Analysis of an Aa Recovery Story: It Might Have Been Worse.
Analysis of an AA Recovery Story: IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WORSE.
“Nothing truly valuable arises from ambition or from a mere sense of duty; it stems rather from love and devotion towards men.” (Albert Einstein)
THEMES
Social Influence:
High parental expectations: were put on him: “the ambition to succeed was instilled in me.” Having idealised his family (a “fine” one), he followed what they told and showed him, and from early age, worked in all his spare time, after school and during vacations as he took on his parents’ motto, “Keep busy; always have something constructive to do.” This continued in adult age when he kept busy and endeavouring to go up the ladder of professional success. Through his hard working he became director of a large bank. As his family was quite community-oriented, so was he, and he also became director of several civic organisations.
Social compliance: When his work led him into more and more social activities, he observed his friends who seemed to drink without harmful consequences. With his sense of belonging, his desired outcome was to be similar to friends as an important trait of his personality was that he “disliked being different”. First he had friends in his group membership of leisure activities; later on, he had drinking friends, for whose company he neglected his children.
Progression of addictive behaviour:
Quantities and frequency: He started by drinking occasionally, while enjoying golf-playing, cocktail hour, good news or after hard days, worries or pressures. Then drinking became substitute to other pleasures and excessive. His social and leisure activities, golf, hunting and fishing took second place to it. He went on to morning drinks, “at first just two, then gradually more.” Drinking became prevalent.
Obsession: “Drink planning became more important than any other plans.”
Alcohol was the priority in his life. Plagued with tension, feelings of humiliation, guilt, remorse, anxiety, depression, helplessness, he
“Nothing truly valuable arises from ambition or from a mere sense of duty; it stems rather from love and devotion towards men.” (Albert Einstein)
THEMES
Social Influence:
High parental expectations: were put on him: “the ambition to succeed was instilled in me.” Having idealised his family (a “fine” one), he followed what they told and showed him, and from early age, worked in all his spare time, after school and during vacations as he took on his parents’ motto, “Keep busy; always have something constructive to do.” This continued in adult age when he kept busy and endeavouring to go up the ladder of professional success. Through his hard working he became director of a large bank. As his family was quite community-oriented, so was he, and he also became director of several civic organisations.
Social compliance: When his work led him into more and more social activities, he observed his friends who seemed to drink without harmful consequences. With his sense of belonging, his desired outcome was to be similar to friends as an important trait of his personality was that he “disliked being different”. First he had friends in his group membership of leisure activities; later on, he had drinking friends, for whose company he neglected his children.
Progression of addictive behaviour:
Quantities and frequency: He started by drinking occasionally, while enjoying golf-playing, cocktail hour, good news or after hard days, worries or pressures. Then drinking became substitute to other pleasures and excessive. His social and leisure activities, golf, hunting and fishing took second place to it. He went on to morning drinks, “at first just two, then gradually more.” Drinking became prevalent.
Obsession: “Drink planning became more important than any other plans.”
Alcohol was the priority in his life. Plagued with tension, feelings of humiliation, guilt, remorse, anxiety, depression, helplessness, he
References: Bandura, A. (1977), cited in T. Moss and K. R. Dyer, Psychology of Addictive Behaviour, 2010, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke. Ch.3, p. 64. Baumeister R. F. (2003) Ego Depletion and Self-Regulation Failure: A Resource Model of Self-Control ALCOHOLISM: CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH Vol Goldman M. S., Del Boca F. K. and Darkes J. Alcohol Expectancy Theory: The Application of Cognitive Neuroscience in K. E. Leonard and H. T. Blane, Psychological Theories of Drinking and Alcoholism, 1999, Guilford Press, USA, Chapter 6, p. 218. Hilgard and Bower, 1975, p.599, in K. E. Leonard and H. T. Blane, Psychological Theories of Drinking and Alcoholism, 1999, Guilford Press, USA, Chapter 4, p. 107. Lubman D. I.,Yücel M., & Pantelis C. Addiction, a condition of compulsive behaviour? Neuroimaging and neuropsychological evidence of inhibitory dysregulation. University of Melbourne, Victoria, 2004 Maisto S Russell, 1976, in George F. Koob, Drug Addiction: The Yin and Yang of Hedonic Homeostasis, Neuron, Vol. 16, 893–896, May, 1996, Cell Press, Scripps Research Institute, Department of Neuropharmacology, La Jolla, California Wise, (1998), in George F