What some professionals have said - and AA is strictly NON professional - is that drinking is a form of self-medicating. It DOES work, sort of - until the booze starts to backfire and wreck our lives and others'.

Now, there are arguments pro and con, but go to page 133 of the "Big Book" (real title Alcoholics Anonymous) and read from: "Now about health..." through to "...his case afterwards."

I am finally on the right meds for my lifelong depression, and am gaining in confidence every day. Having this physical balance back gives me the energy to work my program, and become a responsible member of my community. And no, I do not want a drink. The miracle is still with me on a daily basis.

It is not a magic bullet - nothing is.

But this is just my story; in AA and life I can only speak for myself.

And yes, RedHedd - please check out Al-Anon. It's a family disease, and everyone gets the symptoms of alcoholism, whether they drink or not. You deserve healing too!