Mark75

I just finished watching this on CNN with my non alcoholic wife. I have to say it was done well, and generated some meaningful discussion between us.

I liked particularly the idea of a charter High School for recovering students... maybe not practical everywhere, but the idea has some merit...

I didn't like the some of the questions and how they were worded...

"Do you believe that alcoholism is a disease that can be treated with medication or is it a defect of character?".... Didn't like that one too much.

Mark

Sara9009

Thanks for the reminder this is on I was meaning to record it. Luckily, it repeats again in about 2 hours.

Sara9009

I just tried to watch it but I only have about 30 minutes of it because they interrupted it all throughout to cover the plane hijacking in Jamaica. From what I saw it was really disapointing and it just seemed like Dr. Gupta was walking around asking addicts and professionals if they thought it was a disease or "moral failing." They also seemed to focus (from what I could tell) a lot of the Sheff's story and because I have read both of their books it was repetitive for me. It was sad to see that Nick is still struggling in active addiction especially with all of the resources he has available to him.

Mark75

They gave a choice - Disease - Treatable with medication? or Character Defect?

I think that is one of the issues around the disease concept of alcoholism... if it is a disease then it must go away when you take a pill, and if a pill won't help then it's a character defect...

Must be nice to live in a world where there is no shades of grey and everything is nicely packaged....

I did like the Recovering HS concept though....

Mark

Sara9009

I definitely agree that they were working in an almost black and white mind-set. Particularly when they interviewed the man that took Naltrexone. I think they should have noted that his response was not typical. From what I gathered he took the pill for a short time has not taken it in over 8 years and is able to sit in a bar w/o any desire to drink.

It cut out on the HS a lot but I think that is a really great idea. I did like the interview with the school employee who said that coming in her idea of success was who remained sober but how she adjusted that to the changes she saw in the kids she was working with.

There are some interviews and clips from the program if anyone else is interested:

Relapse a constant threat, 'Tweak' author says - CNN.com

ex D-Boy

most doctors and therapists actually have a very low opinion of addicts and alkies. They think the possibility of us to recover is very unlikely and the only solution is heavy medication(I have found this recurring attitude with most doctors and therapists I have been to in the past few years).

Would be interesting to see that program, anybody know where I could find the full length of it?? maybe youtube?