Doug Thorburn - Alcoholism Myths and Realities: Removing the Stigma of Societys Most Destructive Disease

a wonderful review of the myths of alcoholism, the effects on the brain, its biochemistry and related behavioral outcomes. The focus on destructive behaviors as a symptom and identifier of alcohol and other drug addiction is extraordinarily enlightening.

Jack Buehler, MA, LMHP, LADC, NCAC II

Doug Thorburn has important insights into the disease which lies behind many of the problems facing families. Divorce, child abuse, spousal abuse, false accusations, parental alienation syndromeaddiction plays a hidden role in these social pathologies far more often than you might imagine.

Glenn Sacks, nationally syndicated radio talk show host

Doug Thorburns books are consistently great, and this is his best. If people listen, his work will revolutionize the field of addiction.

Father Jack Shirley, Order of St. Augustine, Author, Spiritual Reflections for a Recovering Alcoholic

An innovative and enlightening examination of alcoholism. Alcoholism Myths and Realities explodes the myths that almost everyone believes about addiction.

Joan Harter, M.S., Certified Addictions Treatment Specialist

WARNING!!! The information contained in this book may burst your bubbleand it could also save your life! Armed with the invaluable knowledge that Doug Thorburn so thoroughly presents, we become empowered to navigate more safely through the minefield of humanity we encounter every day. Read this book! Especially if you DONT think you are in a relationshipbe it intimate, family, friendship, colleague or neighborwith an addict.

Holly J. Hopkins, Executive Director I SAW YOU Safety & Scholarship Foundation, Inc.

As an interventionist, I have seen countless families affected by a loved ones alcoholism. Alcoholism Myths and Realities gives them the tools to identify this disease and intervene without guilt.

Pat Moomey, Certified Addictions Treatment Specialist

A sensitive, easy-to-comprehend work and a crowning achievement!

Irwin Zucker, President, Promotion in Motion Founder/Pres. Emeritus, Book Publicists of Southern California

One of the most important messages that anyone could deliver to society. I dont understand why people are deaf to this and have been for centuries.

Robert Prechter, CMT, Author, Socionomics

Brilliant insights. A must readnot just for those who know they are involved with alcoholics, but even more so for everyone else.

Bob Wall, Martial Artist, Actor

PUBLISHED BY GALT PUBLISHING

P. O. Box 7777

Northridge, CA 91327-7777

Address the author c/o Galt Publishing

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Cover design by Dreu Pennington-McNeil

Cover photograph Liquid/Nonstock

All rights reserved. No part of this publication my be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form or by any means: electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

Copyright 2012 Doug Thorburn

ISBN: LCCN:

Printed in the United States
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First Edition

Disclaimer

The purpose of this book is to educate laypersons and healthcare professionals about alcoholism. Please do not consider the information given in this book to be the equivalent of treatment or an individual consultation. The person dealing with possible alcoholics is strongly advised to seek the help of chemical dependency experts, as well as attend Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon meetings. This book is sold with the understanding that the author and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any injury or damage caused or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by the information in this book.

I wish to thank the addiction experts on whose shoulders I have stood, particularly James Graham, Katherine Ketcham, James Milam and Vernon Johnson. In addition, Jennifer Huddleston deserves special mention as my sounding board and much-needed critic, along with Scott Dorfman who has previously offered brilliant input on communicating simply. My dear friends Mel Kreger and Joseph Sullivan have provided valuable support throughout. The officers and board members of the PrevenTragedy Foundation, Pat Moomey, Patricia Morrow, Patricia Oliver Ferguson, Joan Harter, Mike Kennedy, Joe Pilkington, Robert Richards and friend of the Foundation, Laura Sisk, also provided moral and intellectual support. Most important, I give my love and thanks to my favorite skeptic, my wife Marty, for putting up with long hours of research and writing, as well as challenging me on several key assumptions without which this book would not have been possible.

This book is intended to expose the myths about alcoholism that permeate our societys thinking. Most believe that we give the benefit of the doubt by suggesting explanations other than alcoholism as the root of misbehaviors. Instead, we need to assume the opposite and look for alcoholism first. Rather than thinking we are helping by providing a safety net, we need to understand that pain is by far the most effective motivator in guiding the alcoholic into treatment. By discrediting the myths that surround this disease, the stigma that instills emotion in the identification of alcoholism can be eliminated. Only then can those affected, whether family, friends, co-workers or society, offer tough love with a clear conscience.

Alcoholism is the most misunderstood of all diseases. This is rather surprising, since one out of ten people has this disease and we are all directly or indirectly affected. Yet the doctors and psychologists whom we trust to treat diseases and mental disorders are almost completely untrained in understanding and diagnosing the affliction. Medical doctors take as few as 24 classroom hours on the subject, virtually all on treating withdrawal and none on diagnosis. Psychologists are schooled in the idea that childhood trauma and other negative environmental factors can cause alcoholism, even though the evidence shows that such influences only shape its course.

Secondary diseases are usually diagnosed long before alcoholism is identified, even though the latter is the root cause or primary contributing factor to at least 350 other illnesses and disorders. Emergency room medical personnel treat symptoms of addiction, including accidents, in an estimated 50 to 80% of admissions, yet rarely test for alcohol or other drugs in the system. The schools implore adolescents to just say no to drugs! focusing on the drug rather than the person on it, a primary problem for only 10% of users. The media misinform by failing to connect the dots between bad behaviors and alcoholism; the movies do so by making the portrayal of alcoholism obvious only in its latter stages, or when illegal drugs are involved. Most people balk at calling someone of like politics or personality an alcoholic, even if some of their behaviors are bizarre or destructive. Yet, many wouldnt hesitate to suggest that a person with whom they differ who drinks the equivalent of a bottle of wine every day must be an alcoholic. Aspects essential to the identification of alcoholism, including the time frame over which the drinking occurred, the drinkers weight and change in behaviors, are rarely considered.