Posted by jujube on October 12, 2004, at 15:55:28 [reposted on October 12, 2004, at 20:22:58 | original URL]
In reply to Re: Ahem.--partlycloudy, posted by mcp on October 12, 2004, at 15:06:06
I don't think it is unreasonable for someone to be searching for a way to ease the physical discomfort of alcoholism - just not benzos. I believe amino acids have been used in treatment centres to help alcoholics and drug addicts through the initial stages of alcohol and drug withdrawal. I think that by a person searching for help, they have already admitted they have a problem and want to do something about it. By trying to address the obvious physical discomfort of withdrawal in the early stages
of recovery, a person can focus on the psycological aspects of his/her addiction. I certainly would have liked to have known about the possibility of amino acid supplementation to assist with cravings and withdrawal during my first three attempts to quit drinking. I finally did quit, but the first couple of months were painful - both physically and emotionally. I went to AA and found being around other alcoholics helpful in the early stages of my recovery, but I didn't work the program (no sponsor, etc.) and am still sober 8 1/2 years later.
Tamara> 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.
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> 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.
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> > 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).
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> > 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.
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poster:jujube
thread:402382
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/subs/20040722/msgs/402396.html