How Many Finger Is Ronnie Holding Up?

There are two conditions to real alcoholism. In the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous” It is a Two-Fold disease.

Not “three-fold” as some people – unfamiliar with AA’s “Description of the alcoholic” in that book – like to say. If you want to to call it a THREE FOLD DISEASE go ahead – but you’ll have to look somewhere outside of the book “Alcoholics Anonymous to find it.

Both of these conditions must be present. And the only one qualified to view deeply into ones own history of reactions and behaviors to alcohol to the degree necessary to determine the presence of those two conditions is the person with the drinking problem.

What someone who has recovered and who is armed with the facts about his or her OWN alcoholism is qualified to do is to show you what those two conditions are. It is up to you to see if the shoe fits – not anyone else. You are the only one with the intimate knowledge of your own past, necessary to make such a determination. We do not like to pronounce any individual as alcoholic because when we do – we err.

That can result in non-alcoholics believing themselves alcoholics and real alcoholics calling themselves alcoholics but not knowing why it is. We rob him of the deep inner recognition of the malady within ones self. And THAT in the long run makes for poor sponsorship in AA and widespread ignorance about the malady within and outside of that fellowship – because there is a lack of ability in explaining alcoholism to the person such as yourself who is researching for an answer.

CONDITION ONE: The inability to stop once you start – it is called CRAVING. This is an abnormal PHYSICAL reaction to alcohol since it is only experienced by a small portion the total population. Hence it is an allergy by definition – an exaggerated or pathological immunological reaction to substances, situations, or physical states that are without comparable effect on the average individual.

Real alcoholics do not CRAVE alcoholic until they first take alcohol in their system – either by drink, or by accidental ingestion through eating alcohol contaminated food. People who are thus afflicted can pretty much solve this problem in the same way anyone with any other food allergy can: Just don’t drink the alcohol – which is a food, by the way. A carbohydrate. (See: What we don’t know can kill us“)

CONDITION TWO: It is called an obsession. Alcohol does NOT have to first be physically introduced into the body for this component to become operative. It is a MENTAL component which causes the sufferer to drink EVEN THOUGH HIS EXPERIENCE SHOWS that he will experience the aforementioned allergic reaction and not be able to stop once he starts because of the CRAVING.

You can have one of the conditions present, and this will result in problems – problems which can be solved through human aid – such as rehabs, support groups etc. – but if you cannot stop once you start – AND you cannot “NOT START” — THEN you fit the “Our description of the alcoholic” offered by “Alcoholics Anonymous” – THEIR Program – and can benefit using THEIR SOLUTION. (The Twelve Steps)

If you have only ONE of those two conditions you will not need to take such drastic action as the AA Program and may be able instead to benefit from other means of control or moderation – such as counseling or other means less drastic than that prescribed by AA, which requires a total psychic change of being.

I hope that helps someone.

Peace,

Danny S

Allergy or No Allergy

Some people just really hate the word allergy.

I think I’m going to stop using it. We don’t HAVE to use the word. It’ s just a word and there is no insistence upon it’s adoption made anywhere in the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous.

Obsession? YES.

Insanity? YES.

Craving? Most definitely.

But “Allergy” NONE!

It is simply a suggested term from Dr. Silkworth. The co-authors of the Big Book did not embrace the term with both arms and legs either, you know. In fact they gave it a decent sized berth.

“This phenomenon, as we have suggested, may be the manifestation of an allergy”.

“May be” an allergy? Not sure that it is an allergy? NOPE!

To get into a debate over whether or not alcoholics are actually, medically or semantically “ALLERGIC” to alcohol is just plain imbecilic. It is a distraction from the real intent of the co-authors. They didn’t care if ascribed the word “allergy” to it – as long as we were aware of the condition known as a physical “CRAVING” for alcohol – a reaction which very few people – only alcoholics – experience.

A Big Book Thumper’s commandeering of the word “Allergy” is easily justified; by its literal description, the physical craving most certainly can fit that definition – if not medically then certainly semantically. (See Caldron)

But just for the sake of keeping my head from being constantly hit with rotten eggs tomatoes and an occasional anvil I think I might just deep six the term straight out of my personal vocabulary.

It won’t effect what I have learned about alcoholism in the least – not as long as I am able to identify what the word “Allergy” was being proposed to describe by Silkworth:

PHYSICAL CRAVING FOR ALCOHOL – CAUSED BY
and AFTER ALCOHOL ENTERS THE BODY.

Call it whatever the hell you want. Call it Moo Goo Gai Pan Syndrome - it doesn’t matter.

“Our description of the alcoholic.” doesn’t refer to the craving as allergy at all – not in the first forty three pages – not in the next one hundred and twenty one. Only Dr. Silkworth mentions it in “The Doctors’ Opinion” and even he does not insist upon it.

So lighten up all you “It’s all in the mind” types. Alcoholism centers in the mind but as the co-founders noted in their comments about Dr. Silkworth’s testimonial letters in “The Doctor’s Opinion”,

The doctor’s theory that we have an allergy to alcohol interests us. As laymen, our opinion as to its soundness may, of course, mean little. But as ex-problem drinkers, we can say that his explanation makes good sense. It explains many things for which we cannot otherwise account.”

Hardly an iron clad endorsement in favor of everyone jumping on the “ALLERGY” bandwagon – only that the physical craving be acknowledged and included in the description of alcoholism.

“In our belief, any picture of the alcoholic which leaves out this physical factor is incomplete”

So lets all take some chill pills on the allergy subject. Call it allergy or not – just don’t forget that alcoholism is a TWO FOLD disease:

1 – Mental/Obsession/Insanity AND
2 – Physical/Craving.

“Allergy” (the word) is optional – and if you know that alcohol in any amount will trigger an abnormal reaction – called “craving” for more alcohol then you get it. If you think is solely a mental condition – then you don’t.

Peace,

Danny S

Allergy or No Allergy

Some people just really hate the word allergy.

I think I’m going to stop using it. We don’t HAVE to use the word. It’ s just a word and there is no insistence upon it’s adoption made anywhere in the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous.

Obsession? YES.

Insanity? YES.

Craving? Most definitely.

But “Allergy” NONE!

It is simply a suggested term from Dr. Silkworth. The co-authors of the Big Book did not embrace the term with both arms and legs either, you know. In fact they gave it a decent sized berth.

“This phenomenon, as we have suggested, may be the manifestation of an allergy”.

“May be” an allergy? Not sure that it is an allergy? NOPE!

To get into a debate over whether or not alcoholics are actually, medically or semantically “ALLERGIC” to alcohol is just plain imbecilic. It is a distraction from the real intent of the co-authors. They didn’t care if ascribed the word “allergy” to it – as long as we were aware of the condition known as a physical “CRAVING” for alcohol – a reaction which very few people – only alcoholics – experience.

A Big Book Thumper’s commandeering of the word “Allergy” is easily justified; by its literal description, the physical craving most certainly can fit that definition – if not medically then certainly semantically. (See Caldron)

But just for the sake of keeping my head from being constantly hit with rotten eggs tomatoes and an occasional anvil I think I might just deep six the term straight out of my personal vocabulary.

It won’t effect what I have learned about alcoholism in the least – not as long as I am able to identify what the word “Allergy” was being proposed to describe by Silkworth:

PHYSICAL CRAVING FOR ALCOHOL – CAUSED BY
and AFTER ALCOHOL ENTERS THE BODY.

Call it whatever the hell you want. Call it Moo Goo Gai Pan Syndrome - it doesn’t matter.

“Our description of the alcoholic.” doesn’t refer to the craving as allergy at all – not in the first forty three pages – not in the next one hundred and twenty one. Only Dr. Silkworth mentions it in “The Doctors’ Opinion” and even he does not insist upon it.

So lighten up all you “It’s all in the mind” types. Alcoholism centers in the mind but as the co-founders noted in their comments about Dr. Silkworth’s testimonial letters in “The Doctor’s Opinion”,

The doctor’s theory that we have an allergy to alcohol interests us. As laymen, our opinion as to its soundness may, of course, mean little. But as ex-problem drinkers, we can say that his explanation makes good sense. It explains many things for which we cannot otherwise account.”

Hardly an iron clad endorsement in favor of everyone jumping on the “ALLERGY” bandwagon – only that the physical craving be acknowledged and included in the description of alcoholism.

“In our belief, any picture of the alcoholic which leaves out this physical factor is incomplete”

So lets all take some chill pills on the allergy subject. Call it allergy or not – just don’t forget that alcoholism is a TWO FOLD disease:

1 – Mental/Obsession/Insanity AND
2 – Physical/Craving.

“Allergy” (the word) is optional – and if you know that alcohol in any amount will trigger an abnormal reaction – called “craving” for more alcohol then you get it. If you think is solely a mental condition – then you don’t.

Peace,

Danny S

Alcoholism – Folded, Spindled and Mutated

PART I (Tomorrow – Part II)

If we stick with what is in the book, we are often surprised to learn that much of how we speak about alcoholism and the words and terminology that we commonly hear is very much a devolution or mutation of the original experiences of the co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Maybe it is good to get back to basics. No Not Wally P’s “Back to Basics” method of taking the steps – (that is good and fine) but in how we describe alcoholism and the solution to it – as well as the spiritual, mental conditions comprising it AND THEN the spiritual conditions that surround it – but are not “it”.

We can do this – if not for better understanding, then at a least to be on the same page with the co-authors. Then if we want to throw it all away and disregard it, and make up our own stuff or take some stuff from Treatment Centers – at least the we are making an informed decision to do so. We should at least know who the baby is before throwing it away with the bathwater.

The Big Book talks about conditions which it identifies as “ILLNESS” or “MALADY” even “SICKNESS“. Even though the book is about alcoholics and alcoholism the co-authors also mention another illness – the illness of being “Spiritually sick.”

They do not give it a name – but simply call it being “spiritually sick”. Frankly, if I had to give it a name I might be inclined to call it “agnostic or atheist”.

Why do they bring it? Because the solution to spiritual sickness also restores us to mental and physical health by allowing us to recover from the OTHER malady we know as “alcoholism”.

“When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically.(64:3) Here alcoholism is referred to by it’s two components – the mental component, “Obsession/insanity” and it’s physical component, “craving/allergy”

Let me accurately paraphrased this, “When we get spiritually healthy we also recover from alcoholism.”

For some reason though, people have taken to combining the “two fold” illness that is described in the Big Book and combining it with another malady, “spiritual malady” to produce and new “Three fold” illness – and then slapping the “Alcoholism” malady label on the whole repackaged product. It’s is synthetic and false. It is bogus. It is a distraction from recovery.

There are probably reasons that they have done this but the principal reason is probably from not studying the book – and heavy reliance upon hearsay from others who ALSO have not studied the book.

Well, maybe alcoholism is a three fold disease, but if it is – then the Big Book co-authors were wrong. In the book the Big Book co-authors and co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous have not characterized it as being “Three Fold”.

They DO characterize it as a condition of “Mental Obsession combined with Physical Allergy.” That is ALL they needed to understand alcoholism. The very expression of “three fold” and two fold” is not actually used either. We are just using those “fold” words for understanding purposes.

Separately the co-founders ADDITIONALLY speak of a SECOND malady they term as “spiritual sickness”. By the way, the words malady, illness, sickness are all synonymous in the English language. I am not tempted to throw the word “disease” in there because the Big Book never speaks of alcoholism as a disease. In fact. The word disease is only used once in the entire book, referring to the separate “spiritual disease” and never to alcoholism itself (obsession & physical craving/allergy).

(Go to Part II)

Peace,

Danny S

Got A Bad Case Of The Krebs

There are all any kinds of alcohol. The particular alcohol which has caused us so much trouble and grief is Ethyl Alcohol also known as ETOH or Ethanol. That’s the one we like!

It may surprise you to learn that the alcohol contained in the alcoholic beverages that we have so enthusiastically poured down our greedy little gullets — or ethanol — is actually a carbohydrate.

That’s right – it’s FOOD, which the body absorbs and metabolizes as a source of energy, producing calories. This is accomplished in what is known as the “Krebs Cycle“ which breaks all carbohydrates (alcohol included) into carbon dioxide and water to generate a form of usable energy.

A minority of humans – estimated at perhaps only ten percent of the world population – experiences an abnormal reaction to this type of alcohol since it produces a phenomenon of craving in these individuals.

This is not an experience with which most people identify. They NEVER experience it – hence it can be considered an “Allergy” – in the same way that some people have no tolerance for sunlight, or peanuts are both considered allergies.

Just can’t bring yourself to use the word “Allergy“? Fine! Call it what you like – but its abnormal and if you don’t experience it once any alcohol whatever enters your system – you don’t fit “Our description of the alcoholic” which is so exhaustively explained in the first forty three pages of the Big Book, “Alcoholics Anonymous”. (Oh crap! Now you’ll NEVER let the Big Book into your silly little Open Discussion Group Meeting!)

People who abuse alcohol and do not experience this allergic reaction would not be considered real alcoholics according the book “Alcoholics Anonymous” also known as The Big Book – even though they may develop serious health and social consequences stemming from their heavy or hard drinking.

There is help for them. it is called COUNSELING! Or maybe CHURCH. Or even just getting “Sick and being of being sick and tired”. That ought to keep a non-alcoholic away from booze.

Hell I know folks who stopped drinking just because their wives wouldn’t screw them anymore! There are no such success stories of self-will for us real alkies.

Real alkies drink – NO MATTER WHAT.

Other types of alcohols such as the kind that may be present in trace amounts in some food products like orange juice, which have no energy value have no deleterious effects on the alcoholic in such minuscule amounts since alcoholics are not typically allergic to these.

So the next time someone wants to tell you that a drug is a drug is a drug – and that it is OK to tell non-alcoholic drug addicts that have become members of Alcoholics Anonymous – ask him how many calories he thinks are in a stem full of crack?

How much energy does he get from a shot of heroin?

Do Oxys make him feel full?

And the next time someone at a party asks you why you aren’t drinking, do what I do.

First look around in both directions to see that no one else is listening. Then simply raise your Ginger Ale – raise one eyebrow – swirl a few ice cubes around in your glass – not too much – just enough to make a slight tinkling sound – then look them in the eye and say, “Oh no, no. . . I’d love to but . . . I’ve got Krebs”.

Peace,

Danny S

Got A Bad Case Of The Krebs

There are all any kinds of alcohol. The particular alcohol which has caused us so much trouble and grief is Ethyl Alcohol also known as ETOH or Ethanol. That’s the one we like!

It may surprise you to learn that the alcohol contained in the alcoholic beverages that we have so enthusiastically poured down our greedy little gullets — or ethanol — is actually a carbohydrate.

That’s right – it’s FOOD, which the body absorbs and metabolizes as a source of energy, producing calories. This is accomplished in what is known as the “Krebs Cycle“ which breaks all carbohydrates (alcohol included) into carbon dioxide and water to generate a form of usable energy.

A minority of humans – estimated at perhaps only ten percent of the world population – experiences an abnormal reaction to this type of alcohol since it produces a phenomenon of craving in these individuals.

This is not an experience with which most people identify. They NEVER experience it – hence it can be considered an “Allergy” – in the same way that some people have no tolerance for sunlight, or peanuts are both considered allergies.

Just can’t bring yourself to use the word “Allergy“? Fine! Call it what you like – but its abnormal and if you don’t experience it once any alcohol whatever enters your system – you don’t fit “Our description of the alcoholic” which is so exhaustively explained in the first forty three pages of the Big Book, “Alcoholics Anonymous”. (Oh crap! Now you’ll NEVER let the Big Book into your silly little Open Discussion Group Meeting!)

People who abuse alcohol and do not experience this allergic reaction would not be considered real alcoholics according the book “Alcoholics Anonymous” also known as The Big Book – even though they may develop serious health and social consequences stemming from their heavy or hard drinking.

There is help for them. it is called COUNSELING! Or maybe CHURCH. Or even just getting “Sick and being of being sick and tired”. That ought to keep a non-alcoholic away from booze.

Hell I know folks who stopped drinking just because their wives wouldn’t screw them anymore! There are no such success stories of self-will for us real alkies.

Real alkies drink – NO MATTER WHAT.

Other types of alcohols such as the kind that may be present in trace amounts in some food products like orange juice, which have no energy value have no deleterious effects on the alcoholic in such minuscule amounts since alcoholics are not typically allergic to these.

So the next time someone wants to tell you that a drug is a drug is a drug – and that it is OK to tell non-alcoholic drug addicts that have become members of Alcoholics Anonymous – ask him how many calories he thinks are in a stem full of crack?

How much energy does he get from a shot of heroin?

Do Oxys make him feel full?

And the next time someone at a party asks you why you aren’t drinking, do what I do.

First look around in both directions to see that no one else is listening. Then simply raise your Ginger Ale – raise one eyebrow – swirl a few ice cubes around in your glass – not too much – just enough to make a slight tinkling sound – then look them in the eye and say, “Oh no, no. . . I’d love to but . . . I’ve got Krebs”.

Peace,

Danny S

What You Crave

Imagine a lust — emanating from deep down in the solar plexus of the human physique — so powerful that it is beyond the mental control of even some of the most powerfully willful human beings on the face of the earth – people whose exemplary use of extreme self-will and mental self-sufficiency were the rule of their lives – yet these were overpowered and torn to unusable shreds and like gravity there is just no escape by any human measure known to man?

Sounds pretty evil – doesn’t it?

We are not talking about a craving for chocolate ice cream here folks – the appetence for which, once satisfied – ends the ordeal. We are not even talking about heroin – the hideous drug from which once in the throws of withdrawal – a wracked addict gets his new “Fix” - his “Jones” is satisfied — and he’s “Good”.

You may be disappointed to know that I don’t mean to include White Castles in this description either. Sorry.

We are talking about something else entirely. Something that can be very difficult to understand for the average heavy drinker, alcohol abuser, drug addict or even Murder Burger fanatic – unless they also happen to be alcoholic.

We are talking about craving for ALCOHOL (ETOH) - phenomenon that doesn’t even occur until ETOH is FIRST introduced into the body and from which once detoxed, the sufferer cannot even crave anymore – until he once again drinks.

Weird huh?

Here’s a good question:

“In order for an alcoholic to be an alcoholic of the type described by the co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous and for whom the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous was formed, must there be an actual allergy to alcohol?”

(We are putting the mental component aside for the moment)

“We believe, and so suggested a few years ago, that the action of alcohol on these chronic alcoholics is a manifestation of an allergy; that the phenomenon of craving is limited to this class and never occurs in the average temperate drinker.” (1)

“This phenomenon, as we have suggested, may be the manifestation of an allergy which differentiates these people, and sets them apart as a distinct entity.” (1)

“Suggested“? — “May be”? — The idea that the phenomenon of craving is a scientifically endorsed “Allergy” doesn’t sound very solid does it?

And it’s not – and Dr. Silkworth goes one step further to acknowledge the possibility of his erring in characterizing the phenomenon he discovered as incorrect when he says, “This immediately precipitates us into a seething cauldron of debate. Much has been written pro and con, but among physicians, the general opinion seems to be that most chronic alcoholics are doomed.” (1)

He admits that “Allergy” his “Suggestion” which “May be” is certainly not an ironclad medical fact. He admits that it is DEBATABLE. The observation of the phenomenon is not in question, but use of the word “allergy” is. So what.

What IS solid is the doctor’s observation of the phenomenon itself, whether it be an allergy or not.

Even the co-author’s commentary on the good doctors “Suggested” use of the word “Allergy” was not bought one hundred percent. They say, “ The doctor’s theory that we have an allergy to alcohol interests us. As laymen, our opinion as to its soundness may, of course, mean little. But as ex-problem drinkers, we can say that his explanation makes good sense. It explains many things for which we cannot otherwise account.” (1)

The lowdown on this is that they are telling us,

“HEY. We don’t know what the hell it is. Maybe it’s some kind of allergy or something. All we know is that is exists and it only exists in people like us who are different”.

They are also telling us that, “In our belief, any picture of the alcoholic which leaves out this physical factor is incomplete.” (1) Tell that to your “Addictions Counselor” on your next run through the Rehab Mill. He won’t know what the fuck you are talking about.

Whether or not I use the word allergy is really not important. I don’t let unbelievers get me all bogged down in the semantics of this – it gives them too much fodder with which to discredit AAs “Description of the alcoholic”. What I also DON’T allow is someone to tell me that without experiencing the phenomenon of craving – that someone still ought to qualify for my sponsorship. Friendship? Yes, of course! Sponsorship? Absolutely not!

AA is full of folks who can’t stop once they start – BUT CAN “Not start” if they need to be sober for a spell – say for an important meeting, class, job interview – or just so wifey, hubby, Judge Blackrobe or yes even Sponsor Pete and Home Group is pleased. Hell he can stay away from a drink long enough to make an AA meeting and get a medallion!

These people may experience a physical craving for ETOH and this is a serious problem for them. But they are not powerless over alcohol if they are able to just “Put the plug in the jug” and that solves it for them. Once realizing they cannot stop once they start all they need do is NOT START! You know . . . “just don’t pickup the first drink and then I can’t get drunk”. I am the type of drinker however who can not only stop once I start – but I can’t even NOT START!

There are real alcoholics of MY TYPE out there who need help and to waste time with these other types can mean the death of a true sufferer. Maybe if I were running some sort of Treatment-Rehab facility with a staff of holy men on board I could afford to take them all in and sort them out later – but I am only one man. (Excuse me, I must take a break now – until my laughter subsides. The picture of that is too hysterical.)

Ok, I’m back. Pheeew!

Anyway . . . It is the physical craving – (“Suggested” as an allergy) which is present in ALL alcoholics and maybe even some non-alcoholics, which Dr. Silkworth AND the co-authors insist is part and parcel to the “Description of the alcoholic” they exact for us.

Whether anyone wants to call it “ALLERGY” or not is immaterial. They SAY it is immaterial – as long as we acknowledge some sort of phenomenon.

Call it CacaPooPooPeePee Syndrome if you like it doesn’t matter – but we do acknowledge that, “We know that while the alcoholic keeps away from drink, as he may do for months or years, he reacts much like other men. We are equally positive that once he takes alcohol whatever into his system, something happens, both in the bodily and mental sense, which makes it virtually impossible for him to stop” (22:4)

So if you are offended by my use of the word allergy, then you may feel better in knowing that I am a real alcoholic and I have suffered from a malady which is a mental obsession combined with CacaPooPooPeePee Syndrome. Feel better now?

But this article would not be complete without giving something to all of us who DO like to refer to the physical craving as an “ALLERGY”. Take heart fellow allergic, for what follows are the definitions of “allergy” from Merriam Webster’s dictionary.

First let’s look at one definition, the one everyone like since it’s likely to be the only one to which they have been exposed: (from Merriam-Webster )

First let’s look at one definition, the one everyone like since it’s likely to be the only one to which they have been exposed: (from Merriam-Webster )

1 : altered bodily reactivity (as hypersensitivity) to an antigen in response to a first exposure

Ahh but “Allergy” is not limited to this single description. Now try this definition – just as valid – on for size:

2 : exaggerated or pathological immunological reaction (as by sneezing, difficult breathing, itching, or skin rashes) to substances, situations, or physical states that are without comparable effect on the average individual.

THIS is the definition which applies to alcoholism – not the first – but ignorance the second definition is no excuse for passing around false information, is it? The most popular “definition” – the one to which most of us have limited our knowledge is NOT what we are talking about when we talk about alcoholic allergy. If can expand our knowledge base to include the WHOLE definition of “allergy” and not keep it only to our own limited experience – ANYONE can understand why all alcoholics ARE allergic to alcohol.

When an alcohol allergic person has so much as one drop of alcohol, they experience an exaggerated or pathological reaction to the alcohol that are without comparable effect on the average individual. It is estimated that only ten to fifteen percent of the world’s population are afflicted – which perhaps is why you have never been exposed to the whole definition of “allergy” – it just does not apply to most people.

But just because of that – no one should don’t rule out how we real alcoholics react to ETOH. The exaggerated or pathological reaction manifests itself as a phenomenon of craving. Craving is not a reaction which the average individual experiences when they ingest alcohol.

This happens ONLY to alcohol allergic people. Can you see how what we don’t know – and claim to know – can harm others?

So take heart – both “allergy” folks and “physical craving” folks. If the word “Allergy” is pissing people off – then don’t use the word. Screw it! It matters little as long we acknowledge the physical craving that other temperate drinkers – non-alcoholics – do not experience.

Here’s an article that may be of interest to you if you care to learn more. If not just click away to other regions of the Internet.

Do Drugs Make Your Ass Big?

Peace,

Danny S

PS The answer to the first question at the beginning of this article should be apparent if you’ve read it. It is YES.

(1) the Doctors Opinion, “Alcoholics Anonymous”

The First Drink Gets Me . . . . . . . . .

. . . . Warm? Fuzzy? High? Sick? Plastered?

Going back a few years there is an old article somewhere in the archives of this site about my friend Al – so some of this may find his story familiar. You have friends like Al. You might be just like Al yourself. But I am always reminded of Al whenever someone asks about “The First Drink Gets Me Drunk”.

I am also reminded of my own drinking history but sometimes I get sick of talking about me. So be careful if you ever get close to me – because I might one day talk about YOU! ( I use Al sometimes when doing talks and Workshops. If interested I think one of the speaker tapes from some talks I did in Denmark recently have a more complete account: MP3 )

It’s funny, you can go an entire decade in AA hearing “The first drink gets me drunk” and NEVER once have anyone tell you what is meant by that. That might be OK for real alkies. Real alkies tend to get it. But what about the undecided non-alcoholic? He needs to know IF he fits in the fellowship and id he doesn’t know what that means, and just repeats it not knowing – what good is it? Before long we have generations of meeting goers repeating slogans not even knowing what the hell is meant by them. I think many folks don’t know – perhaps because they really cannot identify with the expression. I do, I’ll tell ya that!

First let it be said that this expression is not in the Big Book, and as far as I know, has never been addressed in subsequent writings of Bill W. So it IS one of those far-our slogans that have developed in the fellowship and continue to circulate.

But unlike most of the other slogans, some of which are one hundred and eight degrees counter to the Big Book, this expression can actually be stretched just a tad to fit a bona-fide AA, Big Book concept.

That concept is “PHYSICAL ALLERGY”

Of course real alkies aren’t going to get “Hammered” after on one drink – but if you are the real McCoy, what WILL happen is something that NEVER HAPPENS to non-alcoholics – even ones who drink to excess or like to get drunk. They are going to react strangely. Abnormally. They are going to experience something that no other entity of the human race is going to experience: They are going to CRAVE alcohol. Not “desire” it. Not “think of a drink”. “Not want to get more buzzed”. Not “obsess“. Not be “Complused“. None of these! They will be stricken with a physical CRAVING that if strong enough (depending on how much tolerance they have lost over time) will be absolutely impossible to overcome.

Here’s where Al’s situation comes in. Al is a funny, outgoing, likable guy of above average intelligence. He’s got to be one of the funniest guys in the world to drink with. I should know, I’ve drank with him hundreds of times in the 31 years I’ have known him. When Al and I were together we’d drink and get into all sorts of mischief — and lots of trouble too.

He could drink me under the table, for sure, continuing on extended sprees for days after I had long dried out and gone back to work. He was the guy at the wedding who just went absolutely bananas. He was the guy who every New Years Eve, and after Stag parties, disappeared for days on end, winding up in other States, once as far as Colorado and Vegas.

Now . . . put Al and I side by side, watch us drink. You could not, at first glance tell if there was a difference in our drinking habits, we BOTH drank so much and behaved so badly. We both could piss off as many people as could the other – wives, bosses, business associates – whoever!

But there is s BIG difference between Al and me.

Al is not an alcoholic . . . and I am.

Like me, Al has an allergy to alcohol, so that whenever he takes so much as the slightest bit of alcohol into his system, he is “off to the races”. But Al gets drunk whenever he wants to. He has always just “Wanted to” too much.

Although he can’t STOP once he starts, he CAN “not start” when he needs to stay sober. He always saved his “drunks” for those New Years Eve escapades or those wedding celebrations. He would avoid difficulties by just not picking up that first drink. And if he did that, everything was fine. He just sometimes made the choice to get shitfaced, a lot.

Now that Al has gotten married, he has a good reason to stop drinking — his wife will leave him if he doesn’t. Al decided it was time to grow up.

Al started going to AA meetings a few years ago, at the request of his new wife. But once he learned that all he had to do was “Just don’t drink the first drink” and he’d never pick up the second one, he stopped going to meetings. He HAS power over alcohol. An alcoholic problem, for sure (allergy). But he has solved his alcohol problem on his own power; by staying away from the first one. He can do that…………….he is not an alcoholic.

Al has “Put the plug in the jug” — and dammit! it works for the son of a gun!

Now if Al wanted to, he could continue to go to AA meetings and tell everyone how he stays away from a drink by “Just not drinking, no matter what”. But Al has other things to do. He has a full life without AA, and although he has a ton of respect for the Fellowship, has realized that he had not yet gone beyond human aid; and like my strawberry allergic sister who has solved HER problem by not eating strawberries anymore, Al has solved HIS problem by not picking up the first drink anymore. He cannot get drunk, because he does not drink! Not even one.

Life is good for my friend Al. And life can get good for many folks , real alcoholics if they realize that they cannot drink because if they do they will not be able to stop — and that this situation is compounded by the fact that cannot not-start either, because they are insane and can only get “Fixed” through the miracle of a loving God who has done exactly that for millions — when certain simple rules were followed.

Get my drift? The “Fix” comes through an event we call a spiritual awakening - and it can be had in many way BUT the way WE had ours was as the result of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. If anyone wants to know how that’s done, find us. And somewhere inside that Fellowship there are still some of us who know how to show you how. Maybe God will lead us to meet.

Peace,

Danny S
http://gourl.org/recovered

Twelve Step "Calls" Work

With the email I get it seems that many people aren’t familiar with how a Twelve Step “Call” works – so maybe I can clear up misunderstanding for the uninitiated. Do not follow THIS as the directions! I am just generalizing here and this is MY understanding of what the Big Book directions say and call for. Clear? Good.

There are two approaches each with very specific tasks to perform and results hoped for. I cover it all when I do Twelve Step workshops but for now I will generalize and not get into the minutia of it, but you can easily reference the Big Book for the details – what to say, when to say it, what not to say, what to do – it is very clear and precise.

And it’s interesting too, especially if you are not familiar with the process – (And effective!) Your mind would boggle if you saw what I see doing this work in the field. It warms the heart and soul and so encourages one to continue with the work. It is immensely satisfying work.

To see families reconcile – lives and health restored and then to watch as these folks then carry it on to other sufferers with the exact same results is sometimes astonishing! To see men who upon meeting are lying in a fetal position for days and sometimes weeks at a time, in their own vomit and diarrhea, near death – eschewed by hospitals, failures of ten or twenty treatment center residencies – and just a few weeks later are up, holding a job and reuniting with children, parents and spouses, well frankly it is just too much for words. Even for someone as verbose as I.

First it’s helpful to know why we do this work and why it is so effective when “run” properly:

“Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. It works when other activities fail. This is our twelfth suggestion: Carry this message to other alcoholics! You can help when no one else can. You can secure their confidence when others fail. Remember they are very ill.” (89:0)

So let’s take Bill Dodsen as an example – the well known “Man in the bed”. Bill and Bob go after him. Once again in noticing the method used in the twelve step work Bill and Bob were performing:

“The man in the bed was told of the acute poisoning from which he suffered, how it deteriorates the body of an alcoholic and warps his mind. There was much talk about the mental state preceding the first drink.” (157:5)

Deterioration of the body? What were they talking about? Liver cirrhosis – Wet brain – Pancreatitis - Hangovers? Not likely.

They explained to him the progressive sensitivity to alcohol and how if any alcohol whatever enters his body the phenomenon of craving would kick in.

Here we hear much confusion, even amongst our own members. Alcoholics don’t CRAVE alcohol until the first drink has been swallowed. (Or alcohol has somehow entered the body through alcoholically contaminated foods, mouthwash, medications, ect)

We alkies don’t sit at home or in our offices “Jones’n” for a drink when there isn’t any already in our bodies.

So if we cannot have any alcohol in our bodies without experiencing a craving for MORE, and we don’t CRAVE more until the first alcohol is introduced, then why can’t we “Just Don’t Take The First Drink”, thereby avoiding the CRAVING for more problem?

They explained this to Bill D. They talked “Much” about the mental state preceding, BEFORE, taking the drink. That means they explained to him the obsession, or in other words the alcoholic insanity of taking that ONE DRINK even though his past history adequately demonstrated an inability to stop (Craving more) when he needed or wanted to stop.

Once he “Got it” – then “Getting it” was not enough. He recognizes that is hopeless. (HE took Step One)

Finally:
The two friends spoke of their spiritual experience and told him
about the course of action they carried out. (157:1)

They wrap the presentation with their solution to the problem – that is the “What happened” part you may have heard of in the formula. What happened was that they had a spiritual awakening/experience that came about by “Action they carried out”. Then they outlined that program of action to Bill D – the Twelve Steps.

Now all our friend Bill D needs to do is acknowledge that the spiritual solution will work (Step Two) and to make a decision to follow the course of action they outlined to him. (Take Step Three).

It’s a simple effective formula for carrying this message.

• Explain the allergy/craving
• Explain the obsession/insanity
• Explain the spiritual experience (Which can’t be done if we haven’t actually HAD a spiritual experience ourselves) and explain the 12 Steps. (Again – can’t be done if we haven’t taken them)
• Tell him what life is like now AFTER recovery. (It’s going to be GOOD)
  

WARNING: If the prospect can’t identify with my explanation of allergy AND obsession – I may not be dealing with a real alcoholic. Even if he IS, he may not really WANT to stop. (SO I ASK HIM!) If so, there will be no need to proceed. But I have still been helpful – now he is free to seek help for whatever OTHER problem he may have that has brought him to this horrible juncture.

“After satisfying yourself that your man wants to recover and that he will go to any extreme to do so, you may suggest a definite course of action.” (142:4)

Have any of us ever gone on a “Twelve Step” call prior to actually understanding the disease – been able to explain it as Bill and Bob have done – had a spiritual experiences and recovered through the twelve steps?

I have. Shame on me – and shame on anyone who hasn’t experienced the solution, hasn’t learned how to explain it – yet attempts to pass it on to another alcoholic whose very life sits in our hands.

If the guy/gal is a real alkie – willing to go through the simple process of the Twelve Steps and adopt its new way of living on a continuing basis – then these folks WILL HAVE a spiritual awakening that BLOWS THE MIND! So much so, they are sometimes ridiculed and eschewed by contemporary “meeting goers” and others who call themselves “still recovering” alcoholics who have not done or experienced what he has.

But they never drink again and they pass on to others exactly what has been passed onto them in the same way it was passed to them. It’s fast acting.It’s effective and I have NEVER seen it not work for any real alcoholic willing to really try. (Heavy drinkers and problem drinkers hardly EVER “really try”. They don’t HAVE to! They can just moderate or quite ON THEIR OWN – they put the “plug in the jug” and leave the fellowship OR they stay and avail themselves of the social benefits. Some even go on the Internet passing on their middle-of-the-road solutions which worked for THEM but is deadly for us real alkies who’s malady can only be conquered through a spiritual awakening. And spiritual awakening is the ONLY purpose of the 12 Steps – not “not drinking anymore”)

I hope this give you a good idea of how the twelve steps for alkies like me work and why I am so passionate about recovery and Twelve Steps. It’s not only for what it has done for me – but what it does for others.

Peace,

Danny S

What We Don’t Know Can Kill Us

I heard a guy online recently telling people that “ALLERGY” is NOT part of alcoholism. I can understand not “BUYING” the allergy angle sometimes because so few of us have it explained to us – and unless we study the Big Book – we may NEVER understand it. But unless we do – we are fucked! Pardon the expletive. I am no saint!

Allergy is a perfectly proper and well accepted word to those of us who understand the malady –because unless a real alcoholic can come to grips with the fact that he has an allergy to alcohol – his recovery will elude him. And unless we who have recovered understand it enough to explain it to a newcomer, then we can effectively work with others – and THAT is detrimental to us too.

“In our belief, any picture of the alcoholic which leaves out this physical factor is incomplete.” (The Doctors Opinion)

Like many people – including many people to attend our fellowship meetings when they think of “allergy” they think of histamines, antihistamines and visible manifestations (Like swelling, hives, coughing, ect) which develop when the body’s immune system becomes misdirected and attacks harmless food proteins and other substances in the body. But this is an incomplete definition of an allergy. As a result, many people dismiss other potentially lethal substances as harmless when in fact they actually are deadly. SUCH AS ALCOHOL. Some folks are quick to rule out alcoholic allergy yet so readily accept allergies to things like latex, wheat, and even invisible mold spores in HVAC systems. Why is that?

The most popular “definition” the one to which most of us have limited our knowledge is NOT what we are talking about when we talk about alcoholic allergy. If can expand our knowledge base to include the WHOLE definition of “allergy” and not keep it only to you own limited experience – you too can understand why all alcoholics are allergic to alcohol.

First let’s look at one definition, the one everyone like since it’s likely to be the only one to which they have been exposed: (from Merriam-Webster )

1 : altered bodily reactivity (as hypersensitivity) to an antigen in response to a first exposure

Ahh but “Allergy” is not limited to this single description. Now try this definition – just as valid – on for size:

2 : exaggerated or pathological immunological reaction (as by sneezing, difficult breathing, itching, or skin rashes) to substances, situations, or physical states that are without comparable effect on the average individual.

THIS is the definition which applies to alcoholism – not the first – but ignorance the second definition is no excuse for passing around false information.

When an alcohol allergic person has so much as one drop of alcohol, they experience an exaggerated or pathological reaction to the alcohol that are without comparable effect on the average individual. It is estimated that only ten to fifteen percent of the world’s population are afflicted – which perhaps is why you have never been exposed to the whole definition of “allergy” – it just doesn’t apply to you or most people.

But just because of that – please don’t rule out how we real alcoholics react to ETOH. The exaggerated or pathological reaction manifests itself as a phenomenon of craving. Craving is not a reaction which the average individual experiences when they ingest alcohol.

This happens ONLY to alcohol allergic people.

Are you beginning to get the picture? Can you see how what we don’t know – and claim to know – can harm others?

Here’s an article that may be of interest to you if you care to learn more. If not just click away to other regions of the Internet.

Do Drugs Make Your Ass Big?

Peace,

Danny S