This essay is a tell. It’s covert narcissism. Most alcoholics and many writers and certainly all alcoholic writers have a covert form of narcissism. Even the belief that you can see a grand conspiracy that others can’t, that you see the matrix, know the truth, have your own magical thinking method of solving your drinking problem. It’s all covert narcissism. We cannot be cured. So it’s AA or some other cult if not addiction. Just make sure it’s benign. No revolutions please. And crypto is a total scam too. I see you, my brother. You are one of us.
I have spent some days considering this comment and must disagree with you on the nature of addiction. Who is "we"? "We" as in alcoholics? You say you cannot stand AA but you're adopting the same standard line as them - that "we" are all the same; that "we" have a disease, and cannot be cured.
I take fundamental exception to any statement so rooted in dogma. Each of us is unique and while our stories may share similar components, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to anything, let alone something as intricate as addiction. A magical thinking method of solving my drinking problem? No, it's simply called self control, and I have been practicing it with encouraging success for three years now. I have always maintained that if and when it becomes clear to me that I cannot maintain a reasonable level of control then I will be forced to accept that I am one of those who is incurable and that subsequently I must abstain permanently. But the evidence thus far suggests that I can control it. This may not gel with your experience - but it is what I have found.
As far as narcissism goes, covert or otherwise, you may be right. The definition does seem to fit my personality and certainly my past behaviour. Importantly though, I am able to identify this and have devoted considerable time to addressing it, part of which was drastically reducing my alcohol use, but it has also been helped in no small part by finding God.
We are all a work in progress, and as such I must thank you for taking the time to consider my story and to offer your thoughts, for, especially as one with narcissistic tendencies, to be able to accept criticism is crucial.
This essay is a tell. It’s covert narcissism. Most alcoholics and many writers and certainly all alcoholic writers have a covert form of narcissism. Even the belief that you can see a grand conspiracy that others can’t, that you see the matrix, know the truth, have your own magical thinking method of solving your drinking problem. It’s all covert narcissism. We cannot be cured. So it’s AA or some other cult if not addiction. Just make sure it’s benign. No revolutions please. And crypto is a total scam too. I see you, my brother. You are one of us.
I have spent some days considering this comment and must disagree with you on the nature of addiction. Who is "we"? "We" as in alcoholics? You say you cannot stand AA but you're adopting the same standard line as them - that "we" are all the same; that "we" have a disease, and cannot be cured.
I take fundamental exception to any statement so rooted in dogma. Each of us is unique and while our stories may share similar components, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to anything, let alone something as intricate as addiction. A magical thinking method of solving my drinking problem? No, it's simply called self control, and I have been practicing it with encouraging success for three years now. I have always maintained that if and when it becomes clear to me that I cannot maintain a reasonable level of control then I will be forced to accept that I am one of those who is incurable and that subsequently I must abstain permanently. But the evidence thus far suggests that I can control it. This may not gel with your experience - but it is what I have found.
As far as narcissism goes, covert or otherwise, you may be right. The definition does seem to fit my personality and certainly my past behaviour. Importantly though, I am able to identify this and have devoted considerable time to addressing it, part of which was drastically reducing my alcohol use, but it has also been helped in no small part by finding God.
We are all a work in progress, and as such I must thank you for taking the time to consider my story and to offer your thoughts, for, especially as one with narcissistic tendencies, to be able to accept criticism is crucial.