ng emotional distress which can reach suicidal proportions.
The alcohol-addicted person represses negative feelings. This repression creates a growing mass of anxiety, guilt, shame, and remorse. The alcoholic is often consumed with self-hatred. This self-hatred is repressed and is often projected onto other people. Alcoholics tend to know very little about themselves and their behavior. They are seldom confronted by others. As the disease runs its course, alcoholics become increasing delusional. Their judgment becomes impaired, and eventually, they may lose touch with their emotions completely. As a matter of self-survival, alcoholics forget painful experiences in conscious and unconscious ways.
Development of the Delusional System
The delusional system reflects denial and a distorted perception of reality. As the disease progresses, alcoholics are unable to perceive what is happening to them. They become progressively unable to keep track of their behavior and they lose contact with their emotions. The alcoholic's defense systems continue to strengthened as a result of the drinking. The greater the pain, the more rigid the defenses become. According to Johnson, this entire process is unconscious (27), and occurs to enable alcoholics to continue to function despite their problems. As the emotional pain and turmoil grows, rational defense activity progressively deteriorates into mental mismanagement. The psychological conversion which occurs as the disease progresses is a complex mental break down, and is unconscious on the part of the drinker.
The denial of reality for alcoholics begins with rationalization. In this state, alcoholics may either minimize or exaggerate their motives, depending on the situation. As denial of reality progresses, drinkers may perceive themselves and others in positive or negative ways depending on the circumstances. However, regardless of whether the projection is...