No, you’re not dumb, diseased, or predestined…

The big appeal of the disease model of alcohol abuse and alcoholism is that it absolves you from responsibility for your drinking problem. It’s also a great excuse for not fixing it.

It would seem that the alternative must be that you’re just stupid to have let this condition develop.

Or that fate in the form of your genetic history has doomed you.

Happily none of the above are true for the vast majority of those of us who have, or have had, alcohol abuse problems.

The real answer is that we succumbed to alcohol’s allure because it works; because it’s what we learned from our family and/or culture; it’s protected us from otherwise intolerable circumstances, people, or events; or because it’s just “what we do.”

The best part of this “reality check” is that your alcohol abuse developed because it worked – until it didn’t. But you don’t need to be wasting time blaming yourself for an understandable habit.

You just need to choose to fix it, as you chose to let it develop.

No, you aren’t weak, doomed, or powerless, and you don’t need absolution either – though we will provide that if you insist. No extra charge.

And the court has ruled….

Here’s a link to the full L.A. Times article about a parolee who won an important case against mandated AA attendance.

Atheist parolee sent back to prison must be compensated, court says

Not only did the court rule (again, see “No Judge, No AA”) that he could not be ordered to join a religious cult, but that he would also be compensated for this miscarriage of justice.

Finally – $$$ damages for illegally ordered and coerced AA attendance! Perhaps now, judges, boards, and various licensing agencies will pay attention when faced with the possibility of being sued for violating not just parolee’s’ rights, but those of physicians, lawyers, teachers, nurses, and other professionals who’ve been systematically exploited by the AA treatment mills’ con games.

Other cases are also pending and we’ll keep you informed as things continue to evolve legally.