AMERICAN PIONEERS 12 step fundamentalists

Ms Sandiford to be executed for drug trafficking.

2013-01-22T10:25:00.001+00:00

Lindsay Sandiford was arrested in May last year after she tried to enter the Indonesian holiday island with illegal drugs worth £1.6 million hidden in her suitcase.

Local prosecutors had called for the 56-year-old housewife to be jailed for 15 years. But today there were gasps in the Bali courtroom when a panel of judges announced Ms Sandiford would be executed for drug trafficking.

As the shock verdict was announced, Ms Sandiford, from Gloucestershire, slumped back in her chair in tears before hiding her face with a brown sarong as she was led out of the courtroom.

experts believe we can actually become "addicted" to stress.

2012-09-07T06:41:00.001+01:00

Stress can be physical,And then there’s the kind that’s in our heads — that OMG I’m so overwhelmed right now feeling. While psychological stress has some definite downsides (chronic freak-outs may increase our risk for cancer and other diseases), take a moment to exhale. In moderate amounts, stress can boost our focus, energy, and even our powers of intuition.

Still, in some cases, stress does more than light a productivity-boosting fire under our butts. Both emotional and physical stress activate our central nervous system, causing a “natural high,” says Concordia University neuroscientist and addiction specialist Jim Pfaus. “By activating our arousal and attention systems,” Pfaus says, “stressors can also wake up the neural circuitry underlying wanting and craving — just like drugs do.”

This may be why, experts believe, some of us come to like stress a little too much.

Type A and Type D personalities — or people prone to competitiveness, anxiety, and depression — may be most likely to get a high from stressful situations, says stress management specialist Debbie Mandel. Stress “addicts,” Mandel says, “may also be using endless to-do lists to avoid less-easy-to-itemize problems — feelings of inadequacy, family conflicts, or other unresolved personal issues.”

Some stress junkies have difficulty listening to others, concentrating, and even sleeping because they can’t put tomorrow’s agenda out of their minds, explains Mandel. Others tend to use exaggerated vocabulary — craaazy busy right now, workload’s insane!! And some begin to feel anxious at the mere thought of slowing down their schedule.

But psychologist and addiction researcher Stanton Peele cautions against labeling anyone a stress addict. “Only when that pursuit of stress has a significant negative impact on your life could it qualify as addiction,” he said, adding that many people are able to effectively manage — and in fact thrive under — high stress conditions. (Think: Olympic athletes or President Obama.)

Study: Stress Shrinks the Brain and Lowers Our Ability to Cope with Adversity

For budding stress “addicts” or for those who just, well, feel overwhelmed, here are some tips to dial down that anxiety:

Seek professional help if you’re verging on burnout. (Not only can hashing it out with a therapist take a load off your mind. Some studies suggest it also boosts physical fitness.)
Do something creative. Mandel recommends carving out a once-weekly time not to think about tomorrow’s agenda by painting, cooking, writing, dancing, or anything else that’ll take you off the clock temporarily.
Take it outside. Numerous studies show spending time in nature improves general well-being, lowers anxiety, stress and depression, and even boosts self-confidence. Especially for women. (As it turns out, most addiction recovery centers offer outdoor-immersion programs.)
Calm down quickly. If you really don’t have time for any of the above, these 40 tricks to chill take five minutes or less.

Some of us may seek out stress a bit more excessively than others and struggle to just relax. It takes skill to handle hectic agendas and long lists of responsibilities — without losing sleep or feeling frazzled. So try these tips and try not to freak out.

Worried that you or someone you know seeks out stress a little too much? Think stress addiction is a myth? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

For those red wine drinkers who’ve been feeling morally superior about all the health benefits of the relaxing glass or two sipped during dinner, there’s some bad news on the horizon.

2012-09-07T06:32:00.001+01:00

Turns out, those glasses of wine would be a lot healthier if they were non-alcoholic, a new study shows. Spanish researchers led by Gemma Chiva-Blanch of the University of Barcelona found that non-alcoholic red wine reduced blood pressure in men at high risk for heart disease better than standard red wine or gin, according to the study published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation Research. Although the reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure was modest, decreases of just 4 and 2 mm Hg have been associated with a 14 to 20 percent reduction in heart disease and stroke, the researchers pointed out. “The daily consumption of dealcoholized red wine could be useful for the prevention of low to moderate hypertension,” they concluded. Although there have been many studies on the impact of moderate drinking on health, the findings have been mixed, with some studies showing a benefit and others suggesting none. The new study found that 3 ounces of gin a day had no impact on blood pressure, while consumption of regular red wine led to a small, but not statistically significant, improvement. The new study suggests that if you’re going to have a drink, red wine would be the healthiest choice, said Dr. Kelly Anne Spratt, a heart disease prevention specialist and a clinical associate professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Still, Spratt said, “while there are those of us in cardiology who believe in the benefits of red wine, we want to be wary. We’re not going like gangbusters recommending people go out and start drinking. There are a lot of problems associated with drinking, like weight gain, cardiomyopathy, alcoholism, an increased breast cancer risk in women who consume two or more drinks a day.” Chiva-Blanch and her colleagues suspect that blood pressure improvements were due to the impact of polyphenols, a red wine component, on nitric oxide. The theory is that nitric oxide molecules help blood vessels relax, which allows better flow and more blood to reach the heart and other organs. For the new study, Chiva-Blanch and her colleagues followed 67 men with diabetes or three or more cardiovascular risk factors. During the study, the men were all required to consume the same foods along with one of three drinks: 10 ounces of red wine, 10 ounces of non-alcoholic red wine or 3 ounces of gin. During the 12 week study, the men tried each diet/beverage combination for four weeks at a time. The researchers determined that the standard red wine and its nonalcoholic counterpart contained equal amounts of polyphenols, an antioxidant which has been shown to decrease blood pressure. Men who drank regular red wine saw minor reductions in blood pressure – too small, in fact, to be statistically significant. Those who drank gin with their meals saw no change in blood pressure. But men who drank non-alcoholic red wine saw a blood pressure decrease of about 6 mm Hg in systolic and 2 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure. Chiva-Blanch and her colleagues concluded that their findings show that the alcohol in red wine actually weakens its ability to lower blood pressure.

Dream Warriors Testament: PART 1 ROCK BOTTOM Flash News best selling new addiction book

2012-09-02T19:29:00.001+01:00

Dream Warriors Testament:PART 1 ROCK BOTTOM

Dream Warriors testament, Arriving at a time in my life after thirty years of not drinking to leave an honest account of what it was like, my experience the good and the bad, the addictions of which alcohol was but one, the spiritual experiences and the formation of my personal program.The founding of Narcotics Anonymous in Spain.The trails and tribulations of the battles and failures with the ego.Many people need to remain anonymous within my journal and many may see there rolls differently.The writing is by a dyslexic this is not an excuse but a fact.Without the help of AA,NA,CA,ALANON,OA,SA and CODA this story would have not been possible.Many Angels have appeared in my life and I acknowledge you all.My sponsor and authentic founder of NA Spain remains my confident and long term friend.This person without any thought of reward spent endless time supporting me threw the early years of recovery and whom I will be eternally grateful.

PART 1 ROCK BOTTOM

Now cast your mind back thirty years.A hopeless drunk is staggering our of a nightclub set in an area known as over the border in a North East English town. The street lights shimmering off the tarmac rushed towards me as I crumpled into unconsciosness My semicomatse head bouncing off the granite curbstones feeling like a gentle caress. Blackout, oblivion was where my advanced alcoholism always took me. The promise of a wonderous adventure filled illusions had long since disappeared.The idea that I could handle alcohol or drugs had seemed irrelevant the inevitability of my condition overcame me I dimmely felt hands rifleing threw my pockets. Hopelessly drunk I was incapable of doing anything even my bodily functions now took care of themselves. Death, whatever that was, would have been welcomed as yet another phase of insane bingeing ran its course.By know I was starting to understand that once I drank I had no control over the outcome.All the excuses had been used up and I was in utter bewilderment as to why my longtime friend alcohol had turned on me.Where had my friends disappeared to and the conviviality of there happy company.

The answer crashed into my befuddled brain I had used up all there excuses as well as mine and had become the unfunny court jester who continuosly embarrassed them with drunken brawling heaping abuse onto those closest to me as the full reality of my condition became apparent to them all.The witty raconteaur had become the stinking drunk,bloated vomiting and unfunny.In reality I sorted out dark places where people like me sort the company of like minded others.The illegal blues clubs and shebeens the drinking dens for prostitutes and criminals.I could not resist the call to visit once I had, had that first drink.It did not matter what it was for I had long since recognised that if it was a weak shandy or a double whisky the results would be exactly the same.It came as no surprise to be lying in the gutter blacked out.

What did come as a surprise was to be sitting in the back of a taxicab.What had happened had I met with a good Samaritan for they where a rareity in this area of dockland.I was over the years after this to try many times to attempt to rationalise this answer out. Had some golden lady of the night rescued me doubtful but possible or a kindly taxi driver even more improbable.Yet here I was being dropped off outside my front door in a small suburban village.My eyes fearfully scanned the street for what had become the inevitable results of my binges a police car.I thanked the taxi driver and searched for my keys.No police car but now the guilt and remorse the terrible psychical withdrawal from alcohol gripped my being. I must have another drink as my skin started crawling and the stomach wrenching vomit reflex took hold.

It was at this time I recognised that all the lights were on yet there was no one in the house.I stopped I glanced at the red flock wallpaper with the glistening remains of the whisky glass catching the evidential reflection of the lights.Yes this was the right house.There was the drinks cupboard it was open nothing remained. Panic,fear my head whirled a neon red sign shown in my head NO DRINK.No drink nothing.I heard a car drive up my car, my wife.I needed to get what was left of the brain into gear.I wracked my brain for a solution something that would work something that would give one more drink anything.She was on the path give me an idea any idea nothing. The withdrawls were kicking in the shakeing was starting with the first tremors my fingers twitched as the withdrawls started.Its just a hangover.You used the magic word that would start the withdrawl HANGOVER. I didn’t do hangovers anymore I just got sick very sick very quickly.How the hell was I to get a drink I must have a drink.I needed a solution fast any solution.

Artist Draws 8,628 Self-Portraits Under the Influence of Love and Other Drugs

2012-08-23T02:00:00.001+01:00

This self-portrait by Bryan Lewis Saunders shows his "normal face," but the other 8,000-plus images he's created over the past 16 years go into some pretty strange territory.

Drugs: Psilocybin Mushrooms

"I wanted to see how drugs changed my self-perception," Saunders said. "So I drew myself under the influence of a wide variety of them."

Drugs: Bath Salts

A self-portrait of Saunders after taking bath salts.

Third Ear Experiment, No. 2

Another self-portrait from the Third Ear Experiment series.

Third Ear Experiment, No. 1

"For 28 days I blocked up my external ears and attached a copper funnel to my mouth in an effort to connect my Eustachian tubes to my pineal gland by physically rerouting the way in which sound entered my body," Saunders said of the Third Ear Experiment series.

I'm All Out Of Hair, I'm So Lost Without You, No. 1

"I shaved my body hair and used it in my self-portraits to make e-cards letting people know how much I missed them." Saunders said.

I'm All Out Of Hair, I'm So Lost Without You, No. 2

Another body-hair-inspired piece.

Died: Great Aunt

Saunders describes his Died series as capturing "the difference between when a stranger or family member dies." This image was inspired by the death of his great aunt.

Died: Neighbor

Another self-portrait in theDied series, this time inspired by a deceased neighbor.

Naked Yoga: Casa Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

"I tried to do yoga and was using art as an incentive, but I think I waited too late in life to start," Saunders said of his Naked Yoga series.

My Drawings Aren't Messed Up, It's the Symmetry of My Face, No. 1

"Using the golden ratio and other ideas from geometry, I was trying to locate the precise imperfections of my face," Saunders said.

My Drawings Aren't Messed Up, It's the Symmetry of My Face, No. 2

Another self-portrait Saunders did based on the proportions of his face.

Facing Fear: Heights

"I wanted to use art to overcome some of my fears, so I drew myself while facing them," Saunders said of the portraits he did about confronting his fears. "A sort of 'exposure therapy.'"

Facing Fear: Trains

Saunders facing his fear of trains.

Popular Toys, No. 1

"From time to time I use art to revitalize myself," said Saunders of his Popular Toys series, in which he uses iconic playthings "to help bring out my inner child." This one is the artist as Mr. Potato Head.

Popular Toys, No. 2

This image in the Popular Toys series depicts a My Little Pony toy.

Psycho-Anatomy, No. 1

"Finding and connecting the similarities between different organs in the body," Saunders said of hisPsycho-Anatomy series. This image depicts the digestive system.

Psycho-Anatomy, No. 2

This image in Saunders' Psycho-Anatomy series depicts the brain.

Quitting Smoking, No. 1

"I wanted to see how quitting smoking changed my self-perception," Saunders said of the Quitting Smoking series. "I think I lasted a month before I started again."

Quitting Smoking, No. 2

Another self-portrait from the Quitting Smoking series.

Sensation Drawings: Ear Nibbles

"[This is] A project I did with my girlfriend to see how different and similar we felt the same physical sensations in or on our bodies," Saunders said of his Sensation Drawings series.

Sensation Drawings: Tummy Caresses

A self-portrait from Saunders' Sensation Drawings series based on the feeling of a stomach caress.

View as gallery

As of this moment, Bryan Lewis Saunders has drawn 8,628 self-portraits. By the end of the day, he’ll have completed 8,629. And although he’s recently become known as the guy who draws under the influence of drugs, his creations have been inspired by everything from death to body hair over the years.

“All day every day, images and feelings of the world come into me and it’s inescapable,” said Saunders in an e-mail to Wired. “So I thought if I did a self-portrait every day for the rest of my life, with no rules, the world and I could be more linked to my nervous system. And I could die knowing that I tried to experience as much as possible while I was alive.”

Saunders, a 43-year-old Virginia native who currently lives in Tennessee, comes off looking like the art world’s Louis C.K. in his wildly diverse images. He began his self-portrait experiment on March 30, 1995, after an art-history class discussion about the prevalence of artists who put themselves into images of the world around them. He didn’t entirely agree with that tack, so he flipped the concept on its head. (See his “normal face” self-portrait, which is the first image in the gallery above.)

Over the years, he’s created self-portraits based on love, the loss of family members and neighbors, his attempts at quitting smoking and the time he shaved off his body hair. And even though he’s not a “brony,” he once drew inspiration from My Little Pony. In the process, the amazingly prolific artist has opened a weird little window into life in modern America.

For the series based on his experiments with recreational and prescription drugs, he took everything from cocaine and Abilify to cough syrup and computer duster, then drew while under the influence. The resulting self-portraits range from intricately beautiful (psychedelic mushrooms) to insanely brutal (bath salts).

He’s undertaken other strange adventures as well, using the unusual experiences to generate unique imagery. “For 28 days I blocked up my external ears and attached a copper funnel to my mouth in an effort to connect my Eustachian tubes to my pineal gland by physically rerouting the way in which sound entered my body,” he said of his Third Ear Experiment.

“Only a severe stroke or coma could stop me from completing the self-portrait-a-day work.”

To date, Saunders has filled stacks of sketchbooks with his drawings — some days he does as many as nine of them. For the first decade of the project, the self-portraits were his primary artistic outlet. (In addition to drawing, Saunders now also does spoken word and performance art, and collaborates with musicians).

He doesn’t have any plans to stop cranking out the creative images. “Only a severe stroke or coma could stop me from completing the self-portrait-a-day work,” Saunders said.

Even though he’s had offers over the years to show his self-portraits at galleries, he’s been wary to hand them all over for fear of losing his life’s work. (He once had an entire exhibition stolen and had another sculpture vandalized during a show.) However, a collection of his drug-influenced self-portraits will be on display early next year at La Maison Rouge in Paris.

Addiction Books For relaxation When 50 Shades of Grey doesn’t cut it.

2012-08-22T15:44:00.001+01:00

The Science of Addiction: From Neurobiology to Treatment

Carlton K. Erickson
312 pages
Publisher: W. W. Norton and Company (2007)

Amazon Overview: Neuroscience is clarifying the causes of compulsive alcohol and drug use––while also shedding light on what addiction is, what it is not, and how it can best be treated––in exciting and innovative ways. Current neurobiological research complements and enhances the approaches to addiction traditionally taken in social work and psychology. However, this important research is generally not presented in a forthright, jargon-free way that clearly illustrates its relevance to addiction professionals. In The Science of Addiction, Carlton K. Erickson presents a comprehensive overview of the roles that brain function and genetics play in addiction.

The Addiction Solution: Unraveling the Mysteries of Addiction through Cutting-Edge Brain Science

David Kipper and Steven Whitney
304 pages
Publisher: Rodale Books (2010)

For decades addiction has been viewed and treated as a social and behavioral illness, afflicting people of “weak” character and “bad” moral fiber. However, recent breakthroughs in genetic technology have enabled doctors, for the first time, to correctly diagnose the disease and prove that addiction is an inherited, neuro-chemical disease originating in brain chemistry, determined by genetics, and triggered by stress. In their groundbreaking Addiction Breakthrough, David Kipper, MD, and Steven Whitney distill these exciting findings into a guide for the millions of adults who want to be free from the cycle of addiction, and for their loved ones who want to better understand it and to help.

In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction

Gabor Maté
520 pages
Publisher: North Atlantic Books (2010)

Based on Gabor Maté’s two decades of experience as a medical doctor and his groundbreaking work with the severely addicted on Vancouver’s skid row, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts radically reenvisions this much misunderstood field by taking a holistic approach. Dr. Maté presents addiction not as a discrete phenomenon confined to an unfortunate or weak-willed few, but as a continuum that runs throughout (and perhaps underpins) our society; not a medical "condition" distinct from the lives it affects, rather the result of a complex interplay among personal history, emotional, and neurological development, brain chemistry, and the drugs (and behaviors) of addiction. Simplifying a wide array of brain and addiction research findings from around the globe, the book avoids glib self-help remedies, instead promoting a thorough and compassionate self-understanding as the first key to healing and wellness.

Memoirs of an Addicted Brain: A Neuroscientist Examines his Former Life on Drugs

Marc Lewis
336 pages
Publisher: PublicAffairs (2012)

Marc Lewis’s relationship with drugs began in a New England boarding school where, as a bullied and homesick fifteen-year-old, he made brief escapes from reality by way of cough medicine, alcohol, and marijuana. In Berkeley, California, in its hippie heyday, he found methamphetamine and LSD and heroin. He sniffed nitrous oxide in Malaysia and frequented Calcutta’s opium dens. Ultimately, though, his journey took him where it takes most addicts: into a life of addiction, desperation, deception, and crime. But unlike most addicts, Lewis recovered and became a developmental psychologist and researcher in neuroscience. In Memoirs of an Addicted Brain, he applies his professional expertise to a study of his former self, using the story of his own journey through addiction to tell the universal story of addictions of every kind.

The Chemical Carousel: What Science Tells Us About Beating Addiction

Dirk Hanson
472 pages
Publisher: BookSurge (2009)

A book for anyone concerned with the care and healing of addiction, substance abuse, and the latest advances in the area of addiction science. In The Chemical Carousel, science writer Hanson takes the reader on a voyage through the heady world of addiction science, from the lab to the clinic to the junky on the street. Hanson explains the workings of common neurotransmitters and documents the direct effect drugs and alcohol produce on the reward pathways of the brain. He shows how scientists and treatment professionals have finally given us an answer to the perennial question about addiction: Why can't those people just say no?

An Anatomy of Addiction: Sigmund Freud, William Halsted, and the Miracle Drug, Cocaine

Howard Markel
336 pages
Publisher: Vintage (2012)

Acclaimed medical historian Howard Markel traces the careers of two brilliant young doctors--Sigmund Freud, neurologist, and William Halsted, surgeon--showing how their powerful addictions to cocaine shaped their enormous contributions to psychology and medicine. When Freud and Halsted began their experiments with cocaine in the 1880s, neither they, nor their colleagues, had any idea of the drug's potential to dominate and endanger their lives. An Anatomy of Addiction tells the tragic and heroic story of each man, accidentally struck down in his prime by an insidious malady: tragic because of the time, relationships, and health cocaine forced each to squander; heroic in the intense battle each man waged to overcome his affliction.

How to Change Your Drinking: a Harm Reduction Guide to Alcohol

Kenneth Anderson
86 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (2010)

This book is the first comprehensive compilation of harm reduction strategies aimed specifically at people who drink alcohol. Whether your goal is safer drinking, reduced drinking, or quitting alcohol altogether, this is the book for you. It contains a large and detailed selection of harm reduction tools and strategies which you can choose from to build your own individualized alcohol harm reduction program. There are many practical exercises to help people change their behaviors, including risk-ranking worksheets, drinking charts, goal choice worksheets, and many more. There are also innumerable practical tips from folks who "have been there" and have turned their drinking habits around for the better.

Rethinking Substance Abuse: What the Science Shows, and What We Should Do about It

William R. Miller and Kathleen M. Carroll
320 pages
Publisher: Guilford Press (2010)

While knowledge on substance abuse and addictions is expanding rapidly, clinical practice still lags behind. This state-of-the-art book brings together leading experts to describe what treatment and prevention would look like if it were based on the best science available. The volume incorporates developmental, neurobiological, genetic, behavioral, and social–environmental perspectives. Tightly edited chapters summarize current thinking on the nature and causes of alcohol and other drug problems; discuss what works at the individual, family, and societal levels; and offer robust principles for developing more effective treatments and services.

Writers On The Edge: 22 Writers Speak About Addiction and Dependency

Diana Raab and James Brown
204 pages
Publisher: Modern History Press (2012)

Writers On The Edge offers a range of essays, memoirs and poetry written by major contemporary authors who bring fresh insight into the dark world of addiction, from drugs and alcohol, to sex, gambling and food. Editors Diana M. Raab and James Brown have assembled an array of talented and courageous writers who share their stories with heartbreaking honesty as they share their obsessions as well as the awe-inspiring power of hope and redemption. Frederick & Steven Barthelme, Kera Bolonik, Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, Maud Casey, Anna David, Denise Duhamel, B.H. Fairchild, Ruth Fowler, David Huddle Perie Longo, Gregory Orr, Victoria Patterson, Molly Peacock, Scott Russell Sanders, Stephen Jay Schwartz, Linda Gray Sexton, Sue William Silverman, Chase Twichell, and Rachel Yoder

WHEN YOUR HIGHER POWER FAILS YOU

2012-08-22T14:21:00.001+01:00

It happens every time. Without fail. Without exception. I bet it's happened to you also. Just think about it. How often has your god failed you? Every single time. Every single time I have turned a human being into a god, or turned something man-made into an idol, or placed my trust, expectation, hope, and confidence in anything else but the one true God, my god has failed me. Some people are slow learners. I am one of them. I have made the same mistake countless times. And every single time, that's right, you've got it. It happens every time. Maybe I should be more careful when I place my trust, expectation, hope, and confidence in a human being. Maybe I should be more choosy with the human I choose. Not so. No matter the human, the same outcome will arise. My god will fail me. I did it again recently. I made the same mistake. But my mistake wasn't the human I chose. My mistake was the choice I made to pick a human. And guess what happened? You guessed it. My god failed me. But how can this happen, time and again? Easily. First, it happens when I fail to remember when I need not to forget. Never, ever, place what belongs to God in heaven in the hands of a human. My love and trust, my loyalty and faithfulness, my belief and confidence, my hope and expectation, must be placed in the Lord first and foremost, above all and everyone else - whether it be someone or something else, or whether it be myself. Second, it happens not because I forget, but because I don't realize and recognize what I have done. Hard habits sometimes die slowly, don't they? And slow habits die hard. It has been a hard lesson for me, and I have to be vigilant to ensure I don't unconsciously do what I have so often done. So what is the outcome of this all? My gods fail me. Every human I have ever made into a god, every person or thing I have ever turned into an idol, the result has always been the same. My false gods have failed me, hurt me, let me down, forsaken me, abandoned me, rejected me, broken me, fallen short, messed up, and a zillion other things. Seriously? Yes. Will the real God please stand up?

Researchers completing a new study on alcohol consumption have discovered that college-age students who binge drink are happier than those who don't.

2012-08-21T01:11:00.001+01:00

Those who engaged in binge drinking tend to belong to so-called high-status groups: wealthy, white, male and active in fraternity life. And those who did not belong to the high-status groups could achieve similar levels of social acceptance through the act of binge drinking. In fact, the study results suggest that students engaged in the heavy drinking practice to elevate their social status amongst peers rather than to alleviate depression or anxiety.

"The present study offers another insight into the nature of a seemingly intractable social problem," the study released on Monday reads. "It is our hope that by drawing attention to the important social motivations underlying binge drinking, institutional administrators and public health professionals will be able to design and implement programs for students that take into account the full range of reasons that students binge drink."

The Washington Post reports that the study's co-author and Colgate University associate professor Carolyn Hsu presented some of the findings during the American Sociological Association gathering in Denver last week.

Interestingly, the study results compiled from surveying 1,600 college students also continues to support past evidence suggesting that binge drinking leads to a number of problems affecting the mind and body, including alcoholism, violence, poor grades and risky sexual behavior.

"I would guess it has to do with feeling like you belong and whether or not you're doing what a 'real' college student does," Hsu told LiveScience. "It seems to be more about certain groups getting to define what that looks like."

Binge drinking was defined as consuming more than four drinks in one occasion for women and more than five drinks for men. Sixty-four percent of respondents said they had engaged in the practice, compared with 36 percent who said they had not.

Those statistics differ from similar evidence gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC's statistics measure binge drinking in the same quantity but limit the consumption period to two hours or fewer. Its results also found that the majority of binge drinkers (70 percent) were over the age of 26. The CDC has also found that 90 percent of alcohol consumed by people under the age of 21 is done in the form of binge drinking, compared with 75 percent among all U.S. adults.

The Five Keys to Mindful Communication

2012-08-19T00:33:00.001+01:00

The first key of mindful communication, according to Chapman (2012), is having amindful presence. This means having an open mind, awake body and a tender heart. When you have a mindful presence, you give up expectations, stories about yourself and others, and acting on emotions.

You are fully in the present moment; your communication isn’t focused on the “me” and what the “me” needs, but the we.

Mindful listening is the second key to mindful communication. Mindful listening is about encouraging the other person. This means looking through the masks and pretense and seeing the value in the person and the strengths he or she possesses. It’s looking past the human frailties and flaws that we all have to see the authentic person and the truth in what that person is attempting to say.

Mindful speech, the third key, is about gentleness. Speaking gently means being effective in what you say. It’s about speaking in a way that you can be hard. To be gentle with our speech means being aware of when our own insecurities and fears are aroused to the point we are acting out of fear rather than acceptance.

Practicing self-compassion for our fear, envy, jealousy and self-doubts is more effective than focusing on others as being a threat or attempting to change them. When you use gentle speech, you are communicating acceptance to the other person and saying what is true, not an interpretation or an exaggeration or a minimization.

The key to mindful relationships is unconditional friendliness. Unconditional friendliness means accepting the ebb and flow of relationships. Sometimes you meet new friends, sometimes friends move on, sometimes there is joy and sometimes there is pain. Sometimes you’ll feel lonely, sometimes you’ll feel cherished and connected, and then you’ll feel lonely again.

Unconditional friendliness means that your acceptance of others is not dependent on them staying with you or agreeing with you. You don’t cling to relationships to avoid loss.

Mindful responsiveness is like playfulness. Playfulness is the openness that you can have when you let go of preconceived ideas and strategies. It’s like creating something new. Imagine two skilled dancers who alternatively lead each other in creating a new dance in every interaction, never doing the same complete dance over and over. They respond in the moment to the message sent by the other. There are no rules or expectations and yet they both bring skillful behavior.

Mindful communication requires practice. If you choose to practice the keys, you might choose to focus on one at a time. Being willing to regulate your emotions is a prerequisite to mindful communication and mindfulness of your emotions is necessary for emotion regulation.

Mindfulness is a core skill for the emotionally sensitive.

References

Chapman, Susan Gillis. The Five Keys to Mindful Communication: Using Deep Listening and Mindful Speech to Strengthen Relationships, Heal Conflicts and Acceomplish Your Goals. Boston: Shambhala, 2012.

Spiritual Interventions: Inside A.A.'s Fundamentalist Healing Program of Faith With Works

2012-07-17T20:25:00.001+01:00

In 1995, the Greater Toronto Area Intergroup (G.T.A.I.) of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) removed the "Muckers" Group from their list of approved A.A. groups because their particular approach to Twelve Step recovery.¹ Furthermore, A.A. ejected two members from elected positions in a Toronto-based treatment center for advocating the "Mucker" creed.²In 2011, the G.T.A.I removed two A.A. agnostic groups, "We Agnostics" and "Beyond Belief". Both Groups were eliminated from the G.T.A.I. Meeting Directory and ceased to be recognized as legitimate A.A. Groups.

In this paper, I argue that these two incidents reflect fundamentalist reactions within A.A. to an increasing presence of secular recovery ideology and methodology emerging in the culture of Alcoholics Anonymous. I propose that these fundamentalist responses are boundary maintenance of A.A.'s canonized beliefs and practices that are vital to the identity and recovery of A.A. members. By using an anthropology of fundamentalism, I will show that A.A. fundamentalism reflects an antirelativist stance intolerant of ambiguous boundaries and seeks exclusivity by labeling anything different as "other". Furthermore, by identifying the roles fundamentalists play in A.A. controversies, I will show that three varieties of Fundamentalisms will emerge: 1) Organizational-Ritual Fundamentalism, 2) Socio-Cultural Fundamentalism and 3) Theological-Supernaturalistic Fundamentalism.³

The original Members of Alcoholics Anonymous defined their ideological and behavioural distinctiveness by establishing specific borders that differentiate A.A. from other organizations. But, as the fellowship grew and factions within the A.A. culture evolved, the creedal and ritual prescriptions that outlined A.A.'s original boundaries became more ambiguous. For this paper, I will use Talcott Parsons' concept of Fundamentalism, which is explained as a resistance to changes to an organization's boundary values and any attempt by various factions within the social system to demand wider and more general boundaries would be met with opposition and labeled as abandoning the fundamental tenets of organization. This is what Parsons would define as Fundamentalism.⁴ Studies in Christian Fundamentalism have revealed that boundary values are related to the background characteristics of a particular sect or group and that these boundary values have different meanings to different factions with the social system.⁵ By clarifying these background characteristics, I will reveal specific boundary markers to indicate where the particular Fundamentalist lines are drawn within A.A.

The organization of Alcoholics Anonymous was born in 1939 with the publication of its own book entitled, Alcoholics Anonymous—the story of how one hundred men and women had recovered from alcoholism. The main purpose of the book, Alcoholics Anonymous is to show those who suffer from alcoholism precisely how to recover from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body.⁶ With the publication of their "Big Book"—the A.A. membership's moniker for their Twelve Step recovery textbook-the original group of one hundred recovered alcoholics grew to over 8,000 members and by the close of 1941 A.A. had become a national instituiton.⁷ The common solution, which is described in the first 164 pages of the Big Book, contains the A.A. recovery program and has remained intact and unchanged throughout the second, third and fourth editions due to its recovery success rate among suffering alcoholics.⁸ Success rates reported by A.A. members in the 1940's claimed 50% of those who came into the rooms of A.A. achieved immediate and sustained sobriety; 25% sobered up after a few relapses and those who kept coming back to A.A. showed improvement.⁹

The 1940's were tumultuous times for A.A., creating various schisms within the fellowship over membership, leadership and money, all of which threatened to dismantle the organization. How could these exponentially growing numbers of alcoholics be expected to come together and stay unified? Just as A.A. discovered principles by which the suffering alcoholic could recover, A.A. also realized that it needed to create a set of tenets by which groups and the organization as a whole could unify. Thus the fellowship ratified the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1950 at the first International A.A. Conference in Cleveland.¹⁰ In 1953, A.A. published the book, "Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions" (12 & 12). Both the Big Book of A.A. and the 12 and 12 formed the canon of A.A. literature.

The Big Book clearly demarcates A.A.'s ideological boundaries. Key subjects include: what is alcoholism and who is an alcoholic, where and how to find a Higher Power, the role of fellowship, the role of sponsorship, and the purpose of A.A. Group meetings. The Twelve Traditions establishes clear behavioural boundaries for relations within and outside the A.A. fellowship, including boundaries over membership, group activities, primary purpose, affiliations, money and authority.

In a 1996 Maclean's article entitled, "The Muckers say A.A. has lost its course", the Muckers were described as having a "zealous approach to recovery from addiction that excludes anything but the twelve step method."¹¹ The more traditional members of A.A. were critical of the Muckers, describing their recovery approach as too narrow and arrogant because the Muckers claim their way was the only "right way" to recover.

My interviews with Mucker informants, reveal that they are Big Book Fundamentalists. Many Muckers claim that they almost died in the rooms of A.A. because they could not stay sober on "watered-down" A.A. meetings, treatment or group therapy. But, many recovered, achieving spiritual, mental and physical well-being as result of being "mucked" through the Big Book. Mucker methodology centers on a type of Organizational-Ritual Fundamentalism, known as "booking, or being booked", which demands literal adherence to the Twelve Step instructions as outlined in the first 103 pages of the Big Book. Working in dyads, Muckers have the newcomer read aloud from the first 103 pages of the Big Book. As the newcomer reads, the Mucker will tell the newcomer to circle and/or highlight specific words or phrases. Also, in a kind of textual exegesis, the Mucker will interpret passages and instruct the newcomer to make specific notes directly into their Big Book margins, hence the term, "mucking the Big Book". The "mucking process" takes approximately 30 to 40 hours by which the newcomer will experience a spiritual awakening powerful enough to eliminate the newcomer's desire to drink alcohol and thus, recover from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. The newcomer then, to maintain their newfound ability to resist the urge to drink alcohol, must instruct other newcomers in the "mucker" methodology.

Muckers affirm that they are "real alcoholics" and believe for the "real alcoholic" to recover, they must experience an awakened God-consciousness by vigorously working the Twelve Steps in a short period of time. Three boundaries are clearly demarcated by the Muckers: 1) alcoholic identity, 2) recovery by spiritual conversion, and 3) the length of time it takes to recover.

Identification as an alcoholic is a key component to the A.A. recovery program. The Big Book clearly defines an alcoholic as someone who, 1) honestly wants to stop drinking but cannot stay permanently abstinent and, 2) someone who, when sober, starts to drink, cannot control the amount consumed.¹² Furthermore, the "real" alcoholic is beyond human aid and is left with only two options: One, to surrender to the idea that nothing can be done and that death or insanity is inevitable; or two, accept and seek spiritual help.¹³ Muckers vehemently defend the Big Book's definition of an alcoholic, stating anyone who claims to have a drinking problem is not necessarily an alcoholic. Muckers reiterate that the "hard" drinker, is not an alcoholic; although the hard drinker may appear to drink like an alcoholic, given sufficient reason, such drinkers can stop or moderate on human power. As real alcoholics, Muckers define the hard-drinker as "other" than real alcoholics, labeling them as "dangerous". Muckers clearly draw a line in the sand that "hard drinkers" are not welcome in A.A. On the other hand, mainstream A.A. is far more inclusive, citing Tradition Three: "The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking."¹⁴ An online article entitled, "Beware: Hard Drinkers & Fakers Inside!" amplifies the Mucker's concerns: "They offer opinions (instead of Book-based facts) and their opinions will kill us (real alcoholics) if we listen to them and follow their advice instead of the Book's. They do not have to adhere to the "rules" (as we must) in order to live. Their strain of the disease is not necessarily fatal-as is ours-if we do not follow the rules precisely."¹⁵ The Mucker's Socio-Cultural Fundamentalism clearly opposed mixing hard drinkers with real alcoholics in the rooms of A.A.

Muckers identify the alcohol treatment centre industry as another area of controversy. Muckers accuse the treatment centres with flooding the rooms of A.A. with "hard drinkers"-drinkers who can stay sober on secular approaches such as, "don't drink and go to meetings" and practicing avoidance strategies, such as compiling a "trigger" list of people, places and things that initiate the urge to drink. Furthermore, Muckers also accuse the hard drinkers of turning A.A. meetings into "group therapy without a therapist". A 1995 article by "The New Yorker" clarifies this accusation: "Inheritors of the Big Book sponsorship tradition find themselves a minority perspective within the rapidly growing recovery culture. Generally, Big Book sponsors are unhappy with the prevailing presentation of the Twelve Steps. Some see the recovery culture as: proliferating victim groups, a sort of endless Oprah Winfrey show that claims the A.A. Twelve Step method as its inspiration, but in which the real meaning of the Twelfth Step is lost amid an incessant whine about the injured self."¹⁶ Muckers are at odds with the treatment centres and their professional counselors and pharmacotherapists, advocating their secular addiction behavioural models and chronic relapse prevention programs whereby the alcoholic is always recovering never recovered. These centres advocate long term treatment measured in months and years.¹⁷ The Mucker's Theological-Supernaturalistic Fundamentalism adheres to the notion that only a spiritual intervention, not secular treatment or professional therapy, can solve the alcoholic's dilemma.

Similar to other strong textual traditions, such as Christianity, the central issue for the Muckers is doctrinal, which leads to categorical, formulaic thinking.¹⁸ The Mucker's Organization-Ritual Fundamentalism cleaves to the hegemony of the Big Book-their weapon of ideological conquest. In an uncompromising, antirelativist mind-set, Muckers are defenders of the book, vigorously protecting A.A.'s boundaries with their battle cry, "If it isn't in the Big Book, then it isn't A.A." Ironically, it wasn't the Muckers Big Book Fundamentalist approach to alcoholism that lead to their expulsion from the A.A. meeting directory. The Mucker Groups were delisted because their meetings were about recovery from "any and all addictions". The Muckers had breached two of A.A.'s Traditions: Tradition Four: Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole; and Tradition Five: Each group has but one primary purpose-to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.¹⁹ By their inclusivity to carrying their message to other types of addicts, the Muckers had widened one of A.A.'s sacred identity boundaries-A.A.'s singular focus: alcoholics working with other alcoholics. It was this infraction that aroused the antipathy of other A.A. Groups, thus compelling the G.T.A.I. to evoke their own Socio-Cultural Fundamentalism and protect its borders from integration with "other" addicts-A.A. was for alcoholics only! Thus, both factions represented different kinds fundamentalisms that polarized when specific boundaries within the A.A. social system were transgressed.

In a more recent A.A. controversy (June 2011), the Greater Toronto Area Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous (GTAI), voted to remove two A.A. Groups, "We Agnostics" and the "Beyond Belief" from the meeting directory which lists more than 300 weekly A.A. groups.²⁰ On March 27, 2012, I attended the monthly GTAI General Meeting where a motion to re-list the two agnostic groups in the meeting directory was defeated by a vote of 59 "against" to 19 "for", reinforcing A.A. Group conscience that the two groups, "We Agnostics" and the "Beyond Belief" were not legitimate A.A.

The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous states that A.A. is not a religious organization.²¹ Members are encouraged to stress the spiritual aspect openly, emphasizing that if the prospect were an agnostic or atheist, they can choose any conception they like, provided it makes sense to that individual. The important thing is that the prospect is "willing to believe in a Power greater than themselves and that they live by spiritual principles."²² Members have attested they have discovered an inner resource that they identify as a Power greater than themselves and that this awareness of this sixth sense is the essence of a spiritual experience which the more religious members of A.A. call "God-consciousness."²³

Members of "We Agnostics" and the "Beyond Belief" commented about other A.A. meetings: "I've tried AA meetings and I couldn't get past the influence of right-wing Christianity;" and "Last night I went to a meeting and it was like a sermon again."²⁴ As a result, the two groups, "We Agnostics" and the "Beyond Belief" revised A.A.'s Traditional Twelve Steps²⁵ without God and replaced them with a secular interpretation of the Twelve Steps which they published to their own website.²⁶ An ensuing schism developed in the G.T.A.I. The result-both agnostic groups were delisted from the meeting directory. The issue is Tradition Four of A.A. which states: Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.²⁷ Had "We Agnostics" and the "Beyond Belief" Groups simply kept their secular notions to the Group, the matter never would have reached the Intergroup Level, but they crossed an important organizational-ritual boundary and affected other A.A. groups, and A.A. as a whole, because they revised A.A.'s canonized Twelve Steps of recovery and publicly announced their secular views on their website, aatorontoagnostics.org.²⁸ One member, who voted against re-listing the two groups said, "...the teaching and practice of the Twelve Steps is the sole purpose of an A.A. group. It does not say 'from a set of Twelve Steps we choose to design ourselves'. The Twelve Steps of A.A. are the Twelve Steps. If they don't like our program, perhaps they could develop their own as others have done. A.A. will be a model for them and they could adapt our principles to suit their needs."²⁹ A.A. has allowed hundreds of other Twelve Step based groups to emulate the A.A. program of recovery, but they cannot call themselves Alcoholics Anonymous because they practice programs other than the sanctioned A.A. program as set out in its conference approved literature.

A.A.'s Organizational-Ritual Fundamentalist stance towards the two Agnostic Groups was a move to prevent any destabilization of A.A. core identity as a spiritual program. A.A.'s ontological security, that is, their security of being-their confidence and trust that the world of A.A. safe and sound was challenged by the emergence of another paradigm-the textual publication of a new secular Twelve Step program. A.A. identity has been developed and maintained by its canon of literature-The Big Book and the 12 and 12-which has provided a textual framework for consistent thought and feeling of biographical continuity that A.A. members use to sustain narratives of self and answer questions about doing, acting and being.³⁰ Alcoholics Anonymous is a figured world whereby its members must learn A.A.'s identity and cultural system. Several modes of learning include A.A. literature, sponsor relations and telling one's personal story. In a study of identity formation in Alcoholics Anonymous Group³¹, it was observed that newcomers to A.A. learn to appropriate their identity by listening to others tell their stories and then construct and tell their own personal story in the A.A. fashion of, "what they were like, what happened and what they are like today."³² Telling one's story can be interactive in A.A. meetings. When "inappropriate" narratives are expressed, such as: using vulgar language, references to other addictions, use of non-conference approved literature, mentioning other Twelve Step fellowships-older members will challenge them, reinforcing a stereotypical set of A.A. motifs, tropes and concepts. The newcomer, by recalling what is deemed inappropriate and continuous reinforcement of what is appropriate by older members, the newcomer acquires their identity in the figured world of A.A.³³ When the "We Agnostics" and the "Beyond Belief" groups publicly published their own secular version of the Twelve Steps, the ontological security of the general A.A. membership was threatened, triggering an Organizational-Ritual response by the G.T.A.I. to eliminate the attempt by the two agnostic groups to widen the theological-supernaturalist boundaries of A.A.

In conclusion, how can this study of A.A. fundamentalism be used in a wider context of Christianity? By using a Parsonian approach to fundamentalism, the anthropologist can develop metrics to determine denomination-specific boundary values and by examining cross-sect controversies, understand how fundamentalism plays a vital role in the maintenance and evolution of a particular Tradition. This can help the anthropologist understand why such controversies emerge and predict how a specific denomination, sect or faction may change or remain static within the Tradition or influence other sects and denominations. For example, an analysis of the Mucker controversy showed that Traditional A.A. and the Muckers were in agreement on Theological-Supernaturalist values, i.e. "a spiritual program of action", but demonstrated fundamental differences on Organization-Ritual and Socio-Cultural boundary values. The Muckers Big Book Fundamentalism resisted wider Organizational-Ritual boundaries, such as, A.A.'s tolerance of "meeting making" as a viable recovery approach. Yet, Traditional A.A. exhibited tolerance for the Mucker groups regardless of their fundamental views on recovery methodology, because they met A.A.'s membership criteria. However, when specific Socio-Cultural boundary values were crossed, such as the influx of "hard-drinkers", the Muckers demonstrated a high degree of vocal intolerance to their inclusion in the fellowship, whereas Traditional A.A. challenged the membership status of Mucker Groups when their tactics for working with any and all addictions threatened the primary purpose and identity of A.A. With respect to the "Beyond Belief" and "We Agnostic" Groups, fundamental differences occurred on Theological-Surpernaturalist boundary values, with the agnostic groups demanding wider borders to include secular recovery perspectives. But, A.A. defended its "theological" borders and ousted the agnostic influence for crossing non-negotiable Organizational-Ritual boundaries. By using Parsons' anthropology of Fundamentalism, we find that Fundamentalism is a complex and multi-faceted dynamic that cannot be simplified into a catchall pejorative label of factional intolerance and backwardness within a Tradition. We find instead, that there are varieties of Fundamentalisms within a specific Tradition and by applying a better anthropology of fundamentalism, anthropologists could eliminate ambiguous assumptions and discover important social and attitudinal characteristics that determine the course and evolution of a Tradition.

Notes

1. Alcoholics Anonymous. 59-60
2. Working in dyads, Muckers have the newcomer read aloud from the first 103 pages of the Big Book. As the newcomer reads, the Mucker will tell the newcomer to circle and/or highlight specific words or phrases. Also, in a kind of textual exegesis, the Mucker will interpret passages and instruct the newcomer to make specific notes directly into their Big Book margins, hence the term, "mucking the Big Book". The "mucking process" takes approximately 30 to 40 hours by which the newcomer will experience a spiritual awakening powerful enough to eliminate the newcomer's desire to drink alcohol and thus, recover from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. The newcomer then, to maintain their newfound ability to resist the urge to drink alcohol, must instruct other newcomers in the "mucker" methodology.
3. Ethridge and Feagin, “Varieties of ‘Fundamentalism’: A Conceptual and Empirical Analysis of Two Protestant Denominations.” 42
4. Ibid. 39
5. Ibid. 47
6. Alcoholics Anonymous. xiii
7. Ibid. xviii
8. Ibid. xi
9. Ibid. xx
10. Ibid. xix
11. D'Arcy. Macleans Magazine. http://silkworth.net/magazine_newspaper/macleans_oct_21_1996.html
12. Alcoholics Anonymous. 44
13. Ibid. 25
14. Ibid. 562-566
15. Henderson, Floyd. Beware: Hard Drinkers & Fakers Inside! http://www.ppgaadallas.org/aa_articles.htm
16. Andrew Delbanco and Thomas Delbanco, Annals of Addiction, "A.A. AT THE CROSSROADS," The New Yorker, March 20, 1995, p. 50
17. O’Brien, “Evidence-Based Treatments of Addiction.” 3277
18. Nagata, “Beyond Theology: Toward an Anthropology of ‘Fundamentalism’.” 483
19. Alcoholics Anonymous. 562-566
20. Leslie Scrivener. Does religion belong at AA? Fight over 'God' splits Toronto AA groups. Friday, June 3, 2011. thestar.com. http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1002750--fight-over-god-splits-toronto-aa-groups?bn=1
21. Alcoholics Anonymous. xx
22. Ibid. 93
23. Ibid. 568
24. Leslie Scrivener. Does religion belong at AA? Fight over 'God' splits Toronto AA groups. Friday, June 3, 2011. thestar.com. http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1002750--fight-over-god-splits-toronto-aa-groups?bn=1
25. Alcoholics Anonymous. 59-60
26. AA Toronto Agnostics: Secular 12 Steps. aatorontoagnostics.org
http://aatorontoagnostics.org/the-12-steps-secular-version/
27. Alcoholics Anonymous. 562-566
28. AA Toronto Agnostics: Secular 12 Steps. aatorontoagnostics.org
http://aatorontoagnostics.org/the-12-steps-secular-version/
29. Greater Toronto Intergroup General Meeting Agenda. Tuesday, March 27, 2012.
30. Kinnvall, “Globalization and Religious Nationalism: Self, Identity, and the Search for Ontological Security.”
31. Holland, Dorothy C. 1998. Identity and agency in cultural worlds. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. 66
32. Alcoholics Anonymous. 58
33. Holland, Dorothy C. 1998. Identity and agency in cultural worlds. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. 66

Bibliography

AA Toronto Agnostics. http://aatorontoagnostics.org

Alcoholics Anonymous: the Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism. New York City: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, 2001.

Andrew Delbanco and Thomas Delbanco, Annals of Addiction, "A.A. AT THE CROSSROADS," The New Yorker, March 20, 1995, p. 50

D'Arcy, Jenish. BACK TO BASICS FOR ADDICTS: The Muckers say A.A. has lost its course. Macleans Magazine. October 21, 1996. Volume 109, Issue 43. p. 63 http://silkworth.net/magazine_newspaper/macleans_oct_21_1996.html

Ethridge, F. Maurice, and Joe R. Feagin. “Varieties of ‘Fundamentalism’: A Conceptual and Empirical Analysis of Two Protestant Denominations.” The Sociological Quarterly 20, no. 1 (January 1, 1979): 37–48.

Henderson, Floyd. Beware: Hard Drinkers & Fakers Inside! 1997 http://www.ppgaadallas.org/aa_articles.htm

Holland, Dorothy C. Identity and Agency in Cultural Worlds. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2001.

Kinnvall, Catarina. “Globalization and Religious Nationalism: Self, Identity, and the Search for Ontological Security.” Political Psychology 25, no. 5 (October 1, 2004): 741–767.

Nagata, Judith. “Beyond Theology: Toward an Anthropology of ‘Fundamentalism’.” American Anthropologist 103, no. 2. New Series (June 1, 2001): 481–498.

O’Brien, Charles P. “Evidence-Based Treatments of Addiction.” Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences 363, no. 1507 (October 12, 2008): 3277–3286.

Scrivener, Leslie. Does religion belong at AA? Fight over 'God' splits Toronto AA groups. Friday, June 3, 2011. thestar.com. http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1002750--fight-over-god-splits-toronto-aa-groups?bn=1

Cameron Freeman, Student of Social-Cultural Anthropology and Religions

Cameron is currently enrolled at the University of Toronto where he studies Social-Cultural Anthropology and Religions.

According to the Muckers, many A.A. groups pay lip service to the sanctity of the Big Book but no longer insist that a recovering alcoholic must use it.

2012-07-17T20:20:00.001+01:00

According to a 52 year old recovered alcoholic named Jim who helped start the Toronto-based group in early 1995, the Muckers rely on intense study of the 57-year -old book Alcoholics Anonymous, known to A.A. adherents as the Big Book, and the Twelve Step approach outlined in the first 103 pages. Nevertheless, the group has become embroiled in a dispute with A.A. and several other self-help groups that resembles a battle between fundamentalists and mainstream Christians. Among other things, those groups say that the Muckers, so named because they frequently muck up the Big Book by underlining key passages and phrases, have a zealous approach to recovery from addiction that excludes anything but the twelve step method. "There's a huge backlash from the established groups," says James.

Last fall, A.A. representatives in Toronto removed the Muckers from their list of approved groups after discovering that their meetings covered various kinds of addictions, rather than just alcoholism. In May, A.A. ousted two members from elected positions as co-ordinators of treatment center meetings because they had been espousing the Muckers' philosophy. Representatives of A.A. are reluctant to comment on the Muckers or to discuss the relative merits of their approaches. "The Big Book hasn't changed," said Ron, a high-ranking official for eastern and central Ontario. "Its worked for almost sixty years."

Some treatment centers have also rejected the Muckers. Alpha House Inc., a rehabilitation facility treating various addictions, has instructed staff and residents to avoid the Muckers. "The bottom line is that Muckers seem to be obsessed with their way being the only way," stated a memo to employees. On the other hand, the Donwood Institute, a well established, Toronto recovery facility, has allowed the Muckers to hold weekly meetings, which Donwood clients can attend. "Some of them found it quite helpful," says Dennis James, vice-president of the Donwood health recovery program.

The Muckers contend that they are maintaining the original traditions of A.A. They charge that A.A. has drifted away from the Big Book and the 12-step approach that its founders, Bill Wilson, a New York City stockbroker, and Bob Smith, a physician from Ohio, developed in the mid-1930s to cope with their own alcoholism. According to the Muckers, many A.A. groups pay lip service to the sanctity of the Big Book but no longer insist that a recovering alcoholic must use it. "A.A.'s message has become broader and diluted," says John, a 35-year- old alcoholic, drug addict and staunch Mucker. "We stick to the original text."

The cornerstone of the Mucker approach is called "booking," in which a member of the group works one-on-one with a recovering alcoholic or addict. They spend up to three hours a day, usually over a two-to-three-week period, studying the Big Book, line by line and phrase by phrase. Among other things, the recovering addict must admit personal failings and weaknesses and make amends to people he has harmed through his addiction. Some Muckers who belonged to A.A. say they became disenchanted by that organization's move away from its original policy of one-on-one therapy in favour of personal or group study. And some longtime A.A. members confirm the trend. "You just don't see a lot of people going through the book one-on-one anymore," said Gord, who has belonged to A.A. for 35 years.

The Muckers have been booking about 100 people a month, according to Jim, and the fellowship now has about 2,000 members, almost all in the Toronto area. Some recently recovered addicts say they have experienced moments of profound spiritual contentment while being booked. "I had this sense of absolute peace," recalls Tory, a film-maker in his mid-30s who was battling alcoholism and heroin addiction. "I couldn't see anything or hear anything. It was almost like the first few seconds of a drug overdose." Since then, Tory says, he has not been tormented by his old cravings. And for that, he is both relieved and grateful.

Getting the Most from Alcoholics Anonymous

2012-07-17T20:02:00.001+01:00

In order to get the most from Alcoholics Anonymous it is suggested that people:

Become involved in service. Helping other people can benefit the individual even more than the recipient because it strengthens their recovery.
Collect the phone numbers of other members. These can be life saving if the individual feels vulnerable and needs to talk to somebody who understands.
Speak at meetings. In order to get the most from these gathering the individual needs to become involved.
Read the Big Book. This is the guiding text for the program and contains a great deal of wisdom.
Stick with the winners. There can be a wide variety of people who attend these meetings and not all of them will be getting better.
It is important to keep an open mind. Alcoholics Anonymous is probably not going to work for everyone, but it makes sense to give it a fair try.

Scientists have been unable to find an exact cause of ADHD. It is thought to be due to a several different causes.

2012-07-17T19:52:00.001+01:00

Scientists have been unable to find an exact cause of ADHD. It is thought to be due to a several different causes. Some of these are listed below:

It has been found that those with ADHD can have abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex and other parts of the brain. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for many executive functions involving behavior.
People with the condition can have abnormalities in the levels of certain neurotransmitters such as noradrenalin and dopamine. These chemicals in the brain can have an influence on behavior.
There appears to be a strong genetic component to ADHD. Twin studies have provided good evidence that the condition does tend to run in families. If a child has a close relative who suffers from ADHD then they are five times more likely to also have this condition.
It is not believed that the home environment causes attention deficit disorder, but it is likely to influence the severity of the symptoms.
If a baby’s brain is damaged during pregnancy this is likely to increase the risk of that baby growing up to develop ADHD.

In the past there has been the suggestion that attention deficit disorder is caused by bad parenting. This theory is not supported by much evidence. The parents of children with the disorder can sometimes exhibit traits that might be considered bad parenting (e.g. they are short tempered and highly stressed), but this is most often due to dealing with their child’s behavior. There also seems to be little evidence to suggest that the condition is caused by diet. Sugar is not believed to be a cause of ADHD, but it may be true that some food additives increase hyperactivity.

Boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with attention deficit disorder than girls.

2012-07-17T19:51:00.001+01:00

Attention Deficit Disorder Explained

Attention deficit disorder is a condition that is usually diagnosed in childhood. It involves problems with inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The child can have one or all of these symptoms. It is classified as a developmental disorder because it can retard the normal development of children. Symptoms will usually become noticeable at around age seven. Boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with attention deficit disorder than girls.

The terms attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are used to describe the same condition. Strictly speaking ADD refers to a version of the disorder where the impulsivity and hyperactive behaviors are not present. It has become so common to use ADD to describe all types of the disorder that this distinction is usually ignored by most people. In this article ADD and ADHD are used interchangeably.

Attention Deficit Disorder and Addiction

2012-07-17T19:49:00.001+01:00

Attention Deficit Disorder Can Lead to Addiction There are many reasons why people might fall into addiction. They may be using alcohol or drugs as a means to escape difficulties in their life or as a means to self-medicate a mental or physical health condition. Those who have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder as a child have a tendency to develop an addiction problem as they get older. They may initially find substance abuse to be a rewarding activity, but it will eventually lead them to despair and loss. It is necessary for such people seeking help for their addiction to also receive treatment for their attention deficit disorder. Otherwise, they will struggle to find happiness in recovery.

Belonging to a fellowship in recovery can bring a number of benefits including:

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Those people who are new to recovery often battle with loneliness. They know that it is unwise to have further contact with their drinking or drugging friends so this can devastate their social network. By joining a fellowship it allows the individual to build a new network of friends who share similar goals and aspirations. Belonging to a fellowship where the focus is on addiction recovery keeps the individual motivated to remain sober. Once an individual has been sober for a few months they can forget how bad things were. They become complacent and this is highly dangerous because it could lead to relapse. Regularly hearing about the suffering of addiction can help to keep people on the right path. There can be many challenges in early recovery that are difficult to face alone. A fellowship will not only be able to offer support, but also practical advice. Those how have been in recovery longer will have more experience, and will usually have faced similar problems. The urge to relapse can occur at any time during early recovery. It can overwhelm the individual if they are not prepared for it. If they belong to a fellowship they will be able to turn to this group of people for support. Sometimes just talking to somebody who understands can be enough to prevent a relapse. Now that the individual is free of their addiction they will have a lot of free time on their hands. Boredom can be dangerous for people in recovery because they can start missing the excitement of addiction. Regular fellowship meetings are a good way to spend time. Belonging to a fellowship usually means the opportunity to help other people. Getting involved in service in recovery has been shown to strengthen sobriety.

Social Support Humans rely on social support in order to deal with all the trials and tribulations of life.

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This type of support comes from family, friends, work colleagues, or peers. This network of people provides important functions such as: A resource for advice and information. If people had to figure everything out for themselves it would make life almost impossible. Instead they rely on other people for information and this will often come from their social support group. Emotional support is important because it helps the individual feel stronger so that they can tackle difficult problems in life. Even if members of the social support network can’t help directly, they can still benefit others by just listening. Social support often involves physical assistance. This could involve anything from lending money to helping to complete a project. Feedback and appraisal allows people to effectively monitor their own behavior with the help of their social network. For example, if the individual makes unwise decisions this might be mentioned by friends and family. Addicts will usually get their social support from other substance abusers. This means that when they get sober they will lose this network of friends. This happens at a time when the individual may need a lot of support because of the challenges of early sobriety. It is therefore advisable that they build a new social support network of people who share similar goals. If they were to continue with their old friends it could easily lead them back to addiction. A fellowship will provide all the same social support functions that were once provided by other addicts.

People vary in the amount of social support they need in recovery.

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Those who belong to a fellowship like AA can benefit from a lot of support. Some of these individuals will go to meetings most days and have contact with members outside of the group. There are also those who have hardly any contact with others in recovery, yet still manage to build a successful life away from addiction. While it does seem possible to survive without it, such support it can be highly beneficial. This is particularly true in the early weeks and months of addiction recovery.

Learn to Recognize Emotions

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Learning to recognize emotions is another skill that many people struggle with. This is a common reason for why people will comfort eat – they mistake feelings of tiredness or boredom with hunger. The individual learns to recognize their emotions by closely examining how they are feeling. There are usually physical sensations in the body that can help people identify the emotion they are currently feeling. For example, when the individual is angry they may feel tension in their abdominal area.

Learn to Listen

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Learning to listen is another important skill for anyone who wants to develop emotional intelligence. Those who are a bit self obsessed will only pretend to be listening to the other person – in reality when they are not talking they may be planning what they will say next. Listening involves being fully focused on the other person’s words. It also means giving this other person the space to say what they want to say. Those individuals who have a tendency to always interrupt the other person should make a commitment to count to 5 after the other person has stopped talking before saying anything at all. This will help to ensure that the other person has sufficient time to say what they want to say.

Becomes Skilled at Conflict Resolution

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The ability to deal with conflict is a vital life skill. The fact that humans have competing needs and desires means that at least some conflict is unavoidable. If the individual is unskilled with dealing with such challenges they may find that life is full of arguments and bad feelings. By learning to effectively and confidently deal with conflict the individual ensures a far smoother time in recovery.

Understand Non Verbal Communication

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There is more to communication than words. It is possible to learn a great deal about other people by their body language – otherwise known as non verbal communication. A failure to understand body language may mean that the individual is missing out on vital information in their communications. It might also mean that they are sending out the wrong signal through their own body language.

Develop Effective Techniques for Dealing with Stress

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Once the individual recognizes that they are suffering from stress they need to deal with this. There are many options for how they can do this. Some people find that relaxation techniques are useful, but talking to other people, exercising, and spending time in nature can also be a great help.

Learn to Recognize Stress

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Some people experience stress so frequently that they are unable to even recognize it. This is worrying because it means that the individual could be suffering the consequences of chronic stress without them realizing it. The symptoms of stress can include:

The individual is unable to think clearly – they can describe this as having a fuzzy brain.
Frequent episodes of upset stomach.
Frequent headaches.
Physical symptoms where there does not appear to be an obvious medical cause.
Tension in the body.
Inability to sleep at night.
Butterflies in the stomach.
Evidence of an ineffective immune system – for example, the individual always seems to be picking up colds and other infections.
Loss of appetite or comfort eating
The individual easily becomes irritable or upset.
Feelings of anxiety.
Lack of energy to do things.
Symptoms of depression.
Excessive negative thinking.
Loss of interest in sex.
The individual feels frustrated.
They describe feeling antsy much of the time.

Learn to Empathize with Other People

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Empathy can be defined as the ability to identify and understand another person’s situation. It differs from sympathy in that it involves tying to understand things from the other person’s perspective. Sympathy is more about feeling sorry for the other person, and this can involve little understanding of what this other person is going through. Learning to be more empathetic is a skill. It means that the individual is able to use their imagination so as to understand what it might be like for the other person. In order to be empathetic is vital to not jump to judgments. Even if the behavior of the other person is wrong they may have good justification for their actions. Empathy is a key to good communication because it leads to greater understanding, and the other person really feels that they are being listened to.