Dick B. is a writer, historian, Bible student, retired attorney, and active recovered member of A.A. He and his son Ken devoted many years to researching the role, life, writings, and contributions of Rev.Samuel M. Shoemaker to Alcoholics Anonymous. The quest took Dick B. to Shoemaker's churches in Pittsburgh and New York, to the Episcopal Church Archives in Austin, Texas, to Hartford Seminary, to Princeton University, and to the family and friends of this great Episcopal rector and preacher. In all, Dick B. has published 33 books on the history of early A.A.
Determine if your drinking is a problem, develop strategies for curbing your intake, and measure your progress with this practical, engaging guide to taking care of yourself. Every day, millions of people drink a beer or two while watching a game, shake a cocktail at a party with friends, or enjoy a glass of wine with a good meal. For more than 30 percent of these drinkers, alcohol has begun to have a negative impact on their everyday lives. Yet, only a small number are true alcoholics--people who have completely lost control over their drinking and who need alcohol to function. The great majority are what Dr. Doyle and Dr. Nowinski call "Almost Alcoholics," a growing number of people whose excessive drinking contributes to a variety of problems in their lives. In Almost Alcoholic, Dr. Doyle and Dr. Nowinski give the facts and guidance needed to address this often unrecognized and devastating condition. They provide the tools to: identify and assess your patterns of alcohol use; evaluate its impact on your relationships, work, and personal well-being; develop strategies and goals for changing the amount and frequency of alcohol use; measure the results of applying these strategies; and make informed decisions about your next steps.
The Classic Guide to Recovery from Alcoholism This no-nonsense guide to understanding and recovering from alcoholism provides new hope for alcoholics, their families, and friends. Hard-won experiences -- Father Martin is a recovering alcoholic -- underlies this thorough yet always clear presentation. Chalk Talks sheds new light upon the complex problems of alcoholism, which affects the mind, body, soul, and emotions. Father Martin does not preach or moralize but remains practical in discussing attitudes toward, and reasons for, alcoholism; the physiological/psychological effects; health problems; symptoms; intervention; treatment and support; and where to turn for further information and assistant. Chalk Talks is not a scientific treatise but a message of hope to all persons concerned with America's number-one health problem.
In the aftermath of Prohibition, America's top scientists joined forces with AA members and put their clout behind a campaign to convince the nation that alcoholism is a disease. They had no proof, but they hoped to find it once research money came pouring in. The campaign spanned decades, and from it grew a multimillion-dollar treatment industry and a new government agency devoted to alcoholism. But scientists' research showed that problem drinking is not a singular disease but a complex phenomenon requiring an array of strategies. There's less scientific evidence for the effectiveness of AA than there is for most other treatments, including self-enforced moderation, therapy and counseling, and targeted medications; AA's own surveys show that it doesn't work for the overwhelming majority of problem drinkers. Five years in the making, Joe Miller's brilliant, in-depth investigative reporting into the history, politics, and science of alcoholism shows exactly how AA became our nation's de facto treatment policy, even as evidence accumulated for more effective remedies—and how, as a result, those who suffer the most often go untreated. US of AA is a character-driven, beautifully written exposÉ, full of secrecy, irony, liquor industry money, the shrillest of scare tactics, and, at its center, a grand deception. In the tradition of Crazy by Pete Earley and David Goldhill's Catastrophic Care, US of AA shines a much-needed spotlight on the addiction treatment industry. It will forever change the way we think about the entire enterprise.
A 75th anniversary e-book version of the most important and practical self-help book ever written, Alcoholics Anonymous. Here is a special deluxe edition of a book that has changed millions of lives and launched the modern recovery movement: Alcoholics Anonymous. This edition not only reproduces the original 1939 text of Alcoholics Anonymous, but as a special bonus features the complete 1941 Saturday Evening Post article “Alcoholics Anonymous” by journalist Jack Alexander, which, at the time, did as much as the book itself to introduce millions of seekers to AA’s program. Alcoholics Anonymous has touched and transformed myriad lives, and finally appears in a volume that honors its posterity and impact.
Understanding Alcoholism as a Brain Disease includes an in-depth explanation of how alcoholism works inside the brain; the stages of alcoholism identified by scientific researchers; and a list of clues to your genetic vulnerability.Written in plain English from a true medical perspective, even if you aren't a doctor or scientist, you'll find this book easy to read and understand. This is the second volume in the Rethinking Drinking series that emerged out of the authors first book, A Prescription for Alcoholics-Medications for Alcoholism. Alcoholics, care-givers and loved-ones ask, ?Why does the alcoholic keep drinking or continue to return to drinking, despite all they continue to lose?, ?What is wrong with them?!? Alcoholics berate themselves and question why they keep drinking when they see the damage it causes. They ask, ?What is wrong with me?The answers to those agonizing questions are found in this book. You'll learn about alcoholism as a complex brain disease. This book will help you understand the disease in a way that provides a fresh new perspective on this devastating neurological condition.
Finally someone has gone straight to the real experts: hundreds of men and women who have resolved a drinking problem. The best-selling author Anne M. Fletcher asked them a simple question: how did you do it? The result is the first completely unbiased guide for problem drinkers, one that shatters long-held assumptions about alcohol recovery. Myth: AA is the only way to get sober. Reality: More than half the people Fletcher surveyed recovered without AA. Myth: You can't get sober on your own. Reality: Many people got sober by themselves. Myth: One drink inevitably leads right back to the bottle. Reality: A small number of people find they can have an occasional drink. Myth: There's nothing you can do for someone with a drinking problem until he or she is ready. Reality: Family and friends can make a big difference if they know how to help. Weaving together the success stories of ordinary people and the latest scientific research on the subject, Fletcher uncovers a vital truth: no single path to sobriety is right for every individual. There are many ways to get sober - and stay sober. SOBER FOR GOOD is for anyone who has ever struggled not to drink, coped with someone who has a drinking problem, or secretly wondered, "Do I drink too much?"
In this unflinchingly honest and hilarious memoir, a woman discovers that her best life is a sober one. For Sarah Hepola, drinking felt like freedom; part of her birthright as a twenty-first-century woman. But there was a price–she often blacked out, having no memory of the lost hours. On the outside, her career was flourishing, but inside, her spirit was diminishing. She could no longer avoid the truth–she needed help. Blackout is the story of a woman stumbling into a new kind of adventure–sobriety. Sarah Hepola's tale will resonate with anyone who has had to face the reality of addiction and the struggle to put down the bottle. At first it seemed like a sacrifice–but in the end, it was all worth it to get her life back.
