Gregory Shearman
It is a depresant. It's effects will affect the entire body-system.
And that is not the point.
No, an "alcoholic" takes alcohol because they are addicted to it. They cannot simply stop that easily. It has nothing to do with mental or physical pain.
Do you consider people addicted to tobacco, to also self-medicate ?
I dont see people anywhere, over-indulging in such medications, for the intoxicating effect.
No, Addiction, it is.
You are confusing addiction with self-medication. There are plenty of legal and illegal drugs around by which people do indeed self-medicate. Alcohol can be one of these drugs, but it is by no means an absolute truth.
In this context, you are saying that Alcoholic Aborigines are self-medicating, when in truth they are simply alcoholics.
No, when I was younger, I used to enjoy getting peeed because it was fun. But continual *abuse* of it, leads you to a point where no matter how much you want to stop drinking, it is very very hard to do so. Addiction.
I reached that point, and while I still enjoy a drink with mates, I despise the contagion for what it has done to my life.
And at no point did I consider binge drinking in any way beneficial to either my body or mind.
Alcoholism is not self-medication. It is an addiction.
