Alcoholism as a Biochemical Addiction to a Sedative Drug – Joe M.

About This Speaker Tape

Joe M. maps out the biochemical and psychological wreckage of alcoholism drawing heavily on the teachings of Dr. Walter G.

He dismantles the myth that knowing 'why' one drinks leads to sobriety arguing instead that alcoholism is a sedative drug addiction that puts the intellect to sleep and liberates drugged emotions. Through a gritty comparison between alcohol and ether Joe M. traces the progression of the disease from the first 'burning in the throat' to the total collapse of the alibi system.

He describes the specific pathology of the alcoholic—the compulsive use the 'closet drinking,' and the desperate protection of the supply—while highlighting the collateral damage dealt to children and families. He concludes that while one can be forced into treatment the only way out of the pit is a total surrender to a Higher Power and the 12 Step ladder.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:45 Joe M. introduces Dr. Walter G. and his history of losing his medical license and bumming nickels on Michigan Avenue.
• 4:12 The 'Toothache' metaphor: Why knowing the cause of the pain doesn't fix the problem.
• 12:30 Discussion on the 'macho' association of drinking and the custom of the 'honeymoon' (mead).
• 18:15 The biochemical definition of alcohol as a sedative drug and the nature of addiction.
• 24:40 The 'Ether Bunny' and the comparison of alcohol's effect on the brain's 'I over E' (Intellect over Emotion) formula.
• 32:10 Laughter: The 'drugged emotional behavior' of the alcoholic vs. the patient under ether.
• 38:50 The 'Closet Drinker' and the pathology of protecting the supply.
• 45:20 The tragedy of children of alcoholics and the 'caregiving' professions they often enter.
• 51:10 The 'Moment of Truth' and the collapse of the alibi system.
• 55:40 Step 1, 2, and 3: The 12 Step ladder as the only way out of the pit.