The Cure for Alcoholism: Drink Your Way Sober Without Willpower, Abstinence or Discomfort [Paperback]

Roy Eskapa Ph.D. (Author), David Sinclair (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2008

Introducing a revolutionary solution to alcohol dependence, this study outlines the Sinclair Method, a treatment that combines the prescription medication Naltrexone and the continued consumption of alcohol. Already well known in many parts of Europe, this breakthrough remedy will bring relief to the millions who suffer from addiction or to those who are affected by someone else’s. Topics covered include the hard evidence behind the treatment, moving testimonials from cured alcoholics, interviews from clinics that have adopted the method, and details about Naltrexone.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Roy Eskapa, PhD, is a psychotherapist specializing in addiction. He is the author of Bizarre Sex. David Sinclair, PhD, is the chief of prevention and treatment of addictions at the National Public Health Institute in Helsinki, Finland. He has published more than 300 scientific journal articles.

Product Details

• Paperback: 319 pages
• Publisher: BenBella Books; Reprint edition (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933771550
• ISBN-13: 978-1933771557
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #76,278 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

135 of 142 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A New Paradigm, October 1, 2008

By 

Steven Herman "psychologist researcher profes... (Hilo, HI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cure for Alcoholism: Drink Your Way Sober Without Willpower, Abstinence or Discomfort (Paperback)

Dr. Eskapa's important new book explains the quiet revolution that is occurring in our understanding of how people become alcoholics and how to treat alcoholism. To make a long story short, the field of alcoholism research and treatment has been divided into two opposing camps: those who believe that alcoholism is best thought of as a kind of medical illness (for example, AA) and those who believe that alcoholism is best thought of as a learned (very) bad habit (many psychologists). What Dr. Eskapa explains in clear, non-technical language is how new research shows that neither one of these views is completely correct--but that both of them are partly correct! That is, alcoholism is like a disease because certain people are genetically predisposed to become alcoholics. But alcoholism is also a learned behavior--even someone who is genetically predisposed to become an alcoholic will not become an alcoholic if they never try alcohol. This new paradigm is the basis for the cure for alcoholism--a combination of a widely available drug treatment and a behavioral strategy--that is clearly described in Dr. Eskapa's brilliant book.

This book argues very convincingly that alcoholics must unlearn their addiction to alcohol, and the best way to do this is by drinking alcohol while they are simultaneously taking a drug that blocks the biological reward system in the brain that underlies addiction; this process of unlearning is called extinction by psychologists. The research from over 70 clinical studies shows that alcoholics can unlearn or reverse their biological addiction by continuing to drink alcohol while simultaneously taking a safe, non-addicting medication to block the jolts of reinforcement in the brain produced by the release of endorphins each time alcohol is consumed. By following this plan - of ALWAYS taking the medication before drinking, craving and actual drinking levels reduce dramatically. In other words, alcoholics can transform themselves into either moderate drinkers or nondrinkers, whichever they prefer. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who suffers from the tragedy of alcoholism--both alcoholics and their families.

77 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If Alcohol's a Problem, Look No Further... This Works!, September 24, 2008

By 

Cazzie (London, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cure for Alcoholism: Drink Your Way Sober Without Willpower, Abstinence or Discomfort (Paperback)

Having had a dear friend who used this method after having tried AA, rehab numerous times, and everything else, let me tell you firsthand, the Sinclair Method works. The Cure for Addiction now means that one doesn't have to travel to Finland for treatment. One doesn't have to abandon life as they know it to endure 30 days of rehab or attend AA meetings; the Sinclair Method integrates into normal life and no one has to know you're on it if you choose to keep it private. The Sinclair Method gave my friend back his life, and all those love him, reason to proselytize it in any way possible.

51 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Now there is real hope for all alcoholics who want to quit!, October 8, 2008

By 

Patricia Milford "Tricia from Oz" (California, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cure for Alcoholism: Drink Your Way Sober Without Willpower, Abstinence or Discomfort (Paperback)

I wish every health care professional, social worker, psychologist, member of the clergy, and alcoholic or their family could get their hands on this book and try the cure! What hope! What joy! For anyone who knows someone who is in the grip of alcohol addiction and wants their life back this is the book.

The options available to alcoholics up to now have been limited to detoxification and abstinence. There are numerous programs from AA to food and other therapies designed to help people to resist their craving for alcohol but the program outlined in this book (the Sinclair Method) provides a safe medical alternative which will cure the alcoholic of their cravings over a period of time. The irresistible craving for alcohol is both a learned behavior and a disease and this program provides alcoholics with an understanding of how that behavior can be unlearned and the craving extinguished with a safe generic drug. It is difficult to believe that there is a safe effective cure for this debilitating disease available for anyone who wants to get the prescription. It is difficult to believe that all the pain and suffering associated with alcoholism can be a thing of the past. What is not difficult to understand is that when something sounds too good to be true people will doubt that it is true. In order to accept this program people will have to unlearn much that they believe to be true about alcoholism. They will need to unlearn that the only way to treat alcoholism is through abstinence. They will need to unlearn that the only way to overcome a drinking problem is by submitting to a higher power. They will have to unlearn that in order to stay healthy the alcoholic must remain abstinent. What they will have to learn is that as long as the alcoholic is taking his or her medication before they take that first drink they are actually drinking their way to a cure. They will have to learn that this medication can provide a way for the alcoholic to safely and slowly detoxify and reach a point where alcohol is no longer the major focus in their lives.

Dr. Eskapa presents all the information a person needs to get the cure for alcoholism. It is simple and safe. The book is easy to read while providing a logical scientific explanation of why and how the process works. It is well referenced and indexed and useful for alcoholics themselves as well as professionals who work in treatment programs or others in the medical profession.

I will be purchasing additional copies to share with friends and colleagues.