, what alot of new al anons are confused about is "Did the depression precede the drinking or did the drinking preced the depression?" That's a chicken-egg thing; but what IS agreed by recovering alcholics, mental health experts, people in drug alchol treatment is that alcholism DOES make depression SO MUCH worse. But, like the old joke "How many therapists does it take to screw in a lightbulb? 1, but the lightbulb has to want to change." No amount of help will help the alcholic who doesn't want it. 
