HBO special on Alcoholism & Addiction

[Dallas]

I noticed that last night, HBO started a special documentary series on alcoholism & addiction. I checked their website and it sounds like it's going to be an awesome series.

I don't get HBO but the series sounded so good... I was tempted to rent a hotel room so I could watch it!

Did anyone out there watch the first show last night?

Dallas

[anniemac]

I didn't watch it - truthfully I forgot about it, but also recall that it is on past my bedtime! I'd be interesting to hear if anyone did see it.

I know that on the HBO web site, there's a statement by I think I dr., about what AA is...and there are some misinformations there. But, I suppose, the intent was good (or, let's say I hope the intent was good. More than likely the intent was to make money and sell tv shows, but I try to not be so cynical!!).

[Dallas]

I talked to a friend who recorded it on a hard-drive dvr... I guess I can go over to the friends house and watch it. I was also told that there are some download interviews on the HBO site that can be viewed online.

I remember back in the late 80's when Hallmark did the special movie "My name is Bill W." on a Mother's Day... our AA meetings received several newcomers as a result of some people watching the movie. And, we got a lot of "AA returns" who had watched the movie and it had motivated them to come back to AA and try again.

I'm all for anything that will help anyone anywhere to seek help. For me, it's still sad to think that so many alcholics live and die without ever knowing about AA, and without knowing that there is a solution.

It's amazing to me, that through this website's contact form I hear from numerous people worldwide (including here in the USA) that have not even heard of AA, and how many more people have no clue that we have a solution to their problem and that it's free for the taking by alcoholic who wants it. There is no membership requirements other than a desire to stop drinking (and even that one isn't enforced!) ... there are no dues, no fees, no lectures, no shots, no pills, it has over a 70 year history and track-record of it working, no one is in charge, there is no belief requirements... and most of us consider ourselves lucky to be able to help!

It's an awesome deal to me just to get to the opportunity to participate!!!!

Dallas

[musicmode]

My name is Anne, I'm an alcoholic,


Can you imagine...no such thing as AA? There was a time when AA didn't exist. I learned that for about 100 years prior to the 'birth' of AA, professionals began to concur that there was something really wrong with these people/something more to the story...they were refering to alcoholics. There was a summer program put together at Yale to 'study' this phenomenon. It was determined that, in fact--yes...there was indeed something more wrong with these people. 'We' baffled genius'...couldn't they just not drink?? Can't they see the trouble they are causing? 'We' were an out and out mystery, but somebody received a brain wave to see if more could be done for these people, as it was obvious they they were, indeed, sick. The summer 'camp' study wrapped up, but the research and experiments did not. Eventually, there were, in fact, a set of "steps" devised, and--ironically, there were 12. I've seen these 12 steps, and the first 6 are an echo of what we have today, the last 6 are--well--an echo of the first "original" 6...in fact, I had to sort-a chuckle as the thought occured to me that these particular "12-steps" appear as though they were devised over a jug of whiskey...the 1st 6 make sense, the last--were--humorous. BUT---at least somebody made the effort, and made a start--somebody at least tried. Then, prohibition came along, and all research&work came to a halt, as now, the problem wasn't the alcoholic so much as the alcohol itself, right? Yale apparently didn't work alone, either--Harvard had come on-board, too (any surprised? "Oxford" group)...but, all the paperwork were put away in storage (basements of Yale, ie). By the time prohibition ended, any thought of research, etc., was long forgotten...but it's a strange coincidence to me...when we look at the entire time frame as a whole, it really wasn't so long after prohibition was lifted, that the 'birth' of AA occured.

It's beyond my scope to think that there are those who have not heard of AA...but that's only a prejudice type of thought. Maybe it's no coincidence at all that I've always known about AA. Didn't understand (nor did I really want to ) what AA was all about...but...there it was...it was always there in the very far recesses of my mind. Imagine that .

Easy Does It!
Anne

[Dallas]

I remember well........ when I thought that AA was a very secret bar for famous drinkers!!! A private club for the elite drinkers of the world!!! Besides.... how the heck could they be alcoholics -- or why even refer to their club as "Alcoholics Anonymous" if they weren't inside their secret bar drinking the hard stuff???? Made perfect sense to me!!! I actually gave a report on it in front of my 3rd Grade class in school, when I was about 8 years old!!!

I've often wondered... if I had lived some self-fulfilling prophecy!!!