wpainterw

Primal Scream!

I see by today’s (Oct. 4, 2017) N.Y. Times (p. B14) that Dr. Arthur Janov, died at age 93. He was a psychotherapist, very popular in the 1970’s for what was called “Primal Scream Therapy” This was based on the idea that many illnesses could be cured if patients sit or lie down on the floor and scream like little babies. Among the illnesses it was said to help were alcoholism and substance abuse. To help his patients he provided them with baby toys, like teddy bears, dolls, playpens, baby rattles,cribs, security blankets and football helmets.
How interesting! Why not form an AA Group specializing in the Primal Scream! Might it be just the thing to pacify and perhaps control one’s AV? Let it all out! Vent your head off! Rant to your heart’s content!
But wait a minute! Don’t babies like bottles? Make sure there’s no booze in those baby bottles!

W.

Poppy79

If only it were that easy. If it's tried and tested successfully then sign me up. But I have my doubts.

dwtbd

It'd be better to have seminars in Ferberization , how to just let the tantrum throwing AV caterwaul and dismiss it and let it settle itself down, continuing to ignore It and showing It that no matter how many times it starts a tantrum, the result will be the same, nuttin, it will tucker itself out and slink away.
Lying around and screaming is what the AV does , cuz It can't go to the store, It has to get You to get the keys and drive.
Let It whine , scream and cry all It wants, aint gonna happen

hpdw

I wish i,d saw this before i bought some clothes today but don't think i'd suit a baby-grow now .

ChloeRose63

×1000 +×1000+×1000=

wpainterw

I like this!

W.

SoberLeigh

So do I!

MythOfSisyphus

I think a primal scream helps every now and then!

hpdw

Maybe has the same effect as watching a good comedy and having some big belly laughs . I was buying some new clobber yesterday ,my wife and 8 months pregnant daughter were my guides as I don,t have good dress sense . I held a pair of jeans up and I said to my daughter "these look good " she went into a fit of laughing , so did I and the wife and even the shop assistant . Funny bit is they were xxxxl which would have fitted my 8 month preg daughter easy . The entire shopping experience was just as funny and shopping for clothes is something I normally hate .
Moral of this is we were in our natural state or primal state of joy . Wish it could last though .

Meraviglioso

This has given me a good laugh. When I was at rehab they suggested this to me one day. I was having a hard time and at my appointment with the psychologists told them so. One of the psychologists suggested I go out to the garden and scream as hard as I could, he said go scream "F YOU TO THE WORLD" as loud and as hard as you can. Get it out!

wpainterw

But did they give you a teddy bear, teething ring and lots of baby toys? It works so much better that way!

Fondly

Bill.

Nowsthetime

I guess that's what it is called. I did t know I was practicing it 😬

ChloeRose63

Glad you guys liked my "Formula For the Primal Scream"!

DayTrader

They probably haven't because getting irritable, getting angry, and venting (all of which is basically resentment and how most alcoholics handle it) is exactly what most of us had been doing prior to landing in AA. And of course there are those pesky steps and the principles that would contradict the whole thing. Kinda tough to justify "so our problems we think are of our own making" and "we had to find a Power by which we could live and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves" vs "get mad, have a tantrum, look for someone to comfort you and you'll feel better" but I've got no doubt it could work for a lot of non-alcoholics who are having troubles in their life.