The Baldwin Research Institute, Inc. is a New York State Corporation with the mission to research and develop programs for recovery from drug and alcohol problems, guide the drug and alcohol treatment industry and be a force for change, research and develop drug and alcohol abuse prevention programs and to honestly and objectively educate the public as to the effectiveness of treatment and prevention program with respect to drug and alcohol abuse.
We encourage you, REALLY encourage you to grab ten minutes and visit their website to read the article titled Alcoholism : A Disease of Speculation. We have linked the title to their page.
We have also taken a few key paragraphs from the article and posted them below. Hopefully this will entice you to read the full article. However, be warned! Your beliefs are going to be severely challenged.
Obsessive drinking is not a reaction to bodily processes, but merely a choice.
The truth is a predisposition for substance abuse, if it does exist, has no bearing on subsequent behaviors. Chemical processes do not make a person an alcoholic. The person makes the conscience choice.
While researchers work hard to prove the disease concept sound and verifiable, repeatedly studies refute the impact of genetic predispositions.
True scientist and medical professionals know, beyond reasonable doubt, the truth about alcoholism and substance abuse.
The disease concept strips the substance abuser of responsibility. A disease cannot be cured by force of will; therefore, adding the medical label transfers the responsibility from the abuser to caregivers. Inevitably the abusers become unwilling victims, and just as inevitably they take on that role. In retrospect then, the disease concept has effectively increased alcoholism and drug abuse.
History and science have shown us that the existence of the disease of alcoholism is pure speculation. Just saying alcoholism is a disease, doesn't make it true.
. . . programs that teach control and choice are far more successful than programs that teach the disease concept. While conventional treatment methods result in a 3 percent success rate after five years, programs that do not teach the disease concept, and instead teach choice, have success rates of 86 percent after five and even 10 years (Baldwin Research Institute 2003).
In conclusion, after reviewing the available research from both sides of the debate, the belief in the disease of alcoholism, creates the existence of the disease. Organizations and institutions that promote the disease concept are, in many cases, doing irreparable harm to the individual and performing a disservice to the population as a whole.
Geneticists are aware that a predisposition does not dictate subsequent behavior, and treatment professionals are aware that the programs they offer, fail. It is an outright injustice when faced with the facts. Stripping human beings of their ability to choose is damaging, whereas giving them back the power of their own volition is essential for recovery.
Alcoholism (addiction) is a choice, not a disease.
Source: 'Alcoholism : A Disease of Speculation', Baldwin Research Institute, www.baldwinresearch.com
This is the third and final part of this series of posts at www.TalkingSober.com where we have been looking at the phenomenon of becoming addicted to the idea of being addicted .
I am suggesting this phenomenon is an aspect of the modern day approach to 'recovery' that some addiction professionals and counselors create.
Part 1 began with: Not long ago I was chatting with a friend Peter who asked me how I was travelling being a non-drinker.
"Fine. Really well, thanks" I said.
Then Peter asked, "What are you doing these day about your recovery?"
"How do you mean?" I queeried.
"You know. You're an alcoholic; aren't you supposed to be doing something like AA or some other ongoing group recovery program?"
"Only some people continue on that path" I said, "because they are hoodwinked into being addicted to the idea of being addicted."
"You're in denial" Peter quipped and we carried on with a robust conversation about addiction, treatment and recovery.
Part 2 began: 'There is no treatment for addiction, although an entire industry is based upon the illusion that addiction is a treatable disease.' - Jack Timpey, Rational Recovery Founder (www.rational.org). I agree with that statement 100%.
And so we conclude with the following.
I drank booze for many years. Over thirty years in fact. It caused me countless problems.
When I tried to control my drinking I failed. When I tried to stop my drinking all together I needed help and got it from a range of professionals trained in a variety of therapeutic approaches.
I did the rehabs, the hospitals and the time off work to 'home detox' under a physicians care. The medical treatment for the physical aspects of alcohol dependency are vitally important and are not being disputed by me here.
I also worked hard on my thinking-about-drinking, or more importantly - I worked harder on my thinking-about-NOT-DRINKING and every thing related to being a sober person, 24/7.
Believe me when I tell you I became mentally exhausted and all counseled out from the hundreds of hours of seeing the professionals.
We talked about drinking and we talked about how I must never forget that fact I am an 'alcoholic' who could fall victim of 'my disease' at any moment. And it is for that reason, I would be told, that I would need to attend therapy sessions or group sessions for many years to come.
But I also found that as time rolled along I began to challenge the notion of being tagged an 'alcoholic'. Don't get me wrong. I totally accept I was addicted to alcohol when I was drinking.
I began to dispute that my drinking behavior was something outside of my own control. It just wasn't sitting right with me. It never really did but, hey - the experts sere telling me so. Who was I to argue?
However when it suited me to blame my 'disease', my 'alcoholism' or my addiction for some of my behavior I didn't have a problem with this notion. How weak of me! Weak and dishonest.
So I took control of my counseling and therapy sessions (something some people will tell you is impossible if you have an addiction).
I reached a point where I only wanted to discuss all the positive aspects of making choices not to drink anymore and of my plans for the future as a non-drinker.
There are so many things to talk about of a positive nature when changing from a drinker to a non-drinker that there simply isn't time left in the normal forty-five minute counseling session to be looking backwards at the problem. Besides that - I'm more of a 'glass half full' thinker by nature anyway.
I also totally subscribe to the idea that once you recognize and acknowledge a problem, any problem, then you help to solve that problem by seeing yourself as becoming a part of the solution and only see yourself as moving towards the solution rather than trying to move away from the problem.
The opposite way to do it is like moving backwards into the future while keeping your focus on the past.
There is also a theory among so called addiction and alcohol/drug specialists that alcoholism is a disease. Something to do with brain chemicals or genetics. In other words, addiction is something outside of the control of the person.
Bottom line is this; the jury is still out on that. We still don't know in an absolute and conclusive way what role brain chemicals and genetics play in alcoholism or any other addiction for that matter.
As for me, I decided once and for all that I was no longer going to play the part of 'victim' as far as my addiction went.
I made up mind that addiction wasn't something being done to me, rather I was doing the addiction. I was acting out addictive behavior.
I also made a decision to stop attending group meetings, counseling sessions, psychologists and psychiatrists appointments. Sometimes when I was leaving home to attend therapy I used to kid to my partner 'See you love. I'm off to give the therapist another payment on his Porsche!' Well, not any more.
My last sip of any alcoholic drink was June 2007. After those thirty long and miserable years of boozing and through the countless hours/days/weeks of being in therapy of one sort or another I finally said, 'Enough is enough'.
For once I took control of the problem rather than the problem controlling me.
I stood firm and proclaimed 'I'm not going to drink again. That's the beginning and the end of my therapy. Forget the rear-vision view of trying to solve the problem. Give me a windshield view of the solution and let me keep moving forward, thank you very much!'
What that means for me today is I am no longer addicted to being addicted. I am free of the addictiveness of the entire recovery industry. As for the addiction to alcohol, I simply decided I wasn't going to drink again.
It has worked that way for Jack Timpey of Rational Recovery, and it is working that way for me.
I know it can work that way for others too.
Postscript: I do not advocate making changes to any addiction treatment plan without firstly discussing your ideas with your professional worker(s).
This
is the third and final part of this series of posts at www.TalkingSober.com where we have been
looking at the phenomenon of becoming addicted to the idea of
being addicted .
I am suggesting this phenomenon is an
evolutionary aspect of the modern day approach to 'recovery' that some
addiction professionals and counselors create.
Part 1 began with: Not long ago I was chatting with a friend Peter who asked me how I was travelling being a non-drinker.
"Fine. Really well, thanks" I said.
Then Peter asked, "What are you doing these day about your recovery?"
"How do you mean?" I queeried.
"You know. You're an alcoholic; aren't you supposed to be doing something like AA or some other ongoing group recovery program?"
"Only
some people continue on that path" I said, "because they are hoodwinked
into being addicted to the idea of being addicted."
"You're in denial" Peter quipped and we carried on with a robust conversation about addiction, treatment and recovery.
Part 2 began:
'There is no treatment for addiction, although an entire industry is
based upon the illusion that addiction is a treatable disease.' - Jack
Timpey, Rational Recovery Founder (www.rational.org). I agree with that statement 100%.
And so we conclude with the following.
I drank booze for many years. Over thirty years in fact. It caused me countless problems.
When
I tried to control my drinking I failed. When I tried to stop my
drinking all together I needed help and got it from a range of
professionals trained in a variety of therapeutic approaches.
I
did the rehabs, the hospitals and the time off work to 'home detox'
under a physicians care. The medical treatment for the physical aspects
of alcohol dependency are vitally important and are not being disputed
by me here.
I also worked hard on my
thinking-about-drinking, or more importantly - I worked harder on my
thinking-about-NOT-DRINKING and every thing related to being a sober
person, 24/7.
Believe me when I tell you I became mentally
exhausted and all counseled out from the hundreds of hours of seeing
the professionals.
We
talked about drinking and we talked about how I must never forget that
fact I am an 'alcoholic' who could fall victim of 'my disease' at any
moment. And it is for that reason, I would be told, that I would need
to attend therapy sessions or group sessions for many years to come.
But I also found that as time rolled along I began to challenge the notion of being tagged an 'alcoholic'. Don't get me wrong. I totally accept I was addicted to alcohol when I was drinking. It's just that I felt the 'alcoholic' label was pinning me to the past when I wanted to be free to move forward.
I
also began to dispute that my drinking behavior was something outside
of my own control. It wasn't sitting right with me. It never
really did but, hey - the experts were telling me so. Who was I to
argue?
Sometimes however, it suited me to blame 'my disease', my 'alcoholism' or the addiction
for some of my behavior. I certainly found it convenient then to accept
this notion. How weak of me! Weak and dishonest.
So
I took control of my counseling and therapy sessions (something some
people will tell you is impossible if you have an addiction).
I
reached a point where I only wanted to discuss all the positive aspects about making choices not to drink anymore and of my plans for the future
as a non-drinker.
There are so many things to talk about of a
positive nature when changing from a drinker to a non-drinker. Besides that - I'm more
of a 'glass half full' thinker by nature anyway.
I
also totally subscribe to the idea that once you recognize and
acknowledge a problem, any problem, then you help to solve that problem
easier by seeing yourself as becoming a part of the solution and only see
yourself as moving towards the solution rather than trying to move away
from the problem.
The opposite way to do it is like moving backwards into the future while keeping your focus on the past.
There
is also a theory among so called addiction and alcohol/drug specialists
that alcoholism is a disease. Something to do with brain chemicals or
genetics. In other words, addiction is something outside of the control
of the person.
Bottom
line is this; the jury is still out on that. Do the research as I did. We still don't know in an
absolute and conclusive way what role brain chemicals and genetics play
in alcoholism or any other addiction for that matter. It remains an inconclusive theory at best.
As for me, I decided once and for all that I was no longer going to play the part of 'victim' as far as my addiction went.
I
made up mind that addiction wasn't something being done to me, rather I
was doing the addiction. I was acting out the addictive behavior.
I
also made a decision to stop attending group meetings, counseling
sessions, psychologists and psychiatrists appointments. Sometimes when
I was leaving home to attend therapy I used to kid to my partner 'See
you love. I'm off to give the therapist another payment on his
Porsche!' Well, not any more.
My
last sip of any alcoholic drink was June 2007. After those thirty long
and miserable years of boozing and through the countless
hours/days/weeks and years of being in therapy of one sort or another I finally
said, 'Enough is enough'.
For once I took control of the problem rather than the problem controlling me.
I
stood firm and proclaimed 'I'm not going to drink again'.
That's the
beginning and the end of my therapy.
Forget the rear-vision view of
trying to solve the problem. Give me a windshield view of the solution
and let me keep moving forward, thank you very much!'
What that
means for me today is I am no longer addicted to being addicted. I am
free of the addictiveness of the entire recovery industry.
As for the
addiction to alcohol, I simply decided I wasn't going to drink again.
It has worked that way for Jack Timpey of Rational Recovery, and it is working that way for me.
I know it can work that way for others too.
Postscript:I
do not advocate persons making radical changes to any addiction treatment plan without
firstly discussing your ideas with your professional worker(s).
Melbourne, Australia today is expecting a top temperature of 30 degrees Celsius (approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit). Hot thirsty weather!
We are right in the middle of the very popular Melbourne Spring racing Carnival and that means lots of people going to the feature race-track of the day. Tens of thousands of people. Today it's at Moonee Valley racecourse and the expected crowd will top thirty-five thousand.
Last Saturday the big meeting was at Caulfied Racecourse for the running of the 2008 Caulfied Cup. A huge day for thoroughbred racing in Australia and a big day out, once again for the masses. Unfortunately the Caulfied Cup race day made the Monday morning newspaper headlines for reasons that had nothing to do with the horses, jockeys or prize money won on the day.
Star Attractions Unfortunately, alcohol-related violence and anti-social behaviour ended up being the 'star attractions' of the day for some. Despite the hosting club, Melbourne Racing Club implementing a comprehensive Liquor Management strategy there were still numbers of people for whom their day, and that of those around them was ruined because of alcohol.
People were arrested on the day, some others ejected while others were treated at the venue for the effects of excessive alcohol consumption.
Click this link to view the Melbourne Racing Club's Liquor Management document. I encourage you to take a look at it because it shows the lengths that some event organizers are going to today in an attempt to maximise the safe and responsible enjoyment of alcohol while also attempting to minimize alcohol-related problems.
Here's The Thing I believe the reality is that we will always have people who will drink too much and behave in ways they wouldn't normally do. I've been one of them. But that does not make alcohol the enemy. Nor is the person who drinks alcohol the enemy. The enemy is the unpredictable behaviour than can occur from risky and unrestrained drinking.
We as a community must continue to promote the message of self-responsibility and for the safe enjoyment of alcohol in the belief that we can contain and reduce those numbers of cases where the outcomes of alcohol fuelled behaviour causes pain, misery and even loss of life.
I will be reading next Monday morning's newspaper in hope. I am hoping not to be reading yet another report of some one's life being changed forever because of alcohol induced behaviour.
Melbourne, Australia today is expecting a top temperature of 30 degrees Celsius (approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit). Hot thirsty weather!
We are right in the middle of the very popular Melbourne Spring racing Carnival and that means lots of people going to the feature race-track of the day. Tens of thousands of people. Today it's at Moonee Valley racecourse and the expected crowd will top thirty-five thousand.
Last Saturday the big meeting was at Caulfied Racecourse for the running of the 2008 Caulfied Cup. A huge day for thoroughbred racing in Australia and a big day out, once again for the masses. Unfortunately the Caulfied Cup race day made the Monday morning newspaper headlines for reasons that had nothing to do with the horses, jockeys or prize money won on the day.
Star Attractions Unfortunately, alcohol-related violence and anti-social behaviour ended up being the 'star attractions' of the day for some. Despite the hosting club, Melbourne Racing Club implementing a comprehensive Liquor Management strategy there were still numbers of people for whom their day, and that of those around them was ruined because of alcohol.
People were arrested on the day, some others ejected while others were treated at the venue for the effects of excessive alcohol consumption.
Click this link to view the Melbourne Racing Club's Liquor Management document. I encourage you to take a look at it because it shows the lengths that some event organizers are going to today in an attempt to maximise the safe and responsible enjoyment of alcohol while also attempting to minimize alcohol-related problems.
Here's The Thing I believe the reality is that we will always have people who will drink too much and behave in ways they wouldn't normally do. I've been one of them. But that does not make alcohol the enemy. Nor is the person who drinks alcohol the enemy. The enemy is the unpredictable behaviour than can occur from risky and unrestrained drinking.
We as a community must continue to promote the message of self-responsibility and for the safe enjoyment of alcohol in the belief that we can contain and reduce those numbers of cases where the outcomes of alcohol fuelled behaviour causes pain, misery and even loss of life.
I will be reading next Monday morning's newspaper in hope. I am hoping not to be reading yet another report of some one's life being changed forever because of alcohol induced behaviour.
