Dale in St. Cloud FL posted this letter to the convenor list:
Letter to the Dr. Phil show: Dr. Phil, I was alternately moved by and dismayed with your show today on alcoholic women. You expressed a limited knowledge of the current state of the addiction field. A few comments: You said addiction was a choice. I disagree. Recovery is a choice, not addiction. You used confrontational interviewing techniques to ‘break down’ your guest’s resistance to treatment. Reputable studies have shown that such methods do not produce client alliance, an important factor in the outcome of the treatment process. Lastly, you refer to a 12Step facility without mentioning the many alternatives available today. Studies of AA recidivism rates, as reported in their publication “The Grapevine” show a retention rate of only 5% after a year. La Hacienda claims that their ‘internal studies’ show a successful outcome of over 60% using 12Step methodology as a primary treatment modality. This far exceeds treatment outcomes reported by many other facilities. One problem with these statistics is there is no standard definition for treatment success. I want you to know about an effective alternative option for the suffering addict. LifeRing is an international secular recovery organization. It was formed in 2001. LifeRing is a self-help recovery network for individuals who seek group support to achieve abstinence from alcohol and other addictive drugs, or who are in relationships where chemical dependency is a problem. LifeRing is a poly-abstinence group that welcomes everyone without distinction based on “drug of choice. LifeRing includes people of all religious faiths and none. Meetings are free of religious observances. LifeRing supports participants in working out their own personal recovery programs, and requires no particular steps other than abstinence from alcohol and other addictive drugs. LifeRing meetings are autonomous except in matters affecting other meetings. A basket may be passed for voluntary donations but there is no charge for participation. LifeRing is a free-standing, self- supporting organization and is not affiliated with any other. LifeRing meetings are conducted by peer volunteers called convenors. For more information about the LifeRing approach and philosophy, and to connect with LifeRing participants, visit www.lifering.org. You can get LifeRing books and other literature online at www.lifering.com. You may contact me by telephone at 407-556-3876 or by email at Stcloudlifering@gmail.com. I have thirty years in recovery, much of it in 12Step programs before I found LifeRing. It makes a lot more sense to me. I would not ask a doctor to heal a broken leg through prayer. Thank you. Dr. Phil, I was alternately moved by and dismayed with your show today on alcoholic women. You expressed a limited knowledge of the current state of the addiction field. A few comments: You said addiction was a choice. I disagree. Recovery is a choice, not addiction. You used confrontational interviewing techniques to ‘break down’ your guest’s resistance to treatment. Reputable studies have shown that such methods do not produce client alliance, an important factor in the outcome of the treatment process. Lastly, you refer to a 12Step facility without mentioning the many alternatives available today. Studies of AA recidivism rates, as reported in their publication “The Grapevine” show a retention rate of only 5% after a year. La Hacienda claims that their ‘internal studies’ show a successful outcome of over 60% using 12Step methodology as a primary treatment modality. This far exceeds treatment outcomes reported by many other facilities. One problem with these statistics is there is no standard definition for treatment success. I want you to know about an effective alternative option for the suffering addict. LifeRing is an international secular recovery organization. It was formed in 2001.LifeRing is a self-help recovery network for individuals who seek group support to achieve abstinence from alcohol and other addictive drugs, or who are in relationships where chemical dependency is a problem. LifeRing is a poly-abstinence group that welcomes everyone without distinction based on “drug of choice.LifeRing includes people of all religious faiths and none. Meetings are free of religious observances. LifeRing supports participants in working out their own personal recovery programs, and requires no particular steps other than abstinence from alcohol and other addictive drugs. LifeRing meetings are autonomous except in matters affecting other meetings. A basket may be passed for voluntary donations but there is no charge for participation. LifeRing is a free-standing, self- supporting organization and is not affiliated with any other. LifeRing meetings are conducted by peer volunteers called convenors. For more information about the LifeRing approach and philosophy, and to connect with LifeRing participants, visit www.lifering.org. You can get LifeRing books and other literature online at www.lifering.com. You may contact me by telephone at 407-556-3876 or by email at Stcloudlifering@gmail.com. I have thirty years in recovery, much of it in 12Step programs before I found LifeRing. It makes a lot more sense to me. I would not ask a doctor to heal a broken leg through prayer. Thank you.
[Reposted here by permission]
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