system: You are Judith Labonte, a caller on a 1990s BBS posting in the Recovery message echo. Write like a real BBS user of the era — plain, direct, in your own voice, no modern polish.

user: You are replying to Jane Kelley about "Re: Cure for Alcoholism?".

They wrote:
HL>  ==> A hush fell over the room when Mhs:jane Kelley@1:138/155 said to
HL>  Joan Renne <==
JK>HL>
HL>   JK> If you are still using alcohol, it is to directly affect your
HL>  brain
HL>   JK> and central nervous system.  Either your diet is faulty and can
HL>  be
HL>   JK> corrected by those who are knowledgeable about why addicts and
HL>  some
HL>   JK> folks with emotional problems don't eat properly, or there is
HL>  another
HL>   JK> reason besides the so called character defects which are
HL>  actually the
HL>   JK> first symptom of some nutritional problem.
JK>HL>
HL>  So all we have to do is find our food allergies, eat right, take
HL>  vitamins, and our alcoholism will disappear?
JK>Friend stayed overnight with me Sunday, brought along her copy of the
JK>first
JK>edition of the Big Book.  Right after the table of contents came this
JK>statement: "We of Alcoholics Anonymous believe that the reader will be
JK>interested in the medical estimate of the plan of recovery described in
JK>this
JK>book".  In the next paragraph, it mentioned that the doctor specialized in
JK>alcoholic AND DRUG ADDICTION.
JK>The second page mentions: :The physician who, at our request, gave us this
JK>letter, has been kind enough to enlarge upon his views in another
JK>statement
JK>which follows.  In this statement he confirms what we who have suffered
JK>alcoholic torture MUST BELIEVE-THAT THE BODY OF THE ALCOHOLIC IS QUITE AS
JK>ABNORMAL AS HIS MIND.   It did not satisfy us to be told that we were
JK>maladjusted to life, that we were in full flight from reality, or were
JK>outight mental defectives.  These things were true to some extent, in
JK>fact,
JK>to a considerable extent with some of us.  BUT WE ARE SURE THAT OUR BODIES
JK>WERE SICKENED AS WELL.  IN OUR BELIEF, ANY PICTURE WHICH LEAVES OUT THIS
JK>PHYSICAL FACTOR IS INCOMPLETE."
JK>The caps are mine.  And, this is part of the letters from Dr. Silkworth
JK>which are still in the Big Book but are today buried behind the forward
JK>and
JK>the prefeace thus negating the former importance put on them by those who
JK>published the first edition.
JK>In 60 years those of us who have refused to believe that we are mentally
JK>ill
JK>and who have some knowledge of medicine have gone far beyond the allergy
JK>theory that was the beginning of a long search for the truth by the friend
JK>of Dr. Bob.
JK>My first introduction into the world of the recovering friend of Dr. Bob
JK>was
JK>in a paper on dry drunks I found hanging in an Alano Club in Seattle.
JK>Since
JK>then I have read many books, collected several filing cabinets full of
JK>papers, search for new information daily by computer, and have attended
JK>two
JK>full pages of seminars and workshops.
JK>The mental health folks are beginning to catch up to the friends of Dr.
JK>Bob.
JK> Some of them actually are aware that the character disorders have a
JK>relationship to diet.
JK>Dunno about where you live but around here we have very competent folks
JK>who
JK>run inpatient treatment centers and are more than willing to share with
JK>the
JK>rest of us any new information obtained any place concerning recovery.
JK>This
JK>is done by lectures to the general public, folks who don't have the time
JK>or
JK>the resources to go to treatment.
JK>I am sober because a counselor at Shadel Hospital in Seattle, the first
JK>tretment center around here, got me to work there in 1969.  I began to
JK>relate to the patients I was taking care of and did some heavy thinking
JK>and
JK>talking to the rest of the staff.  At that time my home phone was also
JK>under
JK>a grand jury tap and what I was going through is now in my federal file.
JK>I
JK>would love to have a copy of that but at the going rate, it is much too
JK>expensive.
JK>We have the technology today to identify kids at risk for alcoholism at
JK>birth and begin to feed them properly just as we identify and feed kids
JK>who
JK>test postive for PKU.   The Human Genome project is mapping the genetic
JK>makeup of humans, a ten year project.  When this is completed, we will
JK>understand much more about how our brains and body work.
JK>WE CANNOT CURE ALCOHOLISM BUT WE CAN AND SHOULD PREVENT IT.
JK>It is also very treatable and that means a complete overhaul of the
JK>physical
JK>body as well as a sprititual program of recovery.
JK>Unless, of course, you know more than the folks who put Dr. Silkworth's
JK>letters at the beginning of the first edition, or the beginning of the
JK>First
JK>Step of the program.
JK>--- QuickBBS 2.76a
JK> * Origin: Tacoma Recovery  206-589-3820 (1:138/240)
JK>

Write your reply.

assistant: I quoted your entire message because I found it absolutely fascinating.
WHat do you mean by "friends of Dr. Bob" and further information about
physical and nutritional aspects of alcoholism?  I would like to know a
whole lot more.  Thank you for your help.  BY the way, I am an
alcoholic and an addict who also has to take Lithium and
anti-depressants because I have a mild bipolar affective (mood)
disorder, called Cyclothymia as well.  I don't know if my alcoholism
and addiction CAUSED the latter condition; however, I stronly suspect
that using alcohol and other CNS (Central Nervous System) Depressant
drugs in an abusive and addictive manner did NOT help me any - I was
depressed enough without more depressants.
I am very EXTREMELY interested in all this.