Expert: Beverley Glazer - 4/12/2010

Question
I am a medical Doctor and knew my "medical" diagnosis of alcoholism as long ago as 1997. However it has only been since joing AA in Oxford UK that I have fully accepted my diagnosis and have begun to achieve sobriety rather than dryness. Most of the past 12-13 years has been spent dry but I could not maintain it all by my own efforts even with pressure from my professional body and drink drive incidents. I was able to still feel I might have another drink. Since starting AA this feeling has gone but it has taken me nearly a year to feel that I am unlikely to make the choices I have made without proper thought to the consequences. The early stages of AA were fantastic but I still managed to write myself a prescription for an antidepressant (since prescribed by my GP and treating Psychiatrist) and end up with a charge of misconduct for fraud. I wonder how often you hear this story of the early journey into true sobriety from dryness and if there is any furher research that I can look into. I feel that the professional bodies here in the UK do not fully understand the illness of alcoholism and set conditions for you to adhere to that until you have found sobriety merely set you up to fail and run the risk of being struck off simply for being ill. I look forward to your thoughts.

Answer
Hi Bob,

As a cognitive behavioral therapist in private practice, I've heard this problem many times.

I agree, most physicians really don't understand that giving anti-depressents to an alcoholic/addict will not 'cure' addiction. Addiction also has an emotional component which also has to be addressed.

As you know from  AA, there's a difference between being 'dry' and being 'sober'. In the AA model, being sober involves working the 12-Steps. This works for some but there may be more that has to be addressed.

When you feel the need for antidepressants you are obviously under stress, however,  medication is usually abused by alcoholics and there's also a danger of cross-addiction.

In cognitive therapy, you learn techniques to balance your life and change your thinking. This relieves the anxiety and the need for antidepressants. It's not my intention to be 'selling' cognitive therapy. What I'm suggesting is that there are other models of addiction, and you might be interested in looking into them.

Albert Ellis who developed Rational Emotional Therapy has a different slant on addiction. There are also Smart Recovery groups based on his method, and cognitive behavioral therapy is best explained by Aaron T Beck.

Also, I notice that you sent this question awhile ago and it wasn't picked up in the general question pool. If you'd like a quicker response, feel free to contact me directly.

I hope this information is helpful,
Thank you for asking AllExperts,

Regards,

Bev
http://www.untwist-your-thinking.com