Expert: Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist - 2/13/2008

Question
I am a 55 year old female.   First time i went to an aa meeting i was around 20 yrs old.   did not stay long  not ready.  i could agree i had a problem it was obvious.
2 treatment centers then and after that.  Finally i fell into aa in 2005 took to it like a duck to water.  Was very active  working steps  involved in home group.  we live in a city in northern ontario, so there are few women here.  
2 and half years later i found myself depressed and bored.  
At an aa meeting in our town  it is made quite clear no pills  no marijauna  even dr prescribed drugs are boo hooed.  As i look back maybe i should have spoke to my doctor about the depression.  Regardless of what others said.  You know it is pretty clear in the big book that aa has one primary purpose.  That dosent seem to be the case here in orillia.  AA is wonderful  but maybe not for everyone.  Sober again after 6 months  been to 2 meetings.  Felt worse when i left.  No excuses for drinking though as i am an alcoholic  (that blank spot) insanity.
My question is do i have to do face to face meetings in order to stay sober.

Answer
Hi dorothy,

I can understand what you went through. The forerunner of any addiction is usually depression, that remains untreated when we recover from addiction. The reason is that depression is primarily a physiological illness, that cannot be treated by talk therapy or the best of intentions.

To explain please read:

Depression is a Nutritional Disorder at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/depression_disorder.html

Depression: a Disease of Energy Production at:
http://curezone.com/upload/PDF/Articles/jurplesman/depression_energy3.pdf

Drug Addiction is a Nutritional Disorder at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/drug_addictions_nutritional_disorder.htm...

Alcoholism (Addiction) is a Treatable Disease at:
http://curezone.com/upload/PDF/Articles/jurplesman/alcoholism_treatable.pdf

Please discuss with a Nutritional Doctor or a Clinical Nutritionist.

_______________________________________________
Jurriaan Plesman BA (Psych) Post Grad Dip Clin Nutr
Editor of
The Hypoglycemic Health Association of Australia.
www.hypoglycemia.asn.au
Author of "Getting off the Hook"
Freely available at Google Book Search