An introduction
Hi again, Justin. In my latest round of being up late at night, I've run across an old post that's been long buried, and found something that... well, might not be helpful at all right now. In other words, I've no clue if it'll help ya' with "what to do now," but I do think you might find it useful with your longer term goal of getting the word out in a way people will "get."
Also, there's somebody else around right now who I think the 12 steps will apply to, but I cannot for the life of me remember who as I'm just now waking up if you can call it that, so I don't really know where else to put this. Anyway, a lot of it is out of context at this point (the debate opening, don't worry about that), and I was going to try editing it but gave up:
Otter;1150941 wrote: I have said for some time, a lot more would be gained if more energy was put into taking this debate away from here. I say this because there are more aspects to alcoholism than just a medical treatment. Say, for the sake of argument, that anxiety is the major cause of chronic alcoholism. So, you take Baclofen and you get yourself cured. But then you step outside and everyone on your street still treats you as though you are an alcoholic. The relationships which have caused anxiety remain unchanged. No one else knows about this treatment. No one supports it. And, back you go, over and over to escape the world that does not accept that you are any different. What we need is a 12 step program for Baclofen. 1. Accept that you are an alcoholic. 2. Accept that it is an illness. 3. Accept that there is a treatment for it. 4. Find the treatment. 5. Figure out how to use it. 6. Achieve sobriety. 7. Examine what else you need to beat this illness. 8. Engage in those treatments. 9. Analyze how you became an alcoholic and find ways of not going back down that road again. 10. Tell everyone you know that you had an illness. 11. Make them apologize to you for treating you the way they did. 12. Accept that there is some deeper force within us that is for the good, because if there isn't this would not have been possible. At the end of this you can call yourself a true Baclofenista.
There have been a few articles about Baclofen in magazines but there is still a large vacuum out there in terms of general understanding of this treatment or even knowledge about it. Ghandi is supposed to have said, "first they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win". In my circle, people ignored me, some think it is all very funny but at least they know what I am talking about. Others are fighting me, which is very painful. Some have accepted defeat.
Baclofen is not a "wonder drug" in the sense that it cures alcoholism. It is an effective treatment of anxiety and craving because it mimics a missing brain chemical and that is what makes it stand out from other drugs. The debate about Baclofen treatment is not about Baclofen vs. other drugs but whether it is the only drug that is necessary, whether there are other therapies needed in addition to it, whether it does not work for some people and why. The underlying theory of Baclofen is sound. James Garbutt has now admitted as much. That says something.
Then, beyond that, is public awareness. Not just to spread the word for people who need treatment, but so that one can walk down the street and not be treated like a leper. That is the real challenge.
MWO is great but it is not the be all and end all of alcohol therapy and information dissemination. What is needed is a public information campaign. I have to admit it is a worrying thing to get involved in. No one wants to write to 50 friends announcing that one is an alcoholic! But that is precisely the point. Why not, if it is an illness, which it is. Some people here are starting to show us who they are. Many of you know my name and my background and it is scary for me. I think it is worthwhile though. I sit with friends and the joke now is "you need to take some Baclofen for that". There was a research project at Johns Hopkins into Baclofen for Tourettes. It didn't work but it made them feel better about themselves. There is a study in Toronto into its use for nicotine addiction. It is used for autism. This is all because the part of the brain that it effects is now becoming better understood and scientists are discovering that this part of the old brain is far more important than anyone realized. We all think of behaviour as emanating from "thoughts" over which we have control. We are humans, not animals. We can control our behaviour. We have a cerebral cortex which animals don't. We are superior.
As for us, well, it is an up and down battle. Baclofen works to stop cravings. But, there are other factors. Sugar is a factor. Anxiety is a huge factor and that is a two way street. It is caused by how we view the world but also by how the world views us and those are things that are hard to change. But you have to start somewhere. Maybe we will get there maybe not. But without Baclofen, I would not have a hope.
Best wishes.:h
Hi again, Justin. In my latest round of being up late at night, I've run across an old post that's been long buried, and found something that... well, might not be helpful at all right now. In other words, I've no clue if it'll help ya' with "what to do now," but I do think you might find it useful with your longer term goal of getting the word out in a way people will "get."
Also, there's somebody else around right now who I think the 12 steps will apply to, but I cannot for the life of me remember who as I'm just now waking up if you can call it that, so I don't really know where else to put this. Anyway, a lot of it is out of context at this point (the debate opening, don't worry about that), and I was going to try editing it but gave up:
Otter;1150941 wrote: I have said for some time, a lot more would be gained if more energy was put into taking this debate away from here. I say this because there are more aspects to alcoholism than just a medical treatment. Say, for the sake of argument, that anxiety is the major cause of chronic alcoholism. So, you take Baclofen and you get yourself cured. But then you step outside and everyone on your street still treats you as though you are an alcoholic. The relationships which have caused anxiety remain unchanged. No one else knows about this treatment. No one supports it. And, back you go, over and over to escape the world that does not accept that you are any different. What we need is a 12 step program for Baclofen. 1. Accept that you are an alcoholic. 2. Accept that it is an illness. 3. Accept that there is a treatment for it. 4. Find the treatment. 5. Figure out how to use it. 6. Achieve sobriety. 7. Examine what else you need to beat this illness. 8. Engage in those treatments. 9. Analyze how you became an alcoholic and find ways of not going back down that road again. 10. Tell everyone you know that you had an illness. 11. Make them apologize to you for treating you the way they did. 12. Accept that there is some deeper force within us that is for the good, because if there isn't this would not have been possible. At the end of this you can call yourself a true Baclofenista.
There have been a few articles about Baclofen in magazines but there is still a large vacuum out there in terms of general understanding of this treatment or even knowledge about it. Ghandi is supposed to have said, "first they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win". In my circle, people ignored me, some think it is all very funny but at least they know what I am talking about. Others are fighting me, which is very painful. Some have accepted defeat.
Baclofen is not a "wonder drug" in the sense that it cures alcoholism. It is an effective treatment of anxiety and craving because it mimics a missing brain chemical and that is what makes it stand out from other drugs. The debate about Baclofen treatment is not about Baclofen vs. other drugs but whether it is the only drug that is necessary, whether there are other therapies needed in addition to it, whether it does not work for some people and why. The underlying theory of Baclofen is sound. James Garbutt has now admitted as much. That says something.
Then, beyond that, is public awareness. Not just to spread the word for people who need treatment, but so that one can walk down the street and not be treated like a leper. That is the real challenge.
MWO is great but it is not the be all and end all of alcohol therapy and information dissemination. What is needed is a public information campaign. I have to admit it is a worrying thing to get involved in. No one wants to write to 50 friends announcing that one is an alcoholic! But that is precisely the point. Why not, if it is an illness, which it is. Some people here are starting to show us who they are. Many of you know my name and my background and it is scary for me. I think it is worthwhile though. I sit with friends and the joke now is "you need to take some Baclofen for that". There was a research project at Johns Hopkins into Baclofen for Tourettes. It didn't work but it made them feel better about themselves. There is a study in Toronto into its use for nicotine addiction. It is used for autism. This is all because the part of the brain that it effects is now becoming better understood and scientists are discovering that this part of the old brain is far more important than anyone realized. We all think of behaviour as emanating from "thoughts" over which we have control. We are humans, not animals. We can control our behaviour. We have a cerebral cortex which animals don't. We are superior.
As for us, well, it is an up and down battle. Baclofen works to stop cravings. But, there are other factors. Sugar is a factor. Anxiety is a huge factor and that is a two way street. It is caused by how we view the world but also by how the world views us and those are things that are hard to change. But you have to start somewhere. Maybe we will get there maybe not. But without Baclofen, I would not have a hope.
Best wishes.:h
Comment