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No One to Rescue Me from My Drinking

nytimes.com

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Re: No One to Rescue Me from My Drinking

#51

Post by FilterSweep »

siliconc0w wrote: post #34

On a similar topic - AA actually isn't that effective: http://www.salon.com/2014/03/23/the_pseudo_science_of_alcoho... I haven't read the book the above article is covering but it seems Dodes argues psychotherapy is a better alternative as 'addiction' is usually just a manifestation of self-destructive/self medication behavior ultimately due to untreated psychological issues. In this OP's case this is looks like depr…

The underlying philosophy of AA is often ignored by the general public and involves an ego death the likes of which have very few equals. You are indoctrinated to the fact that not only do you have a "disease," or problem, but you are also a weak human being for having succumbed to such disease in the first place.

Fortunately most people don't take the entire philosophy of the group to heart - if they did, I couldn't imagine the psychological toll it would create on an attendee.

Re: No One to Rescue Me from My Drinking

#52

Post by draw_down »

Animats wrote: post #8

Note the total lack of self-blame, or taking responsibility for one's own problems. Even the title, "No One to Rescue Me from My Drinking", puts the blame on someone, anyone, else.

"But this is how I am" sound like the words of a self-aware person to me. I don't have addiction issues, but it's hard to come to the place where one is able to say that about oneself, and that should be recognized.

Re: No One to Rescue Me from My Drinking

#53

Post by hashberry »

jheriko wrote: post #9

i wonder if this was a man how the story would go. much worse i'd imagine :/

I was thinking the same thing. It seems people are more forgiving of a woman's transgressions. For example, the bar manager who put her in a cab after four Manhattans. I'm trying to imagine a bar manager walking a drunk man out and putting him in a cab... unless this type of thing is common in New York?

Re: No One to Rescue Me from My Drinking

#54

Post by rdtsc »

blazespin wrote: post #49
mdip wrote: post #42

I don't know how effective Alcoholics Anonymous really is (not saying one way or the other), but having the accountability placed on you by friends is a helpful thing in many other tough situations in life. You can see it underlying many useful bits of advice ("Have a cofounder" always comes to mind -- someone to motivate you when you're unable to do so yourself, perhaps?) Addiction is no joke and anything that can p…

Alcoholism isn't so much about addiction as it is about binge drinking. Lots of people have a couple of drinks everyday and function quite well. It's the four manhattans in quick succession where things go awry.

Caution, couple of drinks every day could be problematic.

What happens if they can't get the drinks one day? Do they get agitated? Does it impair their lives in any way?

Re: No One to Rescue Me from My Drinking

#55

Post by brador »

speeder wrote: post #44
siliconc0w wrote: post #37

On a similar topic - AA actually isn't that effective: http://www.salon.com/2014/03/23/the_pseudo_science_of_alcoho... I haven't read the book the above article is covering but it seems Dodes argues psychotherapy is a better alternative as 'addiction' is usually just a manifestation of self-destructive/self medication behavior ultimately due to untreated psychological issues. In this OP's case this is looks like it w…

I clearly have some kind of vice related to caffeine... In the hardest periods of my life I managed to guzzle 6 liters of coca-cola every day, plus eating lots of chocolate, and drinking lots of coffee and tea, of course this also ruined my overall health. I recently managed to "get clean", but I also stopped working, then I gave up, decided to buy 1 liter of red-bull style energy drink (not redbull itself because I…

How about flipping it? You need the ADHD to function maximally in your life/career, so you're unconsciously self medicating to induce it through caffeine?

Re: No One to Rescue Me from My Drinking

#56

Post by mikestew »

FilterSweep wrote: post #51
siliconc0w wrote: post #34

On a similar topic - AA actually isn't that effective: http://www.salon.com/2014/03/23/the_pseudo_science_of_alcoho... I haven't read the book the above article is covering but it seems Dodes argues psychotherapy is a better alternative as 'addiction' is usually just a manifestation of self-destructive/self medication behavior ultimately due to untreated psychological issues. In this OP's case this is looks like depr…

The underlying philosophy of AA is often ignored by the general public and involves an ego death the likes of which have very few equals. You are indoctrinated to the fact that not only do you have a "disease," or problem, but you are also a weak human being for having succumbed to such disease in the first place. Fortunately most people don't take the entire philosophy of the group to heart - if they did, I couldn't…

but you are also a weak human being for having succumbed to such disease in the first place.

That's pretty much the antithesis of the AA philosophy, as well as the exact opposite of the "alcoholism is a disease" thinking. IOW, no one thinks you got cancer because you're a "weak human being". If there's any "ego death" involved, it's that you're not going to solve this in your own.

Source: attended my share of AA meetings and even read the book.

Re: No One to Rescue Me from My Drinking

#57

Post by jschwartzi »

danharaj wrote: post #27
Animats wrote: post #8

Note the total lack of self-blame, or taking responsibility for one's own problems. Even the title, "No One to Rescue Me from My Drinking", puts the blame on someone, anyone, else.

Oh come off it. We're a social species and we depend on others immensely for our well-being. Different people have different needs but not one of us goes it alone. "Personal responsibility" is a massive joke in a society where everything one does is connected to dozens to millions of people and we depend on huge organizations of human industry for our necessities. I see no merit to your contempt.

You're not usually responsible for the situations you find yourself in, but you are responsible for how you behave in those situations.

Re: No One to Rescue Me from My Drinking

#58

Post by RankingMember »

speeder wrote: post #44
siliconc0w wrote: post #37

On a similar topic - AA actually isn't that effective: http://www.salon.com/2014/03/23/the_pseudo_science_of_alcoho... I haven't read the book the above article is covering but it seems Dodes argues psychotherapy is a better alternative as 'addiction' is usually just a manifestation of self-destructive/self medication behavior ultimately due to untreated psychological issues. In this OP's case this is looks like it w…

I clearly have some kind of vice related to caffeine... In the hardest periods of my life I managed to guzzle 6 liters of coca-cola every day, plus eating lots of chocolate, and drinking lots of coffee and tea, of course this also ruined my overall health. I recently managed to "get clean", but I also stopped working, then I gave up, decided to buy 1 liter of red-bull style energy drink (not redbull itself because I…

Stimulants are my vice, too, and for the same reason (took me awhile to realize the reason in my case too).

Unsolicited advice: I recommend taking days off your stimulant meds where feasible (e.g. weekends), as tolerance can build quickly and you can end up feeling like you need both your prescribed medication and whatever you were using to self-medicate prior to being diagnosed in order to feel "right" and able to focus. That, and my experience has been that, when I'm taking my meds regularly, I feel as dumb/unable to focus when they wear off as I feel calmed down/finally able to concentrate when they're in effect.

Re: No One to Rescue Me from My Drinking

#59

Post by coleifer »

siliconc0w wrote: post #37

On a similar topic - AA actually isn't that effective: http://www.salon.com/2014/03/23/the_pseudo_science_of_alcoho... I haven't read the book the above article is covering but it seems Dodes argues psychotherapy is a better alternative as 'addiction' is usually just a manifestation of self-destructive/self medication behavior ultimately due to untreated psychological issues. In this OP's case this is looks like it w…

Have you ever been to an AA meeting or struggled with addiction? If not then I wouldn't make comments like this.

Re: No One to Rescue Me from My Drinking

#60

Post by sonofagun »

blazespin wrote: post #49
mdip wrote: post #42

I don't know how effective Alcoholics Anonymous really is (not saying one way or the other), but having the accountability placed on you by friends is a helpful thing in many other tough situations in life. You can see it underlying many useful bits of advice ("Have a cofounder" always comes to mind -- someone to motivate you when you're unable to do so yourself, perhaps?) Addiction is no joke and anything that can p…

Alcoholism isn't so much about addiction as it is about binge drinking. Lots of people have a couple of drinks everyday and function quite well. It's the four manhattans in quick succession where things go awry.

Alcoholism is when alcohol drinking interferes whit your life, every alcoholic likes to think he's not one and deceives himself into thinking he can stop anytime: " is just a couple of drinks, is not like I binge drink every day..."
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