| There is a theory floating around among doctors that | | | | makes life and challenges feel better. That along with |
| are knowledgeable about alcoholism that alcoholism is | | | | the biological wiring to respond in a very positive way |
| caused by a traumatic experience in the alcoholic's life | | | | to substances makes addiction all but a sure thing. |
| when he or she was very young that caused them to | | | | So the alcoholic feels "messed up" and doesn't |
| feel in serious danger and caused the alcoholic to feel | | | | understand why his or her relationships aren't working |
| helpless. This trauma created in the alcoholic the | | | | out. They use alcohol to regulate their emotions, i.e., |
| inability to process feelings and the inability to trust | | | | they drink to handle emotions that are too big and too |
| others. In other words, what caused the alcoholic to | | | | unpleasant for them. And in relationships, since they |
| become addicted to alcohol is the same set of | | | | have trust issues, some can experience feelings of |
| problems that make maintaining relationships difficult. | | | | great discomfort and panic when they feel a |
| This trauma resulted in what's called disassociation. | | | | relationship is getting too intimate. |
| This is where you cut yourself off from your feelings | | | | The problem is that drinking to deal with emotions has |
| and from others and isolate yourself at least on an | | | | left those emotions unchanged since you started using |
| emotional level. The theory goes on to say that it was | | | | and drinking has impaired your emotional development. |
| at the time of this trauma that you stopped developing | | | | That's probably why there is a common phrase that |
| the part of your brain that regulates emotions. | | | | you are at the emotional level you were at when you |
| What's the result? The alcoholic tends to have a hard | | | | started using. If you started using at the age of 14, |
| time with relationships. You can't trust someone else | | | | allegedly that's the emotional level you currently |
| with your feelings and so cannot maintain a genuine | | | | operate at. |
| relationship. The alcoholic feels he or she is putting | | | | This is one reason why alcoholics have such a hard |
| themselves in danger by exposing their feelings and | | | | time quitting. You no longer have the buffer to keep |
| risking further harm. | | | | your feelings at bay and if you want success in your |
| The alcoholic unknowingly looking for a solution to this | | | | relationships, you have to learn to trust others again. It |
| problem actually sets the stage for addiction. Drinking | | | | takes courage to make that kind of beginning. |