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shows conclusively that cultural drink–
ing patterns influence the incidence
of drinking problems. Says he, "Alco–
hol should not symbolize either sexual
viriJity or the attractions of a forbidden
fruit. For drinkers this means accept–
ance of drinking as part of
ordinary
everyday lije
...
rather than an exagger-
ated elixir ..."
(The P1·evention of
Drinking Problems: Alcohol Control
and Cult11ral lnflllences,
pp. 6-7).
If
the plague of alcoholism is to be
defeated, then society itself needs to be
REORlENTED in its approach. Only then
can alcoholism be
prevenled
before it
starts.
But what about individuals who are
aiready alcoholics? What hope is there
for
them
?
If
you
have a problem with
alcohol, what can you do? What if you
have an alcoholic relative?
The Road Back
The concensus of modero opinion of
psychiatrists, medica! doctors, and lay–
men alike is that the best overall record
in rehabilitating alcoholics is held by
Alcoholics Anonymous. Dr. Gitlow told
me personally, "1 think that the biggest
success that we see today has been
through the auspices of Alcoholics
Anonymous." Alcoholics Anonymous
has anywhere from 300,000 to half a
million members. Members claim that
about 50 percent of those who seek help
find the road back to sobriety and sanity.
Declared Dr. Max M. Glatt, a British
expert on alcoholism, in an interview
with a PLAIN TRUTH representative in
England, "1 am a great believer in Al–
coholics Anonymous. First, they have
shown to the world at large that alco–
holics are not a bunch of spineless
weaklings, but that tbey are people who
can find their way back, and they have
done that without professional help,
they have done that in the face of skep–
ticism from professional organizations
and from the world at large. They
therefore have shown that the old no–
tion of gloom and doom attached for so
long to alcoholics is quite wrong. They
have shown that these often despised
people are able to make a comeback
from the rock bottom stage without
much outside help."
Why is A.A. successful when many
other types of treatment have failed
?
The
PLAIN TRUTH
Why do psychiatrists and doctors often
recommend A.A. to the alcoholic?
There is a reason. Alcoholics
Anooymous recognizes that to conquer
alcoholism, the alcoholic must make a
CLEAN BREAK with his former way of
life - he must find new ideals, new
goals, a new purpose in life!
Alcoholics Anonymous is able to help
many alcoholics who have reached "bot–
tom" because the members themselves
have gone through the same ordeal, the
same suffering. They know what it is
like. They have experienced it them–
selves. They know how hard it is to
conquer alcoholism. Therefore, they
take the time and effort to provide the
alcoholic seeking help with encour–
agement, friendly assistance and com–
panionship - a helping hand over the
difficult times.
Alcobolics Anonymous is not the
only group that has successfuUy treated
alcoholism. Other groups have also met
with sorne success. However,
alt
truly
successful treatment procedures have
certain things in common. In all of
them, the alcoholic must be brought to
admit his problem, and must believe that
he can conquer it. He must be moti–
vated. He must be given friendly, com–
passionate, considerate help. He must
not be treated as a lowly scoundrel or
despicable bum, but as a fellow human
being who needs help desperately.
Moral
guidance, or therapy, must be
included in tbe program.
If
YOU Are an Alcoholic
If
you are an alcoholic, you need per–
sonal help to conquer the problem.
What you must do to overcome the
problem will depend largely on bow
serious your own problem is.
If
you are
at a beginning stage of alcoholism, then
recovery is not so difficult, although it
will require strong effort on your part,
self-discipline, and determination. You
will have to set your jaw to stay away
from alcohol
complete/y
-
don't touch
it - because for YOU it is a serious
problem.
You must be decisive. Admit your
weakness, and TURN AROUND; change
your whole life pattern, if need be, so
you can overcome the problem. You
may have to change your friendshi ps,
possibly even change jobs and move to
October 1971
a new environment which is more con–
ducive to sobriety and sanity.
Further, you must CONTINUALLY
strive to exercise self-discipline and self–
control. Use good judgment and NEVER
FLIRT with temptation! Be on your
guard constantly, and don't give in to
the urge to "compromise," to have "just
a few drinks."
Dr. R. Kemp, author of
Drinking
and Alcoholism,
explained to a mem–
ber of
The
PLAIN TRUTH staff, "The
real thing you have got to do is to try
and persuade alcoholics that they must
be able to lead a life completely free of
alcohol." He added, "Once you have
become an alcoholic, this will remain
for the rest of your life.
This
is an
extraordinary fact, but it means of
course that they can't at any time
ever
dare take another drink."
This,
indeed, does sound severe, but
the record speaks for itself - for most
alcoholics to take just one drink is
deadly.
A single drink sets off a
chain reaction
that leads to another and another untíl
the alcoholic is either smashed, or the
liquor runs out. Therefore, most aleo·
holics must determine to NEVER TOUCH
the stuff - and
mean
it.
If
you have a severe drinking prob·
lem, then you may need to contad a local
society which helps alcoholics- a "half–
way house," or a local chapter of Alcoho–
lics Anonymous, or a doctor who is
skilled and experienced in dealing with
alcoholism (most have very little knowl–
edge of this problem, but there are sorne
who are experienced) . What course of
action you take is completely up
to
you,
of course. But sometimes friendly, right–
thinking associations and special help
are necessary to give you the ímpetus
and stimulus to surmount your problem.
Don't forego any help which you might
be
in need of - but always remember,
YOU are ultimately responsible for your
condition, and vou must be the one
who
fights
it and conquers it.
You and vou ALONE can overcome
your
own particular problem. Nobody
else can do it for you. There is no magic
pill, or potíon, which will "cure" you.
The cure of alcoholism involves your
own personal wi ll, desire, effort, and te–
nacious, long-last ing, constant ly vigilant
determination. O