I think we live in a society that is unable to pick up the pieces of its own making. People are quick to judge alcoholics, but how many of them have another level of addiction that goes unquestioned?
Alcoholism is not one definition and dependency is not at one level either, some get by on a glass of beer a night and others need more, but either way the underlying feature is a dependency/addiction to alcohol.
Its a very complex problem and one that many either underestimate or are too quick to judge rather than step back and try to understand.
My father was a loving father when I was a baby and a small child, but then he didn't drink alcohol, but as I got older I noticed his drinking and experienced his behaviour after drink and back then in the 1970's it was normal (no it wasn't but it was accepted). My dad continued all of his life I knew him to drink and in my late twenties it cost him dearly -I walked away and refused to see or talk to him for over 3 years, mum was devastated and in the end I only went home for mums sake not my dads. He continued to drink up to the end of his life and it was only when he was dying I saw through all of what had gone before and at that point he let me help him sort out his affairs. It was avery sad and upsetting time for me but all was made right in the end. But I stick to what I said before, there is a hope that is never repaid, and I lived with that hope all of my life that dad would stop, but he never did until it was too late.