December 21 in A.A. History
In 1981, United Press International, in an article titled “First year crucial for reformed alcoholics” by Charles S. Taylor, reported on a study of 439 alcoholics who were members of Alcoholics Anonymous and had been sober for at least one year. The study was conducted by Dr. Leclair Bissell, who headed the American Society on Alcoholism and worked with alcoholics at Edgehill Newport, a treatment center in Newport, Rhode Island. The article called it “the first long-term study of a large group of alcoholics” and reported that it “reached an encouraging conclusion—most chronic drinkers who can stay off booze for one year have a good chance at continued sobriety.” Dr. Bissell said that alcoholics who receive counseling for their problem and abstain for a year usually don't touch alcohol again for up to seven years. She also said that abstinence seems to help alcoholics stop smoking, reduce suicidal behavior, reduce encounters with the police and drastically reduce hospitalizations for any reason.
Dr. Bissell strongly criticized psychologists who try to return recovered alcoholics to “social drinking,” saying, “I think they’re killing a lot of people by encouraging them to return to drinking.”
No comments:
Post a Comment