Give alcoholics hope this Christmas with "Phoenix in a Bottle"

The controversial book "Phoenix in a Bottle" by Lilian and Murdoch
MacDonald would make the ideal Christmas present of hope for alcoholics
from their friends, relatives and loved ones - say publishers Melrose
Books.

"Phoenix in a Bottle" is the true story of Lilian and Murdoch
MacDonald, two former alcoholics from Ayrshire in Scotland who, eleven
years ago, were down and out, sleeping rough in the streets and parks
of Cambridge, the university town where a quarter of a century
previously Murdoch had studied as an undergraduate for his degree in
English Literature at Magdalene College.

Lilian and Murdoch tried Alcoholics Anonymous many times, but
eventually finally rejected its outdated and doctrinaire dogma that
alcoholism is an incurable illness or disease, and that the only hope
for the alcoholic is lifelong sobriety.

"Alcoholism is not a disease," say Lilian and Murdoch. "It is a
self-harming behaviour problem rooted in childhood, and if alcoholics
are willing to identify and address their issues from the past, then
there is no reason why they should not be able to rid themselves of
their problem behaviour, even to the extent of being able to drink
alcohol safely and responsibly again if and when they so wish."

"After all," Lilian and Murdoch point out, "lifelong sobriety is
not recovery from alcohol. It is just treating the symptom rather than
the underlying cause, and merely a damage-limitation exercise."

The two former alcoholics continue: "There is a need for a brand new
worldwide organisation to replace Alcoholics Anonymous, a fellowship
which is now outdated and stuck in a rut that it is unwilling or unable
to get out of in order to address its own self-confessed abysmal
failure rate.

"According to both an independent US government survey and AA's own
membership surveys, AA-style treatment works for only 5% of its
participants."

Leading American addiction expert Dr. Marc Kern says: "These two
surveys clearly show that, after 12 months of attendance, 95% of the
original participants have left the programme and either resumed their
destructive behaviour or hopefully - but less likely - sought help
elsewhere.

"These people have not failed," insists Dr Kern.

"The 12-Step approach has failed them."

Lilian and Murdoch MacDonald attribute the failure of the 12-Step
programme to the fact that Alcoholics Anonymous stubbornly insists upon
treating alcoholism as a progressive and incurable illness or disease,
from which only remission is possible by sticking to a strict regime of
abstinence from alcohol.

They say: "Perpetuation of the disease concept of alcoholism is aided
and abetted by private rehab clinics that have piggybacked AA and
hijacked its 12-Step programme for their own profit."

"Alcoholics Anonymous has the solution to its problems in its own
hands," continue Lilian and Murdoch.

"Any normal organisation would be open to new ideas, and would welcome
discussion and change as new discoveries and progress were made in the
field of alcoholism.

"Unfortunately AA has adopted a cult-like attitude, and regards its
so-called programme of recovery as set in stone forever. No changes
have been made or even allowed in the 70 years of its existence, and no
questioning or discussion is tolerated."

So Lilian and Murdoch conclude: "A completely new organisation is the
only solution.

"An organisation that does not seek to perpetuate the disease model of
alcoholism long after its sell-by date.

"One that does not advocate lifelong sobriety as a prerequisite for
recovery, but instead empowers alcoholics to alter their behaviour in
the way that they choose for themselves.

"One that does not insist upon dragging pseudo-religion into a
situation in which it has neither use nor relevance.

"And finally one that welcomes change and progress in the understanding
of alcoholism, and is willing to accept diverse ways of treating it,
instead of dogmatically promulgating and perpetuating a
one-size-fits-all approach that is stuck in the past forever."

"Phoenix in a Bottle"

"Phoenix in a Bottle" by Lilian and Murdoch MacDonald is published
by Melrose Books price £16.99. ISBN: 1905226144

Eminent American psychologist and addiction expert Dr Stanton Peele PhD
commented:

"Phoenix in a Bottle is a modern version of The Days of Wine and
Roses, and tells the true story of how two people who entered a period
of desperate drinking stayed with one another in a close loving
relationship, and emerged from their alcoholism able to drink
responsibly again.

"Both a wonderful love story and a challenge to conventional wisdom
about how people can recover from drinking problems, Phoenix in a
Bottle gives people hope, and helps them to confront their own demons -
alcohol or otherwise."

"Phoenix in a Bottle" is available from www.amazon.co.uk and other
online bookstores, direct from the publishers at www.melrosebooks.com
and in the USA from www.superbookdeals.com

http://www.alcoholicscandrinksafelyagain.com

lilianandmurdoch@googlemail.com wrote:


> "Alcoholism is not a disease," say Lilian and Murdoch.

This is hogwash. Science has firmly established the physiological
differences between alcoholics and non-alcoholics in brain chemistry and
the way alcohol is processed by the body. The genetic link has been well
documented also.

As far as accusing treatment centers of profiting from AA, it seems just
as reasonable to argue that YOU are attempting to profit from every
alcoholics desire to be able to continue drinking.

Is AA perfect? No. If you want to start a new worldwide organization, be
my guest.

I agree that certain people can develop a problem with excessive
drinking, and eventually return to "normal" drinking. I'm sure your book
might be of help to them. However, these people are not true alcoholics.

As it says in the AA big book, if you're not sure whether or not you're
an alcoholic, go ahead and try some controlled drinking. AA will still
be there when you find your answer.