ALCOHOLISM

foreign [Music] alcoholic one that is all too common I've changed the names but the case well it's right out of my files Ed grimer first came to me about a year ago a sick man emotionally and physical that's how it is Doctor my wife and son are gone can't go back to the office after last time I don't know where my car is I know it looks bad grimer but you do have an important thing in your favor I hope you're right doctor I hope so it isn't the first time I've been trying one thing right after another nothing seems to do any good what was the longest period you've been away from liquor in the last few years three months and two days I counted them that was last he took the aversion treatment some drug that made me throw up my liquor when I left there the sight of Obama would make me sick I thought I was offered for good three months and two days I've been drinking worse than ever I don't think you gave it a fair chance do you know about Alcoholics Anonymous hey well yes but I haven't checked into it yet well remember this grimer this thing has been with you for years you can't expect an easy way out it'll take time a long time it'll be slow but I think you'll find there's a buildup of satisfactions right from the start of treatment I'm at the end of my rope doctor I'll do whatever you say well then we'll go right ahead we'll start by giving you a physical not that I think alcohol has damaged you the real damage doesn't show up until the very last stages of alcoholism you're a long way from that can you come in and say it uh two this afternoon and two yes yeah sure good we'll see you then so Ed grimer's diagnosis and treatment began our Medical Department reported nothing wrong that a good diet wouldn't correct I had interviews with him so did other members of our Clinic staff gradually we pieced together his background Ed never had a chance to know real security his father an unhappy person himself made Ed's life unhappy as well he was never satisfied with his son as he was as Ed Grew Older all persons in Authority became threatening figures to be appeased every task resulted in tremendous effort and anxiety and Ed's first drinking meant much more to him than the Daredevil Adventure it was to his friends to add it meant escape from insecurity Ed got married was very successful in his work but this only intensified his fears to his friends he seemed to be an ordinary drink to them it is a lubricant for sociability make small talk easier for a moderate amount of alcohol loosens controls cuts down on self-criticism alcohol affects everyone this way but Ed although apparently seeking the same effects as his friends was actually getting something more important an extra feeling of Freedom a greater sense of belonging those drinks meant more to him than he cared to admit even to himself [Music] ten years that passed important milestones in his progress or alcoholism morning drinks to help him get over the dreaded effects of a hangover blackouts when he would have no recollection of what had happened during drunkenness Ed's wife stuck with him covered up for him called his office and made excuses when he couldn't report to work but it could not be covered up forever Ed's drinking was bound to come out into the open first would be a period of exhilaration a wonderful release from life's problems then would come with quiet desperate attempt to reach Oblivion I saw Ed at least once a week for several months I tried to control it but I kept drinking more and more as far as Margaret's concerned I I guess I shouldn't blame her for leaving me she she never knew whether I was going to be drunk or sober she gave up going places you know how it is tell me Ed just what happened that led up to that last drinking spring I don't know what it was I was feeling sort of tense and upset of course but there was nothing unusual about that let's see I think it was a Thursday night it had been about three weeks since I'd had a drink I promised myself to lay off for good this time and yet I know a drink or two would fix up that awful feeling that I had inside [Music] thank you there you am who would you think it was you're home early you don't have to check my breath I'm all right now take it easy and I know you haven't been drinking sorry honey yes I am on edge of this I've got a lot of work to do at home tonight dinner ready well not for a while yet I had some shopping to do for Pete's sake I get home early one night to work and nothing's ready where's Billy doesn't he know enough to come home for dinner he'll be in soon look why don't you sit down and relax for a while I can't mom but I've got to get to work so what about Billy's birthday party Saturday well I thought we'd skip it this year Eddie's getting older I know I know you think I might spoil it for him again oh no wait it's not but you don't have to worry I'll be all right I want to see the look on the other kids faces when they see the catchment I'm going to get in quiet great big show-off yes couldn't you finish that tomorrow no I've got to get it off tonight so Bronson can have it tomorrow but you'll be dead tired in the morning look I know what I'm doing well can I fix you something to eat leave me alone what'd you go on the bed all right Ed wait a minute here take this you'll sleep better shake hands with your coming president that went over good then good it was terrific constant fell over himself I know you're worrying was for nothing gosh I I never can tell for sure I'm always afraid I'll Overlook something important yeah it didn't I may be new here but I could tell that my stock was kind of low it sure needed that boost I wouldn't say that it's quitting time come on down let me buy you a drink to celebrate no I I've got to get home I saw it why we won't take long no I really think I'd better not oh come on you really deserve a drink after that report well all right just one good hey Jim no they're wrong hey wait a minute I've got to go home and punch the old time clock now you can't go until you let me buy around okay but this will be the last do your new job score and now let me give one to you well it'd be to my owning my own business right there's a lot of money in it if you handle it right yeah and I can sure handle it right that's one thing you learn in quality control well I'm going to shove off I have one more round with me and we'll call it a week oh thanks I can't it's getting late I'll watch ten minutes more no really let's do it again some other time okay Jim the change almost forgot my uh Major League threat having a birthday tomorrow you ought to see that kid stuff a fastball I guess those two drinks did something for me that they didn't do for Bob and I suppose Bob got a pleasant glow out of them maybe a better appetite for dinner but for me well I can see now that they've begun to ease off that tension that was Haunting Me worries about whether Bronson would find something wrong with that report after all things like that foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] foreign [Applause] the usual way again [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] I could hardly see in the light my head was killing me I felt alone couldn't remember a thing I saw it was Tuesday in four days the worst yet well at least I was still in Rocklin [Music] I needed a drink how I needed a drink but I was flat broke foreign it all came back Billy's birth to everything [Music] Margaret Margaret Margaret Marvin Margaret Margaret [Music] oh [Music] I tried to get in touch with her but it's no go I know she's at her sisters but she won't even come to the phone Dr Patton Juan to get drunk like that I meant to take only one or two drinks like Bob did why couldn't I stop why can't I drink like my friends do well Ed that's hard to answer in one way alcoholics aren't different from people who don't develop this illness we all have conflicts of problems difficulties in facing life situations in most of us the techniques to control we develop aren't seriously affected by a little alcohol but we're the alcoholic or a small amount of alcohol produces an exaggerated gratification because of what seems to be well A peculiar grouping of emotional forces this leads to more drinking further reduction of controls and then an alcoholic Bender but alcoholics are all different everyone requires his own treatment just as you do let me tell you about a couple of recent cases we've helped let's call the first one Frank shall we say Charlie Frank is a machinist a good one too but his true value to his company was being hurt by his weekend drinking he wasn't the type that goes from bar to bar he was a solitary drinker he would lock himself in his room and drink from Friday night through Sunday are you there your water on the telephone Mr Charlie Frank let nothing interfere with his drinking during this time he lived in a dream world getting through alcohol the sensations of affection and companionship which were not his in real life he'd start tapering off on Sunday but his bouts lasted longer and longer thank you he started coming in late Monday mornings and it was getting worse his companies send him to us and after a number of interviews we interested him in joining Alcoholics Anonymous he's getting along very well in AAA it's a remarkable organization thousands of groups scattered over the country all made up of former alcoholics who have recovered I think part of its success Springs from the enthusiasm and personal example of members working with new prospects other alcoholics suffering as they once did in AAA Frank has found acceptance which has been lacking in his life he's no longer alone there are many paths to alcoholism many patterns of drinking many treatment approaches let me take another case quite different from Frank's I'll call her Mrs lenford she's one of those people who try to ease the pain of living by drinking foreign how'd things go today oh I had another one of my sick weeks oh that's a shame do you still have it I took a spoonful of whiskey but it didn't seem to help I tell you what let's go out for dinner tonight oh oh I don't feel up to it I'll get something ready I should have had it already for you that's all right there I'll do it you take it easy [Applause] Julia I made an appointment today with Dr Carol about your headaches you know maybe he can help Dr Cowell said her to us and she's been under treatment for several months now we found that she'd never really grown up she demanded that her husband over protector and uh treat her like a child yet at the same time she suffered from feelings of uselessness and futility the use of alcohol relieved her the responsibility of accepting an adult role in life I think she's beginning to understand herself and her feelings now if she keeps up treatment I think her chances are good what about my chances doctor how old is it since you've had a drink yet let's see it was uh three months last Wednesday it's a slow process but as you go along you'll find that the satisfactions you get from not drinking keep increasing compared with the satisfaction you expected to get from drinking I think I understand what you mean recovery means much more than just giving up alcohol a vendor is more than a drinking spree it's an emotional spree too so the thing that's necessary is to develop better techniques of control of release of tension I guess it's the only way isn't it yes it is there are experiments and other directions going on but right now it's the only way my wife could help me in this I know it would you object if I tried to get in touch with her object I no I don't object well we'll see what we can do does that mean you think I'm a good risk doctor I think so Ed it'll take time but I believe you're on your way so we kept at the long slow process of helping Ed to understand himself and his problems discussions with me and other members of the clinic staff we talked to Ed's wife to help her understand some of his problems problem and Ed's boss too took a real interest in Edge recovery he learned that he could never expect to be a control Drinker again for the personality of the alcoholic can never withstand the effects of alcohol no matter how long he has been without we arranged for it to take part in group discussions with other alcoholics so he could learn that his problems weren't unique that others shared them too yeah I'm always trying to make up for things too I remember when I was a kid playing baseball I threw the ball at the head of my best friend and knocked him cold then I did everything I could for him for the next month or so that's an interesting thing why did you throw the ball at your friend I don't know mad at him I guess now come to think of it I think it was because I was mad at the Umpire didn't like the way he was calling balls and Stripes why didn't you throw it at the Umpire there well there's a point there I've done the same thing myself somebody does something uh keeps criticizing keeps saying you should have done more or better and you take it out on somebody else it's kind of like my boss at the factory he does something I don't like I take it out on somebody working for me or take it out of my wife maybe by going out and getting drunk Ed hasn't had a drink for over a year now [Music] the job and his family is together again he's making good progress toward personal Readjustment are you Billy [Music] Billy come in and wash up hi Ed hi Margaret [Music] [Applause] head grimer Frank Charlie and Mrs lenford have shown Improvement there are others who show less favorable progress as never before we are concentrating scientific efforts to diagnose and treat alcohols with greater public support for more clinics greater public understanding of alcoholism is an illness there would be more recoveries Edge file isn't closed yet it may never be closed but Ed has a chance a good chance of living a comfortable constructive life without drinking [Applause] foreign