“Two things will be believed about any man whatsoever, and one is that he has taken to drink.” -Booth Tarkington It isn’t unusual for people to seek treatment for their alcohol abuse problems when divorce is looming on the horizon. Indeed, probably two thirds of our clients come to us with crumbling marriages. What is [...]
It is common for people who have remained sober for a year or two, to begin to wonder why they are continuing to attend various groups and meetings. It’s a good question. While some people may need, or prefer, to continue their participation, others can safely occupy themselves with other activities. The question is, which [...]
The “Bucket of Crabs” is one of our favorite analogies. Pulling crabs out of traps on Kodiak Island, we’d just toss them into a big bucket – no need to put a lid on the bucket. Why not? Because as soon as one crab would start to climb out, the other crabs would drag him, [...]
By Dr. Ed Wilson and Dr. Mary Ellen Barnes Most Of Us, Understandably, Deny Our Alcohol Problems People generally avoid looking too closely at their alcohol use. Over the long haul this can lead to problems, both real and mythical, that early and productive awareness might have helped avoid. The problem here is the mythology [...]
By Dr. Ed Wilson and Dr. Mary Ellen Barnes Adult Children Who Drag Their Parents Down With Them Nothing is sadder than the “over-age families” we see. These “children” are in their 30s, 40s, 50’s and sometimes 60s; their parents in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and beyond. “Children” who won’t stop drinking or using, and [...]
Virtually all current treatment for men’s alcohol abuse and alcoholism is based on the generally ineffectual AA/12 Step model. Even when alternatives are offered they still tend to be based on a “disease” model which isn’t applicable for over 85% of the men looking for some sort of help with their alcohol abuse. The first [...]
By Dr. Ed Wilson Men’s Issues Are Different There are fundamental differences between men and women when it comes both to alcohol use and treating alcohol abuse. Even when the underlying problems are the same the cure may not be. Basically, most men need to learn to slow down without using alcohol – while most [...]
By Dr. Ed Wilson Where did it all go wrong? Looking back, you know there wasn’t any particular point in time when your wife began turning to alcohol instead of you. In reality, there usually aren’t any dramatic shifts or major events, just a slow erosion, distancing, and change. The drinking increases in amount, it [...]
Who are the women who come to us from across the country? And why to they come here – not just from the U.S., but also from Canada and sometimes from around the world? These women include physicians, college professors, artists, actresses, lawyers, politicians, business owners, flight crew, managers, teachers, executives, writers, housewives and yes, [...]
Many Midlife Changes Contribute to Alcohol Abuse For some women the onset of alcohol abuse coincides with the changes in hormone levels that signal the start of perimenopause – changes that we may be unaware of in the earliest stages. When this is combined with other stresses in our lives – job changes, health concerns, [...]