No Shortcuts to Recovery

Question

Do you know about dr. Stanton Peele. What he writes seems to make sense to me but he really seems to say that my alcohol problem is not at all a disease. So do you think he is correct? I am confused by how many doctors can say what seems to be totally opposite stuff about these basic things. Either something is scientific or it is not and isn’t what doctors use too make judgments supposed to be science? So is he right or is he wrong?

Jim LaPierre · Accepted Answer

Thanks for your question. It can be confusing to make sense of differing treatments and clinical "experts" who disagree. I suppose I could give a professional response regarding the work of Dr. Peele that does not include words like "quack" or "snake oil salesman" but that feels like a disservice to you and disingenuous to me.

The American Medical Association recognizes addiction as a disease. To me, that should settle any question folks have.

Diseases like addiction are NEVER cured (much less in 8 weeks as Dr Peele promises). Remission and long term recovery are options. Being "cured" isn't.

It's very tempting to believe that shortcuts are possible but the truth is Recovery is a lot of work. My biased opinion is that the real experts on addiction are NA and AA (and this from a professional who has never experienced an addiction other than caffeine and nicotine). I wish you luck and I urge you to avoid anyone who claims to have a "cure."

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