Seven Weeks to Sobriety: The Proven Program to Fight Alcoholism through Nutrition

340 Pages·2011·39.88 MB·English

by  Joan Mathews Larson

The
revolutionary self-treatment
program with a 75°/o success rate-
three times higher than
traditional treatment programs!
WEEKS TO
SOBRIETY
THE PROVEN
PROGRAM TO FIGHT
ALCOHOLISM
THROUGH
NUTRITION
AC
haze library and
INFO#VlON RESOURCES
Mathews
Joan Larson,
ph.d.
Director ofHealth Recovery Center, in consultation with
Keith W. Sehnert, M.D.
(Formerlytitled: Alcoholism-TheBiochemicalConnection)
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Seven Weeks
to Sobriety
The Proven Program
to Fight Alcoholism
through Nutrition
—
(Formerlytitled:Alcoholism TheBiochemicalConnection:
ABreakthroughSeven-WeekSelf-TreatmentProgram)
Joan Mathews Larson, Ph.D.
Fawcett Columbine
New York
Sale ofthis book without a front cover may be unautho-
rized. Ifthis bookis coverless, itmayhavebeen reported
tothepublisheras "unsoldordestroyed" andneitherthe
authornorthepublishermayhavereceivedpaymentforit.
A FawcettColumbineBook
Published byBallantine Books
Copyright © 1992 byJoan Mathews Larson, Ph.D
Foreword copyright © 1992 byKeith W. Sehnert, M.D.
Allrightsreserved underInternationaland Pan-American
CopyrightConventions. Publishedinthe UnitedStatesby
Ballantine Books, a division ofRandom House, Inc., New
York, and simultaneouslyinCanadabyRandom Houseof
Canada Limited, Toronto. Originally p—ublished by Villard
Books in hardcover as Alcoholism The Biochemical
Connection in 1992.
ThiseditionpublishedbyarrangementwithVillardBooks,
adivision ofRandom House, Inc.
Villard Books is aregistered trademarkof
Random House, Inc.
TheTwelveSteps arereprintedand adaptedwithpermis-
sionofAlcoholicsAnonymousWorldServices,Inc.Permis-
siontoreprintandadapttheTwelveStepsdoesnotmean
thatAAhasreviewedorapprovedthecontentofthispubli-
cation,northatAAagreeswiththeviewsexpre—ssedherein.
AA is aprogram ofrecoveryfromalcoholism use ofthe
Twelve Steps in connection with programs and activities
which are patterned after AA, but which address other
problems, does notimply otherwise.
LibraryofCongress CatalogCard Number: 93-72173
ISBN: 0-449-90896-8
Coverdesign byJudyHerbstman
Manufactured in the UnitedStates ofAmerica
FirstBallantine Books Edition: January 1994
20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11
To my husband, Ralph,
who empowered my work with
his love andfinancial support.

Foreword
The basic assumptions of most of the people who treat alcoholism
have changed relatively little in the nearly 40 years I have practiced
medicine. The assumption then, as now, is that if alcoholics would
only get their act together, they would recover from their affliction.
Now, I don'twantto soundlikeacompletepessimist, fortherehave
beenmany significantmedicaladvances. Inmyhome state, where the
Minnesota Model of alcoholism care was developed and fostered, the
professionals at the Johnson Institute, Hazelden Foundation, St.
Mary's Hospital, and other facilities have taken important steps.
Theseefforts toimprove careofthisdiseasehavemadepeoplemore
understanding about the plight of alcoholics. Employers' attitudes
have changed, and insurance now often covers the treatment ofalco-
holism. Churches and faith communities now open their doors for
meetings of support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous or other
viii Foreword
twelve-step programs, such as those begun by Dr. Vern Bittner ofthe
Institute for Christian Living in Minneapolis, a program based on the
AA model of reflection and understanding.
Colleges and universities offer classes and courses concerning sub-
stanceabuseand addiction. Andfamiliesandindividuals cannowtalk
more openly about alcoholism and can rely on community resources
that provide services all the way from Al-Anon to detox units.
The federal government now funds basic research at the National
Institute onAlcoholAbuse and Alcoholism. Privategroups have come
together to form the National Council on Alcoholism.
The medical community now recognizes the need for specialists in
this area. They have formed the American Society ofAddiction Medi-
cine (ASAM), which is based in Washington, D.C. ASAM conducts
national conferences and workshops, publishes newsletters, educa-
tional material, and theJournal ofAddictiveDiseases, and sponsors
a wide range of other activities.
Despite all these developments, success in curing alcoholism re-
mains elusive. Nearly 80 percent of alcoholics receiving treatment
relapse within one or two years. Didn't these people tryhard enough?
Didn't their spouses or families do the right things? Did their bosses
expect too much and push them too hard?
Such questions always aroused my curiosity. Perhaps this is what
made me say yes when Joan Mathews Larson, Ph.D., the founder of
Health Recovery Center (HRC) in Minneapolis and author of this
book, called me in 1985 and asked me to be medical consultant for
HRC. I served in this capacity for over six years.
When I accepted the position, I was a typically uninformed physi-
cian. I had learned theusualinformationgivento usinmedical school
and printed in our scientificjour—nals. I accepted the—standard doctrine
that alcoholism was primarily if not exclusively a psychological
dysfunction.
I had visited alcoholism treatment centers and alcoholism wards at
the local and state hospitals. I knew that the primary treatment con-
sisted of having the patient abstain from alcohol and participate in
group and one-on-one counseling. The insiders, both patients and
professionals, accepted this head talk as usual and customary fare.
The methods and degree ofconfrontation used varied fromplace to