One of the most pervasive spiritual problems in America todayis the problem of addiction.  People whoare addicted to alcohol or other drugs not only affect themselves, but affectthe lives of all the people who live close to them. 

Alcoholism is adisease.

That's not just some people's opinion.  It is an established clinical fact thatalcoholism is a disease which affects certain people, making it impossible forthem to drink without suffering certain measurable debilitating effects ontheir health.  The progress of thedisease can be charted.  The effects ofthe disease can be measured.  The resultof the disease is that it is always fatal if left untreated.  The good news is that it is 100% treatable.  The treatment is found in AA. 

How do you know ifyou are an alcoholic?  There aresome basic questions to ask, such as:

Have you changed your drinking place or friends in thelast few years?  Is there more drinkingnow than before?

Do you drink because you have problems?

Do you get angry when your spouse or friends tell you thatyou drink to much?

Do you forget something you did while you were drinking?

Do you ever do anything while drinking that you areashamed of?

Do you ever go "on the wagon" or just drink beerso you won't get too drunk?

Do you feel you can hold your drinks better than yourfriends?

Do you look forward to times when you can drink?

Do you avoid people who don't drink?

Do you avoid any talk about the disease of alcoholism?

Do you tell yourself that others drink more than you do?

Do you ever drink more than you planned to, or get drunkwhen you didn't want to?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, youmay have a problem with alcohol.

What is AA?
The Alcoholics Anonymous movement consists of groups of people of allbackgrounds, all ages, races, social positions, and religious beliefs, who haveone thing in common: they are alcoholics. They meet together to follow a proven and tested path that leads tosobriety and health, both physical and spiritual.  The path is called TheTwelve Steps:

Step 1. Weadmitted we were powerless over alcohol, that our lives had becomeunmanageable.

Step 2. Came tobelieve that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Step 3. Made adecision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as weunderstood Him.

Step 4. Made asearching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

Step 5.Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature ofour wrongs.

Step 6. Wereentirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

Step 7. Humblyasked God to remove our shortcomings.

Step 8. Made alist of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to themall.