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. An illness of this sortand we have come to believe. Medical science has found that there is sound reasoning in the doctors opinion alcoholics anonymous pg xxvxxxvii. 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.
Chang is a medical practitioner and was a nonalcoholic trustee of the general service board of alcoholics. Towns hospital for drug and alcohol addictions in new york city, where he had treated, one of the founding members of aa, bill w. Since the first edition appeared, in 1939, it has helped millions of men and women recover from alcoholism. The doctors opinion on alcoholism november 2011 youtube. The doctors opinion on alcoholism was presented on november 15. For a number of years i had a big book on a shelf that did a great job at collecting dust. His story is the first in the stories section in the big book. 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. 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. The fourth edition includes twentyfour new stories that provide contemporary sharing for newcomers seeking recovery from alcoholism in a.
Click on the attachment below to download an powerpoint presentation that covers the main points from alcoholics anonymous foreward, the doctors opinion, and pp. Copyright alcoholics anonymous world services, inc. The physician who, at our request, gave us this letter, has been kind enough to enlarge upon his views in another statement which follows. We demand that the chapter the doctors opinion of the big. The allergy of the body and the obession of the mind. 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. An explanation of addictive illness found in the big book of alcoholics anonymous. 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. In this part of the alcoholics anonymous big book study, joe and charlie discuss the chapter the doctors opinion.
Silkworth begins his opinion in a letter to alcoholics anonymous in which he. This is the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. A little ditty on the big book, alcoholics anonymous the. Convincing testimony must surely come from medical men who have had experience with the sufferings of our. Myth of addiction as an allergy the clean slate addiction site. The doctors opinion an explanation of addictive illness found in the big book of alcoholics anonymous dawn farm lecture series november 15, 2011 2. They have been able to determine that the physical powerlessness or allergy is the result of a dysfunctional liver and pancreas. Following the forewords, there appears a section called the doctor s opinion. There have been numerous reprints and revisions, in addition to translations into dozens of languages.
The second edition 1955 consisted of 1,150,000 copies. 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. You can search the alcoholics anonymous big book for phrases, key words, etc. Dec 28, 2011 in 1939 when the big book was written the correct diagnosis for that reaction was an allergy. Jan 29, 2017 in this part of the alcoholics anonymous big book study, joe and charlie discuss the chapter the doctors opinion. Home professionals a doctors opinion this article is based on a transcript of dr. Doctors in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. 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 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. The basic text of the big book contained in this audiobook remains unchanged and is still used in the program to this day.
I rode the wave of going to meetings and talking talk to. 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. The doctors appraisal of the program suggested in the book lends authority to what the authors have to say. Alcoholic addiction xxv or xxvii 1st edition the doctors opinion dr.
An unofficial alcoholics anonymous podcast featuring aa speaker meetings and workshops. 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. This is the official website of the general service office g. Episodes experience the big book aa big book study. 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. The second narrative by dr silkworth was not a letter. The doctors opinion on alcoholism was presented on tuesday. Everyone coming to aa needs to understand the implications in these pages.
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. We hope we have made clear the distinction between the alcoholic and the nonalcoholic. Alcoholics anonymous and is called the big book the organization i picked uses the book alcoholics anonymous and is also called the big book. Reading guide for the doctors opinion amethyst recovery. The doctors opinion study questions alcoholics anonymous. These men may well have a remedy for thousands of such situations. William duncan silkworth henceforth be removed from all printings of the big book. This is not a discussion podcast, simply speaker meetings and workshops in a podcast format.
In my opinion, calling alcoholism an allergy is a good comparison, but it does break down if you push the analogy too far. Some people get over allergies, but we learn later in the big book, that alcoholics never get over alcoholism. Phenomenon of craving the doctors opinion big book duration. 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. This series of talks came about from a friendship that started in alcoholics.
This chapter and in particular these pages changed the way we are seen by the medical profession. His ideas became accepted and led to the disease concept of alcoholism. Main points from alcoholics anonymous foreward, the. This is the second edition of the book alcoholics anonymous, which made its first appearance in april 1939. You may rely absolutely on anything they say about themselves. A little ditty on the big book, alcoholics anonymous the doctors opinion. Alcoholics anonymous, from the title of its own book. We of alcoholics anonymous believe that the reader will be interested in the medical esti mate of the plan of recovery described in. Silkworths original statement, there have been added, in the. Nov 26, 2009 the doctors opinion on alcoholism revisited november 2011 1. 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. 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.
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. This is the audio version of the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. A little ditty on the big book, alcoholics anonymous. The doctors opinion on alcoholism revisited november 2011 1. Alcoholism is a threefold malady that affects us mentally, physically, and spiritually. 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 doctors opinion on alcoholism revisited november 2011. Convincing testimony must surely come from medical men who have had experience with the sufferings of our members and have. 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. We the people demand one of the three following things of alcoholics anonymous world services, inc 1. The big book was originally published in 1939 by aa founders bill w. 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. Drs opinion and steps 1 3 part 1 of 4 this is a 4 part step workshop conducted at the group level. Silkworth chronic alcoholics pg xxv, xxvi, xxviii, xxix, 27 the doctors opinion.
The personal stories section has been omitted from this version. Opinion part 2 powerful paragraphs on the problem of alcoholism xxviiixxix step 1. 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. A doctors opinion alcoholics anonymous great britain. This also has been kept intact, just as it was originally written in 1939 by the late dr. Only about oneinten drinkers, even hard drinkers become alcoholic.
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. The allergy of the body and the obession of the mind big. If we practice the 12 steps, we are granted a daily reprieve. 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. We demand that the chapter the doctors opinion of the. With the appearance of the new book a great deal began to happen. I found a sponsor who suggested we read the big book and go through the steps together. The book has many stories that were written by people who were alcoholics and have since had a lifetime change. 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. The doctors opinion on alcoholism november 20 slidecast. Aa step one 20 questions test worksheet a 20question test that was used by many a.
This book is used to teach men and women how to recover from alcoholism. 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. Reading guide for the doctors opinion amethyst recovery center. Aa speakers joe and charlie the doctors opinion the. Main points from alcoholics anonymous foreward, the doctors opinion, and pp. 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. Wilson, one of the founders of alcoholics anonymous aa. They have been able to determine that the physical powerlessness or allergy is the. 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. 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. We can trust the opinion of a physician with qualifications such as these. The following is a list of the 40 musts from the big book. These facts appear to be of extreme medical importance.
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. 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. The exproblem drinker xiv, 18, 20 there is a solution. Alcoholic selftest using the big book of aa step 12. 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. This is the most modern audio version of the alcoholics anonymous big book. The book is published by alcoholics anonymous world services. 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. 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. More than 300,000 copies of the first edition are now in circulation. The doctors opinion is an important part of the big book, as it details a physicians view of alcoholism and recovery. We agnostics i n the precedingchapters you have learned something of alcoholism. 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. 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.
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