Alcoholism is a disease and not behaviour - Expert

Accra, Nov. 9, GNA - Mr Bill Moore, an American expert in alcoholism addiction, on Thursday said addiction was not behaviour but a disease, which needed love and divine intervention for full recovery. Mr Moore, who himself was an alcoholic, said the process started from use, moved to abuse and finally addiction and likened it to a truck which had bad brakes but with a good accelerator that sped till it ended in the ditch.

"I want to empower people but when I put it on a silver and gold platter they would not accept it but when I do it with love and the salvation message then there is a headway. This gift I've been given for free so that I can also carry the message to others," he said in Accra. Speaking at a day's session on alcohol addiction on the theme, "Addiction - A Block to Development in Ghana," he admitted that denial was not only a block to development but treatment as well. The session brought together nurses from the country's psychiatric hospitals, students, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the media.

Mr Moore has worked in the field of addiction counseling and interventions for over 25 years. He is the founder of Transitional Counseling and Intervention and President of San Francisco Chapter of Problems of Addiction in Labour and Management (PALM). Addiction, he noted, was predictable and was 65-75 per cent hereditary. He explained that his grandfather was an alcoholic, but his father was not. He once was and his son also carried the trait. He said addiction was linked to all kinds of crimes and violence that were found on the streets, cities and countries but added that all was not lost and that there was a safe haven that could help addicts recover.

Mr Moore, however, noted that one person could not change addicts but they could be helped to do so.

"Getting over addiction is not about willpower but more importantly breaking the shell of denial in return for love, acceptance, assurance, advice and divine intervention to come clean again." The audience at the session partly blamed the media on the high rate in alcohol and drug addiction.

Contributions and questions raised at the session said increase of advertisement on alcoholic beverages and the use of some media personality who served as role models to younger people was worrying because it was not setting a worthy example for them.

"We have to make a choice as a nation whether to get rich while people lost control of their lives through alcoholism and drug addiction or streamline regulations and make them effective and save the youth of this country," a contributor said.

"As a nation we need to reward excellence and achievement instead of rewarding catwalks and beauty pageants. This would make the youth pursue excellence wherever they may find themselves. Addiction is linked to the crime and violence on our streets," a nurse from Pantang Hospital said.

Mr Fred Coch, a lawyer and economist, noted that research had revealed that alcohol related deaths were exceeding those of HIV/AIDS and that unfortunately the country was producing "Akpeteshi (locally brewed gin) graduates". Mr Joe Lartey, a renowned commentator and President of Attitudes Ghana, an NGO and organisers of the programme, called on Ghanaians to help fight the social canker that was eating the fabric of society. 9 Nov. 07