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<p>And not everyone who tries alcohol as a teen becomes an alcoholic. I would bet most don’t.</p>
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<p>So if you observed a friend at a wine tasting you would think to yourself “Oh, there’s Bill and Mary out doing drugs.”</p>
<p>I believe when alcohol use becomes abusive or addictive, there may be no functional difference. But “doing drugs” and the simple act of having a drink is not the same.</p>
<p>Exactly right - the only difference is that one is legal and the other is not. You are certainly aware that alcohol was banned in the US for a time. Our society today tolerates one more than the other but as you can see, the laws on drugs such as marjuana are changing.</p>
<p>As far as I’m concerned I wouldn’t have a problem if alcohol and cigarettes are banned. I don’t do either.</p>
<p>NewHaven CTmom, I think what you’ve illustrated is the problem with addiction made visible by poverty. There are many wealthy or middle-class addicts (to alcohol or other drugs), but they just aren’t as visible to us, because they are using while tucked away in their houses, or they can afford rehab, or they just have a sheen of money which often affects how people judge it. (“She is a successful, functioning professional.”) So a huge part of this problem is actually poverty.</p>
<p>I don’t think kids try drugs to “be one of the crowd.” It seems there is a natural desire to alter our experience (as an example, the often-mentioned spinning until dizzy that children somehow find out about). Even animals seek out experience-altering substances, apparently. (At least, so I’ve read.) But a certain percentage do face addiction.</p>
<p>Rehab is extremely expensive, and I will guess that <em>most</em> people can not afford it. The comment sounded like an assumption that the parent is not doing all they can to help their child?</p>
<p>A lot of insurance policies cover rehab.</p>
<p>I know a smoker who had lung cancer and on oxygen who continued to smoke. Addiction can be so powerful that even at death’s door, it is impossible to stop.</p>
<p>I had a boyfriend who had an uncle who continued to smoke even after he had a tracheostomy.</p>
<p>Does alcohol count?
Considering that deaths attributed to alcohol worldwide total 2.5 million PER YEAR- I would say- yes- alcohol counts.
Geez.
Makes a difference when you consider a drug socially acceptable doesnt it?</p>
<p>We both know the pitfalls there, right? Regarding insurance, who has it, how long it covers rehab, the actual cost of rehab, etc?</p>
<p>Other than rehab though, it takes support and will (and some luck) - and NA or AA or similar probably offers at least the support and is free. So that’s an option.</p>
<p>There are some things that I don’t agree with. An example is a lot of NA chapters view on suboxone. There are also sober, half way houses etc which help addicts with employment and support</p>