Posted by mcp on October 12, 2004, at 15:06:06 [reposted on October 12, 2004, at 20:22:53 | original URL]
In reply to Ahem. » mcp, posted by partlycloudy on October 12, 2004, at 14:42:00
I have not suggested AA is some sort of panacea that will take away one's desire to drink. From personal experience I have also seen the high rate of relapse, but that 90% rate you referred to, if that is correct, is almost universally caused by an unwillingness to work the program. Just showing up to meetings doesn't do it. Hence, that is why I said it would take some work.
I do think it is unreasonable to think a pill will cure someone of their alcohol cravings. It is ludicrous. It is passing the buck and trying anything to avoid the hard truth. It is somehow embedded in our culture to look for immediate solutions to problems that require a lengthy, painstaking approach to a future of overall health. Taking a pill instead of facing the truth solves nothing and it only creates another addiction on top of the one he or she is trying to solve. I think the person who wrote this is being ill-served by those who would suggest otherwise and I think doctors who promote this ideology know next to nothing about addiction to begin with. Just my opinion.
> The real problem is that some people think AA is the solution for all alcoholics, but it is not. AA has a 90% relapse rate after 1 year, from what I have read (and experienced personally).
>
> It is not unreasonable for some people to require medical assistance to deal with alcohol cravings. At least there is help for them and they are getting guidance from their doctors on beating their addictions.
poster:mcp
thread:402382
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/subs/20040722/msgs/402390.html