Pronunciation: AL-er-jee
Simple meaning
An allergy is an unusual or abnormal reaction to something.
Today, people usually think of allergy as a physical reaction to things like pollen, food, medicine, or insect stings. In Big Book study, the word is often discussed more broadly because it is used to describe a reaction to alcohol that is different from the reaction of ordinary drinkers.
Older meaning
Older dictionary definitions often describe an allergy as an abnormal sensitivity or unusual reaction of the body to something.
That older meaning is important because the word does not simply mean “I dislike something.” It points to a reaction that is different, abnormal, or not the same as what most people experience.
Why this word matters
In Big Book reading, “allergy” is one of the key words used to describe why alcoholics may react differently to alcohol than nonalcoholic drinkers.
The word helps separate two ideas:
First, the body may react differently after alcohol is taken.
Second, the mind may return to alcohol even after trouble, pain, consequences, or sincere promises to stop.
Those two ideas are often studied together, but they are not exactly the same thing.
Common misunderstanding
A common misunderstanding is to hear “allergy” and think only of sneezing, rash, swelling, or a medical allergy in the modern everyday sense.
In this study context, it is better to slow down and ask:
What kind of reaction is being described?
How is that reaction different from an ordinary drinker’s reaction?
Why would this matter to someone trying to understand alcoholism?
Study note
This website works best with a copy of the Big Book in your hand. Look for the word “allergy” in the Doctor’s Opinion and nearby discussion, then compare the word’s older meaning with how it is used in context.
Related words
craving
phenomenon
alcoholic
problem
obsession