The spiritual malady causes alcoholics to become "restless, irritable and discontented, unless they can again experience the sense of ease and comfort which comes at once by taking a few drinks-drinks which they see others taking with impunity."

In describing the symptoms, suffers say, "We were having trouble with personal relationships, we couldn't control our emotional natures, we were a prey to misery and depression, we couldn't make a living, we had a feeling of uselessness, we were full of fear, we were unhappy, we couldn't seem to be of real help to other people".

In contemporary language, "we had issues" that mental health professionals told us to "share" with others during process group sessions. Upon arriving at an open discussion meeting of Alcoholics, the "sharing" seems to involve confession of past misbehaviors and a presentations of the problems of daily living that trouble us. That form of "sharing" was not a traditional part of A.A., but it is becoming one.

Issue Man By Chris R.

In response, Chris R. of Ingram, TX created "Issue Man", a fellow bedeviled - tormented - by his issues. The AA program of recovery makes such issues irrelevant. If only more knew that, there would be less emphasis on the problem du jour. The emphasis could then turn to the solution, a vital spiritual experience that produces a psychic change (p. 27 & The Doctor's Opinion).