Myopia

In the book, “Talking To Strangers,” there is a section on heavy drinking, binge drinking, over consumption.  The author, Malcolm Gladwell, says it is an issue of myopia.  I will translate that for alcoholics as I see it.  Myopia means that you miss the larger picture and focus on what is right in front of you, “that first drink.”  You don’t think about the ramifications of that drink.  It will lead to “more,” and lots more and then that larger picture, your life, will come undone. And so?  The alcoholic must not think of their alcoholism as part of their overall larger life or family, job, home, relationships, but rather think of alcohol as the larger issue and everything fits into that.  You will always be alcoholic.  You will have this job, career, home, kids for now, but all moves on, except alcoholism.  When the alcoholic get myopic, they think of all the little things that call for their now attention, and say, “I have no time for meetings, reading BB, calling a member, because I have this project, task, issue to deal with.  So you skip the larger issue, your alcoholism and attend to myopic stuff that seems so important at the moment.  Soon, you mess up all your life with bad behavior and eventually the small stuff disappears and you are left with what? Alcoholism, untreated.  Go to a meeting so that the rest of your life does not leave you.