What part does religion play in alcoholism?

Question

Does religion cause alcoholism?

Answer 1

no people who drink alcohol to numb their pain do, I get my pain soothed by God and don't need it

Answer 2

No, it doesn't. Alcoholism is a disease, check out the link from the American Medical Association classifying it as one. An alcoholic has a three fold illness, body, mind and spirit. To fill that "hole" they feel from the spiritual malady, they try to fill it with alcohol. This calms the mind and spirit, they don't feel so bad. Taking the drink causes the physical allergy, resulting in the compulsive drinking. Its like a roller coaster, they drink to feel better, that triggers the compulsion, then they drink to excess because their bodies demand it from the allergy, when they come to after the drunk, the cycle continues because they start drinking all over again to feel better and feed the compulsion. The only relief is complete abstinence, there is no cure yet for the allergy.

AA is how most recovering alcoholics find relief, and it is not a religion, it is a spiritual way of life that the alcoholic can lead to relieve the symptoms of alcoholism. There is no cure, only a daily reprieve contingent upon the alcoholic following a few simple rules. They must find a power greater than themselves to relieve the alcoholism, work the steps of AA, clean up their past, and then pass the message along to other people looking for relief. Check out the big book of AA, lots of useful information.

Hope this answers some questions.

Answer 3

No. but religiously based GUILT leading to more drinking, leading to GUILT leading to more drinking, and SHAME, can all play a huge part in alcoholism. Both can be big aspects of growing up in religious and/or addicted families! And very hard to get rid of. That's why AA can be helpful to folks with a religious background. Steps to recovery include admitting powerlessness over alcohol, taking responsibility, seeking the support of some type of "higher power" confessing ones misdeeds to a trusted other, striving to make amends, and reaching out to help other alcoholics. AA is considered a spiritual ( not a religious) program. With the help of a tough but caring sponsor, guilt and shame are greatly diminished. This in turn helps maintain sobriety.

Answer 4

Some would say yes, just as some would say "low self-esteem" and "bad childhoods" cause alcoholism. As far as I know, alcoholism is simply caused by a lack of will-power.

Answer 5

a pretty big part.according to AA you mus believe in a power greater that yourself.that could be anything.most recovering alcoholics have had a spiritual awakening of sorts.speaking from experience and being an alcoholic myself and in recovery,my higher power is GOD.better than drinking

Answer 6

No. The only thing that causes "alcoholism" is personal weakness.

Answer 7

alcoholism is a social religion of man, of true disbelievers. disbelief in G-D is the cause of all hell and death on this planet. if this world realy believed in G-D, we would be in GanEden, rather than everything else we believe in, tending to exclude G-D.

Answer 8

Christianity: * The Catholic Church makes use of wine. * right this moment, few Protestant church homes makes use of wine, maximum use non alcoholic grape juice. Judaism makes use of wine. using wine is forbidden under Islam. Iran used to have a thriving wine industry that disappeared after the Islamic revolution in 1979.

Answer 9

Yes religion can.Righteousness won't though.

Answer 10

In my opinion no.

I thought that you might bring up an interesting point to further your argument for this one, but as it is, it falls completely flat.