Comments for Doug Thorburn on Early-Stage Alcohol and Drug Addiction

Comment on Thomas “Bud” McDonald got sober and changed the world in good ways. by edwardcejka

edwardcejka — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 08:48:34 +0000

I really would like to praise you for writing such a fabulous article Thanks for your great articles.

Comment on Thomas “Bud” McDonald got sober and changed the world in good ways. by Dr. Basim Elhabashy

Dr. Basim Elhabashy — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 05:25:49 +0000

It is very nice collection in addiction recovery treatment. It is very helpful for me as well as others. So thanks for posting this blog.

Comment on What would you do…if during a bike ride near a chuch-sponsored picnic in a campground, while carrying some extra meat, you run across a black bear—and you have alcoholic biochemistry? (TAR Lite # 27) by Doug Thorburn

Doug Thorburn — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 19:16:18 +0000

The question is what would you do _if you had alcoholic biochemistry_. Remember, we’re talking the drug-addled brain, not yours and mine. We would make the correct choice–which is any of the other ones, or yours (very good!).

The addict has a very different biochemistry than the non-addict. He or she processes the drug in a way that causes impaired judgment, as well as an inflated sense of self, which can lead to grandiose behaviors and a sense of invincibility. Feeding a bear in the wilderness is a classic in this regard, even if unusual.

Comment on What would you do…if during a bike ride near a chuch-sponsored picnic in a campground, while carrying some extra meat, you run across a black bear—and you have alcoholic biochemistry? (TAR Lite # 27) by Linda Gavitt

Linda Gavitt — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 02:32:23 +0000

Every time I read these little quizzes I am certain there is a typo. How could the #4 choice be correct? That choice is dangerous and foolish. I think #2 would be correct and it should be added that he return to the campground and warn the folks to go inside or leave in their cars until it was certain the area was safe.

Comment on What would you do…if you are waiting behind someone you think is taking too long to pick up their food at a drive-thru — and you have alcoholic biochemistry? (TAR Lite # 24) by Ronald

Ronald — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:21:28 +0000

Great story!

Comment on Correction: What would you do…if as the mother of a blind student you’re warned by the school superintendent about the school van driver’s background (over whose employment the superintendent has, inexplicably, no control), which includes at least three serious driving offences, including a DUI and reckless driving 12 years ago and another unspecified serious offense three years ago—and you don’t have a clue about addiction? (TAR Lite # 23) by Nancy

Nancy — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 04:14:48 +0000

There’s no place to post this but I have all the Thornburn books and they are excellent. I have many addicts in my life and the books helped me to understand that it is not me with the problem, it’s them!

Comment on Correction: What would you do…if as the mother of a blind student you’re warned by the school superintendent about the school van driver’s background (over whose employment the superintendent has, inexplicably, no control), which includes at least three serious driving offences, including a DUI and reckless driving 12 years ago and another unspecified serious offense three years ago—and you don’t have a clue about addiction? (TAR Lite # 23) by Linda

Linda — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 00:00:39 +0000

I think there is an error in this email and the post with the “right answer”. According to this part answer number 4 was correct. I would have chosen number 2. But as you continue to explain the answer it doesn’t make much sense because you seem to be criticizing her choice and yet calling it the right action to take. Most of the typos are benign, but in this instance, I think it could give bad information and advice to the readers. That driver should not have been hired. The mother should have written a letter to the school board explaining the situation and her disatisfaction with the hiring of this person etc. and the lack of leadership and responsibility for hiring him. I am not against giving second chances, just don’t put anyone, especially children in danger because a dangerous person has a second chance. Safety of the children is the priority.

Comment on What would you do…if you’re driving your truck on a hot early evening, your dogs need to be cooled down and the truck needs a wash—and you are drunk off your ass? (TAR Lite # 17) by Abe Carnow

Abe Carnow — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:48:37 +0000

Thank you for all of your good work. You do a great job informing the public.

Best,

Abe Carnow, CPA

Comment on What would you do…if it’s nighttime, you are drunk, your car has a flat and no headlights, your cat is desperately hungry and you have no cat food? (TAR Lite #13) by Cheryl Leslie

Cheryl Leslie — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 22:49:50 +0000

She was drunk and went out to get cat food? This woman shouldn’t be allowed to have a goldfish, much less a cat, since she can’t even maintain a vehicle in proper order. I agree DUI offenders should stay in jail til they sober up enough to understand where drinking and driving gets them. And forcing them to go to AA meetings doesn’t always help. Then we have a double resentful drunk!
Irony alert: Poisson is French for fish. Cat needed food. Hmm. Need I say more?

Comment on What would you do…if you are coming down from a high on meth and you are ready to crash but you aren’t close to home? (TAR Lite #11) by Doug Thorburn

Doug Thorburn — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 20:51:06 +0000

Thanks so much for your support and comments Susan.

However, I disagree, but it may be an issue of semantics.

In interviewing dozens of addicts for my books, they rarely remembered what got them sober. Until I dug, and dug more.

One case was a classic. When asked what got him sober, he said he had found God. I responded, no, that’s a way to KEEP you sober; it’s not what inspired in you a need to GET sober. He insisted, and I stood my ground. I asked him to think about it.

A year later (he was and is a dear tax client) I asked him if he’d thought about my question from the year before. He meekly responded, “yes….” I smiled and asked, so what happened? He told me he was fired from his job and relegated to a series of demeaning jobs well underneath his job skills. He knew he had to get sober. One day two years later, after he hadn’t had a drink for three days, he realized he never had to drink again–and didn’t.

All addicts are all coerced in their own way. If you tell an addict as a condition of keeping a job they must get and remain abstinent, they often will. For some, it may not be their bottom, but it’s a start; some need to lose family, friends and even their freedom. It’s a form of coercion: you get and stay abstinent, or this will happen. This is being used by a Hawaiian judge who I’ll have to write about at some point, as well as a few others around the country, and drug courts are leading the way. The rate of recidivism (and therefore, relapse) is a fraction of non-drug court treatments (just punish; no coercive nudge to coerce abstinence).

So, in my response I found myself correcting “sobriety” with “abstinence.” I should have perhaps written, “Until he is coerced into abstinence (from which he may find sobriety)….”

I’ve written elsewhere sobriety requires both abstinence and ego-deflation. Abstinence is required before there’s any hope at deflating that big fat alcohol and other-drug addicted ego.

Thanks again Susan!