Known for presenting an alternative view on alcohol addiction, the speaker helped spur the creation of a new medical field called clinical addiction science. The question posed is how this direction views alcoholism today in North America and beyond.
Modern psychiatry and narcology often describe alcoholism as both a physical and mental health disorder born from alcohol use. This view presents a toxic psychological doctrine in which the cause and effect are seen as clear: a person becomes ill because they drink. In this rewrite the perspective is offered that such a stance reduces difficult human experiences to a single cause. It mirrors the idea that a cough can be treated as a separate disease, yet both cough and alcoholism can be signals of deeper processes. In the first case, tuberculosis; in the second, a mental illness that clinicians call an addiction disorder. More precisely, it is an addictive disease, a pathology rooted in addiction. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)
What is this pathology then. The answer centers on a disposition toward certain ideas or stimuli. Psychiatry uses two concepts to help define the pathology of thinking: ideational supervalue or supergoal, and the dominant idea. These concepts help explain how thinking can become overwhelmed by a single guiding thought.
Consider a conversation in progress. The person concentrates on the dominant thought and works to stay focused without distraction. After the moment ends, another idea emerges. There is no intrusive obsession here. The modern term supergoal describes a thought that dominates consciousness unconditionally and continuously, regardless of external conditions. This idea is sometimes described as an obsession that is difficult to correct psychologically. Clinicians refer to it as a supervalue. Motivations driving this supervalue can vary, including the pursuit of leadership, fame, or results in sports and business. The context shifts when examining addiction to psychoactive substances, including alcohol. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)
Has alcohol consumption become overvalued for someone who is developing an addiction. The answer is yes. Alcohol overeating or overvaluation is seen as an early sign of incipient mental pathology. Clinically, the onset is defined by the active formation of an addictive supervalue. In individuals actively developing addiction pathology, alcohol as the supergoal quickly overwhelms reality. The person experiences a distortion of meaning that elevates all matters related to alcohol use above other concerns. Alcohol behavior begins to shape motivation, suppresses emotions, and crowds out other dominant ideas such as family, work, and friendships. Society and daily life can become hard to navigate as a result. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)
How does the supervalue arise. There is always a meaning behind action. Imagine a person at a party where alcohol flows and the mood feels festive. The person may identify with a drinking companion as a kind of unconditional authority and begin to enjoy the artificial positivity of the scene. This contextual association between intoxication and a good life forms the groundwork for future drug domination. The meanings connected to happiness can become fixed and simplistic in consciousness, setting the stage for addiction where happiness seems to lie in drug use. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)
How does this infectious process occur. The mechanism is described as induced psychosis. This mental disturbance arises from delusional content shared by someone with whom the patient remains in close contact. Family members living in social isolation can be especially prone to such dynamics, where shared beliefs become a route to a shared false reality. In clinical practice there have been cases of induced schizophrenia linked to such patterns. A couple seeking help reported a shared delusion about belongings being stolen. After treatment and a period of separation, one partner’s delusional pattern persisted while the other improved. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)
In clinics dealing with medication problems, the claim is that the alcoholic environment contains an inducing factor at the outset of alcoholic behavior. The same logic extends to other drug addictions. The conclusion is that alcohol addiction behaves like a psycho contagious disease in the sense that contact with others who claim true happiness through drinking can spread the idea that alcohol equals happiness. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)
What happens after such an infection. The question remains whether a person can become an alcoholic overnight. The answer is no. It takes time. The sequence begins with the onset of an addictive disease. If intoxication strengthens through psychophysical sensations, the person advances to the next stage. Anosognosia, a failure to recognize illness, and justification of addiction often appear. A pattern emerges where the person convinces themselves that they drink because life is hard and they deserve relief. This is the point at which the disease has begun. The individual then defends the habit and attacks those who oppose it, often saying that they understand everything and can stop at any moment. This marks the point of active disease. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)
The patient may try to shield themselves from doctors, relatives, and others who they believe prevent peaceful drinking. The person may have seemed normal before, but progressive disease has made alcohol a central obsession. This is a clear sign of soul pathology. When groups drink together and the cultural message ties alcohol to happiness, questions arise as to why some become alcohol dependent and others do not. A useful analogy is offered. If someone sneezes on a subway, immunity may protect one person but not another. This is a way to speak about mental immunity in the context of addiction. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)
How does this cognitive immunity work. The beginning of alcoholism has a subjective meaning. When a trusted person drinks with gusto, surrounded by candles, music, and aroma, a powerful image forms. The observer may think, what a handsome person, and the immune system responds with a warning: enough is enough, the person is drinking too much. This immune response helps prevent the leap to absolute happiness from alcohol. In reality the dynamics are more complex, but the essential meaning remains clear. Traditional views hold that immunity can be congenital or acquired. The described experience falls into the congenital category. Acquired immunity develops differently, and in some cases the disease fades as the dominant meanings lose traction. Yet at times a cruel irony occurs. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)
What about reverse paranoia. This term describes the shift from drug addiction paranoia to drug addiction struggle paranoia. It is not inherently harmful, but it is a signal that some patients remain unwell in meaningful ways. These remain research ideas for now. Ordinary immunity is formed in childhood, a point known to infectious disease experts. Immunity of the soul grows from childhood experiences, including family structure, positive social norms, high motivation, and a supportive microenvironment. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)
What should be done when alcoholism infection has occurred. Traditional narcology aims to curb drinking, but this is often only a corrective measure rather than a cure. Modern clinical addiction science argues that intoxication is a symptom of a deeper disease. In other words, a person does not become ill because they drink, they drink because they are ill. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)
How should alcoholics be treated. The proposed approach includes several stages. First, induce clinical remission. Then provide supportive and anti-relapse care by building a protective framework with pharmacology and psychotherapy. The third stage focuses on reparative treatment to facilitate psychological rehabilitation and social reintegration. The authors note challenges due to some patients showing clinical negligence, which undermines comprehensive study. A serious scientific and practical effort is required, including the opening of a Clinical Institute of Addiction in Russia to advance innovative practice and establish clinical addiction science as a crucial social field. Today some experts resist this perspective. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)
Why are only advanced cases treated. In many cases patients do not present for care unless ordered by authorities, or until extreme symptoms emerge. The patient who explicitly asks for treatment often signals that disease activity has entered an extinction phase. In many instances what appears to be recovery is really healing; those not seeking treatment may need active intervention. A true patient in the active stage would resist treatment, making early engagement essential. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)
How should work proceed with alcoholics who do not acknowledge illness or want treatment. There is a need for research into early diagnosis and active professional engagement in addiction pathology. Early prevention can identify a pathogenic microcommunity where infection occurs and where removal is prudent. New technologies will help with early detection and problem solving. This remains the responsible frontier for the future of pathological addiction medicine, requiring a broad scientific and methodological infrastructure. The problem is complex and ongoing. A serious, qualified solution involving relevant experts is urgently needed. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)
The current state of affairs calls for a coordinated effort to build robust research material and rigorous supervision. Opening a dedicated Clinical Institute of Addiction is viewed as a foundational step toward a comprehensive and innovative system. An approach that recognizes clinical addiction science as essential to society is advocated, even as some experts resist this shift. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)
The conclusion remains clear: many patients still lack access to care. The path forward requires serious and qualified action, driven by serious and relevant experts who can expand the evidence base and improve outcomes for those affected by addiction. (Citation: Clinical Addiction Science Institute, 2024)