Customer Reviews

Beyond the Influence: Understanding and Defeating Alcoholism

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

As a recovering alcoholic, 59 year old, professsional woman, this book has helped me tremendously. For over 20 years, I blamed my weak will-power for my inability to control my drinking. However,I have been successful in other areas of my life so I knew I did have a lot of self-discipline. This book helped convince me (and accept)that I am one of a minority of people who is genetically unable to drink alcohol moderately. The "brain research" documented in this book convinced me that many of the emotional problems that I experienced periodically in my early recovery were the result of the changes that alcohol had caused in my brain. I was able to expect some of the anxiety, sleep problems, depression, cravings, etc, and since I was prepared for them I was (am) able to deal with them. If you are still drinking or recovering, this book is full of information that will help you.

Beyond the Influence is an update and an elaboration of Katherine Ketcham and James R. Milam's Under the Influence (1981). Whereas the first book was an emergency crash course in alcoholism, this is the full curriculum.

The main point the authors make is that alcoholism is a disease that anyone who has the susceptible internal chemistry can get, be he saint or sinner, tower of strength or shriveling weakling. It doesn't make any difference. Your personality or moral fiber are irrelevant. We tend to think that alcoholics are somehow immoral or possessed of a character flaw. But, as Ketcham, et al., demonstrate here, there is only one flaw that leads to alcoholism, and that flaw is one of internal chemistry and not of character. Furthermore, despite some pollyannaish delusion to the contrary, there is only one cure and this book makes it clear exactly what that cure is.

The updated material presented here (in the main, a greater appreciation of the power of Alcoholics Anonymous, a more in-depth discussion of the relevant chemistry, an elaboration of the spiritual aspects of recovery, an incisive attack on "The Booze Merchants," a clearer inventory of how alcoholics can be diagnosed before the onset of the latter stages of the disease, and a delineation of how recovery can be achieved) make this a very superior book and for the most part a worthy update. However these additions also make Beyond the Influence less accessible than UTI, which was more direct, and was smaller and weighed less. This last may seem a minor point, but I could pocket the old book while the new one needs to go into my backpack.

Politically speaking, the authors call for greater taxes on liquor; they insist on alcohol being labeled a drug; and they allow that psychotherapy can be (providing that the counselors are educated about the true nature of alcoholism) useful in helping alcoholics recover. They do not directly call for an end to liquor advertising but given the tone of their words, I have little doubt that they would like to see that come about, and I think it might some day. The liquor industry, driven by its need to increase consumption, is increasingly aiming its ads at young people, children even, with its frogs and lizards and other cute spokespersons, and so will someday find itself in the same position that tobacco companies find themselves in today. At least one hopes so. I should add that the authors are not prohibitionists, recognizing that prohibition does not work.

Readers looking for a distinction between hard (distilled) liquor which is typically forty to fifty percent alcohol by volume and beer and wine (six and twelve percent) will not find it here. The authors insist that booze is booze, and no useful distinction can be made. I agree that for alcoholics that is exactly the case; and in fact I always worry about a person who can drink Thunderbird with the same appreciation as say a Beaulieu Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. The truth is however, that beer and wine, regardless of how they are used by alcoholics and so-called "problem drinkers," are in a different class than distilled or fortified liquors because beer and wine are naturally appearing products of fermentation while whiskey, rye, vodka, etc., are the result of human engineering and did not exist in the environment until the rise of modern science. As such they are dangerous not only to alcoholics, but to others as well. As the authors point out, some ethnic groups are more susceptible ("sensitive") to alcohol than others. One of the probable reasons for this is that susceptible peoples have not had a long cultural history of alcohol use, at least not for as long as say the Italians and Greeks, and therefore their inherited chemistry has not had enough time to adjust.

As far as insisting on alcohol being labeled a drug goes, I think that to win such a battle would tend to lose the war since then alcohol would be conjoined with heroin, codeine, cocaine, etc., and a useful distinction would be lost. After all, the percentage of people susceptible to opiate and cocaine addiction is much greater than the ten to fifteen percent that the authors estimate are susceptible to alcohol addiction. Beyond that, the general public will reject the label, and its advocates will lose influence thereby bolstering the position of the liquor industry. Personally I don't believe that beer or table wines should to be called drugs. Wine especially is seen as a food by southern European peoples, and is an important part of a larger cuisine. I think that a careful look at consumption practices will show that drinking to get drunk or to get high can and should be distinguished from drinking as a complement to a meal. (Except for alcoholics!) At any rate, whatever labels are attached, alcohol itself is a food, containing by weight fifty percent more calories than carbohydrates with about seventy-five percent of the caloric value of fat. These are "empty calories" of course, as found in white flour and white sugar.

Anyone who drinks alcohol ought to read this book If everybody did, literately thousands of lives would be saved, and untold millions of hours of misery avoided. If you have any doubt about whether you or someone you love is or could be an alcoholic, you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to READ THIS BOOK. If you are as certain as the morning sun that you are NOT an alcoholic and never could be one, then you should especially READ THIS BOOK. If you're right, you can cite chapter and verse like an expert, and if you're wrong, you'll know why and what you can do about it.

Citing the latest hard, cold facts of the most modern scientific discoveries, authors prove beyond the reasonable doubt, and state both loud and clear: Alcoholism is NOT a flaw of character, NOT a weakness of will, but the physiological disease, over which a person, stricken with it, has no control! And it's an equal opportunity disease, striking good people from all walks of life: blue collar workers as well as admirals and generals, senators and congressmen, farmers and sailors, high school dropouts and college professors, beggars and millionaires, idiots, geniuses and our neighbor, everyday common man and woman... (...)

People are different, authors claim and prove in great detail. Some 10 to 15% of us have a gene, which creates different enzymes within our system, which in turn make highly addictive chemicals while processing the ingested alcohol within our bodies. Human brain is uncapable to resist the craving for alcohol, caused by those chamicals, which are never produced by the bodies of non-alcoholics. Therefore, alcoholics are not more guilty of having alcoholism, as cancer patients are guilty of having cancer, or diabetics being ill with diabetis.

The only solution to the disease of alcoholism is professional, medical treatment, followed by warm and sensitive care of the family, support groups, and society. Punishment, consisting of creation of severe stress, humiliation and application of strong mental and spiritual pain won't work, only making condition worse. Much worse! Primitive and superficial psychological counseling won't work, either. Only complex, modern, professional treatment will.

Great reading for anyone affected by or interested in the disease of alcoholism. A must for judges and prosecutors, busy sending ill people into the sewer pipe of industry of "corrections"! And those few members of MADD, who REALLY want to decrease incidents of drunk driving by fighting its causes, not symptoms, by helping alcoholics to get well, not just looking for an outlet of their hate and anger, which are the most destructive and counterproductive of all human emotions.

Katherine Ketcham and William Asbury have written a book which should be required reading for every parent and high school student in America. The reality of what alcohol does to your brain and body, even in moderation, was a real eye-opener. For those unfortunate to have become addicted to this drug, the book offers not only answers, but hope and compassion. I urge everyone to read this well researched, very readable book.

This book should be in every therapist's library, whether their field is addiction treatment or not. The content includes a rich array of contributions from a variety of authourities in the field of mental health and addictive disease. Not only is it a excellent reference book for the addictionologist, but it can be clearly understood by the layperson. I am familiar with the writings of Katherine Ketcham. This is among her best. I recommend this book highly.

My husband has been dry for 2 years and I am very lucky that is the path he chose. When he checked himself in to a 30 day treatment program I ordered this book and about 10 others to try and better understand his disease. This was by FAR the best book I have read on this subject and it helped me immensely to understand and cope with his disease.
Having an alcoholic in your life is so difficult. Al-anon meetings and another book on Codependence helped me, but this book shed so much light on the nature of the beast I felt like I was up against and that is something I didn't really find anywhere else.
Best of luck and many blessings to you on this journey! I hope this book helps you too.
Namaste!

bI am a recovering alcoholic. I was a hard core alcoholic for over 15 yrs. I have been to detox, rehab, A.A ,and have got my hands on every peice of literature conserning my disease.I can honestly say that this book, was the BEST tool I have ever come across, that helps me understand so COMPLETELY, my disease. It went into the physical symtoms of different stages of alcoholism and I found myself discovering the case of many perplexing physical ailments I was experiencing.It also gave me excellent tips on the vitamins that might aid me in my recovery. This book , I consider my bible.Thankyiu. Thank you & God Bless.

This is an excellent book that looks at alcoholism as a disease. As I was reading this book, I was constantly nodding my head and saying to my self, "Yes, that's it exactly!" Understanding what the drug alcohol does to the brain and why some people are genetically predisposed to the disease is something everyone in this country should learn and understand. I also really appreciated the authors having the courage to take the alcohol industry to task. They are responsible for as many deaths by sale of an addictive drug as the tobacco industry, and yet bear no consequences. Our collective thinking on alcohol and alcoholism must change.

Highly recommended.

I was impressed by the detailed and comprehensive coverage. So much information for such a low price. This book is an absolute must for those who work with this population. I've recommended this book to patients who have come to our clinic. I also feel that the reading level ( a nice flowing easy to understand text, unlike some of the required professional texts) does not compromise the depth of information.

I feel obliged to write a review, as this book has been instrumental in enabling me to "catch" my alcoholism in its early stages. ~10%+ of the population are born alcoholics; heavy drinking, esp in teen years, can bring it out in others. Alcoholism really is a progressive disease, not a matter of willpower. Ask yourself: Do you handle your alcohol well? Drink more now than a year ago? This book explains that alcoholism really is a PROGRESSIVE disease. Most alcoholics -- and budding alcoholics -- were born with a predisposition to it. Learn why a "strong will" won't help overcome this biological affliction, unless you stop drinking altogether. Understand why "moderation" will not work for the born alcoholic.