1. Both are physiological diseases with strong genetic and hereditary components.
2. Both are physical/mental/spiritual diseases which result in global affliction of the person.
3. If left untreated, the course of both illnesses is progressive, chronic, incurable, and potentially fatal.
4. Denial of the disease process and noncompliance with attempts to treat are cardinal symptoms of the disorder.
5. Both diseases manifest loss of control in behavior, thought, and emotions. Both are often seen by self or others as a "moral issue."
6. Both diseases afflict the whole family as well as all relational systems.
7. Growing powerlessness and unmanageability lead to feelings of guilt, shame, depression, and despair.
8. Both are diseases of vulnerability and isolation; the Patient is exquisitely sensitive to psychosocial stressors.
9. Both the primary symptoms of each disease AND loss of control in behavior/thought/emotion are reversible with treatment.
10. Recovery consists of:
Stabilization of the acute disease
Rehabilitation of body, mind, and spirit
Launching upon an ongoing program of recovery
11. The risk of relapse in either disease is always high, and relapse in one disease will inevitably trigger a relapse in the other.
12. The only hope for life-long recovery lies in working our Recovery Program(s):
ONE DAY AT A TIME.
