keepingmyjoy

Hi all. Quick update. AH is doing out patient treatment etc. Seems he is trying. Does not change my decision to live separate lives. However, he told me today that he saw an informercial for the above book. Apparently, the author is the founder of the Passages Addiction Cure Center in Malibu. Takes a holistic approach to "curing" alcoholism.

AH saw this infomercial this morning and said he feels so much better just having seen it and wants to get the book.

By the way, I had to remind him that he has to do this for him, not to get his family back as I am not going to entertain getting back with him for at least a year, and probably not ever.

Just curious....anybody ever read this book? Any reviews?

Zoey

I have never heard of it. Go to Google and put in the book name, go down to one that mentions author's last name, son has an article.

They have a treatment center, but with 10 therapists and an MD it must coast a fortune.

GiveLove

Pax and Chris Prentiss are making a lot of money on this program. I've heard from a friend that the infomercial and book seemed to her like one long sales pitch for Passages...which is a $55,000+ per MONTH facility. Very controversial...they claim alcoholism isn't a disease, etc. etc. But their success rate is good, for whatever reason. Maybe it's the staff-to-patient ratio (100 staff for something like 30 patients), intensive therapy, pampering, being in a mansion, who knows.

That said, if your husband can find in it the spark of addressing whatever it is in his past that led him to alcoholism, face his demons and stop drinking, then it's a good thing, right? Hope it turns out to help him.

tribal1969

I am almost finished reading the book and i feel more hopeful than i ever have about my drinking problem.You should read the book before you pass judgement.

Shivaya

Keepingmyjoy,

I know you started this thread in November, 2007.

However, this morning when I turned on the TV, for some reason it was on ITV, and there was a gentleman discussing his book, The Addiction Cure.

Never heard of it before today, then I log on to SR, and this is the first topic to "jump" out to me.

I have not read the book, don't know really anything about it, but I may look into it further.

Shivaya

Barbara52

I saw this guy on an infomercial. He struck me as a snake oil salesman.

markjs

I am reading the book now. I am also an old-school, big book thumping and basic text thumping AA/NA member. I try to work a good program and remain open minded. I agree that this guy sounds like a shameless promotion, but I, so far, find little I disagree with about what he is saying. I disagree with the way he seems to think it is in conflict with the program, as I think the differences are just semantics. Where he says cured, I say recovered. I don't believe for a minute what they provide is any better than what the program provides. It's more similar than he would care to admit being as he is making a killing off it, but all the same there are things I am reading that are new to me, seem well reasoned and I plan to incorporate into my own life.

I know there is debate about the use of the word "recovered" vs. "in recovery" but again, semantics! The founding fathers of AA said recovered and that's how I feel. I, in no way feel that should I step away from the life I have found that I would be immune to relapse however, and the joy I have found in life precludes me wanting to walk away from it. I have been truly set free by the grace of G.O.D. and the fellowships of AA and NA.

markjs

I'm reading further on in this book and while trying to remain open minded, it does bother me a bit. He has a lot of good info and approaches, but being a hardcore big book thumper, and having successfully lived the program successfully for two years now, I see very little new or revolutionary approaches. The guy says they are, but they are not. To someone that looks at the program in another way than I do, I see where there could be that thought, but I believe firmly that anyone who works the steps honestly and to the best of their ability can find all the same answers, without the hundreds of thousands of dollars you'd need to spend to recover their way.

In short I would recommend this book to a sponsee I felt was on firm ground in the program, or to someone with tons of money to throw away who was vehemently anti program, but otherwise I fail to see what good would come out of it. It's got good information within it, but it's basically an infomercial in print.

miss communicat

ditto what mark says: there are many out there who would rewrite the aa program to express their individual belief system, integrating wisdom and information from all sources known to humankind.

being an author, recovering alcoholic myself, as well as being a therapist, i was one of those people, at one time. why not? I thought. there is a huge "market" for non-aa cures for alcoholism. I convinced myself that i was providing a selfless service, but my AA program teaches me to live with rigourous honesty and to check my motives.

I dropped the idea of rewriting the program, changing a few key words and concepts, improving on the 12 steps and doing all of that for a handsome profit.

AA works. its free. if passages works and a person feels it has great value attached with its promis of not using the disease model nor 12 steps, then go for it. recovery models are just not all that different from one another, in principle. they vary widely in pricetag.

Banjo

This book is good. I am sure he is making money. You must see that root causes are a factor. Anyone can work from this information.

sailorjohn

A factor in what? Do a little more reading, you'll discover one terrible fact. Countless alcoholics in therapy die from the disease of alcoholism, many of them make fantastic strides working on their 'root causes'. The disease is primary, not secondary to any other mental illnesses/traumatic experiences suffered by the alcoholic.

If you do a little more research, you'll discover that Passages had to do a very abrupt 360 on their stated policy of sending 'recovered' addicts back into the world without outside support-AA or other group support.

Too many of their 'cured' addicts were relapsing.

Now, there's this little bridge down the road here that you might be interested in........

anubus

Thankyou for this thread. I was also wondering about this book.....my ABF's mother used to harp on me over & over again to buy it....she said "It's a HOLISTIC CURE". I do belive in holistic/herbal cures, but......When I saw the commercials, I am leary.

Latte

I'll stick with AA/NA.

lunarise

I read this book probably hmm 2 months before I got sober. I was in my local bookstore and it just popped out at me. I at first was interested because of the title. I thought hmm that seems a bit assuming. So I read the inside cover and was very curious finding that is was not based in AA. I knew for a while at that point that I had a problem but did not want to use AA. I read the book pretty quickly. When I reached the end and found that the author(s) had put together a treatment center I was so excited. At the time I agreed with alot of what they said, seemed like a fit for me if you will. So then I called the center after looking up their website. I could not believe the price! 64,000$ for 30 days! I was floored, in shock and so terribly disappointed! It was a set back for me.... because I let it be I know. So overall, I think the book is very useful, especially for those who are looking for AA alternatives. The treatment center, hey if it works for ya and you can afford, best of luck... theres my two cents....

escape artist

i read it and i think it is a great book. His rehab is expensive probably because of the intensive professional help the addict gets, but what he says is based on much of the same principles of a 12-step program. I get that our egos protect our addiction, and he goes around that barrier (denial of being an addict) because he believes there is hope for everyone. The book is meant to help those who can't afford all the expensive doctors and therapists...us do-it-yourselfers

Ago

BB 1st edition

Amazing that people would pay 60k a month looking for an "easier, softer way"

In my Home fellowship, there are a number of well known Musicians and Actors, producers etc, along with some pretty well known professional athletes.

These are people who don't make the papers or the tabloids about their drinking or sobriety because they respect the spiritual foundation of AA, which is anonymity.

They are handy to have because money is no object when it comes to them getting sober. They have gone to Psychiatrists, therapists, the hottest new 100k a month rehabs, had private "addiction specialists", they all tell the same story.

None of it worked in a long term setting.

AA did.

I love hearing their stories, they are generally hilarious when it comes to the quackery they have tried in order to get sober.

jimedwinstewart

I just found this site. What a blessing. Studying the book now. Obviously, I cannot afford anything of this nature. I love the info all of you shared.I do believe there is a way whether A.A. or holistic. I would love to hear more.

Carol Star

In my humble opinion you are never cured, just have a daily reprieve......AA works because we are there as a group to support each other- and it is FREE.