anubus

My ABF's mother saw it on TV, and has been telling me to read it (she hasn't read it herself, just wants ME to read it...lol). I have been reading as much about this desease as I can, but when I looked at info on this book, it mentions "The HOLISTIC Cure", so that kinda turned me off because as we know, NO cure like that is going to work unless the A wants it to. BUT, well meaning mom that she is (we still talk alot even though I'm split from her son), she keeps telling me to read that book.

Has anyone read it, and if so is it worth the $$ & time??

Thanks!

Bernadette

Hi Anubus--
Haven't read it cuz I'm not an alcoholic!!!

I used to be very focused on all the latest news for alcoholics/addicts. Then I would mail the book I thought was gonna turn their lives around to my brothers. I would be filled with hope and expectation.

(sound of crickets)

That's pretty much all it ever did. Disappoint me! I guess if I had been able to send those books along without any expectation it would have been OK for me, but I lived for a long time thinking that the things I did or said or showed my brothers was going to help them to change.

I must have even thought that the things I thought about might make a difference because until I got into AlAnon I thought about them and their dangerous lifestyles and their drinking habits and their relationships and their chances for recovery A LOT!!!

Through AlAnon I realized that if I was going to attach so much expectation to their reactions to the books I was sending them I would be better off sending them Harry Potter novels, or Balzac, or books of poetry and just having discussions about literature and humanity. That's a more level playing field.

I've never regretted a penny I've spent on books but at this point I'd buy a book about recovery for codependents or a great novel to take my mind off everything before I'd buy a book on "curing" alcoholism!!

Peace,
B.

Reality

There is NO cure for this disease. The book, IMO, is baloney.

LaTeeDa

Why not ask her to read it and let you know what she thinks? In the meantime, your money would be better spent on "Codependent No More" by Melody Beattie.

L

DesertEyes

Hey there anubus

You can always check out the book at your local library and not spend any money.

A trick that worked for me with people who don't read the books they recommend is to _give_ them a book and ask them for their opinion. Then keep asking them every time I see them. They never read the book I gave 'em, and they quit giving me advice they know nothing about

Mike

Freedom1990

Having been on both sides of the fence, as a recovering alkie/addict, and a recovering codependent, I would also suggest your time would be better invested in something by Melody Beattie. Also, in the 22 years I have been around AA, I haven't come across a cure yet for alcoholism, including holistic approaches

heavycircles

There is somewhat of a cure-- something called the antabuse implant done in Europe that is a pretty permanent solution to alcoholism. It is implanted in a patients' stomach and they can't drink for a 12 month period. The outcone data for the implant is VERY impressive, even after the implant has lost its potency, the vast majority of patients who received treatment are alcohol free years later.

anubus

Thank you. I already have Codependant No More, and am reading it for a 2nd time in the past month. I just wondered if anyone ever read this book, but I guess nobody has.

vegibean

I'm an alcoholic and I wouldn't even play with the idea of reading the book. Cure MY @SS!!!!!!!!! Yeah, that would be awesome, wouldn't it?

anubus

Thank you......his mom is SO adimate/hopeful that there IS an easy "cure"......urgh. I sent her a copy of "Under The Influence" and begged her to read it, so she would UNDERSTAND. Her response was, but geez, I wish I knew what "THE CURE" (in that book) was...........

I guess I'm going to just have to spend the $$ and buy her a copy of the book, so she can SEE what a farce it is. She IS looking for a magical cure, I think. Damn......this desease is SO dreadful......I wish there WAS a magical CURE.....Take THIS herb, and be cured......sounds SO easy, right?

As the SO, I WISH I could "take this herb" just to be over the GRIEF this desease has caused ME. I'm sickened by it, and feel SO HELPLESS.

Thank you for your realistic reply. :ghug

mizztake33

Sorry - I'm not sure there is a cure either . . . I have heard many thoughts, discussions and also witnessed many relapses and deaths.

Good luck - if you find a cure, let us know.

Lilyflower

Hello,

I hate to rain on this happy thought that there is a cure for Alcoholism out here in europe, but there is not.

Antabuse is a deterrant medication that when taken will cause the person in treatment severe side effects when they drink alcohol. There still has to be the want to stop and the will power to stay away. This will power may be strengthened with the thought that alcohol is going to make me violently ill, but that is all it does.

We had a very famous footballer (soccer star) here in Britain called George Best, who was a skilled player and made it big at a very young age. He was an alcoholic, and he died from the disease dispite taking this med.

Please read the link below to one of our news paper articles about him and this drug....

Why didn't George Best's Antabuse implants stop him drinking? | Science | The Guardian

Lily xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

justanothrdrunk

If someone actually came up with a true cure, I think that would make some bigtime headlines. All the medical journals would have articles. Rehab centers would go out of business or have to radically change the way they handle addiction...

But if all we know of is a book someone wrote that was the topic of a talk-show? I don't doubt it has helped some, but a cure? A true cure?

Forgive me for being skeptical...

lunene

I THINK THAT MANY OF US RESIST THIS IDEA BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT YES, THE SINCLAIR METHOD WORKS. PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ ABOUT HIS 30 YEARS REASEARCH. I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THE FIELD OF ADDICTION FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. BELIEVE ME, IT WORKS, IF YOU WORK IT. LEDIA

laurie6781

The book is written by the owner and ceo of Passages in Malibu:

Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Treatment Program - Passages Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation Center in Malibu, California

That's the rehab center that costs $65,000, plus they pay additional for aftercare services.

If you think I am being sarcastic I AM.

Don't waste your money. Tell her to buy it and read it.

There is NO CURE. There is NO QUICK FIX.

The only one who can fix her son is her son.

Drag her with you to an AlAnon meeting, rofl.

Oh Lunene welcome to SR.

I have news for you....................................... AA works if you work it. Smart Recovery works, if you work it. REBT works, if you work it. Almost every program will work ..................................IF THE ADDICT WILL WORK IT.

Love and hugs,

sandrawg

OMG, if she's so interested in the book, why doesn't she read it her d*mn self? Sorry, that's the attitude I'd have. My xabf's parents go drinking with him, talk about denial, then they used to turn around and ask me "I'm concerned about his drinking; well do YOU think he's an alcoholic"?

If they tried to get ME to read about what would supposedly cure him, rather than take some responsibility on themselves, I'd smack 'em.

sandrawg

Um, I'm sorry but...people who are posting on this thread just out of the blue, sounding like commercials for the Sinclair method..I'm a little skeptical about you guys.

You didn't by chance find this forum on Google did you? And you don't by chance happen to be marketing people for the Sinclair Method, do you??

Just checking..

Pelican

Just wanted to point out that this is an older thread. Most of original posters have not been on the boards in months.

sandrawg

Weird...it was really high up on the list of threads when i replied to it. I wonder how it got bumped up..

smacked

I wanted to chime in here, and just give my opinion.

When I first decided I needed to quit drinking, the first thing I knew to do was start going to AA. I drank after every meeting. That was probably because 1. I wasn't ready, and 2. it just didn't make sense to ME (my opinion, relax..), or give me any info or tools I needed at that moment to get this quitting drinking thing going. I started seeing an addictions psychologist, and he knew me pretty well after a few sessions. He read the book, and recommended I check it out.

A lot of what Prentiss writes about addiction and alcoholism (neither term does he use, in fact the entire title of the book is a play on words includint the word 'cure'), finally made sense. FINALLY for some reason what he was explaining about dependency on alcohol and drugs, clicked for me. I felt relief.. I was no longer bombarded with a disease concept, something I grappled with and used as a reason to stay drunk, for years. I personally found more help with this book, and using a lot of the theories contained in the book to guide my IOP treatment really really worked for me. Things just finally made sense in a way I understood them. I felt empowered and totally in control of my life, which included taking a hard look at the reasons I became 'addicted to' and dependent on drugs, alcohol.. you name it.

Who knows what worked... but I think, even just the first section where he talks about how HE views addiction and alcoholism (again, both terms he finds as hogwash), I couldn't stop reading it. Finally some clear logic.. and I am appreciative for it.

Yes, he does run the $65K Malibu treatment center. The book that contains the guts of his approach at the treatment center is about $25. His personal experience is from having a son who was a heroin addict for many years, now sober.

I am absolutely thrilled to have found it, read it, ingested it, and applied concepts to my thinking about how I was living my life. In 3 days I'll have a year clean and sober.. I know what didn't work, but I also know what helped.