On Talking About Baclofen (and why not to)

[Topsy-Turvy-Tracy]

?It could be the golden chalice,?
I said with joyful, hopeful heart.
They sneered at me with malice,
And prayed to coarse medieval art.

?This could liberate the anguished,?
I told the huddled, deafened mass.
In their bloody shrine they languished,
And praised the faded, cracked stained glass.

It was Fear and Pain they admired,
Agony was their golden calf.
Grace by intellect inspired,
Forsook them red-faced in their chaff.

Of their followers I wondered,
Which ones would survive the ordeal.
How many lives would be plundered
Acting out a corrupt ideal?

[Sunnyvalenting]

On Talking About Baclofen (and why not to)

Bravo, Topsy. Tell me more about this, Poet!
Are you alluding to a particular group or a general one?
I think you are spot on.

[Topsy-Turvy-Tracy]

On Talking About Baclofen (and why not to)

Hi Sunny,

It was in other forums, where I merely asked if anyone had experience with baclofen. The responses were dripping with the sanctimony typical of “traditional” (READ: religious) recovery groups. I was not really surprised. You can still walk into meetings today and hear people knocking Prozac because it’s not a “spiritual solution” – the “you-can’t-use-drugs-to-get-sober” mentality.

But it occurred to me that the passion that I see in the doctors who see real hope in baclofen is entirely absent from the “traditional” recovery leaders. Hate to sound overly harsh, but some folks seem to prefer other people dying to the risk of losing their own spiritual thunder.

The medieval motif in the poem was a natural since “traditional” recovery is based on ideas from the Middle Ages, replete with the cruelty innate in such beliefs. The reactions from “believers” to anything that challenges treasured, however flawed, dogma, ranged from “head-in-the-sand” to “I’m-better-than-you” to downright spastic.

I guess the most disturbing thing about the experience is that no one had ever heard of baclofen being used in this way. As near as I can tell, MWO is the only online group that is discussing it, which surprises me! I found a Facebook page on baclofen that mentioned it showing promise in treating addiction, but discussion on that page centered around more traditional uses (MS and Cerebral Palsy).

At any rate, congrats to the folks on this forum – you are cutting edge!

[ignominous]

On Talking About Baclofen (and why not to)

Wow! I'm more humbled than before.

[Sunnyvalenting]

On Talking About Baclofen (and why not to)

Top,
I had the exact same experience with talking to AA people about bac. There was one young lady who died and I bemoaned the fact that bac might have helped her and her prior sponsor said that maybe there were worse fates than death!
Wish SHE had had the choice that I had.
I was also blocked from the AAONLINE site for trying to explain baclofen to someone in a side conversation! So they are very protective of the "purity" of the message delivered in the rooms, both virtual and real. I think your assessment is correct. They believe they owe their life and are willing to sacrifice others' lives in this monolithic approach to a very diverse and complex problem.
So glad I got out when I did.
sunny

[Rusty]

On Talking About Baclofen (and why not to)

Sunny,

I so know how you feel and agree wholeheartedly. My young, progressive, homeopathic female doctor who supposedly had knowledge in addictions.....had never heard of Campral! Talk about frightening. All she knew was AA and rehab. She never even suggested MWO or any other online support group to me. I wish I had looked into Baclofen sooner. It saved my life. When I told her I ordered it from River Pharmacy, she got this horrified look and asked why I didn't ask her for a prescription, and I looked right at her and said, "Because you didn't have a clue!"

Topsy, you are an incredible poet! To have that gift.....I admire you!

[Topsy-Turvy-Tracy]

On Talking About Baclofen (and why not to)

Sunny, I really didn't have a choice. I was losing my mind with the religious stuff (and I really tried the "fake it 'till you make it" stuff). But I'm glad we are both out!

Rusty, thanks. I'm no Thomas Hardy, but I'd sure like to be!

One thing I've been thinking about is my longest bout of sobriety, and the rather incredible level of anxiety that I suffered. I would wake up in the middle of the night flat-out terrified, absolutely convinced that someone was in my home. That happened almost every night. Daytime wasn't a great deal better, and when I think about the level of fear that I went through (you wouldn't have known it to look at me, even if I was in that state), and all the bad decisions I made trying to reign in that anxiety, it's no wonder I drink!

When I read about Dr. Ameisen feeling that same way - just never being able to overcome the constant tension - and his idea that maybe that's the way all of us alcohol-abusers are, I think he may be on to something. At least in my case. I also really related to his feelings that, no matter how much he accomplished, he felt like a stinky piece of poo (my words, not his). If baclofen really can make all that manageable, I'll put up with sleepiness!

[AllyB]

On Talking About Baclofen (and why not to)

Topsy-Turvy-Tracy;974050 wrote: As near as I can tell, MWO is the only online group that is discussing it,

I believe there are a few non-English language forums similar to MWO where baclofen is discussed in a similar way. The French language; alcool-et-baclofene.fr and the German baclofen-forum.com .

[inde72]

On Talking About Baclofen (and why not to)

merci

for the link to the french forum