Drink–Drunk–Disaster–Destruction; or Divine Aid

Four “D’s” Showing the Way Down and a Fifth “D” Showing a Way Out

Dick B.

There are many pathways to recovery. This pamphlet presents the “old-school,” early A.A. path to recovery and cure God’s way--a proven, long-standing answer to the modern experience of relapse after relapse after relapse.

A Simple Resource Guide

For physicians and psychologists, churches and clergy, hospitals and detox facilities, counselors and therapists, treatment programs and rehabs, law enforcement agencies and correctional officers, half-way houses and therapeutic communities, non-profit and government agencies, alcoholics, addicts, their families, and those with life-controlling problems beyond medical cure.

Freedom Ranch Maui, Incorporated
A 501 (c) (3) Tax Exempt Hawaii Non-profit Charitable and Educational Organization
PO Box 837
Kihei, HI 96753-0837
http://freedomranchmaui.org

The Real Alcohol-Addiction Problem, Early A.A.’s Approach, Result, and Solution

The Problem: The plight of early A.A. pioneers is instructive: (1) All were problem drinkers—“real alcoholics,” as they were called. (2) All were drunkards—excessive, uncontrolled drinkers. (3) All suffered most of the consequences of alcoholism—jail, hospitalization, accidents, domestic problems, debt, disgrace, and ill-health; in other words, disaster. (4) All typically repeated and repeated and repeated the process to the point of self-destruction. Yet dishonesty, denial, and self-characterized insanity accompanied the very behavior that was destroying them.

The Early A.A. Approach: Alcoholics Anonymous was founded June 10, 1935 in Akron, Ohio. Its two founders (Bill W. and Dr. Bob) immediately began helping other seemingly-hopeless, medically-incurable, “real” alcoholics. But only those who were willing to seek God’s help in a disciplined, directed, spiritual program of recovery. The Akron approach took its basic ideas from the Bible. The Book of James was favored. The Sermon on the Mount contained their underlying philosophy. And 1 Corinthians 13 specified the ingredients of love and service which were the essence of their spiritual program.

The Miraculous Result: Within two years, 40 men attained a documented, 75% success rate in Akron. In two more years, Cleveland pioneers began their ascent from one group to 30 in a year. These pioneers attained a documented, 93% success rate.

Cures: To hundreds of news outlets across the United States, with but few exceptions, the recovered early AAs declared they had been cured of alcoholism by the power of God. Medicine and religion were astonished at the remarkable, miraculous cures produced through God’s power, and said so in the press, in endorsements, and in reviews.

The Akron Solution and Its Five Primary Elements: The pioneer program—developed in the summer of 1935, and carefully investigated by John D. Rockefeller’s representative about two years later—consisted of five simple elements which enabled the necessary relationship with God and cure: (1) Permanent abstinence. (2) Reliance on the Creator and coming to Him through Jesus Christ. (3) Obedience to God, eliminating sinful conduct, and walking in love. (4) Growth in fellowship with God, and his Son through Bible study, prayer, seeking God’s guidance, and studying devotionals and other religious literature. (5) Teaming together as witnesses to help other alcoholics get straightened out.

Recommended Additional Practices: To the five primary disciplines, other practices were added: (1) Hospitalizing newcomers for several days. (2) Housing most of them in the homes of A.A. pioneers and their wives on their release from medical care. (3) Meeting together daily for quiet times with Bible study, prayer, seeking guidance, and discussion. (4) Reading Christian literature distributed by Dr. Bob and his wife Anne. (5) Attending a “regular” meeting once a week. (6) Engaging in social and religious comradeship with each other. (7) Weekly attendance at a church of choice.

Victory through Divine Aid: The seemingly unstoppable, repeated cycle of pre-A.A. madness – drink, drunk, disaster, and self-destruction – came to a halt in 1935 when the fifth “D” – Divine Aid – was sought, believing that God does what He promises to do. Heal! His “Divine Aid” produced multiple cures once early AAs devoting themselves to helping others seek and obtain our Creator’s deliverance. They widely proclaimed, in their later basic text, and elsewhere, that God had done for them what they could not do for themselves. Again, they abstained resisted temptation. They relied on the Creator for help, strength, and guidance. They disciplined themselves to changing disgraceful behavior into godly behavior. They recognized the importance of fellowship with God and each other. This meant understanding God, Jesus Christ, and the Bible. And the Christian Fellowship of pioneers grew in their understanding and fellowship through prayer, God’s guidance, Christian literature, and daily devotions. They diligently worked at helping others. Their simple, five-point program worked then, and can now.
The Situation Today

Statistical studies, albeit flawed and lacking in number, establish that today’s recovery approaches and programs—which are very different from the early A.A. programs in Akron and Cleveland—are producing disappointing results. Most modern efforts to deal with alcohol and drugs have abandoned the “God part” and turned to pharmaceuticals, therapy, counseling, brain analysis, treatment programs, rehab centers, nutrition, behavioral and genetic research, czars, and to the host of “Anonymous,” “12-Step,” “self-help,” and “mutual therapy” groups. Yet scientists, academics, and some professionals produce countless demonstrations that such programs, standing alone, have accomplished little either in preventing or treating or overcoming addictions and the horrendous relapse factors.

In the halcyon “recovery” age (1960’s to late 1980), insurance companies, employee assistance programs, treatment centers, government agencies, and 12 Step societies proliferated in the battle to overcome alcoholism and addiction. Their efforts often produced expensive, extended, and even compulsory treatment modes. Their techniques were often abetted by the courts, probation officers, and correctional people. And by treatment programs themselves. The “recovery” rage grew increasingly large. But then failures and recidivism became rampant. Statistics on the impact of alcoholism on 75 million American families, on the prevalence of drug-related crimes and disabilities, and the observable relapses and recidivism told no success story. Treatment centers closed. Recovery stores and literature began vanishing. A.A. itself reached its one million U.S. member mark and then stopped growing.

“Recovery” surveys soon recorded relapse after relapse after relapse. Several skilled observers claimed it was axiomatic that 75% failed. Many studies showed an even higher failure rate—to the point where perhaps as few as 1% “in recovery” were maintaining permanent sobriety, and probably no more than 7% could be counted as “recovered.” The word “cured” disappeared from A.A.’s literature, from treatment literature, and from recovery jargon. Worse, the word “God” was substantially replaced with “higher power.” The words “spiritual awakening” and “awareness” replaced the word “cure.” The word “relapse” soon became an accepted, excused, and commonplace consequence of alcoholism and addiction. And the surge away from God—that has become so apparent in the United States—has become the norm in many, many 12 Step meetings. So much so, that Christian and Church alternatives have attracted more and more alcoholics and addicts while A.A.’s own growth remained static and recovery rates dropped.

The Problem

“Recovery movements” and “modern ‘recovery’ efforts” are failing. The word “recovery” has, despite overwhelming evidence of a lack in “recoveries,” acquired an accepted universalized and secularized complexion. But where is the Creator? Because of constitutional limitations, religious disagreements, money concerns, growth expectations, illusory discrimination claims, and just plain fear have ruled when the word “God” or cannot be used. Our Creator’s vital role in early A.A. successes, stories, practices, and results has fallen between the cracks. Short-term band-aids have replaced God's healings and miracles.

A Solution

History offers part of a solution. It establishes that early A.A. pioneers believed that, with God, nothing is impossible. They substituted curable for incurable. Religion contributed to their victories. Choice is also part of the solution. Short of the ball and chain, few would claim the can stop a willful alcoholic or addict from pursuing the 4 D’s—drink, drunk, disaster, destruction. A solution must offer a choice. And alcoholics and addicts have the very same choice today that A.A.’s own basic text suggests: God either is, or He isn’t. Choosing God is still a reliable option. Among many paths to recovery, we believe God’s way deserves to be known, respected, considered, and told—not relegated to an historical scrap heap

References and Bibliographical Materials

The 31 published titles and more than 170 articles by Dick B., accompanying bibliographies, and following websites provide ample, specific citations supporting the foregoing facts. See http://www.dickb.com/index.shtml; http://www.dickb.com/titles.shtml; http://www.dickb-blog.com; http://freedomranchmaui.org; and http://aa-history.com.

This Pamphlet

This material was prepared for use during the September 2007 National Recovery Month. It brings to the fore some 18 years of research, travel, interviews, book and manuscript acquisitions, library and archive visits, and thousands of hours of work with newcomer alcoholics and addicts, historians, scholars, archivists, writers, curators, and recovered AAs and others who have overcome life-controlling problems the early A.A. Christian Fellowship way.

About the Author

Dick B. is a writer, historian, publisher, retired attorney, and Bible student. He is an active, recovered member of the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous and has maintained continuous sobriety since entering the A.A. rooms in April, 1986. As an A.A. sponsor, he has helped more than 100 men in their recovery from alcoholism and addiction. He is the author of 31 published titles on the history of Alcoholics Anonymous and the Twelve Step Movement. As a scholar, he is a member of the Organization of American Historians, the Alcohol and Drugs History Society, the Research Society on Alcoholism, the Association for Medical and Educational Research on Substance Abuse, the Christian Association for Psychological Studies, the International Substance Abuse and Alcoholism Coalition, and Phi Beta Kappa. He was Case Editor of the Stanford Law Review and received A.B. and J.D. degrees from Stanford University. He has spoken at innumerable meetings, seminars, panels, conferences, and interviews on radio and television. Currently, he serves as Executive Director of Freedom Ranch Maui, Incorporated, a tax exempt 501 (c) (3) Hawaii non-profit charitable and educational organization located on the Island of Maui in the State of Hawaii.

Freedom Ranch Maui, Incorporated
Kihei, Maui, Hawaii
http://freedomranchmaui.org