Originally Posted by
Cubile75 
There was a recent article in the Journal of Addiction that said that people who didn't drink where more likely to be depressed than those who do, even those who drink excessively. Those who drank excessively, however, were more likely to suffer anxiety.
Hmm... Maybe the dopamine thing, that kind of fits, uh?
Many conclusions could be reached. It does, I think, underscore the importance of some type of recovery program for those alcoholics who stop drinking. For me the spiritual solution seems a good fit and definitely has prevented depression, for me anyway.
I don't know... I just have this built in bias that there is something so intangible about our psyche that science will never find it... Maybe whatever that is doesn't have to be seen in a spiritual context... But still, we are so much more than the sum of our parts and the ratio of our neurotransmitters, for example...
Good stuff sfgirl, I know where you are coming from here... We are not unique, there are certain biochemical reasons why we feel things and how... It still leads us to the same question, right? How do we recover?
Thanx
Mark
Mark, Have you seen "What The Bleep Do We Know?"
I didn't agree with about 3-5% of it, they do take some leaps and a few parts are absolute bosh such as The Native Americans not being able to see Christopher Columbus' Ships, but it explains thinking in such a way that it won't take much to see where science will fit in with your particular Spiritual Beliefs and Recovery.
Specifically, We avoid the deliberate manufacture of misery and why it's so important and how insidious it really is, it shows in many ways how thinking actually works, it's a bit dumbed down, and a bit new agey but I guarantee if you watch it you will understand a bit more what and why people take a secular approach, and quite frankly how closely it resembles what we do.
Our paths are nearly identical, just one path is phrased in spiritual language, the other in Secular language, it's all nearly the same thing in
almost every respect. I believe had Bill been still alive he would have not just written be quick to see where religious people are right, but be quick to see where secular people are right as well.
My statement there may ignite a storm of controversy, but so many of our differences are one of language and the misunderstandings in my opinion, as once you introduce the word "spiritual" it opens up a world of misunderstanding and heated emotionalism on both sides of the issue.
Personally I feel the 12 steps are sound scientifically based on my experience and observations, but not everyone feels that way, and quite frankly I have tried to explain my views how it is possible to work the twelve steps in a secular manner and how they are nothing but a mathematical equation that will bring about a personality change sufficient to bring about recovery from alcoholism, but once again, the nature of the spiritual terms involved frequently causes controversy.
Anyhow, I Ramble, mark, watch What The Bleep Do We Know if you get a chance to address:
I just have this built in bias that there is something so intangible about our psyche that science will never find it...
and it's possible you may revise your opinion, maybe not
All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree.
Albert Einstein
I am a deeply religious nonbeliever - this is a somewhat new kind of religion.
Albert Einstein