I notice I’m not very sympathetic towards alcoholism so called. I watched a documentary last night which followed the awfulness of four people in the terrible grip of the addiction. Two died in the course of filming. Yet it didn't raise much compassion in me.

Perhaps the reason I am not as sympathetic as I might be toward alcoholics is to do with how consumption has played out in my own cultural background whose diseased mental landscape has been medicated by alcohol. The illness has only deepened through each generation. My family history has its own dark connection to 'the drink' but it seems Britain as a whole has one of the worst records in the world for bad consumption patterns.

One of the things I find curious about alcohol is how it has been given its own ring-fenced space within which it is to be engaged. It has its humour, it's own vocabulary, an entire lexicon of terms to describe the excesses of consuming it. With this it gains approval when the damage it does is untold.

But it is not just the bawdy vernacular that is interesting. The condition is now elevated to an 'ism' - alcoholism. It gets its own set of absolutes with a prognosis and a pathology, an almost pre-determined route for those who fall into its deadly clutches. It is now considered an illness in itself and thereby practically freed from moral censure.

Those who fall prey to the affliction are to be wholly sympathised with. I'm not sure that is wise. There are many other human conditions for which the same argument could be made: sexual deviancy, violence, all kinds of chronic criminality for example. These behaviours are just as compulsive as drinking. I'm not suggesting those with alcohol problems should be condemned and left to get on with it. But they should not be given to thinking that they are not morally responsible like seemed to be the case with those in that telly-doc however tragic their lives had become.

If alcoholism exists it is routed in poor mental health along with many behavioural problems. I don't think those addicted become mentally ill because of excessive drinking but rather the other way around. The mental condition is probably compounded by the over-consumption as is the case with those from my background who lean too heavily on drinking. I believe that many psychological defects are fuelled by emotional issues and are best dealt with from that perspective. Part of the solution to alcohol abuse is about taking responsibility, which means moral responsibility.

And please, let’s get rid of the idiotic social culture that has grown up around the excesses of alcohol and promotes “just having a laugh” acceptability. Used properly drinking is a worthy addition to life. Misused it is a disaster.