If I went to my doctor with a set of symptoms, no one would question the fact that I was sick. No one would impose a moral judgment on me for having those symptoms, and I wouldn't be viewed as a law breaker for being ill. But many people reject the idea of addiction as a disease and view the chemically dependent person as a social deviant. Join discussion...

Alcoholism is a disease shrouded in stigma and misunderstanding. Learn what it is and how to recover from it. This article is for alcoholics and the people who love them. Join discussion...

Is the fad of "Mommie and Me" drinking parties a good thing or not? You decide. Join discussion...

Alcoholism starts with loss of control. The person's behavior violates his values, causing remorse, which then triggers denial. Because of denial, there is unresolved emotional pain. This sequence occurs many, many times and ultimately results in chronic emotional pain. The alcoholic must drink to feel normal. It would seem, then, that in recovery from alcoholism, there is more to address than just the drinking. Join discussion...

Being an alcoholic is like riding on a merry-go-round to nowhere. You go round and round and round. But you can never get off. THE MERRY-GO-ROUND: Alcohol causes trouble in a person's life. The person continues to use alcohol in a way that continues to cause trouble. He goes round and round and round. After alcohol causes trouble in a non-alcoholic's life, he does something different: He stops drinking. An alcoholic doesn't stop drinking. Alcoholism is an illness that causes both physical and mental degeneration. It is chronic, progressive, and fatal, if not arrested. Join discussion...