Alcoholism treatment revolutionized by ...insurance?

In the April 2015 issue of The Atlantic magazine, a lengthy article on alcoholism treatment successes and failures explores an array of treatment protocols with astounding findings: The truth about AA is well hidden in a Tower of Babel, surprisingly effective alcoholism treatments exist outside the USA, especially in Finland, and the US medical treatment of alcoholism is about to be revolutionized by the Affordable Care Act, which has already provided access to US medical care for many people for the first time.

Here is a link to the complete text of that article. I will also look for the print edition, which probably has added helpful graphics and sidebars:

www.theatlantic.com...

a reply to: Uphill
Paul Hedderman did AA and recovered.
Here he reflects on the 12 steps.

It is a very enlightening look at alcoholism.

a reply to: Itisnowagain

There are also medications for alcoholism. " disulfiram (Antabuse) may help to prevent you from drinking, although it won't cure alcoholism or remove the compulsion to drink. If you drink alcohol, the drug produces a physical reaction that may include flushing, nausea, vomiting and headaches. Naltrexone (Revia), a drug that blocks the good feelings alcohol causes, may prevent heavy drinking and reduce the urge to drink. Acamprosate (Campral) may help you combat alcohol cravings. Unlike disulfiram, naltrexone and acamprosate don't make you feel sick after taking a drink."

Source www.mayoclinic.org...

Best way not to get a hangover is to stay drunk, stay thirsty my friends

a reply to: Uphill

Its kind of sad that just because there is a higher being involved you have to say:

But researchers have debunked central tenets of AA doctrine and found dozens of other treatments more effective.

After scanning through the article i never got to what they point out in heading. It seems they just don't like AA.

V

originally posted by: Itisnowagain
a reply to: Uphill
Paul Hedderman did AA and recovered.
Here he reflects on the 12 steps.

It is a very enlightening look at alcoholism.

Do you know the actual success rate of the "AA 12-step program"? It's very dismal. Like one percent.

People that lose their insurance for any type of therapy get referred to AA because its free group therapy.

a reply to: Variable
I think it was more about how we are so gung ho about it here in the states and over sell it.
Like here in CA say you get prop 36'd, a diversion program for drug offenses, you best believe you will be required to go to 12 step meetings in order to fulfill your obligation.

The core of the program is to give your self up to a higher power that will then give you the strength to no use that day.

Some one that does not subscribe to something like would have serious issues with that.

a reply to: Uphill

I had gotten to the point where I would sometimes buy a case and realize I was out before the next day..
Now I drink sort of when I want to, usually more around 6 drinks.

When I struggled with it I would quit for about 3 days until I felt like I might die and then be right back to drinking 12 or 18 beers.

Then I noticed how I work with addiction when I finally quit smoking. I can't just quit something because I feel cheated out of an experience I miss it. What I can do is promise myself I can always have it when I want it, and then I don't want it hardly ever.

From smoking a pack a day to sometimes 2 or more on a heavy drinking day, now I have had a pack laying around for 2 months. But because I have the pack sitting there and I have no quilt in smoking if I want to, I also don't have any desire.

Same for drinking. I try and avoid alcohol and I feel a loss, like my life will never be as fun. but because I keep it around, and I can drink whenever I want, I don't want to as much..







I quit without quitting quite well, and my brain finally switched back over.. That part of the article is very important. You do get in a pattern where you need to drink to feel normal. And feeling joy is very hard. IT really is worse than everything else I've been addicted to it's different. When I say my brain switched back it's like I couldn't be happy no matter what so 12 beers felt like sober me.

Then after drinking less like 5 on random days not everyday, sometimes missing a week by accident.. Then I felt my brain coming back on. I was able to make much better decisions and I felt normal, and the sun was bright, and even little things made me happy, like seeing colors I like...

It really messes up the GABA and dopamine stuff, and your prefrontal cortex.. You notice a huge change when you come back to the other side. Other drugs like opiates after surgeries.. Not even a thing. You just get irritable and sick on withdrawal, but it's not like your whole brain was rewired..

Alcohol is one of the fullest feeling drugs and I think that's based on it affecting so many areas. Why it's so yummy to me, not to mention an entire alcoholic family and I'm German followed by Cherokee and Lakota, so maybe my genetics puts me in a bad spot as well.

Oh and by the way alcohol feels WAY better when you aren't over that barrier where it messes up your GABA.. Less is More. Use it less, use less, and get the same effect.

originally posted by: Autorico
a reply to: Itisnowagain

There are also medications for alcoholism. " disulfiram (Antabuse) may help to prevent you from drinking, although it won't cure alcoholism or remove the compulsion to drink. If you drink alcohol, the drug produces a physical reaction that may include flushing, nausea, vomiting and headaches. Naltrexone (Revia), a drug that blocks the good feelings alcohol causes, may prevent heavy drinking and reduce the urge to drink. Acamprosate (Campral) may help you combat alcohol cravings. Unlike disulfiram, naltrexone and acamprosate don't make you feel sick after taking a drink."

Source www.mayoclinic.org...

I read the link that is talking about curing alcoholism with drugs but the drug has to be taken prior to the alcohol. It then makes the alcohol ineffective at giving the desired effect - so alcohol will not removing the feeling of lack and restlessness.
If there is a hole that feels like it needs filling and alcohol was removing that feeling and you are the one who has to take the drug prior to the alcohol - surely you will stop taking the drug because you will feel unsatisfied if you take the drug.

a reply to: Uphill

Research has long shown that AA is ineffective and we can thank pop culture for its continued existence and the 12-step hegemony in addiction treatment.

a reply to: Variable

The fact that it was born of a cult of sorts (Oxford Group) doesn't really have anything to do with the fact that it doesn't work.

originally posted by: AreUKiddingMe

originally posted by: Itisnowagain
a reply to: Uphill
Paul Hedderman did AA and recovered.
Here he reflects on the 12 steps.

It is a very enlightening look at alcoholism.

Do you know the actual success rate of the "AA 12-step program"? It's very dismal. Like one percent.

Did you watch the video and hear Paul Hedderman 'reflect' on the 12 steps?

All that Alcoholics Anonymous does is replace one addiction (alcohol) with another (religion), in the guise of a "treatment".

a reply to: Itisnowagain

Oh I totally agree. It's like former smokers who turn to over eating. It's the same repetitive motion. And another example, I used to drink to excess, then I started toking (not trying to promote it). The pot replaced aclohol.

a reply to: Itisnowagain

I don't have 2 hours to watch that vid, can you give the cliff notes

a reply to: Sremmos80
What causes the issue is a case of misidentification.

Do you have 5 minutes?

Do you know the actual success rate of the "AA 12-step program"? It's very dismal. Like one percent.

No it's not. It may be 1% for the amount of people who come in the very first time and stay sober until they die. But the amount of people who get clean and die sober is much more around 40-50%, accounting for relapses, even if it was only once. I would rather bet the odds on that then having zero chance while dying from the drink which is a 100% chance for me if I do decide to drink again.

originally posted by: babybunnies
All that Alcoholics Anonymous does is replace one addiction (alcohol) with another (religion), in the guise of a "treatment".

If you knew anything about the program at all you would know that it has zero to do with religion, and you wouldn't have spewed nonsense either. It's Spirituality which is nothing like religion, and the belief in a higher power. A higher power can be anything from the very people in the rooms who have stayed sober for years, to believing that everything is connected in some way, to believing that you yourself are not god. That's all it is. Please refrain from posting ignorance on this site.

originally posted by: Autorico
a reply to: Itisnowagain

Oh I totally agree. It's like former smokers who turn to over eating. It's the same repetitive motion. And another example, I used to drink to excess, then I started toking (not trying to promote it). The pot replaced aclohol.

And that's because you didn't find other healthier outlets. Which is exactly what AA is designed around.

My 2 step cure for alcoholism.
Step 1, take ALL their money off them, result:- they can't but booze.
Step 2, break ALL their fingers, result, they can't hold a glass or bottle. Job done.
Just for all you Americans that's called sarcasm.