The roots of addiction are both deep and ancient and the methods used to deal with addicted persons were often bizarre. The Egyptians used to flog drunkards; the Romans created Bacchus, a god of wine and revelry; and the Turks 'cured' drunkenness by pouring molten lead down the throat of the inebriate, perhaps the first example of aversion conditioning, crude, but effective.

It is believed that wine making originated in the Middle East - the Old Testament credits Noah with planting the first vineyard on Mt. Araret in present day Turkey, and notes that Noah was the first person to experience drunkenness.

An early example of an addict one might recognize was Alexander the Great, King of Macedonia in 350 BC. At the age of 31 he had conquered teh world and druing all his mighty triumphs he remained abstinent from intoxicating beverages. However, after his great triumphs, in a short span of two years, Alexander became alcoholic and ended his career in a series of insane escapades. He burned cities at the request of a courtesan, he killed his best friend and his demise came in a contest of wine drinking. Alexander the Great was just 33 years old when he drank himself to death.

These are just a few stories from history. While treatment over the years has changed, what has not changed has been the impact of chemical dependency, particularly on those addicted and their families.

Journeying to the past and then connecting to the present, Claudia Black establishes the legacy of addiction and how addiction is passed down in the family. Alcoholism and drug addiction repeat generationally and in today's world that generational legacy includes eating disorders, sex addiction, depression, compulsive disorders, addictive behaviors and gambling addiction.

The viewer is taken back to the early days of addiction using illustrations from The Bottle, by George Cruikshank, a book printed in 1847. The Bottle is a poignant and amazingly clear graphic explanation of the progression of alcoholism and the effects on the family.

The truth is not a lot has changed in terms of how chemical dependency impacts the addict and his or her family. In many ways it is the same song, second verse, same theme.

This video allows the viewer the opportunity to identify their own legacy and recognize their powerlessness over addictions and points out that while one cannot go back and change the past one can move from the legacy of addiction to a greater choice in how you live your life today.

Preview

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Running time is 27 minutes.