PERSONALITY PATTERNS IN PRE-ALCOHOLICS

Anger, frustration, anxiety, hostility - anything which leads to stress - could be considered the "Achilles' heel" of the alcoholic, a Chicago alcoholism expert believes.

Margaret A. Fleming, treatment coordinator for the Mercy Hospital Alcoholism Treatment Unit, observed that the alcoholic's inability to cope with tensions could be related to certain patterns of unstable behavior that she has identified in both pre-drinking and post-treatment years. A survey of 64 former patients disclosed such a pattern in their pre-drinking education, she said. Of the 42 in the group who had gone beyond the elementary level, only eight actually completed the level undertaken, she reported.

Similarly, post-treatmen data showed that all 64 members of the group were employed at the time of the survey, but that 24 had returned to drinking and nine members of this group reported having held from two to five jobs since completing treatment, she said. None of those who were not drinking had changed jobs. "It would appear that the abstinent group was demonstrating job stability, where as many of those who returned to drinking continued to be as unstable as employees as they once had been as students," she said.

Another difference between the two groups was that more of the group that had returned to drinking had stopped attending AA meetings than that of the non-drinking group, she said. The findings suggest in-patient treatment may only provide a temporary interruption in a drinking pattern and, by itself, is seldom capable of producing abstinence, she said.

Introduction to AA while still in treatment may be essential in maintaining abstinence, she continued, since active involvement may produce a gradual shift of attitudes and values. The results showed that alcoholics who stopped drinking did not develop problems in other areas but were more likely to be employed steadily at the same job, going to AA meetings on a regular basis, and feeling more positive about themselves and about others, than those who returned to drinking.

The results raise such questions a whether there is a "pre-alcoholic personality" or whether there are certain personality traits which relate to a lack of endurance or perseverance, she said. "Increasingly," she said, "evidence points to the existence of a pre-alcoholic personality which, when combined with certain physiological and socio-cultural factors, may eventually produce alcholism in many high risk youngsters."

DON says: This is a weighty subject, however, reading between the lines I suppose it shows that our attitude is most important, and the willingness and desire to stop drinking. It shows quite clearly that the alcoholic must have the will and need to quit drinking. He or she must also accept help from all sources, including AA.

Alcoholism is an all encompassing problem for the addict and is not easily overcome. Great care must be taken to follow every avenue, and keep to it religiously, so as to not to be seduced back into drinking. Seduced is a word I like to tie to alcoholism.

Booze and its effect, to me has a decided alluring draw to it. Once back to drinking, you are lured into more and more intake; you are seeking the comfort and warmth, and womb like effect it has. You are swept up in warmth and safety. The trouble is that you must drink more and more quantities, until you reach the point that it begins to poison the body. Along with this you feel the regret, and the disappointment of your family and friends.

You end up using alcohol to cover your unhappy feelings. ONE MUST QUIT ENTIRELY, AND FOREVER!