Religion can control alcoholism...but what has science done about it?

Question

Science has created some things to help control alcoholism, altho rehab is ineffective for most people. And religion was helping control alcolholism before modern scientific advances in this field.

Answer 1

and your name is professor fruitcake? Did you even attend high school???

Answer 2

It made the alcohol.

Answer 3

Um. Detox procedures and medications? Brain-based psychotherapy and counseling?

Answer 4

First of all.... if you are referring to AA... it is not a RELIGIOUS program. It is a SPIRITUAL program. There is a huge difference between religion and spirituality.

A person can go to church their whole life, be a great Christian, live a good life, and not have a bit of understanding in the spiritual sense.

AA does use the term "God", but they use it loosely.... all they ask is that you put your trust in a "Higher Power" of your choosing. I have heard of people using the chair they sit on in meetings as their higher power.

Answer 5

i've seen plenty of religious alcoholics, so what are you rambling about exactly?

Answer 6

I know my mom is into alcoholism and religion cant do squat.  maybe it's because of war that people what to show off (how stupid) they can be like a teenager.  to tear up vehicles because belief is that all life is used at some date before you can grow up.  should religion care or does it? it starts the trickery.    

Answer 7

Religion is so funny.  Science gives people the idea that they need to stop drinking themselves.  Science tells them it is their responsibility, which it is.  Religion controls things by telling people what to do.  But if you need a book to tell you how to live, and can't make decisons on your own, you are simply weak-minded.

Answer 8

The 'control' created by religious programs is more psychology than religion.

Answer 9

Those pills that make you sick if you drink, psychology, rehab programs..... what has religion done?

Answer 10

I wasn't aware that Religion has made such a broad inroad into alcoholism.  By that statement, there aren't any Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Taoists, etc who are alcoholics.  Bully for Religion.

Answer 11

Huh?

Ummmm....religion can't control alcoholism.  Sorry.  I've been going to AA and NA meeting for over 20 years.  It's not a religious organization.  I'm an Athiest....

Answer 12

Yes, religion is very good at controlling human behavior.

Scientists, on the other hand, are bound by professional ethics.

Answer 13

NOT! Religion often *replaces* alcoholism. :P

Answer 14

Religion can't control alcoholism. My father was a Christian and went to AA meetings, church help meetings, talked with the pastor, and never recovered.

Answer 15

There are alternatives to AA you know.

Answer 16

Antabus. And it does not work that great

Answer 17

Science just tries to brew up a better tasting liquor or a stronger brandy(sorry, my alcohol vocabulary is thin at best)

I've seen more lives permanently made worse by alcohol than permanently made better by it.

Answer 18

Religion can't control alcoholism.  The only thing that can control alcoholism is the alcoholic themselves.

Answer 19

There's the morning after pill.

Answer 20

My Grandfather, at age 70 gave up drinking with the help of valium and smoking with the help of chewing gum and nicotine supplements- this was compounded by the fear his doctor gave him when he advised him he was going to die if he didn't give up.

Sorry i wasn't aware we were in debt to some ancient jewish war-god that fixes all our problems, i'll be sure to light a candle at the local shrine this weekend.

pfffft.  

Answer 21

Religion does not control alcoholism, it controls the ignorant masses.

Answer 22

You live up to your name fruitcake.

Actually the Research Society on Alcoholism publishes (12 times a year) a scientific journal, Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, and a book series, Recent Advances in Alcoholism. The journals provide the most recent findings in the field of alcohol research. Manuscripts may be submitted by any scientist pursuing research dealing with the effects of alcohol or consequences of alcohol ingestion, including studies on treatment, prevention or epidemiology.

Their work has led to great advances in understanding the effects alcohol has on the brain, the effects in fetal alcohol syndrome, the molecular mechanisms related to alcohol addiction and potential targets of treatment.

This is just one organization of many which studies alcoholism around the world.

Try going to their website...you will find links to their journals with thousand of examples of thorough, high quality, peer reviewed scientific work on alcoholism.

Answer 23

This whole thing has dominated my life and it is my field of expertise. I was a full blown alcoholic by 20. It usually comes in a package that includes depression and other mental health issues. I went to AA and they suggested the Higher Power-even though I was sober for 9 months I didn't understand what they were talking about. Shortly after I got what is called a natural revelation. Oh I get I thought after I felt a power greater than myself in nature one night. I was gob smacked. That would of been enough except that I became curious and started out looking at Christian churches with little success until I found an Anglican church that was filled with such beauty in the structure and music and I got a religious revelation, I understood a Christian God that wasn't a big kook.

All went well until I fell into a massive depression and started abusing pain medication that led to a relapse. I knew all about addiction and God yet I couldn't stay sober. I finally got help from an addiction doctor that saved my life. I was on a anti-depressant mixing it with alcohol and masses of opiates. Getting near to death my doctor came up with a coctail of medications that addressed my anxiety disorder, my dopamine levels and the other neuro-transmitters. Therapy helped me along and I learned that healing was a process, that addiction was  a symptom of other disorders mixed with my genetic disposition.

So both science and God saved me from the endgame.

I work in the field now.

Answer 24

Religion that leads someone to a spirtual awakening can solve alcoholism - but how many of those are there? Most religions only bring one to the religion. Alcoholism is an illness that only a spiritual awakening can conquer - and that leaves most religions out in the cold, unfortunately.

Danny S - RLRA

Real Live Recovered Alcoholic

http://recoveredalcoholic.blogspot.com

Answer 25

It's not religion, it's people believing in religion that controls alcoholism, And there is a pill that makes you sick if you drink.

Answer 26

Quite the opposite...religion and its attempts to control me makes me want to drink even more!

Answer 27

The reason religion controls alcoholism is that the person believes that he/she cannot control his/her actions. That is why the person is an alcoholic to begin with. Christianity works great, because Christians also believe that they cannot control their actions either. They believe that they are basically bad and need god's help which fits in with the alcoholic's belief that he cannot control his actions.

Answer 28

Religion can what? Have another one!

Answer 29

Can it now ?

So can acupuncture and hypnotism.

Look at the available medical treatments for addiction and you will know.

Have you spoken to a doctor ? A medical scientist ? or even a pharmacist ?

And...how many  ceremonies then put a gobbet of cheap red wine into their mouths in order to celebrate your deities ?

Answer 30

Science can save you from the DT's, but what has religion done about it?

Science can show you that alcoholism is bad, but what has religion done about it?

Science can't stop alcoholism, but what has religion done about it?

The answer to all 3 is: Nothing.

Answer 31

Labeled it a disease and made alcoholics eligible for government money if they claim their "disease" keeps them from being able to work.

Can't wait to see how many thumbs down this one gets.