Ugh. Lots of misinformation itt, and everyone has a bit of the truth. tbutera - you're right in saying that alcohol is a choice. But it's a choice that's often made with your brain chemistry jacked up, either from depression or alcohol intoxication/withdrawel. Most people can't outright drop what they're doing. It'd be as easy for someone with schizophrenia to realize their worldview is wrong. You also don't seem to know about the hell people go through while detoxing. "The Shakes" is a nice way of describing delerium tremens, or the DTs, but you're basically going through grand mal seizures, hallucinations, and fibromyalgia all at the same time. It's not pretty and it's violent and unpredictable and awful. You can literally die from withdrawal. It's not "just a choice." http://missoulian.com/news/local/article_b83eaf2c-892d-11de-b7ea-001cc4c03286.html