Tex wrote:

> On Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:04:56 -0800, Tim Bruening
> <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >Dan from Boston wrote:
> >
> >> Tim Bruening <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:
> >>
> >> >
> >> > What happens if the alcoholic is an atheist? How would he draw on a
> >> > "Higher Power"?
> >>
> >> Tim, I'm an atheist and I've been sober in AA for nearly 29 years. Your
> >> higher power can be anything you select, and it can change over time. It is
> >> essentially something outside of yourself. Many people, including me, call
> >> AA itself their higher power, but that's up to the individual.
> >
> >Have any atheist alcoholics ever objected to being court ordered to attend AA
> >on the grounds that their right to not believe in God is being infringed?
>
> http://www.morerevealed.com/archives/9thCircuit.pdf

Thank you for the interesting court ruling.

"Tim Bruening" <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote in message
news:47A830EE.27DBC7D@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us...
>
>
> sharx35 wrote:
>
>> "Tim Bruening" <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote in message
>> news:47A81F79.A84161E7@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us...
>> >
>> >
>> > "F.H." wrote:
>> >
>> >> Tim Bruening wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> > JoeRaisin wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >> Tim Bruening wrote:
>> >> >>> jimbo wrote:
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>>> On Feb 2, 7:38 pm, Tim Bruening <tsbru...@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us>
>> >> >>>> wrote:
>> >> >>>>> What medications, if any, do you take to reduce your cravings
>> >> >>>>> for
>> >> >>>>> alcohol?
>> >> >>>> I've never taken a medication to reduce craving nor have I ever
>> >> >>>> heard
>> >> >>>> of one that works. Her best best would be to consult a physician.
>> >> >>>> Jimbo
>> >> >>> How then do you resist the urge to drink?
>> >> >>>
>> >> >> I couldn't - at least not for very long. That was until I began
>> >> >> working
>> >> >> a program in AA.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> AA taught me to draw strength from my higher power in order to
>> >> >> avoid
>> >> >> that first drink. By staying sober for more than a few days to a
>> >> >> few
>> >> >> weeks at a time I continued working the steps and developed a new
>> >> >> perspective on myself - a perspective that meant I could look at
>> >> >> myself
>> >> >> in the mirror without loathing. Once I became comfortable with who
>> >> >> I
>> >> >> was, avoiding the first drink became a lot less difficult.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I will offer to you a perspective you may not have considered. If
>> >> >> your
>> >> >> friend's wife is an alcoholic she is not drinking for the same
>> >> >> reasons
>> >> >> as you or most other social drinkers. Most people drink because
>> >> >> they
>> >> >> like the way it makes them feel, alcoholics drink because they
>> >> >> don't
>> >> >> like the way they feel when they are not drinking.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Slogans won't change that, nor will medications.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> If AA isn't her cup of tea, she could try Rational Recovery which
>> >> >> utilizes "Addictive Voice Recognition Technique" in order to stave
>> >> >> off
>> >> >> cravings. The only caveat with RR is to try and avoid the anger
>> >> >> that
>> >> >> the program is darned near built upon. While reading the small
>> >> >> book I
>> >> >> get the impression that RR sobriety is more a case of staying sober
>> >> >> 'at'
>> >> >> AA rather than being sober to better one's life.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> In the end, however, it boils down to whether or not she 'wants' to
>> >> >> quit
>> >> >> drinking. If not, nothing you (or even your friend) can do to get
>> >> >> her
>> >> >> to stop.
>> >> >
>> >> > After nearly losing her husband last week, I believe that she now
>> >> > wants
>> >> > to
>> >> > quit. The problem is that she gets a strong craving for alcohol
>> >> > after
>> >> > a few
>> >> > days. Often, her stepdad shows up and takes her to a bar to drink
>> >> > double
>> >> > vodkas. I was hoping to find drugs to reduce that craving so that
>> >> > her
>> >> > will
>> >> > power would be enough to resist the reduced craving.
>> >>
>> >> Glucose tablets.
>> >
>> > How do glucose tablets work?
>> >
>>
>> They sweeten up sour old farts.
>
> How does that reduce alcohol cravings?
>

Sweet old farts or fartesses have a lesser desire to drink.

sharx35 wrote:

> "Tim Bruening" <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote in message
> news:47A830EE.27DBC7D@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us...
> >
> >
> > sharx35 wrote:
> >
> >> "Tim Bruening" <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote in message
> >> news:47A81F79.A84161E7@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us...
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > "F.H." wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Tim Bruening wrote:
> >> >> >
> >> >> > JoeRaisin wrote:
> >> >> >
> >> >> >> Tim Bruening wrote:
> >> >> >>> jimbo wrote:
> >> >> >>>
> >> >> >>>> On Feb 2, 7:38 pm, Tim Bruening <tsbru...@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us>
> >> >> >>>> wrote:
> >> >> >>>>> What medications, if any, do you take to reduce your cravings
> >> >> >>>>> for
> >> >> >>>>> alcohol?
> >> >> >>>> I've never taken a medication to reduce craving nor have I ever
> >> >> >>>> heard
> >> >> >>>> of one that works. Her best best would be to consult a physician.
> >> >> >>>> Jimbo
> >> >> >>> How then do you resist the urge to drink?
> >> >> >>>
> >> >> >> I couldn't - at least not for very long. That was until I began
> >> >> >> working
> >> >> >> a program in AA.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> AA taught me to draw strength from my higher power in order to
> >> >> >> avoid
> >> >> >> that first drink. By staying sober for more than a few days to a
> >> >> >> few
> >> >> >> weeks at a time I continued working the steps and developed a new
> >> >> >> perspective on myself - a perspective that meant I could look at
> >> >> >> myself
> >> >> >> in the mirror without loathing. Once I became comfortable with who
> >> >> >> I
> >> >> >> was, avoiding the first drink became a lot less difficult.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> I will offer to you a perspective you may not have considered. If
> >> >> >> your
> >> >> >> friend's wife is an alcoholic she is not drinking for the same
> >> >> >> reasons
> >> >> >> as you or most other social drinkers. Most people drink because
> >> >> >> they
> >> >> >> like the way it makes them feel, alcoholics drink because they
> >> >> >> don't
> >> >> >> like the way they feel when they are not drinking.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Slogans won't change that, nor will medications.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> If AA isn't her cup of tea, she could try Rational Recovery which
> >> >> >> utilizes "Addictive Voice Recognition Technique" in order to stave
> >> >> >> off
> >> >> >> cravings. The only caveat with RR is to try and avoid the anger
> >> >> >> that
> >> >> >> the program is darned near built upon. While reading the small
> >> >> >> book I
> >> >> >> get the impression that RR sobriety is more a case of staying sober
> >> >> >> 'at'
> >> >> >> AA rather than being sober to better one's life.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> In the end, however, it boils down to whether or not she 'wants' to
> >> >> >> quit
> >> >> >> drinking. If not, nothing you (or even your friend) can do to get
> >> >> >> her
> >> >> >> to stop.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > After nearly losing her husband last week, I believe that she now
> >> >> > wants
> >> >> > to
> >> >> > quit. The problem is that she gets a strong craving for alcohol
> >> >> > after
> >> >> > a few
> >> >> > days. Often, her stepdad shows up and takes her to a bar to drink
> >> >> > double
> >> >> > vodkas. I was hoping to find drugs to reduce that craving so that
> >> >> > her
> >> >> > will
> >> >> > power would be enough to resist the reduced craving.
> >> >>
> >> >> Glucose tablets.
> >> >
> >> > How do glucose tablets work?
> >> >
> >>
> >> They sweeten up sour old farts.
> >
> > How does that reduce alcohol cravings?
> >
>
> Sweet old farts or fartesses have a lesser desire to drink.

Why do they have a lesser desire to drink?

"Tim Bruening" <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote in message
news:47A835CB.AEAD4A41@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us...
>
>
> sharx35 wrote:
>
>> "Tim Bruening" <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote in message
>> news:47A830EE.27DBC7D@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us...
>> >
>> >
>> > sharx35 wrote:
>> >
>> >> "Tim Bruening" <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote in message
>> >> news:47A81F79.A84161E7@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us...
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > "F.H." wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >> Tim Bruening wrote:
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > JoeRaisin wrote:
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >> Tim Bruening wrote:
>> >> >> >>> jimbo wrote:
>> >> >> >>>
>> >> >> >>>> On Feb 2, 7:38 pm, Tim Bruening <tsbru...@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us>
>> >> >> >>>> wrote:
>> >> >> >>>>> What medications, if any, do you take to reduce your cravings
>> >> >> >>>>> for
>> >> >> >>>>> alcohol?
>> >> >> >>>> I've never taken a medication to reduce craving nor have I
>> >> >> >>>> ever
>> >> >> >>>> heard
>> >> >> >>>> of one that works. Her best best would be to consult a
>> >> >> >>>> physician.
>> >> >> >>>> Jimbo
>> >> >> >>> How then do you resist the urge to drink?
>> >> >> >>>
>> >> >> >> I couldn't - at least not for very long. That was until I began
>> >> >> >> working
>> >> >> >> a program in AA.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> AA taught me to draw strength from my higher power in order to
>> >> >> >> avoid
>> >> >> >> that first drink. By staying sober for more than a few days to
>> >> >> >> a
>> >> >> >> few
>> >> >> >> weeks at a time I continued working the steps and developed a
>> >> >> >> new
>> >> >> >> perspective on myself - a perspective that meant I could look at
>> >> >> >> myself
>> >> >> >> in the mirror without loathing. Once I became comfortable with
>> >> >> >> who
>> >> >> >> I
>> >> >> >> was, avoiding the first drink became a lot less difficult.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> I will offer to you a perspective you may not have considered.
>> >> >> >> If
>> >> >> >> your
>> >> >> >> friend's wife is an alcoholic she is not drinking for the same
>> >> >> >> reasons
>> >> >> >> as you or most other social drinkers. Most people drink because
>> >> >> >> they
>> >> >> >> like the way it makes them feel, alcoholics drink because they
>> >> >> >> don't
>> >> >> >> like the way they feel when they are not drinking.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> Slogans won't change that, nor will medications.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> If AA isn't her cup of tea, she could try Rational Recovery
>> >> >> >> which
>> >> >> >> utilizes "Addictive Voice Recognition Technique" in order to
>> >> >> >> stave
>> >> >> >> off
>> >> >> >> cravings. The only caveat with RR is to try and avoid the anger
>> >> >> >> that
>> >> >> >> the program is darned near built upon. While reading the small
>> >> >> >> book I
>> >> >> >> get the impression that RR sobriety is more a case of staying
>> >> >> >> sober
>> >> >> >> 'at'
>> >> >> >> AA rather than being sober to better one's life.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> In the end, however, it boils down to whether or not she 'wants'
>> >> >> >> to
>> >> >> >> quit
>> >> >> >> drinking. If not, nothing you (or even your friend) can do to
>> >> >> >> get
>> >> >> >> her
>> >> >> >> to stop.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > After nearly losing her husband last week, I believe that she now
>> >> >> > wants
>> >> >> > to
>> >> >> > quit. The problem is that she gets a strong craving for alcohol
>> >> >> > after
>> >> >> > a few
>> >> >> > days. Often, her stepdad shows up and takes her to a bar to
>> >> >> > drink
>> >> >> > double
>> >> >> > vodkas. I was hoping to find drugs to reduce that craving so
>> >> >> > that
>> >> >> > her
>> >> >> > will
>> >> >> > power would be enough to resist the reduced craving.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Glucose tablets.
>> >> >
>> >> > How do glucose tablets work?
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >> They sweeten up sour old farts.
>> >
>> > How does that reduce alcohol cravings?
>> >
>>
>> Sweet old farts or fartesses have a lesser desire to drink.
>
> Why do they have a lesser desire to drink?
>

Because of the glucose pill.

On Tue, 05 Feb 2008 02:09:16 -0800, Tim Bruening
<tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:

>
>
>sharx35 wrote:
>
>> "Tim Bruening" <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote in message
>> news:47A830EE.27DBC7D@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us...
>> >
>> >
>> > sharx35 wrote:
>> >
>> >> "Tim Bruening" <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote in message
>> >> news:47A81F79.A84161E7@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us...
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > "F.H." wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >> Tim Bruening wrote:
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > JoeRaisin wrote:
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >> Tim Bruening wrote:
>> >> >> >>> jimbo wrote:
>> >> >> >>>
>> >> >> >>>> On Feb 2, 7:38 pm, Tim Bruening <tsbru...@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us>
>> >> >> >>>> wrote:
>> >> >> >>>>> What medications, if any, do you take to reduce your cravings
>> >> >> >>>>> for
>> >> >> >>>>> alcohol?
>> >> >> >>>> I've never taken a medication to reduce craving nor have I ever
>> >> >> >>>> heard
>> >> >> >>>> of one that works. Her best best would be to consult a physician.
>> >> >> >>>> Jimbo
>> >> >> >>> How then do you resist the urge to drink?
>> >> >> >>>
>> >> >> >> I couldn't - at least not for very long. That was until I began
>> >> >> >> working
>> >> >> >> a program in AA.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> AA taught me to draw strength from my higher power in order to
>> >> >> >> avoid
>> >> >> >> that first drink. By staying sober for more than a few days to a
>> >> >> >> few
>> >> >> >> weeks at a time I continued working the steps and developed a new
>> >> >> >> perspective on myself - a perspective that meant I could look at
>> >> >> >> myself
>> >> >> >> in the mirror without loathing. Once I became comfortable with who
>> >> >> >> I
>> >> >> >> was, avoiding the first drink became a lot less difficult.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> I will offer to you a perspective you may not have considered. If
>> >> >> >> your
>> >> >> >> friend's wife is an alcoholic she is not drinking for the same
>> >> >> >> reasons
>> >> >> >> as you or most other social drinkers. Most people drink because
>> >> >> >> they
>> >> >> >> like the way it makes them feel, alcoholics drink because they
>> >> >> >> don't
>> >> >> >> like the way they feel when they are not drinking.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> Slogans won't change that, nor will medications.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> If AA isn't her cup of tea, she could try Rational Recovery which
>> >> >> >> utilizes "Addictive Voice Recognition Technique" in order to stave
>> >> >> >> off
>> >> >> >> cravings. The only caveat with RR is to try and avoid the anger
>> >> >> >> that
>> >> >> >> the program is darned near built upon. While reading the small
>> >> >> >> book I
>> >> >> >> get the impression that RR sobriety is more a case of staying sober
>> >> >> >> 'at'
>> >> >> >> AA rather than being sober to better one's life.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> In the end, however, it boils down to whether or not she 'wants' to
>> >> >> >> quit
>> >> >> >> drinking. If not, nothing you (or even your friend) can do to get
>> >> >> >> her
>> >> >> >> to stop.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > After nearly losing her husband last week, I believe that she now
>> >> >> > wants
>> >> >> > to
>> >> >> > quit. The problem is that she gets a strong craving for alcohol
>> >> >> > after
>> >> >> > a few
>> >> >> > days. Often, her stepdad shows up and takes her to a bar to drink
>> >> >> > double
>> >> >> > vodkas. I was hoping to find drugs to reduce that craving so that
>> >> >> > her
>> >> >> > will
>> >> >> > power would be enough to resist the reduced craving.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Glucose tablets.
>> >> >
>> >> > How do glucose tablets work?
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >> They sweeten up sour old farts.
>> >
>> > How does that reduce alcohol cravings?
>> >
>>
>> Sweet old farts or fartesses have a lesser desire to drink.
>
>Why do they have a lesser desire to drink?

Again you are getting your chain semi-yanked.

It's believed by some when an alcoholic withdraws from alcohol they
have cravings for sweets (sugar) and if not satisfied they drink
again. The glucose tablet will satisfy this craving for sweets and
thus a more likelyhood the person will be able to not take the drink.

(strictly layman version of the deal)

sharx35 wrote:

> "Tim Bruening" <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote in message
> news:47A835CB.AEAD4A41@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us...
> >
> >
> > sharx35 wrote:
> >
> >> "Tim Bruening" <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote in message
> >> news:47A830EE.27DBC7D@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us...
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > sharx35 wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> "Tim Bruening" <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote in message
> >> >> news:47A81F79.A84161E7@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us...
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> > "F.H." wrote:
> >> >> >
> >> >> >> Tim Bruening wrote:
> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >> > JoeRaisin wrote:
> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >> >> Tim Bruening wrote:
> >> >> >> >>> jimbo wrote:
> >> >> >> >>>
> >> >> >> >>>> On Feb 2, 7:38 pm, Tim Bruening <tsbru...@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us>
> >> >> >> >>>> wrote:
> >> >> >> >>>>> What medications, if any, do you take to reduce your cravings
> >> >> >> >>>>> for
> >> >> >> >>>>> alcohol?
> >> >> >> >>>> I've never taken a medication to reduce craving nor have I
> >> >> >> >>>> ever
> >> >> >> >>>> heard
> >> >> >> >>>> of one that works. Her best best would be to consult a
> >> >> >> >>>> physician.
> >> >> >> >>>> Jimbo
> >> >> >> >>> How then do you resist the urge to drink?
> >> >> >> >>>
> >> >> >> >> I couldn't - at least not for very long. That was until I began
> >> >> >> >> working
> >> >> >> >> a program in AA.
> >> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> >> AA taught me to draw strength from my higher power in order to
> >> >> >> >> avoid
> >> >> >> >> that first drink. By staying sober for more than a few days to
> >> >> >> >> a
> >> >> >> >> few
> >> >> >> >> weeks at a time I continued working the steps and developed a
> >> >> >> >> new
> >> >> >> >> perspective on myself - a perspective that meant I could look at
> >> >> >> >> myself
> >> >> >> >> in the mirror without loathing. Once I became comfortable with
> >> >> >> >> who
> >> >> >> >> I
> >> >> >> >> was, avoiding the first drink became a lot less difficult.
> >> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> >> I will offer to you a perspective you may not have considered.
> >> >> >> >> If
> >> >> >> >> your
> >> >> >> >> friend's wife is an alcoholic she is not drinking for the same
> >> >> >> >> reasons
> >> >> >> >> as you or most other social drinkers. Most people drink because
> >> >> >> >> they
> >> >> >> >> like the way it makes them feel, alcoholics drink because they
> >> >> >> >> don't
> >> >> >> >> like the way they feel when they are not drinking.
> >> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> >> Slogans won't change that, nor will medications.
> >> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> >> If AA isn't her cup of tea, she could try Rational Recovery
> >> >> >> >> which
> >> >> >> >> utilizes "Addictive Voice Recognition Technique" in order to
> >> >> >> >> stave
> >> >> >> >> off
> >> >> >> >> cravings. The only caveat with RR is to try and avoid the anger
> >> >> >> >> that
> >> >> >> >> the program is darned near built upon. While reading the small
> >> >> >> >> book I
> >> >> >> >> get the impression that RR sobriety is more a case of staying
> >> >> >> >> sober
> >> >> >> >> 'at'
> >> >> >> >> AA rather than being sober to better one's life.
> >> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> >> In the end, however, it boils down to whether or not she 'wants'
> >> >> >> >> to
> >> >> >> >> quit
> >> >> >> >> drinking. If not, nothing you (or even your friend) can do to
> >> >> >> >> get
> >> >> >> >> her
> >> >> >> >> to stop.
> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >> > After nearly losing her husband last week, I believe that she now
> >> >> >> > wants
> >> >> >> > to
> >> >> >> > quit. The problem is that she gets a strong craving for alcohol
> >> >> >> > after
> >> >> >> > a few
> >> >> >> > days. Often, her stepdad shows up and takes her to a bar to
> >> >> >> > drink
> >> >> >> > double
> >> >> >> > vodkas. I was hoping to find drugs to reduce that craving so
> >> >> >> > that
> >> >> >> > her
> >> >> >> > will
> >> >> >> > power would be enough to resist the reduced craving.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Glucose tablets.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > How do glucose tablets work?
> >> >> >
> >> >>
> >> >> They sweeten up sour old farts.
> >> >
> >> > How does that reduce alcohol cravings?
> >> >
> >>
> >> Sweet old farts or fartesses have a lesser desire to drink.
> >
> > Why do they have a lesser desire to drink?
> >
>
> Because of the glucose pill.

How does the glucose pill reduce one's desire to drink?

Tim Bruening wrote:
>
> Dan from Boston wrote:
>
>> Tim Bruening <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:
>>
>>> What happens if the alcoholic is an atheist? How would he draw on a
>>> "Higher Power"?
>> Tim, I'm an atheist and I've been sober in AA for nearly 29 years. Your
>> higher power can be anything you select, and it can change over time. It is
>> essentially something outside of yourself. Many people, including me, call
>> AA itself their higher power, but that's up to the individual.
>
> To me, a "Higher Power" is something divine or spiritual, like God. I have a
> hard time regarding a group of human beings as divine or spiritual.
>

Well, then I guess it's a good thing you are not the one with the problem.

Tim Bruening wrote:
>
> sharx35 wrote:
>
>> "Tim Bruening" <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote in message
>> news:47A835CB.AEAD4A41@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us...
>>>
>>> sharx35 wrote:
>>>
>>>> "Tim Bruening" <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote in message
>>>> news:47A830EE.27DBC7D@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us...
>>>>>
>>>>> sharx35 wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> "Tim Bruening" <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote in message
>>>>>> news:47A81F79.A84161E7@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "F.H." wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Tim Bruening wrote:
>>>>>>>>> JoeRaisin wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Tim Bruening wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> jimbo wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> On Feb 2, 7:38 pm, Tim Bruening <tsbru...@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us>
>>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>> What medications, if any, do you take to reduce your cravings
>>>>>>>>>>>>> for
>>>>>>>>>>>>> alcohol?
>>>>>>>>>>>> I've never taken a medication to reduce craving nor have I
>>>>>>>>>>>> ever
>>>>>>>>>>>> heard
>>>>>>>>>>>> of one that works. Her best best would be to consult a
>>>>>>>>>>>> physician.
>>>>>>>>>>>> Jimbo
>>>>>>>>>>> How then do you resist the urge to drink?
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I couldn't - at least not for very long. That was until I began
>>>>>>>>>> working
>>>>>>>>>> a program in AA.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> AA taught me to draw strength from my higher power in order to
>>>>>>>>>> avoid
>>>>>>>>>> that first drink. By staying sober for more than a few days to
>>>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>>>> few
>>>>>>>>>> weeks at a time I continued working the steps and developed a
>>>>>>>>>> new
>>>>>>>>>> perspective on myself - a perspective that meant I could look at
>>>>>>>>>> myself
>>>>>>>>>> in the mirror without loathing. Once I became comfortable with
>>>>>>>>>> who
>>>>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>>>>> was, avoiding the first drink became a lot less difficult.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I will offer to you a perspective you may not have considered.
>>>>>>>>>> If
>>>>>>>>>> your
>>>>>>>>>> friend's wife is an alcoholic she is not drinking for the same
>>>>>>>>>> reasons
>>>>>>>>>> as you or most other social drinkers. Most people drink because
>>>>>>>>>> they
>>>>>>>>>> like the way it makes them feel, alcoholics drink because they
>>>>>>>>>> don't
>>>>>>>>>> like the way they feel when they are not drinking.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Slogans won't change that, nor will medications.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> If AA isn't her cup of tea, she could try Rational Recovery
>>>>>>>>>> which
>>>>>>>>>> utilizes "Addictive Voice Recognition Technique" in order to
>>>>>>>>>> stave
>>>>>>>>>> off
>>>>>>>>>> cravings. The only caveat with RR is to try and avoid the anger
>>>>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>>>>> the program is darned near built upon. While reading the small
>>>>>>>>>> book I
>>>>>>>>>> get the impression that RR sobriety is more a case of staying
>>>>>>>>>> sober
>>>>>>>>>> 'at'
>>>>>>>>>> AA rather than being sober to better one's life.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> In the end, however, it boils down to whether or not she 'wants'
>>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>> quit
>>>>>>>>>> drinking. If not, nothing you (or even your friend) can do to
>>>>>>>>>> get
>>>>>>>>>> her
>>>>>>>>>> to stop.
>>>>>>>>> After nearly losing her husband last week, I believe that she now
>>>>>>>>> wants
>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>> quit. The problem is that she gets a strong craving for alcohol
>>>>>>>>> after
>>>>>>>>> a few
>>>>>>>>> days. Often, her stepdad shows up and takes her to a bar to
>>>>>>>>> drink
>>>>>>>>> double
>>>>>>>>> vodkas. I was hoping to find drugs to reduce that craving so
>>>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>>>> her
>>>>>>>>> will
>>>>>>>>> power would be enough to resist the reduced craving.
>>>>>>>> Glucose tablets.
>>>>>>> How do glucose tablets work?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> They sweeten up sour old farts.
>>>>> How does that reduce alcohol cravings?
>>>>>
>>>> Sweet old farts or fartesses have a lesser desire to drink.
>>> Why do they have a lesser desire to drink?
>>>
>> Because of the glucose pill.
>
> How does the glucose pill reduce one's desire to drink?
>

Tim, as Tex mentioned, you're sorta getting your chain yanked.

Taking a glucose pill won't directly stop a desire to drink. However,
the metabolism of at least some alcoholics (and in this case, I've known
some personally this way) is that not drinking can lead to substantial
sugar cravings. I know a guy who couldn't keep candy in his home
because he'd find himself waking some morning with wrappers strewn all
over and evidence of over-consumption that he didn't even recall doing
"in his sleep"; he also had trouble controlling a desire to eat far too
many donuts in one sitting, as another example. (Ironically, he's a
very thin tall guy, not the sort you'd expect to binge that way.)

So presumably, taking a glucose pill -- directly ingesting sugar --
might satisfy the craving so that such folks neither binged on sweets
nor met the urge by relapsing to drinking alcohol.

If you think about it, of course, it doesn't really work in a practical
sense. For one thing, the urge for sweets, for those who have that urge
as I described, do not get it "satisfied" by a sugar pill; they'll tend
to consume every sweet thing in sight until there's nothing left, and a
sugar pill would be more likely to trigger the urge than to satisfy it.
Also, though the urge to binge on sweets shows up in such folks when
they stop drinking, the urge is not causative to alcohol consumption.

There is no magic pill that simply erases the desire to drink
completely, in part because it's not a purely physical issue; there are
patterns of thought, habits, and other factors involved in being an
alcoholic that even erasing the physical aspects of the urge simply
don't change. There is, of course, at least one pill that makes
consuming alcohol a very unpleasant experience, but results in using it
to "cure" someone of a desire to drink are limited at best; it may keep
someone from taking a drink for a specific time, but it doesn't address
the underlying causes of the alcoholism, so it really is just a sort of
short-term bandaid.

That whole "stopping drinking" thing requires some sort of commitment
and work, no magic pills to take to make it happen, whether the
treatment used is AA or another process.

Sorry, it's a lot like those folks who want to lose weight but don't
want to restrict their diet in any way nor change their lifetime habits.
One could say that taking Alli and continuing old habits will cause
weight loss, but the reality is that even if one takes it & survives the
side-effects, the moment one stops taking it (and often before) it stops
being of any use, and because habits are what they always have been,
weight will tend to be regained quickly.

Hope that clarifies, though I recognize my explanation is a bit clumsy.


-- Troia

Tim Bruening <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:
> Yesterday morning, she went to a 6:30 am AA meeting by walking in the
> cold, as she had lost the keys to her truck, and doesn't have a bike.
> When I last talked to her, she was about to go to a 6:30 pm meeting.
> Fortunately, she got new keys for her truck yesterday during the day, as
> she had gotten a cold from walking in the cold.

That's very encouraging. I've found that when a person isn't ready for the
program, any excuse will do. When they are ready, you can't keep them out
with a baseball bat.

Tim Bruening <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:

>
> She has a sponsor, I don't know what sex.

A good general rule is that your sponsor be the same gender as yourself.
This prevents any sexual problems from arising, since newcomers are very
vunerable. "We are only human."

Biljo - what do gay AAs do about this aspect of sponsorship?