Brainwash
The object of my discussion today is to make a comparison of brainwashing to what causes alcohol consumption to become alcoholism. It’s pretty obvious that in the case of the alcoholic, no one is holding a gun to their head, kidnapping them and forcing them to drink, or otherwise indoctrinating them into a cult or ideological programming. The act of drinking alcohol is a freedom of choice, which makes it so baffling to the non-alcoholic how that choice can become abuse.
At its basic form, brainwashing is about enhancing an unfulfilled dependency, to such an extent that the dependency becomes a desperate need in a person’s life. For the subject, that need is already pre-established, only to be enhanced by the brainwash.
There are techniques to creating a brainwashed state in a person. The common understanding is that another person or group has to be involved for the brainwashing to occur. A breakdown is needed by external influence, followed by an initiation into new thoughts which are repeated in different forms to create a belief system. Once this belief system takes root and becomes established, the person affected is generally removed from outside influences that may be contrary to the new thinking patterns. Over time, the result is that the new belief system is ingrained into all the other belief systems of the mind, and becomes a top-tier process that any actions or outside beliefs must be measured against.
In short, brainwashing is the taking away of what a person was, filling that empty space with a new definition of who they are, and then constantly reaffirming that new idealism without interference.
Two examples of brainwashing that I’m sure most people are aware of are religious cults, and military basic training. In both cases, the subjects are broken down and repeatedly instructed that what they were is no longer valuable or true. Then they are filled with new information that is contrary to who they were but accepted as necessary for progress and advancement. Then after constant reaffirmation, drilling, and a reward system for unbridled acceptance, they have become products that serve the biddings of their new directors. As loyalty to the cause and achievements progress, so does rank and social status within the group. This in turn solidifies the brainwashed beliefs into a need and purpose that is greater than a previous life, or any alternate lifestyle outside of it. The cultist becomes the devout, and the civilian becomes the soldier.
Brainwashing when it reaches full effect leaves the person under its programming convinced that they cannot leave its binding effect. Fear, doubt, and an incapacity to tear apart strong mental connections are also a driving factor. The belief that this is the only lifestyle available or necessary to them becomes the brainwashed persons existence.
Alcohol is a brainwashing agent.
The switch from controlled drinking to alcoholism almost always combines a dissatisfaction with past and present living, followed by an internal assault on self-identity. This self-identity bathes in the negative, and loops through circumstance until it becomes dire circumstance and ultimately turns into an existence lacking substance, connection and hope. In this condition there is no “shaking it off”, or “you’ll feel better in the morning”, or “look on the bright side of life”. It is a continual internal bombardment that screams for relief. The impact of past experiences and traumas combined with the view of self in the present creates negative emotions like guilt, resentment, fear, anger, and hatred. Without serious efforts at changing the value of self, disengaging from the tethers of past negatives, and communing with positive entities, the soon to be alcoholic will break themselves down to a person of little worth and value. These emotions are deflected back onto self because there is no tangible source outside of self to receive them. A person with these feelings “bottles them up” rather than allowing them to be exposed to a trusted mentor, sponsor or confidante.
A mental breaking point occurs where a person needs something therapeutic to ease the pain. Some seek counsel in religion or other groups, some in therapy, and some don’t seek it at all and live life in ever increasing dis-ease. Some choose alcohol. Alcohol has an incredible effect of removing the pain experienced by unresolvable episodes in life. Some are in the past and are continually recreated in the mind. Some are being created in the now by self-destructive action and means. And some are the result of the use of alcohol.
Alcohol provides relief to the pain of self-actualization and realization of the trials, tribulations and traumatic effects of life circumstances. Relief from painful circumstance is tied in directly to chemical release in the mind, encouraging the person to repeat the actions that provided the relief. When the drinking stops, the pain and discomfort continues. When the drinking begins again, the mind finds relief. All of the feelings that can be naturally worked through, using the same techniques that successful healing would require, are channeled into the bottle as its contents are channeled into the brain.
This is a repeated process that begins innocently enough. Alcohol is generally offered and consumed in celebratory or casual social situations. It puts the mind at ease, loosens a person up, and gives a euphoric effect that makes people and events more attractive. As consumption continues over time, the joyful feeling combines with pleasing circumstances over and over. This sets the stage for a permanent method in the brain that draws a direct correlation with drinking alcohol and feeling pleasure. If drinking occurs long enough and with enough frequency, it will cross over from social enhancement to a tool to ease unwanted thoughts and emotions.
Alcohol fills the void of a broken-down soul. It doesn’t fill it in the manner that other methods of brainwashing would. For instance, a cult member may have an intimate attachment of belonging and purpose that they never had before, and truly never believe they could have anywhere else. A soldier may the gratification of honor and duty, and the pride that accompanies rank, responsibility and station, whereas before those things were difficult to fathom or achieve. Yet with each comes exposure to actions and submissions they hadn’t envisioned as part of the deal, at least not to the extent played out. Thus, for many people brought out of a cult or returning from combat, a deprogramming and therapeutic regimen is necessary. Their removal from common society into an alternate lifestyle requires them to be detached from who they were and newly attached to who they are expected to be.
How this works for the alcoholic is different. The void that occurs from mental breakdown and collapse of positive self-identity isn’t filled with another form of substantive living. Instead, the feelings of displeasure with their life in the past and present are drowned out with each drink. When the drink wears off, only another set of drinks can keep the skeletons of the past, present and anticipated future from rattling their chains.
Once a person is engaged in this cycle – drink, feel better (or not as bad), be drunk, sleep, wake, drink and feel, sleep, wake drink and feel and drink and… Alcoholism.
If my comparison is true, alcoholism is the brainwashing of self without further need of assistance. Other forms of brainwashing require key elements: some type of recruitment or capture, a period of mental breakdown and desire for relief of trauma, a new set of ideas, goals and beliefs to fill a created void, and constant reinforcement to ensure the new belief system stays rooted in the psyche. Alcohol single-handedly plays the role in all of these methods.
I’ve never met or even heard of an alcoholic that started drinking with the intent of becoming a perpetually drunken mess. I have also never met an alcoholic that didn’t have deep seeded feelings and emotions about their past, present and future, as well as a negative self-identity that tied in keenly with their escalation in drinking. This mental state is developed from outside influence and experience, as well as emotional detachment and poor self-identity. This is the exact state a brainwasher would be initially seeking: bare and frayed wires looking for something charged to connect to.
Alcohol is easy to become attracted to and enjoy. It enhances social character, in particular within a group that is also partaking. It displays social maturity and standing as a right of passage into adulthood and it satisfies perceived demands and acceptance of peers. For most people this is as far as it goes. For the alcoholic, these connections of alcohol to pleasure ultimately switches to a connection of alcohol to barrier from physical and mental pain, depression and loneliness.
Alcoholism produces social connections of other alcoholics as reinforcers. Alcohol is the promoter of alcoholism, and any other enablers or supporters are its fringe benefits. Or, an alcoholic like me has no problem drinking alone and under the guise of secrecy. All that is required is a bottle and a mouth to put it to. Even thinking of having a drink produces a strong connection and feeling of relief masked as elation. Drinking was the element of the brainwashing, is the reinforcement of the brainwashing, and the continual supply of a breakdown of fulfillment and character. Alcohol becomes a wrecking ball for a life the alcoholic has already condemned.
Recovering fully requires the deprogramming of an alcoholic brainwashing. It requires admitting there’s a problem. It means making a stand against the problem. Recovery is exposing everything that was part of the process that led to the alcoholism, including everything before alcohol even became involved. Then it requires as many ways as necessary to continually build self-assurance, a positive perception of character, a connection of trust with self and others, and immersion in a life that is devoid of any reason to use alcohol as a crutch or tool.
I believe that though much of alcoholism is self-imposed, alcohol itself is a powerful brainwashing and mind control agent, that develops a self-centered mindset with continuing to drink alcohol as the primary belief. Yet like all brainwashing, over time what has been programmed can be deprogrammed using the proper techniques and willingness of the alcoholic.