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28
incorrect" (p. 4). She adds that
ENVI–
RONMENTAL FACTORS are the key. "ln
recent studies it has been determined
that the ways in which parents use alco·
hol have a profound effect on the drink–
ing behavior of their children" (p.
5)
.
The basic solution to the problem of
alcoholism, then, lies in the realm of
changing the way of thinlcing toward
life and toward alcohol itself!
Empty Lives
Declared Dr. William Terhune:
"Certain conditions and circumstances
appear to make people more vulnerable
to alcohol.
Poor motivation
is a strong
contributor. It is a sad fact that many
human beings have no compelling, con–
structive PURPOSE in school, in work or
in any other part of life."
He continued: "Sorne Ji fe situations
encourage prolonged frustration and a
sense of defeat, accompanied, in turn,
by self-pity and anger.
Marital malad–
jrutment
is the greatest single cause of
1·he
PLAIN TRUTH
alcoholism in women"
(The Saje Way
to Drink,
p.
20).
He also listed lack of interests and
hobbies, a dull, unrewarding job,
com–
petitive pressure, chronic emotional
stress, interpersonal conflicts, and a host
of similar factors.
Most heavy drinking occurs during
middle age, when many people come to
realize their lives haven't measured up
as they thought they would - when
they look back over life and see the
great gap between what they aspired
toward and what they achieved. Life
seems a treadmill, full of endless, repeti–
tive routine. They turn to alcohol to
anaesthetize their feelings and the hurt
in their lives.
Many elderly people, feeling un–
needed and unwanted, lonely and cast
off, turn to heavy drinking for solace. A
little excess alcohol hits them especially
hard and hastens senility.
Thus, part of the cause of alcoholism
is, in a sense, our modero way of life
October 1971
itself. Many people, today, have no
great personal goals to strive for; they
are not driving themselves to attain
sorne great GOAL; they are not
motivated
oc inspired
by some challenging
PURPOSE in life. Rather, to them life
has become meaningless, boring, tedious,
tiresome, jaded, eroded, devoid of
interest, vitality, and MEANING!
The Solution to Alcoholism
The factors in society, the home, and
in a person's personality which lead him
to
over-ind11lgence
are the CAUSES of al–
coholism! Undecstanding this basic
truth, then, we can see that there are
two approaches needed to stamp out al·
coholism. PREVENTATNE steps must be
taken by society - and by the individual.
What can society do? The WHOLE
APPROACH toward alcohol in our mod–
ero, affiuent Westero world is wrong
and contributes to the growing problem.
In other words, equating the use of
alcohol with an atmosphere of surrepti–
tious pleasure and delight is nothing
more than a Madison Avenue sell job.
It is time the "mystique," the "symbol
of virility," the
image
of alcohol, were
changed from its false glamour to
one which is realistic - that of a
pleasant, rela.xing beverage for social
occasions and to
be
taken with meals -
a beverage all right to drink in
MODERATION!
Parents should be
edrtCated
to have a
balanced view of alcohol themselves, so
they can set their children the RIGHT
EXAMPLE of proper use. Parental
mirose
is a real factor in causiog young people
to imitate them and become alcoholics.
On thc other hand, if parents are tee·
totalers, and condemn the use of alcohol,
then they run the danger of causing
their children to REBEL, and become
fanatical drinkers with a totally dis–
torted view of alcohol.
Clearly BALANCE and
moderation
should
be
primary goals of an EDUCA·
TIONAL PROGRAM for both childreo and
adults.
Rupert Wilkioson, a sociologist who
has studied the problem of alcoholism
extensively, believes there is a distinct
relationship between America's high cate
of drinking and the way in which alco–
holic drink is distributed, promoted,
and generally treated by society. He