BENJAMIN RUSH — A MEDICAL VIEW OF DRUNKENNESS
When habitual drinking began to be viewed through a medical lens.
Benjamin Rush (1746–1813) is an important figure in the history of addiction because his late-eighteenth-century writing helped widen the understanding of habitual drunkenness beyond a purely moral explanation.
This resource explores Rush's 1784 writing on distilled spirits, his famous “Moral and Physical Thermometer”, and the historical shift toward treating persistent harmful drinking as something medicine could investigate. It also looks carefully at the limitations of eighteenth-century medicine and explains why Rush should be understood as an early influence rather than the creator of today's disease model.
Inside the guide we explore the difference between vice and illness, habit and agency, the role of stigma, what modern addiction science understands differently, and how a biopsychosocial approach can hold biology, psychology, trauma, relationships and social circumstances together.
The resource includes an anonymous perspective, reflection questions, guidance for families and supporters, further reading, historical references and a message from Maggie.
Understanding dependence does not mean excusing harmful behaviour. It means giving ourselves more than shame and judgement with which to understand it — while still making room for responsibility, safety, boundaries and change.
Educational information only. Alcohol withdrawal can be medically dangerous for a physically dependent person; appropriate medical advice should be sought before abruptly stopping.
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