Did you know that alcoholism is a mental illness?
From the National Institute of Mental Health:
“Substance use disorder changes normal desires and priorities. It changes normal behaviors and interferes with the ability to work, go to school, and to have good relationships with friends and family. In 2014, 20.2 million adults in the U.S. had a substance use disorder and 7.9 million had both a substance use disorder and another mental illness.”
In the book Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th edition – the textbook out of which our curriculum of recovery at The Magdalen House is taught – we read several references to this mental illness:
“We of Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body…Many do not comprehend that the alcoholic is a very sick person.” pg. xiii
“Doubtless you are curious to discover how and why, in the face of expert opinion to the contrary, we have recovered from a hopeless condition of mind and body.” pg. 20
“But there was always the curious mental phenomenon that parallel with our sound reasoning there inevitably ran some insanely trivial excuse for taking the first drink. Our sound reasoning failed to hold us in check. The insane idea won out. Next day we would ask ourselves, in all earnestness and sincerity, how it could have happened.” pg. 37
“Once more: The alcoholic at certain times has no effective mental defense against the first drink. Except in a few rare cases, neither he nor any other human being can provide such a defense. His defense must come from a Higher Power.” pg. 43
“…for we have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually sick.” pg. 64
“Therefore, the main problem of the alcoholic centers in his mind, rather than in his body.” pg. 23
We Understand
Undoubtably, we know what it feels like to not be able to stop drinking. We know what it feels like to be alone. To feel like no one will understand. To feel insane. To feel trapped. To feel hopeless. This is our story, too.
We help alcoholic women find The Other Side – we help them find a solution. We help them recover.
Here at The Magdalen House, all of our services are women-only and they are 100% free of charge. By offering a two-week, in-house First Step program, combined with ongoing Peer Recovery classes, meetings, and workshops, we provide a continuum of care available to any alcoholic women at in any stage of her recovery, for the rest of her life.
