Editorial August 7, 1971 Issue

Hope for the Alcoholic

Naomi Price

In the western world today there is a danger to society even greater than drug addiction—alcoholism. Statistics indicate that more people are slaves to strong drink than to narcotics. Many believe that alcohol is at the root of more unhappiness, broken families, and accidents than any other human failing except war. Increasing efforts are being made by wise and dedicated human beings to help the victims of intemperance, and everyone should be concerned to do his part in freeing mankind of this evil.

Though experimental efforts are being made to condition alcoholics to limited drinking, it is still generally believed that to break the habit of intemperance there is only one safe course—total abstinence. Experience seems to show that the slightest indulgence in strong drink is a danger to one who has ever allowed himself to become addicted to alcohol, for it reopens the door to excess. To be really free, the compulsive drinker needs to take a total stand against it. Sobriety is a must.

To the alcoholic it usually seems a Herculean task to give up drink entirely—an effort of human will that he cannot undertake alone. But he need not despair. The Bible assures us that God is "a very present help in trouble,"^{Ps. 46:1;} and if the need is to break the chains of addiction, he can be comforted to feel that divine help is very near at hand to neutralize the mesmeric attraction of matter and destroy the compulsion that drives him to seek satisfaction in strong drink.

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