Symptoms

The book Alcoholics Anonymous speaks of the pathological use of alcohol as being “a symptom”, which I have also found to be true with both alcohol and drugs in the years of my own recovery and,additionally, having assisted numerous other alcoholics and addicts.  I don’t mean that underlying issues are the cause of addictive tendencies, which seem to be physiological, but that pathological use is generally, in part, a method of coping with those issues.  The A.A. program emphasizes a spiritual solution and, I also emphasize things like love, individuation and connection, ideas that could certainly benefit from more education and cultural support.  These approaches address the causes of pathological use.  Criminalization or the use of legal chemicals like methadone attempt to address only the symptoms, and do not appear to work very well.