We hope we have made clear the distinction between the alcoholic and the nonalcoholic. The story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism generally known as the big book is a 1939 basic text, describing how to recover from alcoholism, written by the founders of alcoholics anonymous aa, bill w. Alcoholic addiction xxv or xxvii 1st edition the doctors opinion dr. Only about oneinten drinkers, even hard drinkers become alcoholic. Wilson, one of the founders of alcoholics anonymous aa. Episodes experience the big book aa big book study. The doctors appraisal of the program suggested in the book lends authority to what the authors have to say. Sorting and rendering passages in the proprietary format of the 164 and more concordance does not in any way imply affiliation with or endorsement by either alcoholics. You may rely absolutely on anything they say about themselves. To many recovered alcoholics, this section of the big book is considered to be the most important as it describes alcoholism in terms that make sense to the real alcoholic. Phenomenon of craving the doctors opinion big book duration.
The book is published by alcoholics anonymous world services. The doctors opinion on alcoholism revisited november 2011. Alcoholics anonymous and is called the big book the organization i picked uses the book alcoholics anonymous and is also called the big book. With the appearance of the new book a great deal began to happen. More than 300,000 copies of the first edition are now in circulation. The doctors opinion on alcoholism revisited november 2011 1. This is the official website of the general service office g. Jacqueline changs paper given to the national workshop for health liaison in york in 1998 and published in the winter 1999 edition of the aa news. They have been able to determine that the physical powerlessness or allergy is the. The doctors opinion on alcoholism november 2011 youtube. A little ditty on the big book, alcoholics anonymous. This is the second edition of the book alcoholics anonymous, which made its first appearance in april 1939. Silkworth begins his opinion in a letter to alcoholics anonymous in which he.
Reading guide for the doctors opinion amethyst recovery center. I found a sponsor who suggested we read the big book and go through the steps together. Convincing testimony must surely come from medical men who have had experience with the sufferings of our. Twelve step workshop herbk 2017 updated 12122016 a twelve month workshop using the book alcoholics anonymous to those interested in participating in the weekly meetings for twelve months. Medical science has found that there is sound reasoning in the doctors opinion alcoholics anonymous pg xxvxxxvii. The letter also served as a medical endorsement in the foundations fund raising efforts and later was included in its entirety in the big book introduction the doctors opinion. Frequently asked questions abstinence afflicted aggregate alcohol alcoholic alcoholics anonymous alcoholism all addictions allergy amends anonymous atheist audio avocation big book big book meeting bills story bill w. Minerva studioshutterstock those who enter recovery at a stepbased treatment center will often be handed a copy of alcoholics anonymous also known as the big book almost as soon as they are admitted and processed. Nov 26, 2009 the doctors opinion on alcoholism revisited november 2011 1. Dec 28, 2011 in 1939 when the big book was written the correct diagnosis for that reaction was an allergy. The doctors opinion is an important part of the big book, as it details a physicians view of alcoholism and recovery. The big book of alcoholics anonymous and 12step programs across the world have helped millions of people recover from addictions, in large part because of doctor silkworth.
An illness of this sortand we have come to believe. Aa step one 20 questions test worksheet a 20question test that was used by many a. Chang is a medical practitioner and was a nonalcoholic trustee of the general service board of alcoholics. Part one covers the doctors opinion and then moves on to steps 1, 2 and 3 each is presented by a different speaker.
The exproblem drinker xiv, 18, 20 there is a solution. Aug 05, 20 in my opinion, calling alcoholism an allergy is a good comparison, but it does break down if you push the analogy too far. In this statement he confirms what we who have suffered alcoholic torture must believethat the body of the alcoholic is quite as abnormal as his mind. Bob and silkworth were intelligent and well educated men and that the big books target audience was similar former and present middleclass men, people bill w. Since the first edition appeared, in 1939, it has helped millions of men and women recover from alcoholism. The doctors opinion we of alcoholics anonymous believe that the reader will be interested in the medical estimate of the plan of recovery described in this book. If we practice the 12 steps, we are granted a daily reprieve. Aa speakers joe and charlie the doctors opinion the. The book has many stories that were written by people who were alcoholics and have since had a lifetime change. A doctors opinion alcoholics anonymous great britain.
Home professionals a doctors opinion this article is based on a transcript of dr. An unofficial alcoholics anonymous podcast featuring aa speaker meetings and workshops. His ideas became accepted and led to the disease concept of alcoholism. For a number of years i had a big book on a shelf that did a great job at collecting dust. If read in conjunction with chapter 2, there is a solution, you will have before you a range of typical characterisitics of the chronic alcoholic and probably enough information to make your.
There have been numerous reprints and revisions, in addition to translations into dozens of languages. It appears in the big book based on a suggestion by dr esther l richardson of john hopkins hospital. The second edition of the seminal work of alcoholics anonymous, the big book, was released in 1955 and continues to be extremely influential in the lives of so many addicts. Videos or graphic images may not be downloaded, copied or duplicated without the express written permission of alcoholics anonymous world services, inc. Opinion part 2 powerful paragraphs on the problem of alcoholism xxviiixxix step 1. Alcoholic selftest using the big book of aa step 12. Sep 30, 2011 i suppose the doctors opinion is a medical assessment of the causes, effects and symptoms of alcoholism, as manifested in a particular type of alcoholic. Main points from alcoholics anonymous foreward, the. An explanation of addictive illness found in the big book of alcoholics anonymous. Copyright alcoholics anonymous world services, inc. The doctors opinion on alcoholism was presented on tuesday. The big book was originally published in 1939 by aa founders bill w. This is not a discussion podcast, simply speaker meetings and workshops in a podcast format. Towns hospital for drug and alcohol addictions in new york city, where he had treated, one of the founding members of aa, bill w.
The doctors opinion an explanation of addictive illness found in the big book of alcoholics anonymous dawn farm lecture series november 15, 2011 2. In my opinion, calling alcoholism an allergy is a good comparison, but it does break down if you push the analogy too far. Preface aa big book preface aa big book big book of aa alcoholics anonymous doctors opinion how it works aa preamble alcoholism recovery 4th edition 3rd edition 2nd edition alcohol allergy rehabilitation of alcoholics dr. Minerva studioshutterstock those who enter recovery at a stepbased treatment center will often be handed a copy of alcoholics anonymous also known as the big book almost as soon as they are admitted and. The second narrative by dr silkworth was not a letter. The personal stories section has been omitted from this version. Towns hospital for drug and alcohol addictions in new york city in the 1930s, during which time bill wilson, a future cofounder of alcoholics anonymous a. We can trust the opinion of a physician with qualifications such as these.
This is the audio version of the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. I rode the wave of going to meetings and talking talk to. You can search the alcoholics anonymous big book for phrases, key words, etc. I personally am convinced that the allergy diagnosis in the doctors opinion of the big book is rooted in solid science, not in metaphor or outdated medicine. The allergy of the body and the obession of the mind big.
In this part of the alcoholics anonymous big book study, joe and charlie discuss the chapter the doctors opinion. This chapter and in particular these pages changed the way we are seen by the medical profession. A little ditty on the big book, alcoholics anonymous the. The physician who, at our request, gave us this letter, has been kind enough to enlarge upon his views in another statement which follows. The doctors opinion study questions alcoholics anonymous. The doctors opinion w e ofalcoholics anonymous believe that the reader will be interested in the medical esti mate of the plan of recovery described in this book. Our acceptance of the doctors hypothesis is based on over 60 years of successful treatment founded on this model of alcoholism, coupled with the program of action outlined in this book. They have been able to determine that the physical powerlessness or allergy is the result of a dysfunctional liver and pancreas. This also has been kept intact, just as it was originally written in 1939 by the late dr. Doctors in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. We demand that the chapter the doctors opinion of the.
Alcoholics anonymous also known as the big book in recovery circles sets forth cornerstone concepts of recovery from alcoholism and tells the stories of men and women who have overcome the disease. I suppose the doctors opinion is a medical assessment of the causes, effects and symptoms of alcoholism, as manifested in a particular type of alcoholic. These men may well have a remedy for thousands of such situations. Alcoholics anonymous, from the title of its own book.
Jun 22, 2015 the letter also served as a medical endorsement in the foundations fund raising efforts and later was included in its entirety in the big book introduction the doctors opinion. The second edition 1955 consisted of 1,150,000 copies. His story is the first in the stories section in the big book. The 164 and more book, ebook, and web site are all concordances which display passages from the big book alcoholics anonymous, the twelve steps and twelve traditions, and the a.
Convincing testimony must surely come from medical men who have had experience with the sufferings of our members and have witnessed our return to health. This book is used to teach men and women how to recover from alcoholism. Main points from alcoholics anonymous foreward, the doctors opinion, and pp. The doctors opinion on alcoholism november 20 slidecast. A little ditty on the big book, alcoholics anonymous the doctors opinion. The following is a list of the 40 musts from the big book. Just like, not all people that eat too much fat in their diets have heart disease or have an eating disorcer not all people who drink too much, or get in trouble while drinking are alcoholic.
Some people get over allergies, but we learn later in the big book, that alcoholics never get over alcoholism. Click on the attachment below to download an powerpoint presentation that covers the main points from alcoholics anonymous foreward, the doctors opinion, and pp. Alcoholism is a threefold malady that affects us mentally, physically, and spiritually. We the people demand one of the three following things of alcoholics anonymous world services, inc 1. Silkworths original statement, there have been added, in the. Silkworth chronic alcoholics pg xxv, xxvi, xxviii, xxix, 27 the doctors opinion. The story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism generally known as the big book because of the thickness of the paper used in the first edition is a 1939 basic text, describing how to recover from alcoholism, primarily written by william g.
Because this book has become the basic text for our society and has helped such large numbers of alcoholic men and women to recovery, there exists a sentiment. We demand that the chapter the doctors opinion of the big. Convincing testimony must surely come from medical men who have had experience with the sufferings of our members and have. The basic text of the big book contained in this audiobook remains unchanged and is still used in the program to this day. This is the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. The letter by dr silkworth that opens the big book of alcoholics anonymous was written july 27, 1938 under the letterhead of the charles b towns hospital a medical facility with a national reputation in alcohol and drug addiction treatment. This is the most modern audio version of the alcoholics anonymous big book. I would suggest that you crack open the big book youve said that you have an electronic copy of it, so thats good and start with the doctors. Jan 29, 2017 in this part of the alcoholics anonymous big book study, joe and charlie discuss the chapter the doctors opinion. We of alcoholics anonymous believe that the reader will be interested in the medical esti mate of the plan of recovery described in. While the program is considered a suggested method for dealing with the disease of alcoholism, there are places within the big book where the authors used the word must. Myth of addiction as an allergy the clean slate addiction site. Nov 06, 2008 frequently asked questions abstinence afflicted aggregate alcohol alcoholic alcoholics anonymous alcoholism all addictions allergy amends anonymous atheist audio avocation big book big book meeting bills story bill w. The fourth edition includes twentyfour new stories that provide contemporary sharing for newcomers seeking recovery from alcoholism in a.
This series of talks came about from a friendship that started in alcoholics. We agnostics i n the precedingchapters you have learned something of alcoholism. Reading guide for the doctors opinion amethyst recovery. William duncan silkworth henceforth be removed from all printings of the big book. Drs opinion and steps 1 3 part 1 of 4 this is a 4 part step workshop conducted at the group level. Drs opinion 4th edition p xxv bills story chapter 1 p 1 16 there is a solution chapter 2 p 16 30 more about alcoholism chapter 3 p 30 43 we agnostics chapter 4 p 44 57 how it works chapter 5 p 58 71 into action continue reading big book of alcoholics anonymous. These facts appear to be of extreme medical importance. The doctors opinion on alcoholism was presented on november 15.
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