Rational Recovery by Jack Trimpey - Book Review

A review of Rational Recovery - The New Cure for Substance Addiction by Jack Trimpey - The Revolutionary Alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous 1 - Author describes the ‘allure’ & ‘benefits’ of drinking in too much detail. (Needs to read ‘Blink’ by Malcolm Gladwell.) 2 – Author is too combative and essentially malicious towards AA – and he spends too much time bashing them - unproductive. (Those who are not against us are for us.) (Pg 72) But there is no Treatment for addiction any more than there would be a treatment for dancing. (Pg 75) What is to stop anyone from quitting the use of a substance? Whatever appears as the answer to this question is the sound of the Addictive Voice. (Pg 76) If you let your eyes follow the bouncing dollar, you may notice that addiction treatment benefits those who treat far more than those who are treated. (Pg 125) “It is hard to control a lion on a leash. That’s why we keep them in cages.” Referring to moderation as trying to hold a lion on a leash and abstinence as putting alcohol consumption away – in a cage so to speak. You have met the enemy, and it is within you. (Was similar to a famous quote by Nietzsche) (You are your own best friend.) (pg.149) Language center of the brain, The inner voice that must be recognized = focused self-awareness. (Pg. 150) The reasons listed for drinking (Pg 151) should be presented in the negative; for example Number 1 should read: Drinking is not good for me. It is not good for the heart,,etc. As written, the author is unintentionally reinforcing the reasons people use to drink! Although it may be useful to recognize this “Addiction Diction.” (Pg 152) the author should read ‘Blink’ by Malcolm Gladwell and incorporate a better, (and safer) delivery of these reasons people use for drinking. e.g. Don’t write detailed descriptions about how delicious food is, if you are writing a diet book! (Page 190) In traditional programs, one is said to be at high risk of drinking alcohol if any of the “HALT conditions” exist. HALT is the acronym for “hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.” (Pg 238) Now, you know what it was (the inner 'Beast') that got the better of you—a part of you that is part of being human but not the essence of being human. Not a human being. (Pg 244) Addiction is a state of chemically enhanced stupidity that can be overcome by abstinence. (Pg 245) Remember that quitting addictions does not make people into ideal personalities. (Pg 254) reasonable, logical efforts that usually involve promises to themselves and others to drink less, or to drink less frequently, only at certain times, or to quit for a period of time and then drink only moderately. There is nothing wrong with this, and some people, however few, succeed in achieving the goal of moderate drinking. This simple approach to addiction or substance abuse often produces results and costs nothing. (Pg 295) The quest for status—and funding—has led to progressive medicalization of human services in America and has spawned practices that offend common sense, produce little, and very often create new problems worse than the original.