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Friends, I forwarded one of the e-mails (Chuck's) about CD to a close friend because of a discussion we had the other day. He is a recovered (in my opinion not a recovering) alcoholic (for 17 years now). What prompted the conversation was at his daughter's wedding two weeks ago, he had to propose a toast using a glass of Champaign at the wedding cake table. He did well. I noticed and commented later that he only pretended to take a sip from the glass. I told him I admired his commitment to never again take a drink. We got to discussing how he overcome the addiction. He said his wife still to this day is in denial that he either was never an alcoholic or he has not completed the recovery because he did not go through the 12 step program. Wine, beer, and spirits are still kept and served on occasion in their home. His response to the e-mail follows. I thought it appropriate to share with all of you. BTW, he is the editor of one of my flying club's newsletter and is also writing a Steven King type horror novel. Very articulate gentleman and I am happy to count him as one of my very close friends. Darwin - - - - - - - - - - - > This is an interesting piece. Here is my take on the 12 Step idea that > some > people have. I believe that they reject the idea of anyone handling their > problems in a different manners than they did because it makes them feel > inferior. If they acknowledge that other people can achieve what they did > without meetings, programs and support groups they view the other person > as > more capable and themselves less capable. Thus they take the position > that > the other person didn't really have a problem because "there is no other > way > to fix this problem other than the one I used." > > Its sad that these people don't realize that it is always the individual > who > fixes their own problem. Turning problems over to God is a way to allow > themselves a little breathing room. By telling themselves that they no > longer have to worry about a problem it allows them to step back and get > some perspective on it. Most of our problems are not as bad as they seem > to > the individual. By mentally dumping the worry, which debilitates the > person, they can then take steps to fix the problem because they don't > have > to worry about failing. > > I have always thought that depression was brought on by peoples' negative > thinking and self absorption. There seems to always be a cause that > triggers this in the person. Perhaps there are some people who simply get > depressed for no reason but I think the majority of people do this based > upon a loss in their life. A loss of a loved one, loss of a job, natural > disaster that destroys a home, etc. They spend too much time dwelling on > what they no longer have instead of being grateful for what they did have > for so long. This limits the person's ability to see other > possibilities...which makes them dwell on their loss....which limits their > ability to see....until they spiral down to a position of total > hopelessness. Its true that brain chemistry affects our emotions and > ability to handle problems. Some of the anti-depressant drugs allow > people > to jump ahead by bringing their brain chemistry back close to normal. > However, if they don't learn to be positive and handle life's problems > without giving up they are just setting themselves up for another > depressive > state. Too many people think the answer is just more pharmaceuticals. > Like > the 12 step people, they get the notion that it is not possible to fix a > problem any other way. If a person can do it they are viewed as not > really > having a problem. Pretty sad. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Hawkins, Darwin > To: XXXXXXXXXX > Sent: 5/11/00 9:16 AM > Subject: FW: depression > > I'm sending this to you (came in on my Parkinson's Information Exchange > Network e-mail) in light of what we were discussing the other day about > the > 12 step program. Maybe we do have the capability of mind over matter! > > > ---------- > > From: Charles E Murray[SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > > Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2000 4:30 PM > > Subject: Re: depression > > > > I have watched a blister grow on the skin of a hypnotized subject > touched > > by a finger tip, but told it was a lighted cigarette. > > > > I have watched a brother with terminal liver and colon cancer, given > a > > two month prognosis by oncologists at the U of A (after surgery and > > other medical efforts for two years failed to halt the spread), > decline > > chemo, adopt a macrobiotic food diet and the practice of meditation, > then > > be pronounced cancer free 13 months later. > > > > Twenty years ago medical science denied any connection between diet > and > > cancer. Today this has changed, but scientists still resist the > > possibility that diet can be curative. Few physicians would deny > that, > > at times, medical science finds itself playing "catch up," with > > disciplines not restricted by the "scientific method" of research. > > Witness the slow acknowledgment of the efficacy of acupuncture as > one > > example. > > > > Studies have demonstrated that certain attitudes correlate with good > and > > bad prognoses in many illnesses. > > > > My dad, troubled most of his life by migraines, learned biofeedback and > > today has absolute control of migraine cycles, stopping them at the > outset > > with mental imagery. > > > > Is it possible that, given the incredible power of our mind, we can > > affect the physiology of our bodies, including the brain's chemical > > balance, by the patterns of our thinking? > > > > Sinead and I believe diet and "positive" thinking patterns can be > > therapeutic because that has been our experience. > > > > Some folks in 12 Step programs apply the rationale that if someone > quit > > drinking (using, etc.) without a 12 step program they must not have > been > > a real alcoholic (addict, etc.) in the first place. With this simple > > logic they dismiss all input and declare irrelevant all experience > from > > such people under the conclusion that such folks are "not one of us.": > > > > Are some of us using this same kind of logic to dismiss the experience > of > > those who say diet and positive thinking were effective in their > > depression, i.e, "They were not suffering from true CD." > > > > Wouldn't it be interesting if someday we determine that negative > thinking > > patterns change brain chemistry, and that, with rescue and > transitional > > help from anti depressant meds, diligent training in positive thought > > patterns proves to be the best method of keeping brain chemistry > healthy? > > > > > > In the meantime, I'll keep taking my St. John's Wort and Requip for > > whatever they have contributed to my coming "out of the darkness and > into > > the light." (Title of the book- written by a psychiatrist - that > > boosted me down the path to peace of mind). And if I go back to a > darker > > place I will use all the resources I can find, medical and spiritual, > to > > come back out again. > > > > Chuck > > >