Can we talk about alcoholism and Anthony Bourdain?

[MoonchildCA]

39. I agree an addict is an addict.

My father was an alcoholic. He joined AA in the mid 50s, at close to 30 years old, before he was married, and before he had kids. I always said we “grew up in AA.” He and my mom were very involved, it was a whole social network—meetings at our house, churches, retreats. He always identified as an alcoholic, even though he never drank. He was “sober” 50 years.

I saw it though. I had glimpses of my father, the alcoholic. In later years, he had many back and neck surgeries. He was in chronic pain, and I saw the behavior with prescription meds. He could not control it. He would go through a bottle of Vicodin or other pain meds like they were candy. It was pretty bad. He would never admit it to himself, or others. He had a reputation to uphold—he was a respected “old-timer” and a sponsor to so many.
I loved my father, he was a great, wise, kind man, my liberal lion. But he was more than an alcoholic, he was an addict.