Psychiatrist???

[Jon]

"God has abundantly supplied this world with fine doctors, psychologists, and practitioners of various kinds. Do not hesitated to take your health problems to such persons. Most of them give freely of themselves, that their fellows may enjoy sound minds and bodies. Try to remember that though God
has wrought miracles among us, we should never belittle a good doctor or psychiatrist. Their services are often indispensable in treating a newcomer and in following his case afterward..."

Hey...wait a second.

Psychiatrists prescribe medication.

Those tricky little Big Book writers!

[BikerBill8]

Good one Jon.

[Millwallj]

Originally Posted by Jon

"God has abundantly supplied this world with fine doctors, psychologists, and practitioners of various kinds. Do not hesitated to take your health problems to such persons. Most of them give freely of themselves, that their fellows may enjoy sound minds and bodies. Try to remember that though God
has wrought miracles among us, we should never belittle a good doctor or psychiatrist. Their services are often indispensable in treating a newcomer and in following his case afterward..."

Hey...wait a second.

Psychiatrists prescribe medication.

Those tricky little Big Book writers!

Yes, and without those medications, I am pretty sure I would almost be dead now. SSRI's save a lot of peoples lives.

[lulu70]

Ah, yes....doctors prescribe medicine. But as long as we take our medication as prescribed, we are doing okay. I suppose I am lucky as I was never really a pill abuser. I occasionally took a Xanex or pain pill to help me through a particularly brutal hang-over, but they were never so much a necessity.

There are quite a few discrepencies in the Big Book and the 12x12, if you look for them. I prefer to keep it simple these days.

Thanks for the post Jon. Interesting topic.

[Cap3]

Psychiatrists precribe medications...Yup,that they do.In the time when the BB was written,not many went to psychiatrists,back then,when you look at history.It was seen as an embrasement,back then.The few that did go,,were labled as crazy,Real nut cases/etc..etc.People talked about ya if you went..There was big stimga!!!Methinks that why the co-founders even mentioned this.For folks not to have this fear about going if they feel that they need to..Then the 80,s hit and then it was the thing to do.You were seen crazy if you didn't go..lol. wonder what the co-founders would say today.The big business,of handing pills out to what i heard on the news the other day as 75% of Americans are on some kind of anti-depression pills.Included are children under 16,also...

Doctors are a gift to us until you land up with the wrong one. My ex Dr gave freely of himself alright, a bit to freely in the wrong way. I remember thinking, oh this isn't right, he's a Dr. I've known him for a long time....I was scared to say something....not sure why you are, but you are.....and it takes your trust away from the good ones.

Anyway they finally got the buggar, the older he got the bolder he got.....now they are nailing him, and where I live it's a real shame, there's such a Dr shortage as it is. And you know my heart breaks for his family, I can't imagine how they must feel seeing what has been written in the newspaper, it's shocking for me to read.

I wouldn't go to other doctors because of him...it got to the point where I had no choice, I have a new one now, and he's good, so I'm slowly getting my trust back.

Oh yeah Justme here....Denise....yeah I lost my marbles speaking of psychiatrists.

[matt_w]

I just went to a mental health professional for the first time last week after being sober for over two years. I had to swallow my pride, both in myself and my sobriety, in order to seek help for some outside issues. I believe that it is God's will for me to avail myself of any help He provides through others, and if the treatment I am receiving can make me of better use to others, it will be a success.

There are some in AA who would claim some sort of "old-time" authority that our program of recovery holds every answer for every problem. A look at the history of our fellowship shows that this just isn't so. Let's not forget what the founders were like when it came to any sort of medical, psychological, or spiritual path. They were incredibly open-minded and willing to try anything, including ouija boards, hydrotherapy, psychoanalysis, and LSD (under clinical conditions). Bill W suffered years-long depressions in sobriety for which he tried every treatment available at the time. Would something like SSRI's have helped? Possibly. Would he have tried them if his doctor recommended them? Absolutely.

I have seen stone dope fiends able to take opiate painkillers under doctor's supervision for surgical pain and come out with no ill effects. Such is the power of God. I have also heard people in AA tell newcomers that their psych meds break sobriety and that all they need is the program. This advice is not only misguided, but can be deadly. We are drunks, and need to focus on what we do best, treating alcoholism.

Best,

Matt

[Phinneas]

Originally Posted by matt_w

We are drunks, and need to focus on what we do best, treating alcoholism.

Amen.

--phinny

[splendra]

((((matt))))

when I used to do LSD in the 60's I did not drink at all....lol it was when I quit doing lsd that I started drinking...

[matt_w]

I kid

[splendra]

na I've been clean for 20 years...

[lulu70]

That's funny...Now that you mention it, I didn't drink much in my LSD days either. Hmmmmmmmmmmm..... Maybe that's the answer?

Just kidding!!!!

[Dan]

Depression and alcoholism, while being often joined at the hip it seems, are distinct from eachother. There are so many variables. The steps help us to live a sober life by opening up our connection to the spiritual solution.
And while my now healthy spirit will surely contribute to a better mental state, for some of us, it will not.
Being grateful for the solution to alcoholism offered by the 12 steps implies, in my mind, a willingness to embrace a solution for all of us.
All of us.

[historyteach]

There are people at naranon who have told Trevor that medication for his diagnosed depression means he is not clean!
If I could get my hands around that idiot's neck....
Sorry...I know Trevor is responsible for his recovery. But damn! People in the program don't have to make it worse!
Ironically, he also had a "sponsor" that "only" smoked pot. He tried to emulate his sponsor. The rest is history....
Jon, thanks for bringing up this topic.
Shalom!

[CarolD]

I thought I was the last admitted hippy left! The LSD I used for 2 years was stolen by a doctor at NIH! I can still see music in colors if I concentrate.

Now friends...what are SSRI's?

Good to see you Jon..stick around SR is a fantastic site.

[historyteach]

SSRI - Selective Serotonin Receptor Inhibitor. It's an antidepressant.
It allows more of the serotonin, a natural chemical in the brain responsible for feeling good, to stay in the brain. It doesn't get taken back up into the receptors of the neurotransmitter recepticals.
This is totally a layperson's explaination. Others will come back with physiological knowledge that I can't explain.
Bottom line, it balances the serotonin in the brain. We feel better, if it is needed.
Shalom!

[CarolD]

for the info historyteach Nuff said!