From: lon@edsi.plexus.COM (Lon Ponschock)
Newsgroups: news.groups
Subject: Re: 2nd RFD:misc.support.stop-smoking Follow-up (LONG)
Keywords: RFD,misc.support.stop-smoking
Date: 23 Jul 92 18:29:04 GMT
Organization: Enterprise Data Systems Incorporated, Appleton WI


     I saw myself today and I can prove it.

     There is a recent article in my local paper by
Maija Penikis describing the work of a clinician named
Paula Depner.

     Since we are going to be talking about addiction at
misc.support.stop-smoking (the Net Gods have spoken on
their agreement regarding the name,) I thought that this
article on a different addiction would be relevant to
this discussion.  It may also open the way for others
who have interest in this topic who are not clinicians
but merely participants.

     What follows is a general principle, for lack of
something better to call it, concerning one of the
stages of the addictive condition.  I am fully aware
that what follows is in layman's terms and that the
general principle mentioned will be offensive to some
so be advised that there are no spoilers warnings here
and there won't be any either.:-)

     Paula Depner describes one of the phases of her
addiction as the Dry Drunk. She is a recovering
alcoholic and clinician at Bellin Psychiatric Center.

     The Dry Drunk is someone who no longer drinks.
More appropriately, it is someone who is not drinking
'right now.'  This period normally occurs after an
initial detoxification period which is to say what is
considered the physical addiction period.  This is the
condition which is not going to be solved in a few
months.

     There is a section in the article of a patient
whose 'whole life revolved around the bottle.'  This has
to be an appropriate phrase for anyone who has smoked
from morning 'til night as well, no?   So let's
continue.

     Some symptoms described are the following:

     o   The clients bring their bags of garbage to
         treatment.  When they walk out of here (Bellin
         Clinic) they start filling them up again
         because nothing has changed out there.

     o   Another example speaks of drinking  a Coke
         instead of an alcoholic drink, but going to the
         same places to do it.

     [Before I quit, I was using those low cal
     cigarettes, but would take any kind in a pinch.]

     o   Most significant is the following:

         (The Dry Drunk period is) " when they can't
         cope with the anger or any kind of daily
         problems, when they can't make decisions.

     o   Other symptoms include Grandiosity,
         Indecision... getting stuck in every situation,
         and Intolerance about any little thing.

     The article concludes by saying that 'will power
alone will not cure.  And it's not just a character
flaw.  People don't throw their lives away over a flaw.'

=======================================================

     I mentioned at the top that I saw myself today and
now you can too.

     What follows, for those who hadn't read it, is my
original RFD for misc.support.stop-smoking:
======================================================
RFD: talk.smoking.not!

     After reading various texts on the subject of
quitting smoking and its long term after-effects, I
still have many unresolved questions.  These questions,
I believe, are being asked on a daily basis by many
individuals.

     Why a Usenet forum?  Why not talk to your friends
     about this instead of wasting our time and
     bandwidth?

     Here are the kind of people which will do you no
     good in your effort to quit smoking:

o    Non-smokers.  They don't know what your problem is
     because they have never had it and are getting on
     with their own lives, thank you.

o    Smokers who are currently engaged in the habit.
     Whether they be relatives, associates at work or
     the gang down at the tavern. They are under a lot
     of pressure these days to change their ways but
     they prefer NOT to do it, thank you.

o    Smokers who have quite many years ago... let's say
     10 years.  Whatever it is they went through, they
     have forgotten it and don't want to bring it up
     again, thank you.

Why not an alt.* group?

o    Well, I don't get alt.* groups so talk.* seems a
     logical alternative.

     Talk.smoking.not!  (other names welcome, but not
too many, thank you :-) would be a forum to ask
questions regarding the long term effects of quitting.
And you thought that there were only long term effects
of maintaining the habit! These questions regard
physical changes such as weight gain.  Recent studies
have shown that weight of the person who quits smoking
normalizes after 6 (SIX) years; also that a weight gain
of 10 percent of total body weight is acceptable.
Another question is: How can life crises start up the
smoking addiction after a period of calm and abstinence?

     I spoke to a young man recently whose parents had
recently divorced.  After 2 years of not smoking
together, they both began again after separation.

     The purpose of this forum is to show that smoking
is a true addiction and requires long term - -  no VERY
long term support.  This support can only be found
through contacts with those who are on a similar
timeline to the individual reading the forum:  A Smokers
Anonymous which would not be essentially different from
any other forum on this network: many questions on
hardware, modems and communication are often duplicated
within days of each other.

     So, talk.smoking.not! would be available on an as
needed basis for any and all questions regarding
techniques for quitting, family problems which arise
from a change in behavior and most of all, that period
when you think that you are "out of the woods" but
discover that nothing could be further from the truth.

     I would also like to note at this the time the kind
of correspondents which are NOT needed as a part of this
forum or discussion:

o    "I'm Ok, You're OK" therapists who give advice on
     'Life' in general.

o    Anyone who thinks it is a good idea to tell you to
     'buck up and be a man about it.'

o    Advice-givers who will council that the shortest
     route to becoming a better person is to go out and
     BE a better person. YOU can stop reading this now.

o    The self-satisfied dickweeds who quit smoking many
     years ago and who were probably not addicted _then_
     but rather habituated to cigarettes as a lifestyle
     who want to brag about the day month and year which
     they dropped the habit.

     I have engaged in many fine discussions on Usenet
in the past.  I propose this newsgroup as an ongoing
forum to assist those such as myself who use online
contact as a means of self expression to open a dialog
on the subject.

     Take it away, Net Gods, Parliamentarians and those
who may actually be interested in the subject!

     Usenet is a big place.  If there is a current
discussion of this topic in mail or on a newsletter, let
me know about it and I will summarize for those who may
have interest.  After the discussion period, I will
provide the standard yes/no mail addresses to cast
votes, or maybe it can become a part of rec.apathy?
Nah, that'll never happen.  :-)

lon

        written circa June 6th, 1992
========================================================
     The only thing missing from that piece was the
indecision element described above.  However there is
plenty of grandiosity intolerance and anger in it.

     That's all for now.  THAT is enough.:-)

--------------------------------------------------------

     For those who are interested in reading the
complete text of the article: _Dry Drunk: Corking the
Bottle, dealing with the problems_  by Maija Penikis for
the Appleton Post-Crescent, Tuesday July 21, you can
contact the paper at:

               Post-Crescent
               309 E. Washington Street
               Appleton, WI 54911

     Please note that I am not associated with the paper
in any way and do not know what their e-mail capabili-
ties are, but am willing to find out.

--------------------------------------------------------

     The vote should be coming soon.  Tell your friends.

lon


-- 
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