Posted by jujube on October 12, 2004, at 15:37:30 [reposted on October 12, 2004, at 20:22:54 | original URL]
In reply to Ahem. » mcp, posted by partlycloudy on October 12, 2004, at 14:42:00
I agree with Partlycloudy. I went to AA for a number of months, and witnessed many people relapsing after months and even a year of sobriety. The emotional suffering that a person who relapses goes through can be as painful as the addiction itself (shame, self-hate, etc). AA is not a cure-all. It is only a support group, and doesn't help everybody. There is nothing wrong with seeking medical help (which could include medication or natural supplements) to help ease the discomfort of alcohol withdrawal and to help reduce cravings for alcohol.
> 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:jujube
thread:402382
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/subs/20040722/msgs/402393.html